The Crocodile Hunter

Thursday 24th July 2014

Today I took a reasonably long bus journey to Australia Zoo, home of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter.  I picked today quite randomly based on the weather forecast and the other places I wanted to see in Brisbane but it worked in my favour as I unintentionally visited on Bindi Irwin's 16th birthday. Using the fashion of the moment, the theme of the day was animal onesies so a lot of the guests and all of the staff who weren't in contact with the animals were in fancy dress. 

As it was Bindi's birthday there were lots of special events happening throughout the day. Within half an hour of arriving Bindi was due to arrive along a red carpet. Before we saw her lots of handlers with different animals appeared. Other than the tigers, who just paraded past, they wandered back and forth along the waiting crowd and we were able to touch them all. 

Lots of unknown people arrived and walked along the carpet and had their photos taken and after a long wait, the Irwin family finally arrived. From such a distance away, I couldn't hear what she was saying from the stage and then she was mobbed by news cameras (one of the features I saw this evening back at the hostel). After over 90 minutes of waiting (and I nearly gave up!) she made it to me. She almost stopped at the people next to me but luckily I managed to beckon her back for an autograph and a selfie. 

In the Crocoseum I watched a band called Magic Carpet Ride who did covers of animal songs like The Eye of the Tiger, In the Jungle and Roar.  

Then it was time for the stunning Wildlife Warriors show. It began with a breathtaking display of birds which swooped round the stands. I could feel myself beaming like a small child as the brightly coloured lorikeets and macaws circled overhead. 

Then they bought some snakes round before Terri, Bindi and Robert Irwin came out. After Bindi was presented with a birthday cake, they began the croc show where Bindi and Robert fed the crocs. 

Worrying that I'd spent too much time watching shows instead of seeing the animals, I wound my way round the rest of the park. 

At last I plucked up the courage to stroke a kangaroo and they're as soft as they look. This was the third opportunity I had to stroke them them. Visions of them bouncing into me or punching me ran through my head every other time!

Towards the end of the afternoon, the birthday theme continued with a onesie parade where a couple of kids who must've been around 3 years old won the prize, dressed as a dragon and a lion. 

Then we got free birthday cake!

I

So that concludes my unexpected day at Australia Zoo. What a day! The treats keep on coming and I feel incredibly lucky. 

When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life. - John Lennon

The artist

Monday 21st July 2014

In an artistic and patient mood I decided to draw a church that stood out when I first arrived. It grabbed my attention mainly because it's a traditionally designed church but made of red bricks but also because it's surrounded and dwarfed by modern buildings. 

I spent around an hour (I only know this from the chimes if City Hall!) sitting in a bus stop drawing and also felt like Forest Gump sitting on the bench with buses and people coming and going. It was so worth it as I got such satisfaction from what I think is my best drawing here yet. 

While I was in King George's Square I visited the Brisbane Museum which is inside City Hall and I was pleasantly surprised. There was an exhibition about the history of the Brisbane River (Brisbane's the only Australian city named after its river), an artist's exhibition of Morten Island and another historical exhibition of the area. 

After lunch at the hostel, my obsession with Brisbane's bridges continued as I headed over to GoMA, the Gallery of Modern Art. 

Inside the gallery I soaked up all of the art, enjoying it far more than the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Sydney. 

The pieces that really stood out were:

Michel Tuffery - Povi tau vaga (the challenge) 

These bulls were part of a bigger performance with drumming, dancing and charging flames! 

More info here:

http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/collection/pacific_art/michel_tuffery

And this video installation by Candice Breitz. 

Today I also started collecting photos of the traffic light boxes - see my other blog post Street Art. Why not?

Tuesday 22nd July 2014

Determined to finally draw the treasury building I set of raring to go. Within minutes of leaving the hostel, on what I've dubbed 'the humpy bridge', it bagan to pour with rain so I dashed down the stairs on the other side and sheltered underneath for a while. As is began to ease off I ducked amongst the buildings of the cultural centre before heading over another bridge to the treasury. Unfortunately I only drew half as the bench I thought was dry actually made my bottom damp!

I'm beginning to realise I have a knack of discovering unexpected treats and today's was the Brisbane Festival of Bands in Queen Street Mall, a competition between school groups.  Whiling away a few hours, I listened to a couple of string groups from one school and then a couple of concert bands from a boys school. 

Afterwards I began to work my way towards the botanical gardens but got distracted by the treasury hotel and National Trust building with a green between them so stopped to draw part of the hotel. 

I made it to the gardens in the end and walked through, finding a kookaburra along the way, then along the river back to the hostel. 

Luckily I made it back just before another downpour!

Wednesday 24th July

Cuddle a Koala day!  The long awaited trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary arrived. I took a bus up to the santuary and admired even more koalas. My koala photos are becoming a bit like Ben's penguin photos (apologises for the limited audience for that joke!). 

I had a magnificent view while I ate my lunch. They appear to have no food because the keepers were cleaning out their enclosures. 

Amusingly I had a fright with a lorikeet and caught it on camera. It decided to fly right at me and I jumped out of my skin. It must've looked quite a sight!

Worth it though as I ended up with this beauty!

This was as close as I made it to the kangaroos - still a scardy cat!

I also saw wombats...

...dingos...

...emus and frog faced something or others!

Of course the highlight of the day was cuddling a koala. He was so soft and snugly. I will post a photo up on here in due course. 

We wander for distraction, but travel for fulfilment. - Hilaire Belloc

Edit: Here's the photo from Lone Pine - I had to wait for the postcards to arrive home!