Adelaide, very briefly

We were hosted in Adelaide by a very lively, effervescent patchwork grandmother of nine. This magpie (one of my very favorite Aussie birds) is a detail of one of the many beautiful quilts that are hanging in her charming home. We were truly spoiled by her...driven to every point of interest: Parliament House, the zoo, South Australia Gallery/Museum, Mt Lofty and so many interesting and beautiful spots.

This second...not very good photo, admittedly...was taken on a nocturnal walk at Warrawong Sanctuary, a wildlife conservancy begun by John Wamsly many years ago. We actually met John in 1989 and was treated to a dawn walk by him so he could show us the cat-proof fence he had erected on the old dairy farm he had purchased in the 1960's. On that morning we walked quietly along narrow pathways and were pleased to find potaroos hopping under grass trees and ferns. There were also two platypus that were the first to breed in captivity...outside a pair in the 1940's in Healesville. After our walk we were treated to tea by John's wife.

Fast forward to today and Warrawong is a non-profit conservancy with a wonder cafe, staffed with knowledgeable guides for dawn and evening walks, and eco-tents for overnight visits. During our visit we saw MANY platypus, wallabies, kangaroos, potaroos, brushy-tailed possums, ring-tailed possums and koala. This photo shows one that climbed down her tree and sat watching us for several minutes prior to returning to her tree top.