Australia is divided into six states, of which Victoria is the second smallest. With Melbourne as its capital and Tasmania only a few hours away by ferry, Victoria is a popular destination in Australia. After the scorching desert heat of Alice Springs and the soggy conditions in Darwin, the cool and dry air of Victoria was a welcomed respite. My cousin had organized a trip to some of the surrounding sights and I was anxious to compare them to my previous excursions. During my travels to the center and northern territory, I had been told to prepare for a jaw-dropping experience as I traveled around Victoria. Australians all seem to cherish this part of the country as a jewel of the island.
The first stop was Phillip Island, a small island approximately 120 km east of Melbourne. The island is known for three main attractions: Churchill Island, Koala Conservation Centre and penguins. Churchill Island is a smaller island that is connected to Phillip Island by a one way bridge. The island used to belong to a single family and served as their homestead. Today, it’s a working farm, complete with sheep, horses and a peacock. The island is surrounded by wetlands and the current managers are rehabilitating the farmland into its previous natural state. A tour through the family summer house allows for a glimpse into life of the island’s earlier owners. The house was a large country home with a wide veranda that overlooked the bay. Inside, creaking wooden floors and musty aromas confirmed that the house was now a museum. Half read books and children’s toys on the beds gave the impression that the home was still occupied. We didn’t feel keen on waiting around for apparitions to appear; instead, we made our way to see some koalas.
Phillip Island’s koala population was in danger of becoming extinct from reasons ranging from hunting to car accidents. In order to curb the loss of these small arboreal marsupials, the Koala Conservation Centre was created on the island. After paying your entrance fee, you’re allowed to roam the reserve at your leisure. Since koalas are nocturnal, you have to be patient with what appear to be lumps of fur high atop the trees. To avoid the daytime heat, koalas tend to sleep a lot. With arms dangling, legs sprawled and heads tossed back, the poses koalas assume during their slumber resemble the aftermath of a frat party. A tree-top boardwalk puts you face-to-face with some of the koalas. I never knew that the face of a koala exuded pure evil. Red eyes with black slits for pupils give the impression that this animal has bad intentions. I’ll take this time to debunk two myths about koalas. First, koalas are sometimes called koala bears; but they are not bears. Second; although cute, they are far from cuddly. If by cuddly you mean soft, then yes, they are cuddly; but, dare to give one a big warm hug and you’ll walk away thinking you embraced a cactus. Koalas don’t have tails, so in order to climb, they have extremely sharp claws. Imagine a hand with talons and you have a koala appendage. When agitated, these furry replicas of Yoda can inflict some serious wounds.
After spotting a few koalas in the canopy, we got pretty good at being able to see them from afar, even then whey were 50-feet up a tree. Even at dizzying heights, sleeping koalas dangle in the crook of limp. These things are so lazy, that I think if one were to study them, they would be in serious danger of developing narcolepsy. We were noticing that our yawns were coming more frequently and decided to head to a livelier scene. The Pacific Ocean is a rare sight for us East Coast folks. We have to settle for murky waters of the Atlantic, unless you’re fortunate enough to enjoy the emerald waters of South Florida. The Pacific; however, has a blue color that must make the sky jealous. At a lighthouse on Phillip Island, there is an area known as the Nobbies. Small islands and rock outcrops pierce the deep blue span of the ocean. The tide crashes against the rocks and creates huge fountains of white foamy water. Stubby vegetation grows on the rocks and produces a clash of green, blue and white. Staring into the ocean made me wonder how many great white sharks could be lurking under the water. Australia’s largest fur seal colony happens to occur at the Nobbies. Nothing makes for better shark viewing than cold water and seals, a great white’s favorite snack. I spotted two black specks in the ocean and looked through my binoculars with the hope of seeing a seal followed by the infamous dorsal fin of a shark. Instead, I was peeking at two surfers bobbing atop their boards. Sharks are notorious for mistaking surfers for seals. In water known for shark sightings, surrounded by seals, the last thing I would want to do is float on a piece of wood. Aside from surfers with a death wish, the Nobbies and Phillip Island are home to the Penguin Parade.
As tall as a two-liter soda bottle, the little penguin is the smallest penguin in the world. Like other penguins, these birds are at home in the water, but sleep and nest on land. The little penguins’ voyage from sea to land, dubbed the Penguin Parade, is a world renowned spectacle. In order to see this show, you must sit and wait quietly in an open air theatre along the coast. Seating begins just before sunset, after which the penguin watch begins. At first, someone points to a floating drift wood and everyone “oohs” and “awws” before realizing that it’s not going to waddle onto the shore. After a long while, once the chill of the Antarctic breeze causes your teeth to dance in your mouth, you begin to wonder what you are doing. Wouldn’t this be just as cool watching from a warm cozy recliner? That thought and the freeze vanish when you see your first penguin. Even after seeing stuffed replicas of the birds, my first sighting of a little penguin was a surprise. I wasn’t astonished so much at its size, but how small it looked compared to the enormous thrashing waves that seemed to spit it out. The body was dark grey and the belly a creamy color.
The first penguin to emerge seemed to be confused. It looked around, stood for a bit, and went back into the water. Well, so much for a parade. It wasn’t until after 3-4 more penguins gathered into one area, did the march begin. In a tight group, the penguins shuffled their way up the beach into the dunes where their chicks awaited a vomited meal. With so many predators (e.g., raptors and foxes), the little penguins benefit from traveling in groups. As with the koalas, once saw a few penguins, we were able to see them floating in the foamy water. Cameras are not allowed and only a dim spotlight facilitates the penguin viewing. Once we had our fill of penguins, we made our way back to the parking lot. A boardwalk overlooking the dunes allows you to see the little penguins as they waddle to holes in the dunes where hungry chicks squeal their zest for food. Some penguins were walking up to one kilometer from the beach before reaching their nests. There even penguins under the cars in the parking lot. We carefully pulled out of the lot; on the lookout for any would be penguins in the sea of asphalt.
