A few quickies for the Drrons..

[mrs.dr.ron]

His & Hers jackets drron ? The scenery is stunning.

Yes, the jackets are our Silverseas expedition ones. Actually on Silverseas Expeditions - you get two jackets - the blue down inner jacket and a red all weather 'heavy' waterproof one. On those cruises you see 100 people all in matching jackets

 

[docjames]

And several smaller planes.We got an explanation for this a little later.

Why all the planes (and the out of service)?

Or are we not up to that yet?

Enjoying the TR (as always).

 

[drron]

It wont be long until the planes are explained.But first our Kangaroos and Kanapes experience before dinner.The guide we went with has a love of Australian agricultural history so first took us into a piece of woodland on this wilderness reserve.It was in fact a farm before being sold to National Parks for $1 about 30 years ago.
First was a piece of Australia's agricultural and industrial history-

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A Sunshine Harvester.A world class development.The Company was the largest Australian manufacturing plant in the 1920s and exported to 160 countries.The suburb took the name of the company.
A lot of the machinery though was not Australian in origin-

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The tractor above is a 1923 Ford.
But we came for the Kangaroos.There were lots but you really couldn't get close to them.They are still wild animals-

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[Pushka]

Did you get to Flinders Chase? Wallabies and Roos are abundant.

 

[drron]

This is the Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area.Really quite close to Flinders Chase.The Lodge really isn't far from Flinders Chase-a 15km track from the lodge to Remarkable Rocks.
So Kangarooos weren't the only wildlife.lots of birds-

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Also sunset.not that impressive however-

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Some really nice canapes with a range of drinks.Croser was the sparkling.

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A couple of latecomers-

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[VPS]

Did you get to Flinders Chase? Wallabies and Roos are abundant.

It's the only place I know where they protect the people from the kangaroos because they are so tame

 

[Denali]

We have Christmas bookings for Hanson Bay cabins, thanks for your photos now I dont need my binoculars to spy on what the Lodge is like

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We have Christmas bookings for Hanson Bay cabins, thanks for your photos now I dont need my binoculars to spy on what the Lodge is like

Make sure you take a windcheater jacket, the wind can be icy cold and so strong it can blow you over ! And I am NOT kidding !!!

 

[drron]

So after a busy day it was time to relax over dinner.Again just right-great ingredients prepared very well with lovely presentation and just perfect sizes.So the menu-

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The starter was the thin kohl rabi from lunch wrapped around apple with herbs.A mouthful of flavour-

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For appetiser mrsdrron had the pork cheek and I had the marron-

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We both enjoyed the dishes.
For mains mrsdrron had the beef and I had the octopus.Both perfectly done.

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For dessert mrsdrron had the mini magnums.Might not look great but the ice cream inside is so much better than the original-

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I meanwhile had the cheese plate with a Henschkes sticky-

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Now at dinner there was a large group of Americans-13 in all.So I went over and closely inspected their shirts and jackets-they were the 2017 Citation Tour of Australia which explained 6 of the planes at the airport.An interesting group particularly 48 hours later when they were discussing their flight plans-next stop was the Barossa.
Now nobody really knew what the extra Rex plane was doing on the Island-a couple said it was for an early Saturday flight but Adelaide was not playing that weekend.The suggestion I thought was more likely was that the forecast suggested strong winds and a high swell so the ferry was likely to be cancelled and Rex could get away with even higher fares for people who really needed to be back in Adelaide.

 

[craven morehead]

So after a busy day it was time to relax over dinner.Again just right-great ingredients prepared very well with lovely presentation and just perfect sizes.So the menu-

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The starter was the thin kohl rabi from lunch wrapped around apple with herbs.A mouthful of flavour-

.
For appetiser mrsdrron had the pork cheek and I had the marron-

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We both enjoyed the dishes.
For mains mrsdrron had the beef and I had the octopus.Both perfectly done.

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For dessert mrsdrron had the mini magnums.Might not look great but the ice cream inside is so much better than the original-

.
I meanwhile had the cheese plate with a Henschkes sticky-

.

Now at dinner there was a large group of Americans-13 in all.So I went over and closely inspected their shirts and jackets-they were the 2017 Citation Tour of Australia which explained 6 of the planes at the airport.An interesting group particularly 48 hours later when they were discussing their flight plans-next stop was the Barossa.
Now nobody really knew what the extra Rex plane was doing on the Island-a couple said it was for an early Saturday flight but Adelaide was not playing that weekend.The suggestion I thought was more likely was that the forecast suggested strong winds and a high swell so the ferry was likely to be cancelled and Rex could get away with even higher fares for people who really needed to be back in Adelaide.

By the sound of it drron the food tasted as good as it looked. You must be doing a lot of walking

 

[drron]

A sleep in on Sunday and a nice relaxed morning.Lunch is a little different on Sundays.There is a buffet with salads,breads and desserts.As well as this you are served 3 hot tapas style dishes.Today it was mussels,charred corn and marron-

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Whilst we ate a couple ate outside.Probably Canberrans.The crows noticed-

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On getting back to our room we saw this little fellow.Not worried by us-

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[drron]

Sunday afternoon and we were off to Seal beach to see sea lions.

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This lady was getting away from an amorous male.He cant understand why.

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Ah well may as well sleep-

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[drron]

So now down to the beach where there a few more youngsters.

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Oh darn.No aerial shots-

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[drron]

So back to the lodge.Pre dinner drinks in the Great Room in front of a log fire-

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Mrsdrron has her wine whilst I have a G&T or 2 or 4.....Made with local gin and very nice.If I made it to my third G&T my mind would wander and I couldn't help thinking how poor Griselda was coping.OK maybe not.
So to another dinner-

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Tonight I had a local cab sav chosen on the mrsdrron criteria-a pretty bottle.It was however a really nice drop.Now to the food-

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A cheesy morsel with spring flowers-wonderful presentation.We both had the king prawn appetiser.Then I had the flathead and mrsdrron the pork belly.

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[drron]

Monday and a morning excursion.First stop a nearby wildlife reserve-privately run.There is a small fenced off area for rehabilitation of injured animals but the rest are free to come or go.Wallabies and kangaroos under the trees and a lot of birds.But the show really is the koalas.This would be the best viewing of wild koalas I have ever seen.And in the late 60s In used to volunteer for the NSW National Parks tagging koalas.I'll let the pictures do the talking.

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[drron]

Now it is off to the National Park and Admiral's Arch.Looked over by one of the Island's lighthouses.

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The sandstone shows the signs of weathering that led to Admiral's Arch.The day was extremely windy.Most of us felt at some stage we might have been blown away.

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[drron]

So down to the arch-

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These are NZ fur seals.The wind is strengthening.

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Coming back up we nearly got blown off the boardwalk.

 

[drron]

Now it was off to Remarkable Rocks.Looking back to the lighthouse-

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When the lighthouse was manned this is how they got supplies.The ship would anchor in the bay,a dinghy to shore and a flying fox contraption to get everything up the hill.

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Our first view of the rocks and the nearby mini Uluru-

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[drron]

I'm told this is called window rock.I call it Apple rock as it looks like the logo.

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[drron]

More rocks-

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