Koalas, Kangaroos, Sheep

This blog post is dedicated to the lovable inhabitants of the Australian wildlife. My trip to Brisbane/Queensland provided the opportunity to get up close and personal with them. My camera was on fire from the many photos I took, and I had a hard time choosing the cutest ones. Decide for yourselves which koala or kangaroo you like best.

I personally found the koalas cuddly, and their sleeping positions make you smile. Koalas are now protected in Australia. Until the 1920s, they were hunted for their dense fur, and they became easy prey because they sleep for about 20 hours a day. This is also due to their diet: as herbivores, they prefer eucalyptus leaves, which make them drowsy. They are not actually bears, but belong to the wombat family. I was happy to catch a few koalas awake, even though some of them looked like they would fall asleep again any moment.

The kangaroos were similarly drowsy because it was a hot day, around 30 degrees Celsius. They dig small depressions in the ground, where they lie down and blissfully fall asleep (see photo). I was lucky to be able to photograph a little joey - a baby kangaroo - peeking out of its mother's pouch. Most of the time, only the legs were visible, but I caught the moment when the joey wanted to check out what was going on outside.

I also found the dingoes, the wild dogs of Australia, very beautiful. They are greatly feared by farmers because they pose a threat to sheep. There are plenty of them, and they are still an important economic factor in the country due to their wool. Although their numbers have declined since 1990, there were still 71 million in 2014. The dogs are incredibly agile and keep their herd together by circling them and directing them in the desired direction. One dog can handle a herd of 200 sheep. The dogs obey on command, and when they have the sheep in the pen, they are allowed to ride on their backs as a reward for their work.

During my time in Brisbane, affectionately called 'Brissie' by the locals, I took a small tour. The city is growing rapidly and is now the third largest city in Australia. It has clearly changed a lot in the last 10 years. As the capital of Queensland, Brisbane presents itself as modern with interesting architecture, but the old buildings are well preserved. There are many art museums, many parks, and above all, the Brisbane River gives the city a charming appearance with its twists and bridges. Once again, there are beautiful houses with views of the mountains or the river, if you have the money to afford them.

Australia's coastlines are already attractive as places to live, and the country and life there are as well. Therefore, Australia faces similar immigration issues as Europe. Refugees constantly try to illegally enter the country by sea. Yesterday (and again today), Queen Elizabeth was accompanied throughout the day by two coast guard ships, and a large plane flew over us and the sea several times to search for boat people. According to international maritime law, every ship, even a cruise ship, must rescue people in distress at sea, regardless of the background that led them to this situation. I assume that Australia wanted to support the QE in case of possible eventualities. The captain had placed a crew member on the forecastle to keep watch, and I could see this through the exterior camera on my TV.

Today, it is unbelievably warm, 30 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is enormous, as if you are walking against a warm wall. We are now at the height of the Great Barrier Reef and are moving very slowly because the ship has only 50 meters of water depth beneath it. Therefore, tendering will be necessary again for the next shore excursion. The next destination will be Cairns, in the north of the Australian east coast, with the port of Yorkeys Knob, near the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest. I will take a small guided tour through the rainforest.

Take care and enjoy!

Eva