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by Linda Kaye
San Antonio, Texas
September 17, 2001
We were told by one of the very knowledgeable zoo workers exactly how we would be allowed to pet the koala- with the back side of our hands. She explained how fragile the koala’s health is and they felt the back side of the hand would have less germs. After about a 15 minute talk about these cute, cuddly creatures, we were all allowed to pet and have our pictures taken with Cokie. And she was adorable, posing for pictures with us like a pro.
Next to the Koala’s, my favorite area was "In the Pouch", an area exclusively for Mother Kangaroos and their "Joeys" (babies). Accustomed to visitors, these gentle animals allowed even the smallest visitor to feed and pet it. We were amazed by the size of the Joeys when they crawled out of their mother’s pouch- they were about one-third the size of the mother. They could poke their heads out and feed with just their heads sticking out, or some would crawl out completely and hop around for a few minutes. When they were ready, they could make a leaping dive, head first back into the pouch, leaving legs poking out in all directions. Eventually they would maneuver themselves into a comfortable position. It was an incredible sight.
Our next stop was to see THE SNAKE. It was a small python and the same woman who gave the talk about the koala, was trying to convince us that some snakes are not to be feared. To prove this point, she invited each of us to hold it, wrap it around our shoulders and neck. I have to admit, this snake was very friendly. It kept trying to crawl in our shirts, behind collars and up our sleeves. There were also crocodiles, wombats, emus and dingoes at the zoo.
The snack bar offered some light refreshments, drinks, sandwiches, salads, ice cream, and, of course, morning and afternoon tea. There was a well-stocked gift and souvenir shop.
Just across the zoo parking lot was the workshop of Tom Butler. There he designs, creates and sells his Aborigines crafts. Tom is more than willing to stop his work to visit with you, and explain the meaning of many of the Aboriginal symbols and signs. His creations are "one of a kind" and we couldn’t resist purchasing a boomerang to take home.
Asked if boomerangs REALLY come back to you when thrown, Tom’s response was "of course they do, as long as you have a good dog".
From journal Do You Know the Way to Hervey Bay