Last night was a very muggy night as the room had no air con, and in the U shaped 16 bed dorm only a solitary fan was in operation. In addition to this there was rumoured to be bed bugs as two mattresses said they were out of order. Despite all these negatives I did manage to get some sleep, even if I did wake up at 1 in the morning to the sound of people packing their bags! Unlike the previous hostels, there were a few early birds like me which meant access to the showers was more difficult this morning!
After packing my bag ready for the day, I went to the local supermarket for breakfast and also to buy a packed lunch for my trip to Australia Zoo today. I picked up lots of morning bargains and by 8 had boarded the greyhound shuttle bus to the zoo. It was surrounded by this yellow livery and pictures of the zoo! En route to the zoo the screens showed previous footage of the crocodile hunter tv series and also short podcasts of what to see at the zoo. You forget how amazing Steve Irwin was as we saw him investigate these spitting cobras which spat in his face, and also his work in preserving crocodiles from execution by re homing them at his zoo.
By about half 9, after seeing so many clips of Steve Irwin en route, we arrived and were instructed to be back by 3.45 for the bus back to Noosa. I was given a map when entering which showed me the sheer size of the place, and also the many shows on throughout the day. There were too many animals to talk about every animal I saw, but I'll give you a vague idea of what I liked. I started off by seeing these snakes, before passing through this rainforest aviary which was just full of colour. I then entered this enclosure of red kangaroos where I was able to stroke the kangaroos. This was closely followed by the Koalas where I could stroke the Koalas too, although they always seem to be asleep! The zoo was crafty though as I soon found out that any photos with an animal were an extra $15!
It was then down to the Tigers, passing the red pandas and camels en route which gave rides at an extra cost. The tigers, or should I say tiger was very entertaining as he kept jumping onto the ledges. I'm not sure where the new cubs that were advertised were however. After passing this exhibit simply labelled under construction, I went to the newly constructed Africa zone which consisted of Rhinos, Zebras and Giraffes. I think this area of the zoo is very much work in progress. Also down here was the tv set from the Australian show Bindi's Bootcamp, and despite not being able to enter the actual set, there were many interactive things to do.
The zoo offered a frequent shuttle train stopping at 5 areas in the zoo, so I used this to get back to the entrance to watch the otters being fed. Apparently they used to always escape from Auckland zoo, but Steve found the solution! It was then onto the crocodiles which had so many different species and sizes to see! After seeing other native Australian animals including the weird looking Cassowary, and even some sheep, it was off to the crocoseum. As I arrived early I spent this time looking round the crocodile hunter museum. You forget how much Steve Irwin actually achieved in his life, but it really made me understand that the people are working to continue Steve's work in protecting the wildlife.
By now it was time for the highlight of the day, the wildlife warriors show. After listening to a motivational speech from Steve, we were forced into a screaming contest. The UK came a close second to Australia I think! During the show we got to see a few bird demonstrations including the colours of the rainforest, this massive vulture, and this parrot trained to fly to people with a $5 note! There were also alligator and snakes, but the highlight was the crocodiles where we were taught that is always human error that causes fatalities, as they are oppurtunists. He also proved to us you could outrun a crocodile, quite literally! He finished by feeding the crocodile on platform to show us climbing a tree to escape a crocodile is not a good idea as they can jump their full body length out the water!
After the show I looked around the final part of the zoo which included more kangaroos to stroke in Roo Heaven, and also this wetland area full of exotic birds and emus. I then went to the Koala show and learned about their sleepy lives and also how cute they really are! After a quick full ride on the shuttle train, it was off to the crocodile feeding where we saw Agro get fed, a croc saved by Steve in the 1980s who was going to get shot. We learned a lot about crocs here including the fact they have the greatest jaw pressure of any animal, and also through the clear water got to see how their predatory instincts work. They would normally operate in murky water. Just remember to stay about 5m away from rivers in Australia and you should be fine!
By now it was about 3 and I had seen all the animals, and the shows I wanted to see, so I took the chance to find the appropriately named "Crikey" geocache. I know some people who disagree with zoos, but Steve Irwin created Australia Zoo with the vision of giving animals who had nowhere else to go a second chance at survival. Everything at the zoo is dedicated to Steve who has made a truly positive impact for many people worldwide.
It was now time to get the coach back to Noosa which was half empty giving me a double seat to myself. Noosa is part of the Sunshine Coast, and is made up of three areas called Noosa Junction, Noosaville and Noosa Head. I am staying at Noosa Junction which is about 10 minutes walk inland from Noosa Heads. As it was still light when I returned I headed down to Noosa Heads for a look at the beach and shops. It was a fitting end to a long day. It was also nice to see the beach for the first time, even if everyone was going home!
After returning and having dinner, I was going to check out the bar as they had one of their silly nights on. This didn't really go to plan as at about 8 I accidentally shut my eyes and I re awoke at like half 10! I therefore admitted defeat here and after sneakily aiming the fan towards my bed went back to bed!
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