.jpg) The Brusio Spiral Viaduct
Just south of the tiny town of Brusio, the Bernina Express train-line encounters one of its many triumphs of engineering: a 110 metre- (360 foot) long spiral that keeps the grade across the whole system limited to 7% or less. Riding the rails is my favourite way to travel. Being able to move around at will, or nestle in a seat or a berth, while watching the world chug past the windows, is just magic to me.
It was summer – many years ago now – and we had several weeks in which to explore Switzerland. On the advice of Swiss friends, we had pre-purchased Swiss Rail Passes and had already enjoyed making extensive use of them to get around the country (eg: Wanderweg around the Pfäffikersee; Balade Des Fontaines, Aigle; Château de Chillon; Schaffhausen and Neuhausen am Rheinfall; Gruyères; The Salt Mines of Bex; Leysin; Lucerne; Bern).
Even by Swiss standards, rail travel doesn’t get much better than in a reserved seat in one of the panorama cars comprising the beautiful, streamlined, Bernina Express trains that run through a UNESCO-listed landscape of mountains, valleys, and engineering marvels!
The highest railway across the Alps, the Bernina Express train line extends from Chur, Switzerland’s oldest town, through the Bernina Pass at Alp Grüm (2,253 m), and then drops into the Val Poschiavo and crosses into Italy, where it terminates in Tirano (441 m). There, summer passengers – like us – can pick up the red Bernina Express Bus which drives past Lake Como and back into Switzerland; ending in Lugano.
We started our sight-seeing circuit near Zürich (see: Railway Dreaming), and stopped overnight in Poschiavo to visit with friends and family and to enjoy the sights in this small Italian-speaking town (see: Switzerland for Lunch). We were up early the following morning to take the next leg of the journey: across the Italian border and into Tirano. In Tirano, we had just enough time between the end of the train and the start of the bus extension to explore and have lunch (Watch this space!).
The scenery along the whole route is spectacular.
.jpg) Bernina in the Road: Via Principale, Poschiavo
In many of the small towns along the southern end of the Bernina’s route, the railroad shares the streets: in some places, blocking them completely when the train rolls through. There is a train coming down our road as we drag our suitcases out of our Poschiavo hotel and walk towards the station. .jpg) Along Lago di Poschiavo
Once in our train, we head south: following the shores of Lake Poschiavo.  Lago di Poschiavo
Formed by a prehistoric landslide, today this massive lake is used as a reservoir. Out the Windows of the Bernina
The tourist town of Miralago comes into view at the south end of the lake. The Bernina
Many curves – but just a few minutes – later … Brusio
… we can see a section of train snaking through the little municipality of Brusio. Brusio
When we draw into the Brusio RhB (Rhaetian Railway) station, we meet the Bernina that’s heading north to St. Moritz. Almost Abstract: “Trains that Pass“ Brusio
The little town of Brusio looks clean and pretty as we roll by. Crotto
On one side of the tracks, as we make our way out of town, we can see stone igloos. These caves, or crotto, are usually built over running water to keep the temperature inside cool: they originally functioned as archaic refrigerators. The Brusio Spiral Viaduct
On the other side of the train, the incredible Spiral Viaduct comes into view. The Bernina on the Arches
First opened in 1908, the full circle allows the train to drop to the valley without exceeding the maximum allowable 7% grade. The viaduct spans across nine ten-metre arches, and is one of the feats of engineering that led to the Bernina railway being UNESCO World Heritage listed. Bernina Caboose Reflections Castello Di Piattamala
We cross into Italy and drop further into Valtellina Valley. Tirano is in the distance, and the now-abandoned Castello Di Piattamala – built in the early 1920’s – sits across the river. Train into Tirano
We continue to drop down: we started our morning in Poschiavo at 1,014 metres above sea level; Tirano sits at 441 metres. Il Trenino Giallo di Tirano
We have a few hours in Tirano before we need to meet our friends for lunch and catch our Bernina Express Bus back to Switzerland. So, we swap our flashy red train for Tirano’s little yellow tourist train, and set off to explore (see: At the Crossroads of the Mountains). Back on the Buses
Although the buses from Tirano, Italy, through to Lugano, Switzerland, are clean and modern, they cannot possibly compare to the beautiful train carriages. Church on a Hill
The hills rise up steeply, dotted with villages and old churches, … Another Hill – Another Church
… and covered in vineyards. Lake Como
The fabled Lake Como, home to millionaires and celebrities, rolls into view. Sorico Lake Lugano
Afternoon sun lights up the villages lining the shores of Lake Lugano, and we slip from Italy back into Switzerland. Night over Lake Lugano
With our bags stored away in a Lugano hotel room, we enjoy an evening stroll along the promenade. And so ends another day of wonderful exploration – made possible by the fabulous Swiss rail and bus system.
 The next day will bring a new adventure.
Until then,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 07August2014
Posted in Landscapes,Switzerland,TravelTags: landscape,Landscapes,nature,Photo Blog,railway,Swiss Alps,Switzerland,train,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall
Sadhu on the Phone
Age-old traditions meet modern technologies: this is India, where there is an amazing new sight around every crowded corner. It is truly a “street photography” bonanza. Incredible India!
That’s how the Government of India has marketed its tourism campaigns since 2002, and it is not wrong.
Incredible!
Defined as: 1) impossible to believe, improbable, inconceivable, preposterous, implausible, unimaginable, or 2) difficult to believe; extraordinary, wonderful, marvellous, amazing, astonishing, astounding, awe-inspiring, awesome, extraordinary, fabulous.
I think the campaign was intended to build on the second meaning, but both are equally true. India is as frustrating as it is captivating; it is amazing and unbelievable. It is full of the unexpected: it is a chaos of colours, a richness of smells and tastes, and a kaleidoscope of visuals.
It is also exceptionally photogenic. Every time I have visited, I have come away exhausted, with a skin bursting with a complex mix of emotions and memories, and cards full of digital images. It takes me forever to go back through these images, but when I do I am plunged back into the crush and the heat and the noise – and I miss it acutely.
The street-photos I’m posting here are from the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan, Northern India. A pilgrimage destination for both Hindus and Sikhs, Pushkar also hosts the annual autumn Camel Fair, which draws crowds of cattle-, horse- and camel-traders, as well as entertainers, touts, venders, and international tourists: like myself, photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours, and the small group of photography enthusiasts I was travelling with under the leadership of local guide DV Singh Jagat. We had spent a lot of time on the dusty fairground amid the camels and horses (see: Faces at the Camel Fair, and Among the Camels and Horses), so a walk into town was a welcome respite.
I hope these pictures give you some feel for the messy magic that is India.
Cutting Vegetables
So much “life” happens in the streets and public spaces: you can watch street food being made from scratch. Street Food Stall
You are never very far from food – and there are plenty of eager customers. Making Samosas
So much of it looks fresh and tasty, … Samosas Cooking
… and it’s hard to walk past the samosas! Man in a Doorway Living Divinity
Dressed and painted as one of the the countless Hindu Gods, … Hindu God in Pink
… a child walking into town meets the camera’s gaze. Gold and Bangles
The roadway into town is lined with open shop-fronts … Face in the Crowd
… and crowded with walking people. In addition to the Camel Festival, this day was Prabodhini Ekadashi: a significant Hindu festival that marks the beginning of auspicious ceremonies like marriages, child naming, etc., so the streets going into the many Hindu temples were busy. Selling Tattoos
It is not too late to get an ink design before reaching the temples in town! Sadhu on a Marble Platform
The sadhus fascinate me. This one is clearly important: he is well dressed, in a good location, and surrounded by icons, images, and paraphernalia. Sadhu in Pink
They come in all colours, … Sadhu in Orange
… and can be found tucked in corners or under trees everywhere. In theory sadhus, who are religious ascetics or holy people in Hinduism and Jainism, renounce worldly life. In practice, they are all very different: with different dress and possessions, and different levels of engagement with the secular world. Shoes on Sale
The shops lining the roadway are eye-catching. Man in a Red Pheta (Turban)
Wherever there is a ledge to sit on, pilgrims make use of it to rest. This red turban fabric is typical of Rajasthan, … Man in a Mustard Vest
… but a variety of colours and patterns are possible. The cloth is usually between 3.5 and 6 meters long and 1 meter wide. It is wonderful seeing the fabrics stretched out when they are being washed or died. Indian Women
Women’s headscarves – or ghoonghats – are even more varied than the men’s turbans, and are often embroidered, beaded or sequinned. Gulaab Niwaas Palace
Built between 1743 and 1746 as a summer palace for Maharana Jagat Singh II, this is one of the many beautiful Mewar palaces across Northern India that have been turned into lovely hotels. Lake Pushkar from Rajbohra Ghat
The palace must have a wonderful view; even at our level – lower down – we are overlooking Pushkar Lake and the surrounding town and mountains. Street Scene
Clumps of people gather everywhere – many sitting cross-legged, others in full “Asian squat”. I love the contrast between the mobile phone and the wrapped dreadlocks on the minimalist sadhu in this picture. The Long Moustache
Let me introduce you to an unusual entertainer I met along the road: a juggler and musician … Feet and Moustache
… with bells on his ankles and a moustache down to his feet. The Nose Flutes
He plays his nose flutes for us … Tying up his Moustache
… before plonking his turban on my head and twisting his moustache into a topknot! Incredible, right?
That’s India!
Until next time,
Namaste
Pictures: 13November2013
Posted in environmental portrait,India,TravelTags: environmental portrait,environmental portraits,everyday life,hindu,India,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,Pushkar,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Cowra POW Camp
Set in the peaceful pastoral countryside of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the remains of the WWII Cowra Prisoner of War Camp is listed as one of the state’s top heritage sites. Peace.
Is there such a thing?
At the moment – at least in my corner of the world – there is an absence of war.
Given the current political climates internationally, this absence of war does not feel like “peace”. It feels like a precarious balance of competing tensions: a temporary truce, while one holds ones breath. All around the world, there are military or authoritarian governments in power; there are people trying to live in cities that have been reduced to rubble; and there are people on the move, trying to escape conflict. And Australia, which is ostensibly “at peace”, has thousands of ADF (Australian Defence Forces) personnel deployed to various overseas and internal operations aimed at protecting Australian national interests and borders.
In her 1994 book Time on our Side, Dorothy Rowe, renowned Australian psychologist and writer, posited that true peace is not really possible while we raise children on what she considered “the violence” of bribes and threats, and while governments attempt to subdue each other through trade sanctions (bullying) and more powerful weaponry (force). I fear she is right, but I can’t see an alternative while we have such difficulty with finding common ground across so many domains.
These and other musings on the impossibility of drawing an agreed clear line between concepts integral to the human condition (nature vs nurture; the personal vs the societal; freedom vs responsibility; etc., etc.) whirled around my head after a visit to Cowra, a small town in the Central West of New South Wales, surrounded by fields of grain, orchards, vineyards, vegetable-growing and pastoralism.
Cowra was the site of the bloodiest — and largest — prison escape[s] in British and Australian War history. At the behest of the British Government, Australia built 28 Prisoner of War camps across the country to house soldiers captured in North Africa and the Pacific. Camp Number 12 was built at Cowra in 1941, not far from a Recruit Training Battalion.
At 1:50 in the morning of August 5th 1944, 1,104 Japanese Prisoners of War (POWs) staged a mass breakout from Compound B at the Cowra POW camp. Three hundred and seventy-eight Japanese POWs made it over or through the fence, and 231 died during or as a consequence of the attempt. Five Australians died; all of the escapees who survived were eventually rounded up.
This rather tragic episode was later attributed – in part – to a misunderstanding, but it also highlights some of the enormous differences possible in societal world-views.
Even today, Japanese society is experienced as collectivistic by Western individualist standards; at the time of WWII this was even more the case. Although the country was not without anti-imperial dissidents, Japanese were raised to revere the Emperor as a living deity, and to see war – ideologically – as an act of purification. Following the practice of Bushido, the ancient samurai code of ethics, surrender to enemy forces was unthinkable. In the Field Service Code of 1941, General Tojo instructed: Do not live in shame as a prisoner. Die, and leave no ignominious crime behind you.
In practice, whether Japanese soldiers agreed with these views or not, they had little choice, and surrender would not only disgrace themselves but also bring shame to their families. Most fought until they were killed, or they committed suicide: those who were taken prisoner were often too ill or injured to kill themselves.
Although the captured Japanese in Allied POW camps were treated in accordance with the 1929 Geneva Convention governing the treatment of POWs, their country was not a signatory, and they were expected to vigorously resist incarceration.
This resistance led to the planned mass attack on the camp guards, the Australian soldiers of the 22nd Garrison. What we call the “Cowra Breakout” might better be referred to as the ‘night of a thousand suicides’.
Either way, like most episodes in war, it resulted in tragic loss of life.
Cowra Information Centre
Visitors to Cowra are encouraged to follow “The Cowra Breakout Trail”, which starts at the Information Centre with a delightful 9-minute hologram and explanatory sign boards. (iPhone6) Entry to the Japanese War Cemetery
The Cowra War Cemetery includes a section for the remains of all Japanese prisoners of war who died in Australia during World War II. This includes those killed during the Battle of Darwin: the Japanese bombing of Darwin in the Northern Territory on 19 February 1942. Fallen Leaves
Autumn leaves and dappled light add to the sense of respectful quiet. Ishi-Dōrō
This is the only Japanese war cemetery maintained in Australia: the land was ceded to Japan in 1963. Memorial : Japanese War Cemetery Japanese POWs
There are 523 graves here, including those of the 231 Japanese soldiers who were killed during the 1944 Cowra Breakout. The Cowra General Cemetery
The general town cemetery is at the same location, … “Cause of Death: Illness”
… as are the markers for Australian WWII service personnel. These include those who died in training at the local Military Camp, and the four who were killed during the Breakout. Garrison Walk
Nearby, a one-kilometre walk leads around the old garrison and the prisoner of war camp. Remains of the Electrical Switching Hut
Most of the buildings in the camp and garrison were rather make-shift and have long since disappeared, but this one was more sturdily build by Italian POWs from recycled materials scavenged in the area. Camp Ruins
It is a peaceful walk around the ruins: even on an Autumn day, the sun radiates heat through the clean air, while a graceful tree shades the foundations of a POW hut. Nature’s Artworks : Almost Abstract Japanese Gardens
My next stop was at the Japanese Gardens – an enduring symbol of reconciliation between Australia and Japan designed in Edo-period style by Ken Nakajima. Ducklings
At 12 acres (5 hectares), these are the largest Japanese gardens in the Southern Hemisphere. Galahs – Eolophus Roseicapilla
A variety of Australian native birds make themselves right at home here. Eastern Rosellas – Platycercus Eximius Red-Rumped Parrot – Psephotus Haematonotus Waterfalls
The first stage of the garden was opened in 1979, and a second section was opened in 1986. Coi Pond Little Pied Cormorant – Microcarbo Melanoleucos Cowra from the Hill
At the top of a small hill near the gardens, a lookout allows views over the Lachlan Valley and the town. World Peace Bell
Made from melted coins from the 103 member countries of the United Nations, Cowra’s Peace Bell is a symbol of the town’s commitment to international understanding. It is the only one of its kind outside a capital city. Thomas William Wood’s Portrait of Thomas Walker (Copy)
War and Pieced: The Annette Gero Collection of Quilts from Military Fabrics was in the Cowra Regional Art Gallery when I visited, and was a special treat! Often called “soldiers’ quilts” or “convalescent quilts” these stunning blankets pieced from remnants of uniforms from historical wars show that beautiful things can come from conflict. Soldier On by Lucy Carroll
My favourite quilt was the modern artwork made in 2012 by Australian quilter Lucy Carroll in honour of the ANZACs (Australian New Zealand Army Corps). That ANZAC quilt brought my Cowra visit to a perfect end: it was a reminder of the losses and sacrifices on all sides in times of conflict.
Somehow, we never learn.
Lest we Forget
Pictures: 12-13April2019
Posted in Australia,History,MemorialTags: Australia,bird,history,landscape,memorial,museum,Photo Blog,POW,remembrance,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,war,WWII
Young Boy in Face Paint and Bird Feathers
The children along the mighty Sepik River in central Papua New Guinea take joy and pride in following the cultural traditions of their small communities. If you are like me – or, indeed, like the majority of people in the modern world – you spent most of your childhood in a standardised classroom.
Schools are so “alike” all around the world that it is hard to remember that it wasn’t always this way: for hundreds of thousands of years, children educated themselves through self-directed play and exploration, and learned the ways of their “tribe” or community by working alongside their elders. Cultural traditions were passed down through the oral media of story-telling, dance, song, and sometimes art and artefacts. The world-history of formal education is closely tied to literacy; societies without written language had little need for formal classrooms.
Today, measures of adult literacy are used to assess the economic success of a community. As such, Papua New Guinea, with a literacy rate of just over 64%, falls behind all its neighbours in Oceania. School attendance (63%) is the lowest in the Asia and Pacific region, and only one in three children complete their basic education. Since 2012, schooling from age seven has been tuition-free and conducted in local language up to middle school, but it is not compulsory. About half of primary school-aged children don’t attend, which is attributed to geographic distance from school, lack of security, and lack of parental support for formal education. Almost 30% of schools are run by churches that do not necessarily reflect the indigenous belief structures.
Of course, as is the case with most types of “development” or “modernisation” in traditional communities, formal education is a double-edged sword: it gives people access to opportunities outside their immediate environments, but risks alienating them from their heritage and roots. Papua New Guinea’s constitution declares the desire for traditional villages and communities to continue to function as viable units of society. Balancing educational outcomes with the needs of more than 820 language and cultural groups is a big ask!
I didn’t see any schools during my time in the remote Middle Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. I had journeyed the two-days of plane-, bus- and boat-travel required to access the region from Port Moresby. I was with a small group of intrepid photo-enthusiasts and photographer Karl Grobl from Jim Cline Photo Tours, and was staying in the small, but important, village of Kanganaman: a village of simple stilted bamboo huts with no electricity or running water; a village comprising not one, but two spirit houses (see: Welcome to the Spirit House), but lacking a school. The river is the area’s lifeline, and those children who attend school probably do so by boat.
I was there to enjoy the newly-developed Sepik River Festival (established 2014) and was really pleased to see so many children enthusiastically involved in the traditional story-dances. Through their participation in their clan’s activities, they were learning the fundamentals of their cultural history.
Come join me (and them!) at the dance.
Dancing around the Cassowary
On the green in front of the Little Spirit House, the village women and children dance around the totem cassowary. Child Watching
The children who are not dancing watch the performers with rapt attention. Face Paint and Betel Nut
Many youngsters in PNG start chewing the ubiquitous areca nut-tobacco mix from a very early age, … Betel Nut Smile
… and their teeth and lips show the effects. Cassowary Dancers
The women and children dancing with the cassowary totem continue their circuit of the village … Solemn Child in Face Paint
… as other performers watch on. Face Paint and Greenery Face Paint and Green-Leaf Headband
There is quite a variety of paint and headdress styles. Cassowary Dancers
As the cassowary dancers continue … Crocodile Men and Boys
… men with crocodile scarification, wearing crab-claw flower necklaces and feathered headdresses, are gathered in another quadrant of the green. Dancers on the Green
It is all very informal, as local spectators and tourists mix in with the clumps of dancers, … Little Girl-Child
… and participant children wander in … Girl on the Green
… and out of the dances. Woman in the Dance Boy on the Garamut (Slit Drum)
Everywhere I look, youngsters are being given a turn. Wild-Duck Woman
A “wild duck” sounds innocuous enough as a totem, but even on the women, the face paint is frightening! Wild Duck Women
I’m not sure which is more disconcerting: the straight face or the betel-nut smile! Bow and Arrow
One of the the most popular dances with the local audience seemed to have a story attached. Snake Head
Behind the leader with the bow and arrow, there followed a creature with a small crocodile (or large snake?) head and a rope-like body. Bird Masks
Many of the dancers wore masks with bird-like beaks, as the creature wove its way around the green, threatening to attack people. The audience was in fits of laughter. Women’s Skirts Flying
The singing, dancing, and drumming continues long into the afternoon. Local House
The locals who are not dancing gather in the patchy shade around a typical house, with their wares laid out for sale. They seem unaffected by the heat – which (to me) is oppressive. Drumming
In a flail of leaf fronds, the drumming continues … Drumming and Dancing
… and the dancers keep time. Wild Duck Man Group Shot
After a day of heat and exertion, much of the face- and body-paint has worn off. Tired, but elated, one of the groups pauses to have their picture taken together … Walking Home
… before people head home through the jungle. It was wonderful watching the performers of all ages, but especially the youngsters practicing their stories. Hopefully, they can integrate this traditional learning with a meaningful path forward.
Until next time,
Here’s to their Future!
Pictures: 14August2017
Posted in Culture,environmental portraits,Papua New Guinea,TravelTags: animism,animist,architecture,arts and crafts,culture,dance,environmental portrait,face paint,landscape,Middle Sepik,Papua New Guinea,Photo Blog,PNG,Religious Practice,Sepik River,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Sleeping Koala
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), Australia’s iconic arboreal marsupials, spend most of their time up in the tree-tops, where they sleep as much as 18 hours a day. It is always nice to explore ones own “back yard”.
I relish the opportunity to get up close to animals, and I don’t need much excuse to take a road trip, so when I saw a Groupon advertisement for a day-trip to Phillip Island – ninety minutes out of Melbourne, I jumped at it. I had visited the island many years ago, and had alway wanted to go back.
About 140 km (87 mi) south-southeast of Melbourne, this popular tourist destination has a humid subtropical climate, consistently reliable surf beaches, a plethora of sea birds, and a variety of marine and land-based wildlife. Joined to the mainland by a long bridge, it is probably best known for its breeding colony of adorable little penguins (Eudyptula minor). Every evening, after their hours – or days – at sea fishing and feeding, groups of penguins return to the shore at Summerland Beach and waddle back to their burrows. This nightly “penguin parade” has attracted visitors since the 1920s.
Over-enthusiastic tourism – as well as the development of local housing and the increased traffic when the first bridge was built in 1939 – put enormous stress on these little birds, and their numbers were greatly reduced. By the 1950s, the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife recognised the need to introduce concerted conservation efforts. Viewing stands and fences were introduced to manage the public. More recently, scientific study and management groups have been formed and a residential buy-back program has removed all the housing in the Summerland Beach area. Attempts have been made to control foxes, and the vegetation has been rehabilitated.
Today, the Phillip Island Nature Parks offers complementary ecotourism experiences on Phillip Island, operating as a peak-body for a number of wildlife attractions. The local Tourism Authority also touts the scenery, the motorsports, and other activities. You can pack a lot of activity into a day on the island!
Of course, Australia is a big country, and Melbourne is a full day’s driving from my house. But there were a couple of other things I wanted to do in that general area, so I loaded up the car and made a proper trip of it.
Join me for a few of the sights:
Almost Abstract: Melbourne Reflections
I always enjoy visits to Melbourne: the downtown is compact, attractive and full of parks along the river that winds through it. Almost Abstract: Melbourne Traffic
The traffic trying to escape the city – even on a Saturday – was no joy! Feeding the Kangaroo
Our first stop was at the Maru Koala and Animal Park, just before Phillip Island. Visitors can buy food to give to the native wildlife. Tammar Wallaby (Macropus Eugenii)
Some of the animals are well fed, and need a little coaxing Koala in a Tree
This park allows visitors to have their pictures taken with koalas – in controlled circumstances: the same claws that keep the marsupials from falling out of their trees could do you a real damage! Kookaburra behind Wires
Not all the animals roam free! The kookaburra has a large wired-in enclosure. Long-Billed Corella (Cacatua Tenuirostris) San Remo Fishing Fleet
As we cross the 26 km (16 mi) long San Remo Bridge to Phillip Island, we have views over the fishing fleet – and swimmers in the harbour. Walkway – Koala Conservation Centre
At our next stop – the Koala Reserve – I take the opportunity to walk the tracks through the woodlands. Woods – Koala Reserve
The eucalyptus – swamp gums, mana gums, and blue gums – are just beautiful in the afternoon light. Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia Bicolor)
I’m rewarded with a sighting of a skittish swamp wallaby, … Short-Beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus Aculeatus)
… and a glimpse of an elusive echidna. Sleeping Koala
Elevated walkways allow visitors to get near the treetops where the koalas are all snoozing. Their specialised diet of eucalyptus leaves is high in fibre and low in nutrients. As a consequence, they spend much of their time sleeping to conserve energy. Koala Feet
It amazes me how they drape themselves around the branches, sleeping without falling. Koala in a Tree
They can be hard to spot as they nestle into the nooks of the tall gums. … and Another Sleeping Koala!
They may be emblematic of Australia, but koalas only live around the Eastern and Southeastern coastal regions of the country. They are increasingly vulnerable – mostly because of habitat loss, and I’ve only ever seen them once in the wild (see: The Great Ocean Road). Even in zoos they can hide, so it was nice to get so close to these balls of fluff. Wetlands
It is great to see so much of Phillip Island semi-protected these days. The Koala Reserve borders on to the Rhyll Wetlands and Bird Sanctuary. The Nobbies
Our penultimate stop was at Point Grant, at the western-most tip of the island. An extensive boardwalk allows views over Bass Strait, and out towards Seal Rocks – home to the largest colony of Australian fur seals in the country. The Nobbies Visitors Centre
A very modern-looking visitors centre sits high on the bluff, giving people who wish to pay for the use of the cameras a “seal cam” view of the fur seals on Seal Rocks. Waves at the Nobbies
I settled for a windy walk on the boardwalk – taking in the power of the waves … View from the Nobbies
… and the beauty of the endless expanse of ocean. Wind and Shadows on the Boardwalk
Hang onto your hats! The winds off the Bass Strait are ferocious as people check under the boardwalk for penguins. Little Penguin Hiding
And there is one there, hiding out of the wind: the first we’ve seen. Little penguins moult between February and April, staying ashore for about 17 days while they replace their feathers. You can just see fluffy feathers like fresh snowflakes on the grass. Blue Sea, White Waves, Black Rock
The shoreline here is like an intricate lacework: the constant wave action has worn away the softer rocks, leaving only the black basalt laid down by eruptions of lava between about 48 and 40 million years ago. Autumn Colours
In contrast to the black basalt, the hills are covered with succulents, classified as “Bird Colony Succulent Herbland”. In the Glare of the Afternoon Sun
The little penguins come in at sundown, so we all need to move: it is time to walk back up the boardwalk, into the wind and the glare of the lowering sun, towards the waiting cars and buses. Swamp Wallaby from the Bus
Any driver will tell you that from late afternoon through to twilight is the time to watch for unpredictable macropods on or near roadways. Inside the Penguin Parade
This was all new since my last visit! Being in the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bit like being in an airport terminal – complete with shiny surfaces, souvenir shops, clumps of confused people, and over-priced food. There are some informative displays, but mostly it is a fancy “holding pen” until people are let onto the viewing decks. Cape Barren Geese (Cereopsis Novaehollandiae)
Native to southern Australia, these lovely geese (or shelducks – the taxonomy is uncertain) mate for life, so are usually seen in pairs. Little Penguin (Eudyptula Minor)
This is what we are here for! As the light drops, little penguins – also known as fairy penguins because of their size, or blue penguins because of their colour – poke out of their homes to work on their preening. In the past, the little penguins lived in sandy burrows they fashioned themselves, but they have always been opportunists: making use of caves, rock crevices, or nesting under logs or piles of rubble. Wooden nesting boxes have been located all around Phillip Island to help encourage penguins to return to their previous nesting grounds, which were for a long time disturbed by too much human presence. Moulting Little Penguin
These are the smallest of all the penguin species – and the only ones with blue plumage. No photography is allowed on Summerland Beach after the sun lowers and the rafts of penguins start to make their way ashore.
We sat on the cold bleachers for an hour while one little group stood out in the surf, trying to decide whether to cross the short expanse of sandy beach between them and home.
Once they waddled past, the whole crowd oohed and ahed appreciatively – these little nocturnal carnivores are very cute!
Thank heavens Phillip Island has managed to protect them –
for now.
Photos: 23March2019
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[…] enjoyed several days on the Bernina circuit, travelling with Swiss friends (See: Railway Dreaming; Spirals from Poschiavo; Switzerland for Lunch; and The Crossroads of the Passes). We had arrived in Lugano on the red […]