2/14, Cairns, bus tour

 

 

We had a briefing at 7:30 after breakfast in our meeting room at the Ryder Tradewinds to meet the additional 19 people who joined our tour. Marilyn, of the Cape Eight, had arrived from Bali where she’d been for a month.

We boarded the bus for maybe a 45 minute ride to the Hartley Crocodile Farm. This is a privately owned zoo and met our enthusiastic guide Ginelle who has worked with all kinds of animals for 20 years. First we saw the lagoon with all kinds of crocodiles (saltwater and freshwater - they can do either). There were a couple of males and the rest females that the two males service. It was almost feeding time so they were hovering.

 

Next we boarded a boat with Damian who was going to feed some. He had a long pole with chicken parts suspended and got some pretty huge ones to jump and snap at the food. He put a hunk on a branch and a huge raptor swooped in and grabbed it.

 

Next after a water break we walked to the tanks where they hatch and raise them, to sell for their skins - a women’s purse can go for $40,000!! Who needs one of those? We got to hold a baby and the skin is really soft!

Next were the kangaroos and wallabies where we got to hold a little orphan and feed the bigger ones. We got to get a picture with a koala and pet one. Oddest thing was the two huge but not fully grown cassowaries - big flightless emu-like bird with blue and red on its head. They are very vicious, secretive and can kill! We also saw a heard a couple of kookaburra (birds with a human like cackle/laugh). one had 1/2 a bill and a missing wing.

 

Port Douglas was our lunch stop and had a delicious special of barrundi (fish) and chips and the requisite beer!! I had a “pot” little cup of draught. Ice cream was all I had time for before we boarded again for the drive up mountain to the Wetherby Station - a cattle ranch that John and his wife Cathy retired to. They raise a cross breed called Brahmstein, I think, cross between Holstein and Brahmin. Glossy black and massive looking, very mild personality, lots of baby calves - one born that day. He does a lot of experimenting, had tour groups, college students to do research. It’s a gorgeous farmhouse they’ve owned for 9 years with a big wraparound porch where the tables were set up. We had a lovely roast beef dinner with Pavlova (a meringue dessert) and wine/beer along with Australian songs by a balladeer. It was delightful!

We headed back home and I did a load of laundry. Mary Ann, Leona and I socialized in the tiny laundry room upstairs!!