Bye K’gari (Fraser Island), I’m really going to miss you.
This was the view from behind our camp on the west coast of the island this morning - I can’t get over how amazing the island truly is!
One thing is for certain, I’ll be back! #kgari #fraserisland #islandlife #camping #campingaustralia #lovelife #sunshine
G’day 👋🏻
Sorry for the lack of posts but I have plenty of images to show you when I get a chance - which will probably be when I get back.
We’ve been whale watching, and had a great close encounter - we got snotted on by a hunpback whale, it came that close. Am I weird for thinking that’s awesome 😅
This is a glimpse of one of our mornings here in Queensland, the chorus that greets the dawn is fantastic. Can’t help but stop and appreciate their songs.
Tomorrow we’re off to camp on Fraser Island for a week, and reception isn’t great apparently so you may not hear from me until we get back to the mainland.
#australianwildlife #watchoutforwildlife #sunrise #holidays #birdlife #birdsofig #birdsofaustralia #birdsongs #birdsofinstagram #birdsofaustralia #dawnchorus #greetthedaywithasmile
Watch out! for wildlife. Excuse the quality of this footage but I only had time to grab my phone to film.
We’re staying at a caravan park in Byron Bay and while I’m setting up for breakfast, an adult masked lapwing (plover) let out an alert call and this little one made the dash to the adult for safety.
The adult wasn’t taking any chances with their little ones safety from a brush turkey - who was only trying to get to the otherside of the camp ground.
Masked Lapwings are very protective of their young and will defend potential threats by screaming at them with wings raised and they also have a spur on their wings that they use in an aerial attack if necessary.
Caravan parks with manicured lawns and gardens and generally consistent water supplies make great habitat for wildlife.
#watchoutforwildlife
Good onya Mum.
Happy Mothers Day to our amazing mums, grandmothers, step-mums and all the mother figures.
We know you have a lot to contend with but where would we all be without you all.
Thanks mums 🥰
Today is World Wildlife Day and this years theme is “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”.
over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or vulnerable. Based on these estimates, it is suggested that over a million species are threatened with extinction.
Continued loss of species, habitats and ecosystems also threatens all life on Earth, including us. People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet all our needs, from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. Millions of people also rely on nature as the source of their livelihoods and economic opportunities. – wildlifeday.org
We all must become more involved in protecting the natural world and restoring what we’ve lost. There is hope, millions of people around the world are working to save and restore, but when we all join together, great things do happen.
Each species of creature in the natural world has a role to play, a job to do – and our is to be their protectors.
Celebrate all the wonderful species of wildlife that share this wonderful planet with us, the planet we call home.
#WorldWildlifeDay #watchoutforwildlife #protectandconserve #threatenedspeciesneedourhelp #protectandrestore #dingo
Happy Valentines Day to all you love birds. No matter what you do today, I hope you get a quiet moment together. 💖
Being on camera, the nerves can get too much for some.
We’ve been away and off grid, camping at Little Desert National Park in western Victoria. Upon arriving this magpie was far from shy and I think was the welcoming committee to the area - and oh no, the nerves of being on camera was just too much 😅
#oops #ohno #youllcutthatoutright
We copped a crazy storm yesterday afternoon that dropped trees, flash flooding and hail that had to be cleared today with a bulldozer!
But what hit hard for me was when I could see just a little across our back paddock was the kangaroos who were panicking and jumping fast through the trees looking for safety - anywhere. What my message is from this is while we are in vehicles trying to get through storms, is to also watch out for wildlife as they run for their lives, they don’t have the protection we do.
Stay safe and watch out for wildlife.
Happy New Year! 🥳
I thought starting off 2022 with a bit of time at a small waterhole that birds frequent in the bush was a good way to start the year.
May 2022 be kind to you all.
Cheers 🥂
🔊 Ah the serenity. What a fantastic weekend, we had this to ourselves for almost the whole weekend!
This is Lake Meran in north-central Victoria. This area has a fantastic number of fresh water and saltwater lakes and the bird and aquatic life is terrific!
G'day! Australia is wild, ancient, and beautiful, just like the incredible creatures that call Australia home.
Remember to Watch Out for wildlife and have a ripper week 👍
#watchoutforwildlife
A moment of peacefulness just after sunrise at the Wimmera River which flows just on the eastern edge of the Little Desert National Park.
This river really is an oasis for all the species that live within the park and its surrounds in the hot Australian summer.
But at this time in Spring, it is surrounded by birds, animals and wildflowers. A beautiful place to see.
This mother kangaroo had her paws full this morning trying to get her joey to stay still long enough to have his bath but he wasn't having that - he just wanted his breakfast!
I saw this funny moment happen just outside the kitchen this morning and I could only peak through the curtains with my camera so I didn't disturb them.
Joeys are cheeky little...........kangaroos 😉
Heritage Landing - an ancient world
Heritage Landing is found on the Gordon River and you are lucky enough to be able to step onto this ancient landscape during your tour. You will see ancient Huon pine trees that are several thousand years old - amazing! Then from the giant trees look to the forest floor to see an incredible and tiny world of fungi, mosses, lichen and ferns.
A truly incredible place.
Day 2 was our tour of the incredible Gordon River located within the UNESCO World Heritage area.
We cruised the magnificent waterways of the Gordon River and Macquarie Harbour onboard the Spirit of the Wild, with its hybrid drive system. This means you can hear the natural sounds of the river system and its inhabitants instead of engine noise.
This is just a snippet of the ancient and beautiful Gordon River.
G’day everyone. Well we’ve been in Tassie now for 3 days and mostly in little to no service areas.
This was taken on the incredible Gordon River near Strahan on the south-west coast of Tasmania.
We’ve seen amazing sights, scenery and wildlife already.
I’ll be back to post another Tassie snippet in a day or two. 😉
#holidayherethisyear #discovertasmania Be a #spiritedtraveller
It's time for a holiday! 📸
Shipping from The Land Down Unders online store will be closed from Friday 21st of May until Sunday 6th of June. Orders can still be placed during this time but won't be shipped until the 7th of June.
Sorry for any inconvenience but the lure of Australia is too strong to resist. 😉📸🐨🐋🦘
G’day. I have to share a brief happy moment from yesterday. A Musk Duck swam toward us and to my surprise started walking on the lake edge and right toward me!
I whipped my mobile phone out to capture what turned out to be a very brief encounter thanks to a very crank purple swamphen who chased away the musk duck.
Musk Ducks aren’t often seen on land, walking is a challenge for these ducks due to the placement of their legs being far back on their body, but in the water, they are very good swimmers and divers.
Musk Ducks feed on water beetles, water snails, crustaceans and water plants.
These ducks are only found in Australia. Musk Ducks tend to be found in deep freshwater lagoons, with dense reed beds. They are normally seen singly or in pairs, but may form medium to large groups in the winter.
They range from north-west Western Australia, through the south and east to southern Queensland and Tasmania. They can be found several hundred kilometres inland in some areas. This particular Musk Duck encounter was at Lake Wendouree, Ballarat in Victoria.
Watch Out for wildlife - even insect life.
This absolute ripper of a praying mantis was found trapped in the kids toy box.
After carefully lifting it out of the toy box, I took it across to the bird bath for a much needed drink.
It spent several minutes there recouperating before I moved it into the safety of the garden. If I left it on the bird bath it woukd have become a snack for an opportunistic bird!
Praying mantis are predatory insects and are amazing to just sit and watch as they go about their days.