Travels Down Under:
The Great Koala Hunt …

Monday, May 2, 2011

* Manly Beach to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia *

After lack of sleep, tossing and turning in the hammocks aboard the HMB Endeavour as Security Night Watch last evening, the morning was welcomed with dawn and getting out up to mop the deck, have some tea n’ cookies, and a run-through as exchanged watch with the incoming volunteers to do Tour Guiding of the onboard museum. Sir Thomas took Monday off as he knew he would not be good to do tours after a restless night watch of the ship evening before. He headed back to his Couchsurfing host’s home in Manly Beach to gather his gear and do some exploring with Lady Barbara. He hopped aboard the Riverside Ferry to the Apollo Ferry leaving Brisbane for Manley West. Lunch together with Lady Barbara and Sir Wayne, the trio headed out in the car to take Sir Wayne to work after whcih Sir Thomas Leaf and Lady Barbara took on a quest to find koalas. Wandering in the Park they spied lots of wild birds and unique Eucalypts, but no wild koala. The only koala in the park are in captivity. On the way back to gather Sir Thomas’ baggage, they hit a pothole and gained the curse of a flat tire. Sir Thomas and Lady Barbara changed the tire and headed back to the house. That afternoon, Lady Barbara was kind enough to drive Sir Thomas Leaf back to the West End to be dropped off at his new Couchsurfing host’s home at Lady Carol’s … connected through being fellow Burner’s and residents of Black Rock city. Farewells and thanks were had as Sir Thomas wished Lady Barbara goodbye. Meeting Lady Carol and her family, socializing, and dinner together. Then Lady Carol and Sir Thomas hopped onto bicycles for a riverwalk ride down to the Docks where a local firespinner and juggling troupe practiced monthly. Not too many showed up, but they got in some socializing and fun conversations. As work awaited the duet tomorrow, they headed back just after 10 pm for sleep.

Remainder of the Story, Photos and videos below the cut:

Can you identify this bird?

Redlands Indigiscapes
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Scribbly Gum

Lily Pads

Australian Birds

Slender Shade Grass

Ottochloa gracillima
One of the few grasses that grow in shade and can withstand mowing.

Eucalyptus microcorys: Tallowwood

Parsonsia straminia: Silkpod or Monkey Rope

Goodenia rotundifolia: Fan Flower

Dodonaea triquetra: Hop bush

Hovea acutifolia: Pointed leafed hovia This plant is adorned with purple flowers in August and is one of the many pea flowered plants that add nitrogen to the soil.

Allocasuarina littoralis: Black she-oak

Acianthus fornicatus: Pixie caps This plant tricks mosquitos so that they try to mate with it and pollinate the flower.

Parsonsia straminia: Silkpod or Monkey Rope

Slender Shade Grass Ottochloa gracillima One of the few grasses that grow in shade and can withstand mowing.

Eucalypts

Banksia integrifolia: Coastal banksia

Goodenia rotundifolia: Fan Flower

Squibbly Gum

Schizaea dichotoma: Branched comb fern
A unusual fern that produces fertile fronds that look like fairies combs.

Histiopteris incisa: Bat’s wing fern
The large fronds of this fern provides a shady moist place for frogs to hide.

Petalostigma pubescens: Quinine Tree:

Boronia ledifolia: Forest boronia

This plant is often called possum bush because of its strong smell of the leaves when crushed.

Banksia integrifolia: Coastal banksia

Smilax glycophylla: Sweet sarsparilla Possums feed on the flowers, fruits, and new shoots of this vine.

Squibbly Gum

Koalas

Purple Carrot:

Brisbane Juggling Club (Brisbane, Australia):

Southbanks Parklands