Our koala hunt

Ted. One month into our visit to Australia we had not yet seen a koala. We had seen lots of beautiful birds, some kangaroos, a couple of wombats and possibly a wallaby (though it may have just been a young kangaroo). Frankly, we were getting a little tired of everyone telling us they were all around us. “They’re probably in your garden.” “We have two in our yard right now.” “There in the tops of most trees - just take your time and look.” All of these tips simply added to our frustration. 

So, yesterday morning, we rose early and took the train to nearby Belair National Park, determined to spot a koala or die trying (well, that’s an exaggeration). Armed with our binoculars, iPhones and plenty of water we headed out into the bush…what the locals call the woods. Everyone told us to look for a lump in a fork of a gum tree (eucalyptus). Do you have any idea how many gum trees there are in the bush? There are HUNDREDS! And each tree has lots of forks. We probably looked at thousands of forks. There are also knots and bumps in the trees so we inspected all of those. 

The bush

Ultimately, we did spot a suspicious lump. 

Suspicious lump in the fork on the right

Since it was way up there, I resorted to a trick I learned in Alaska and held my iPhone up to one lens of my binoculars. Low and behold, the lump had a face! 

Larry

Ultimately, we saw three of the furry little guys. As you can tell, they weren’t working very hard to elude us. 

Moe

Curly

It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the hike, spotting a couple of kangaroos and some more types of birds we had not seen before. After taking the train back to the village, we settled into a pub to toast ourselves for a successful hunt. 

We were told along the trail it is also possible to spot echidnas in the park. Maybe we’ll try our luck at more big game on another day.

Parks

Judy. Near our cottage in Eden Hills, there are two parks, each with much to teach us. 

The Wittunga Botanic Garden is a botanical garden dedicated to plants that grow in this and like regions. It’s well-laid out, and on Tuesday mornings, one can take a tour of the gardens, led by Helen, who quite obviously loves every part of them. The plot was once a farm and orchard, developed by farmer Edwin Ashby in 1902. The name means “beside water”, and it’s situated

Helen points out the Blood Lilies

around a billabong (stagnant pool) and a lake, where water used to trickle from an uphill spring. Ashby was ahead of his time in studying agriculture and plants, so there are some interesting and beautiful species. In the seventies, his son Keith donated the land, along with some of his and his father’s gardens, to the city. 

The most imposing part of the park is the number of species of eucalyptus or gum trees. One of the oldest trees on the planet, it has evolved to at least 800 different species! While they’re invasive in Spain and the US, they are welcome here, although they do cause a problem when bush fires happen, exploding like bombs because of the oil in its leaves and wood. Interestingly, the oldest fossils of the eucalyp are found in South America, although the tree no longer grows there. 

Some of the different types of eucalyptus trees

A small part of the garden is dedicated to plants grown in the Fynbos region of South Africa, from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth (a route we took when we were there). It seems they have a similar climate to South Australia, so it’s a good place to showcase plants from that area, like the protea, the iconic South African flower. 

The Fynbos garden

Other areas feature Australian wetland plants, plants native to Kangaroo Island, endangered plants from the deserts of Western Australia, and the Gondwana Trail, which displays ancient plants left in the area when the continent split and drifted apart. It’s a great place to wander, explore, and listen to birds—but not Ted’s dreaded noisy miners! 

A lovely secluded path

About four blocks away is the Colebrook Reconciliation Park. Colebrook was one of those horrible homes where indigenous children, taken from their parents, were placed in order to “anglicize” them, as part of the United Aboriginal Mission. Colebrook itself began in other areas of the state, and was headed by Sister Ruby and Sister Della, who were said to be very kind to the children. In 1953, after it had moved to Eden Hills, a series of strict superintendents took over. From 1943-1972, almost 140 children were removed from their parents, never to see them again. They lost ties not only to their families and ancient customs, but to the land as well. In 1972 the home was closed, and in 1973, the building was razed, but the scars remain. A good movie to get a sense of this is Rabbit Proof Fence.

 

In May of 1997, local officials of this area issued an apology, but Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology didn’t happen till 2008. Colebrook Reconcilation Park, built on the old location just a few short years ago, was an effort of several groups to remember and honor the “Stolen Generation”. 

There is a heartrending statue called “The Grieving Mother,” with empty arms (someone placed flowers there with the sad note stating that nothing has changed), and a “Fountain of Tears” has water flowing over the faces of Aboriginal elders. There are trees and rocks, and one of the most moving additions is a series of “listening posts”,  painted by local schoolchildren with the help of Carly Takari Dodd, of Aboriginal decent. Press a button and you can hear stories from some of those who lived there. 

Fountain of Tears

The Grieving Mother

A quiet spot to contemplate. Note the "Talking Post" on the left

It’s hard to walk away without tears in your eyes, especially remembering that situations much like it occurred in the US and Canada.

Tasmania

 Judy.  When we decided to come to Adelaide, we also decided to take a quick trip down to Tasmania and put a new Australian state on our map.  Last week we packed a few things, took the train to the airport, and hopped a plane to the island state off the coast of Australia.

Ok--truth here: I expected it to be all forests (bush, I should say in Australia), and Tasmanian Devils waiting to chase me down. Yes, I am embarrassed to admit that.

What we found, when we arrived in Hobart, the capitol, was a busy city with charming old repurposed buildings next to modern ones, a port city with plenty of tourists and lots to see.

A very busy Salamanca market

On our first morning we got up in time to visit the Salamanca Market, a "must see" artists' market by the port. We got there pretty early, and it was already busy. Ted took off to a nearby park while I roamed the booths, finally settling on a pair of opal earrings--my version of a t-shirt that proudly proclaims "AUSTRALIA." Much classier, I'd say.

Greg and Ted atop kunanyi

As we finished up, Ted contacted Greg, mutually introduced to us by our friend Carolyn in Georgia. Greg is a former geography and history teacher, and, whisking us off to Mt. Wellington (kunanyi in the language of the Indigenous peoples) pointed out the remnants of the ice age, the trees that grow on the mountain, and, finally, the magnificent view of the city.

View of Hobart 

From there we dropped down to a hotel restaurant by Kangaroo Bay for a delicious lunch before heading into Coal Valley for a taste of the wine country, and finally to Richmond, a lovely old town where early convicts brought into Australia were held and made to work. I was disturbed by the small prison where they were kept, especially by the "solitary rooms." Oddly, Greg told us, while it used to be embarrassing to be descended from convicts, it's now quite chic! They've gotten their revenge! We were enjoying each other so much that we convinced him to stay and have pizza and beer with us at an old pub near our hotel.

Where convicts were held in Richmond

This beautiful bridge was built by convicts

The next morning we took the ferry to MONA, the famous art museum built by David Walsh, who made his money gambling.  Google it--fascinating story! The museum, which is also where he and his wife live, is in an underground building, and houses all kinds of both "accepted" and "controversial" art, from Egyptian mummies to paintings to a "poop machine" (you gotta google that, too) and performance art. Everyone recommended it, and no one could explain it. I can't either, but it truly is not to be missed! Our favorite exhibit was a wall filled with videos of people singing an entire Madonna album. The library was fascinating, too, as was the entire "Abbey Road" studio moved into the building!

Spider webs

Fat car

Monday morning we visited a more conventional museum, the Tasman Museum, for more history; and that afternoon our Servas host, Sonja, picked us up and took us to her lovely home in the suburbs. We had a great evening learning about each other and eating the coq au vin she made for dinner.

One of the things we love about Servas stays is that we fit into the lives of our hosts. Ted did some repairs for Sonja, and we agreed to accompany her to test drive a camper van she was considering. On the way, we stopped at Puddleduck Vineyard for lunch and delicious sparkling wine--what Tasmania's known for. Delicious on both counts, and fun to eat by the pond with a giant duck in attendance! 

The giant duck looks on as we enjoy our sparkling wine

Sonja is a breast cancer survivor and is a member of Dragons Abreast Dragonboat Team. This is a worldwide sport, and I've since learned about teams of women around the world. We went to watch the women practice for a race in New Zealand, and were both filled with admiration for these powerful women--the mean age is 70! Of course we went out for drinks afterward and got to know some of the team members a little better.

Proud to meet these amazing women

On our last morning, Sonja took us and her friend Catherine to Maria Island for more history, some animals, and a great hike. Views were fantastic, watching Ted stalk a herd of kangaroos to get a photo a delight, and the hike invigorating. It was a perfect end to a great visit.

Up close and personal with kangaroos

Fossil Bay

Wombat--which end is which?

The painted cliffs

Sonja drove us to the airport, and we arrived back at our place in Eden Hills about ten that night. We fell into bed, happy and exhausted. And slept nine hours.

Life in Eden (Hills)

Ted. It didn’t take long for us to become comfortable in this appropriately named suburb of Adelaide. In our first couple of weeks, we have visited several popular destinations. 

The South Australian Museum has the most extensive collection of Aboriginal artifacts in the world. People have lived on this continent for at least 50,000 years. There may have been as many as 500 tribes, each with it’s own language and culture. The museum has grouped the tools, weapons, baskets, etc by tribe so one can see the similarities and variations that existed across the continent. It is overwhelming but fascinating. 

Belair National Park is very near us. We did a short walk there and learned about the variety of wildlife to be found so a return trip is on our schedule. 

We live just three blocks from Wittunga Botanic Garden so it is easy to drop by there to enjoy the wide variety of indigenous plants on display. 

Most of our days, though, are spent just living here. We can take a short walk to the village of Blackwood for everything we need. As Judy says, it’s a bit like returning to the 50’s. Along a four block stretch of Main Road, one can find three groceries, two butchers, a seafood market, a fruit and vegetable stand, two bakeries, a pharmacy, a hardware store, four barber shops, six op shops (thrift stores), three banks, lots of cafes and restaurants and countless other small shops. It’s fun to just prowl around, stop for a coffee and then walk home to cook lunch and take a nap. 

Each morning we are awakened by the otherworldly songs of the Australian Magpies in our garden. Go to Youtube and type in “Australian magpie singing”. 

While we enjoy our breakfast we are often visited by some of the many other local birds. Once again, I feel compelled to share a few images from the Internet. 

Galah

Kookaburra

Crested pigeons

Rainbow lorikeets

Noisy miner

The noisy miner is a bird which we see everywhere but have learned to despise. To understand why, return to Youtube and watch a short video called “Noisy miners: when good birds go bad.” We have actually witnessed a flock of noisy miners swarming a pair of cormorants who had chosen the wrong tree in which to dry their wings. Hitchcock would have loved it! 

On Sunday mornings, we take the train to Church of the Holy Innocents. The people there are extremely friendly and after the service, someone invariably drives us back home. 

The weather is also Edenlike, typically sunny and mid seventies. I suppose we could get by wearing just fig leaves but then the kookaburras would never stop laughing!

A new routine in Adelaide

Ted. It took two days and three flights, but on February 28 we arrived in Adelaide, Australia. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in New Zealand but thought that since we’d come this far, we should go a little further and explore more of “the southern land.” 

Our first visit to this country was six years ago and we focused on two states, New South Wales and Victoria so we decided to see some more states this time. Adelaide is the capital of South Australia. With 1.4 million people, we knew this city would provide a much different experience than we had in little Nelson which just had 54,502 folks (while we were there). 

For our base, we rented a two bedroom Airbnb cottage in Eden Hills, a small leafy suburb. There is a good public transportation system here so we have not rented a car. It took a few days to settle in, buy groceries, find a church and adjust our sleep schedule (Western Australian time is 2-1/2 hours earlier than New Zealand). 

Judy will, no doubt be talking about the wonderful people we are meeting. I will add that there is a whole new population of birds to observe and it seems as though every local species wanders into our front yard every day. My favorite so far is the Adelaide Rosella. This afternoon we fly to Hobart, Tasmania for a five day visit. After that, we still have nearly a month more in Adelaide. No doubt more adventures await.

Our front yard

Adelaide Rosella (image from internet)

Christchurch

 Judy. I can't "leave" New Zealand without a short blog about Christchurch, or at least, my reaction to it.

When we came to New Zealand on our first visit six years ago, we made a conscious decision not to go to Christchurch, as they were only a few years past the devastating earthquake that did so much damage to the city. We just didn't feel that we were much needed, with all the work going on. When we wanted to go this time, the refrain we heard over and over was,"Oh, it just won't be the same as it was before the 'quake."

Well, I don't know. I didn't see it before the 'quake. But I had a friend there, and our niece Ashley's best friend from high school was there, so we decided to make the trek. And I'm so very glad.

The Arts Center is back and busy

What we saw was a city coming back. Yes, there were still scaffolds and wraps around buildings, and the magnificent Cathedral isn't expected to be finished until 2027, but the Botanical Gardens were in full bloom, the Arts Center (formerly the University of Canterbury, but repurposed years ago) had music, plays, art galleries, and tours open and in use.

A tiny garden in the magnificent Botanical Gardens

We walked to the "Cardboard Cathedral", which is more technically called the "Transitional Cathedral". When the old one was destroyed, a member of the staff saw an article in an architectural magazine about a Japanese architect named Shigeru Ban, who had designed a cardboard church after the Kobe earthquake. After visiting Christchurch, Ban offered to design one for the Cathedral parish, so they had a place to worship until the massive work on the old church could be finished. 

The front of the Cathedral

The interior--the cardboard tubes lift the eye to the cross

The old Rose Window was destroyed, but this one brings color into the sanctuary

According to the flyer I picked up there, it is built of cardboard tubes, local wood, and steel, with a polished concrete floor and a polycarbonate roof. It's built to 130% of the current earthquake code, and is designed to last at least 50 years. When the Cathedral work is finished, it will become a parish church. I found myself deeply moved by the building and by the parish that is still very active. It seemed a metaphor for the city itself, refusing to give up, and getting right on with its new life.

My two meetups gave me the same feeling. 

I met Mary about three years ago in Santiago, Chile. She was in a bad, bad marriage, and was quite ill. As a former nurse, she disagreed with the diagnosis the doctor gave her, and so, leaving behind her marriage and her home of 27 years, she returned to her hometown of Christchurch, where her loving family took her in, gave her a place to live, and nursed her back to health. When she took us to dinner at her brother's home, I could hardly believe this vibrant, beautiful woman was the same Mary I had met. She's now a nurse in a home for the elderly, and loves it, and is in the process of building her own place on her family property. Like the city, she got herself back together and is building a new and better life.

So happy to see this glowing Mary!

Charlotte and her husband moved from Seattle to Christchurch shortly after the earthquake to help in rebuilding. Her husband was a contractor, and she, a lawyer. They made a home there and had a daughter, Maple. Unfortunately, Charlotte's husband died sometime after they arrived, but she and her feisty daughter Maple have made a home in New Zealand. She loves the simple lifestyle with plenty of opportunities to explore nature. She is an attorney specializing in building contracts--making sure the codes are followed. Again, reinventing her life, like the city is.

Maple likes to "climb on things that aren't meant to be climbed on!"

Three women in Red. Great day with Charlotte and Maple

No, we didn't see the Christchurch of 2010. But we saw a city embracing the old and the new, and coming back stronger than ever.

Birds of New Zealand

Ted. New Zealand and Australia were once connected but over the past 85 million years, the distance between them has grown to about 1,000 miles (so, no, there is not a bridge connecting the two countries). 

Obviously, the plants and animals of New Zealand have been evolving in isolation from the rest of the world for a long, long time. Virtually all of the reptiles and mammals that once roamed the islands gradually disappeared so New Zealand remained a bird paradise for millions of years. 

When humans first arrived, maybe 500 - 700 years ago, researchers believe there were about 200 different species - nearly all found only on these remote islands. Polynesians, later known as Māori, and then Europeans brought other mammals with them and the birds became a major food source for all of the newcomers. Extinctions ensued, beginning with the group of species now called Moa; some of which were up to 12 feet tall. 

Moa hunters

Hiking through the forests today, the plants and birdsongs are so remarkably different that I constantly feel like I'm on another planet. Of the dozens of species that are not found anywhere else on earth, a few stick out in my mind. 

As a small, shy bird, the kiwi may serve as a national symbol, but it is seldom seen. Wherever one turns, though, one sees and hears the cry of the Tui. That's the bird I most associate with this country.

Note - all images are from the Internet

My favorite songbird, though is the korimako or bellbird. Captain James Cook famously described it’s song, “it seemed to be like small bells most exquisitely tuned.” To hear them, just search "New Zealand bellbird song" on Youtube.

A huge forest bird is the magnificent kererū. 

 

The flightless Wekas can be pests on the trail as they love to beg for crumbs.

Piwakawakas (fantails) and tiny kakaruwais (robins) also stalk the trails because hikers stir up bugs that they eat. 

 

I suppose my favorite is the Pūkeko, though, because they have big feet, just like me.

Pūkeko crossing sign