Peter and Brenda’s Adventures

We were greeted by a flash of orange-red. This ball of energetic fur raced to greet us a week ago. Toby is a Cavoodle, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, poodle mix, who soon came to adopt Peter as his own.  Thanks for the wonderful greetings and all the love and kissesToby.

Visiting the Dandenong Mountains just minutes from Melbourne we were treated to fantastic gardens,  serene lakes, waterfalls  and quaint towns with shops featuring a variety of unique products.  While it is unfortunate that the haze clouded our views of Melbourne, our imaginations were left to fill-in what could have been. The cool autumn air provided for a great day to explore. 

Each evening on Phillip Island, Little Penguins leave the ocean heading to their onland burrows. So predictable is their behaviour that the Penguin Parade is a popular tourist experience. As the sun sinks below the horizon penguins gather on the beach and waddle towards their burrows in a cacophony of hoots, peeps, brays and howls.  This little guy arrived before the sunset. The blue and white feathers are indicative of this species.  Before the evening ended over 2300 of his friends landed to join the party. A surprising and delightfully wonderous evening. 

Our gracious hosts Anna and Andrew showed us around their neighbourhood in Mordi (Aussies like to shorten everything). The quiet ocean allowed us to enjoy the passing sting ray and many starfish.   Peter took a moment for a little surfing. 

Twinkling lights of Melbourne ….

  Port Arthur is now a World Heritage Site, however, 1830, it was the new site of a prison for convicts. Only reoffenders and people whose behaviour in other prisons was considered difficult were housed here. Prisoners worked hard in the shipyard, construction, gardening, and leatherwork which provided for the local community of officials.  The work was hard and punishments harsh for prisoners, while officials enjoyed many luxuries.  Prisoners were kept separate from officials. In fact, while officials and their families took part at Mass, prisoners could only listen from behind curtains.  The young offenders, as young as nine years of age, were housed on an island not far from the colony. Next to that island was the Isle of the Dead, a cemetery where the officials and their families were buried in marked graves on high ground and prisoners in unmarked graves else where.  Today, a rainbow marked this island, a sign of hope for all. 

An unusual and delightful coffee stop, Cubed, over looks Pirates Bay.  The Anzac cookies were exceptional. 

 Our adventures today brought us to the Port Arthur area. Ever changing this day brought a mix of misty, drizzly moments and scatters sunshine.  The Tessellated Pavements, of basalt rock, created an intriguing ocean side display.   and beautiful foreground for a rainbow A historically dangerous area for escapees from Port Arthur, the beach at Eaglehawk Neck provided a rainbow of hope today.  The Blowhole at Eaglehawk Neck was active. and a rainbow highlighted the rocky Isle of the Dead at Port Arthur. 

The road wound 11.5 kilometres uphill with many switchbacks and steep climbs. Our plan was to completed with wonder filled day with a sunset over Hobart from the top of Mount Wellington.  As we rounded the top and entered the parking area a misty cloud rolled in obscuring much of the view. . Happily a stop lower on the mountain provided us with our prized views. The descent provided a view of the twinkling night lights of Hobart. 

With a name like PuddleDuck we just had to visit, and we were not disappointed.  We sampled three wines, a sparkling, a white and a red, and a brandy. They were excellent! If you visit Tasmania, put this winery on your list. 

Tucked into the side of a hill, this sanctuary is home to many orphaned, injured or recovering local animals.  With the loving care of handlers many animals eventually return to the wild.  Tessa, this little Wombat, was recovered from her mom’s pouch after her mother was killed by a vehicle. When she gets a little older she will be released gradually into the wild.  The Tasmanian Devils receive very little interaction with handlers. Understandably because their bite can crush bones.  Pademelons are among the smallest of the marsupials.  The kangaroos happily greet visitors who have food. They love having their chins and chests rubbed.  The sweetest moment came when a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo broke off a branch and gave it to Eve, for her to feed him.