May 2nd and 3rd - Days 7 and 8

It's hard to believe that we've been in Australia for a full week now. We returned  from our overnight trip to Moreton island this evening and most of us will be spending the rest of the night getting sand out of our hair and clothes. 

Moreton Island was amazing and we had some really unique experiences, probably many 'firsts' for most of us. The island is about 37 km long and is basically a sand bar that formed over thousands of years when ocean currents deposited sand on a granite outcrop. Even though the soil is low in nutrients, the island is covered with dense vegetation in many parts, in fact it boasts the world's tallest vegetated  sand dune - 250 m. We saw many different habitats from beachy sand dunes to desert scrub, mangroves and even a freshwater lagoon. Some of the plants were striking and unusual like the foxtail fern (a bushy vibrant green fern), bangsia ( a tree that produces flowers that look like bottle-brushes) and tree ferns which have a long black flower that looks like a spear going right through their middle. The island is also home to many species of birds and we saw an Eastern curlew who visited us during dinner and pied oyster catchers searching for their next meal on the beach.

Our day started early with an 8 am ferry ride to the island which took about 90 minutes. As soon as we arrived, our guide Grant took us out in see-through kayaks to explore the reef. We then went snorkeling to get a closer look at the coral and sea life and it was amazing to see things that previously we had seen in the aquarium, but now just a few feet from us. 

After a delicious lunch we were off to the dunes for sand tobogganing. Basically you lie on your stomach and slide down a dune on a thin piece of plywood that is about about 30cm by 1 m. We all tried it at least once and some of us went back down the hill 4 times (the trudge up a steep incline was a deterrent to more attempts). Everyone seemed to enjoy it and it was something that none of us has done before. 

After another scrumptious meal it was time to go back out for one more outing - night kayaking in the see-through boats that were now lit up so we could see into the water. We went back to the same spot that we snorkelled at earlier and it was a really different look compared to the day time. We could see the different colours of coral that weren't visible in the day - pinks, greens and yellows. The highlights were seeing a turtle that a few students got to touch while it was swimming, several wobbegong sharks, a stingray (which some students saw) and lots of beautiful coral. 

By the time we returned to our accommodations for the night everyone was exhausted and ready to turn in. This morning started with some excitement as our bus wouldn't start but after a short delay we went on a drive around the north shore of the island. We saw some beautiful beaches, a lighthouse where we learned about much of the history and ecology of Moreton, stopped at a freshwater lagoon for a swim and lunch and then made our way back to wait for the ferry. 

Tomorrow we go to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where the much anticipated holding of koalas and associated photos are to take place. More on that later. 

Day Six - Australia zoo pictures

The Wombat Wagon

The Tasmanian Devil on lap 10

Dingoes 

Cassowary 

Emu

Kangaroos 

The cutest of them all - koalas 

May 1st - Day 6 - Australia Zoo

Today we went to the Australia Zoo, home of the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. The zoo was about an hour drive from Brisbane and unfortunately the weather did not cooperate today. It was raining most of the day but on the plus the zoo was not crowded and it sometimes seemed like we had the whole place to ourselves. 

Highlights for the students were the crocodile show, petting the koalas and feeding the kangaroos. The zoo had excellent exhibits of Australian animals and we got to see cassowaries, emus, wombats, dingoes, snakes, Tasmanian Devils, birds and of course those crocs. The zoo had 2 month old Sumatran tiger cubs who were awfully cute and playful that we also got to watch.   Lynn and I were entertained by some hilarious animal antics - a cassowary chasing a turkey around its enclosure and a Tasmanian Devil doing laps for no apparent reason. We also saw a wombat being taken for a ride in the 'Wombat Wagon'. 

By the time we were ready to head back the skies had cleared and we had a nice view of the Glass Mountains on our drive back to Brisbane. 

Tomorrow we head out to Moreton Island for an overnight camping trip so if you don't hear from us don't panic, we'll be back on Tuesday.

April 30th - Day 5 - Sydney to Brisbane

We left Sydney this morning to travel to Brisbane. After checking into our flight at the airport we had time to meet as a group and discuss our experiences over the past few days. Students shared their observations and insights on some of the activities we had completed, what we had learned about nature, the environment and culture as well as differences and similarities between Australian and US customs and values. 

It was interesting to hear the different perspectives and useful for students to synthesise their experiences to date. 

We are now in Brisbane and will be visiting the Australia Zoo tomorrow. More on that later!

Day 4 Photos

Mrs. Macquarie's Chair is one of the best places to get a shot of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House and yes you  can also sit in it. It was built by Governor Macquarie for his wife so she had a place to sit when she wanted to enjoy the view from her favourite spot. Of course we had to try it out.

The Botanic Gardens 

An old part of Sydney known as the The Rocks

Panoramic view of Sydney from the Harbour Bridge

Harbour Bridge at night from the Sydney Obsevatory

View from the Sydney Observatory at night 

April 30th - Day 4 - Free day in Sydney

Today was a free day for the students with no planned class activities so students ventured out in Sydney on their own. One group visited more museums including the Museum of Contemporary Art, another experienced Sydney's famous Bondi Beach, a third did the 3.5 hour guided climb of the Harbour Bridge and a fourth did the Escape Room challenge. Several of them also toured the Botanic Gardens and the Opera House. Lynn and I wandered the Gardens, walked across the Harbour Bridge and took a night-time guided tour of the Sydney Observatory. 

A diverse set of options and a whole range of experiences for everyone!

Thursday April 28; Blue Mountains and Lyrebirds

Today we boarded a train and headed west to Katoomba for a guided bush walk in the Blue Mountains. Our excellent Rangers, Liz and Paula, led us on a 4 hour hike through eucalyptus forest, as well as temperate rainforest at the bottom of Jamieson valley. Highlights included waterfalls, tree ferns known from the Jurassic, cockatoos, amazing vistas and rock formations, and not one, but TWO lyrebirds! These birds are known for their ability to mimic other birds' songs and incorporate them into their own courtship rituals. They also have a mating dance where they display their tail feathers to try to attract the females of the species. We watched them scratch up the soil looking for invertebrates to eat, and observed pilot birds, small individuals of other species that hang around looking for leftovers. It is truly amazing to see one of these birds, but TWO?  It was fate, as we took a path that was not on our original itinerary, and ended up seeing these rare and beautiful animals.