Yesterday, before coming into the marina at Townsville, we anchored at Magnetic Island for the morning and visited the nature park there. It was more of a petting zoo than a nature reserve, but with native Australian species. We got to pet Wallabies, Mackaws, Wombats, snakes, lizards, turtles and, of course, Koalas.
There was an extra charge for actually holding a Koala. Apparently this is a legal requirement which is intended to prevent too many people from holding the Koalas. The ranger also asked that you didn't actually cuddle the Koala because that confuses them. You are supposed to act like a tree to make them comfortable being in your arms. As the ranger pointed out, Koalas don't usually get cuddled by the tree they are sitting in.
Daniel with a snake 95E
Bertie with a salt water crocodile 95F
And me with the saltie 960
Emily kissing a cockatoo 961
A wombat in a log. It wouldn't come out, so nobody got to pet the wombat. But then, nobody seemed to want to after the ranger explained they always poo'd in the nest so they could find their way home by sense of smell 962
A Koala and her baby 963
Estella with a Koala 964
And Andrea with the Koala 965