Brisbane: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

 Ep.49

Somewhere around June 2012.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is not enough.” – Annonymous.

BNE – Brisbane, Austalia.

Kangaroo!

Well, I guess I have lost track of time up until here, so I guess I will just continue my journey diary based on my mood. Which country and which part of it? For now, as it has been mentioned before, it would be one of the Australian, Brisbane. The first time I knew I got this flight, I got what you might called sour mood. I tried so damn hard to swap it with another flight, but nothing works. And so, I did it and to be honest, even though I got no friends or relatives in this port, not to mention no flying buddy *as always*, I’d never thought that I’d love it this much.

Hug by a koala

The flight was like any other flight to Australia, 7-9 hours flight, with 2 meal services, nice power nap period, and there we arrived. We arrived a little bit afternoon and since I had never searched or googled  about Brisbane before, all I know that the nearest place of interest is Gold Coast, where you can visit this awesome theme park in Australia. So, right after checked in, I rushed my way to the concierge desk. It seems impossible for me to go to Gold Coast on that day, or even the next day. Well, it might be possible, but it would be risky as the weather forecast said that it would be raining all day for the next day. Am I gonna stay in room? Hell NO!

pat-pat a kangaroo

I asked for another suggestion from the concierge and he told me that there is one Koala Sanctuary place called Lone Pine that would be a good bid. He said that they even have a crew rate on the ticket booth. He shows me how to get there and there I decided to go the next day. I pulled my luggage to my room and found that another crews plan on having dinner together after few hours of sleep. I agreed on that and slept for about few hours.

come eat from my hand

On 7 pm, I went down to the lobby and met the other crews. We walked out from the hotel, and I never that it would be that warmed at that time in the year for Australia. It seems that the northern part of the continent, which is close enough to Indonesia, got no winter as severe as the southern part. So, I can still stroll around with my short and light cardigan! Yeay! We walked to Kings George Square just around the corner of the hotel, and I love it. It was 7 pm (plus few minutes) and the shops were still open. None like in Melbourne, they closed pretty early. This one, there were sign of life. We randomly chose a restaurant to dine and it happened to be a casual dining open air restaurant. I spotted that there were not many Asian that usually easily found wherever we go, either as a worker or as tourist. So, for me, that’s a good sign, at least it still got genuine Austalian atmosphere. 

here come a hungry one

I ordered myself a portion of Marinara Pasta for about AUD 13 and another crew asked whether I would like to share my pasta and her pizza together. Why not? Come on! After few hours of dining, it was 10 pm already. *did I say ‘few’?* We walked back to the hotel and stop by an ice cream shop. See! They’re still open! It was the closest thing to normal from Australia. As we were back to the hotel, we bid each other good rest and head to each other’s room. I wont say that it was the best hotel I have ever stayed at, but it was definitely got the most comfortable pillow and bed. I can’t wake up properly if I don’t urgently got nature’s call or wake up call for my sightseeing. 

Early at 8 in the morning, I head to the lobby and found that it was drizzling out there. As per now, an umbrella is already a standard loading in my suitcase. And ta-da! Another 2 crews appeared and they seems gonna go to the Koala Sanctuary as well. In the end, three of us went together to the place where we should take the bus. The concierge said, just head to Kings George Square and you will find the bus stop underground in front of the Hungry Jacks. And it was totally piece of cake to find. It was spot on at one of the corner right in the middle of the square. We bought our bus ticket for AUD 4 each way. And while we were waiting for the bus, we bought the Hungry Jacks for our breakfast.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

As we were walking from the hotel to the bus stop, I saw several students that really dressed up in their uniform which I would say really cute. It was a pure illustration of those Enid Blyton’s novels. I guess the British invasion gave a really huge influence in this matter. Back to business, 30 minutes ride on the bus, and we arrived at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. 

Rated one of the "Top 10 Zoos in the World" by AOL, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, Australia, is the world's first and largest koala sanctuary, with over 130 koalas. Their motto is: "The earth is not only for humans". The admission fee was AUD 26 (crew rate already) and I was astonished to find that there were not only Koala and Kangaroo but also Wombats, Reptiles, Platypus, Sheep and other Australia’s wildlife and it was in open air natural setting. Even though it was drizzling *at least it wasn’t heavily raining*, I was Super Excited!

Sheep and Shepherd

First stop: the sheep and those dogs that protect them while, they’re grassing. It was quite a nice experience to be able to witness that there were this dogs that protects another animal in herd as their jobs, of course there were a shepherd, but still, amazing in a way. Unfortunately, the sheep were not that fluffy enough to be clipped. Otherwise, there would be a show, where they show us how to clip the sheep’s wool. Never mind, this is already more than I expected.

Bulky Sheep Woolie

Second up! Kangaroo park. When I say it’s a park, it IS! In an open air park as large as *I don’t know how to put it in words*, anyway it’s big. Hundreds of Kangaroo were jumping and hopping here and there freely. There were not many tourists as it was drizzling. Well, consider that I’m one of those weirdo tourists that would not gave up on weather. Suddenly the alter personality surfaced and I imitate those Kangaroo *not that literally*, I was like running here and there *with my umbrella*, trying to chase the kangaroo I would love to hug and take a picture with. Even though the rain made their fur wet and people might consider that it was dirty, well I would say let’s get dirty and take a good shower later.

I finally succeed my mission to take a picture with the kangaroo I aimed and happy about it *damn easy to make me happy*. After may be twenty or thirty pictures with the kangaroo, I finally made my way to the Koala part of the Sanctuary. It was so cute to see them so close to you. Hanging and, well, sleeping on those eucalyptus trees. The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is easily recognizable by its stout, tailless body, round, fluffy ears and large, spoon-shaped nose. Colour ranges from silver grey to chocolate brown. 

Koalas typically inhabit open Eucalyptus woodlands, and the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. Because this eucalypt diet provides them with only low nutrition and energy, koalas are largely sedentary and sleep for up to 20 hours a dayBeing marsupials, koalas give birth to underdeveloped young that crawl into their mothers' pouches, where they stay for the first six to seven months of their life. The most interesting part of this Koala Sanctuary, they do separate the Koalas based on their ages and groups in different trees and named it. So there were, Bachelor tree where the most eligible male koala live, Kindergarten tree where the young koala live, Mom and Kid tree where the mama koala still have their baby koala in their pouches, and my favorite Retirement tree, where the old koala spent therest of their life. 

Retiree Koala

What’s so funny? Well, let say in the other trees, even most of the koala were just live their peaceful slow-paced life. There were a chance that we would be able to hear them growl, see them jump from branch to branch, grabbed the leaves and eat, or just simply crawl along the branch. But, on the retirement tree, it was solemnly silent, not even a single snore. Those old koalas were just sleep in a very very deep sleep that I don’t even think a fire cracker would ever wake them up. AHahaha!

Wombat!

Then there I saw a crowd of people around some kind of booth. It was happened to be some kind of stage for animal show that we usuallt find in any other zoo. And there! Yes there! They open a booth to cuddle a koala and take picture with them. I folded my umbrella *there’s a canopy* and queue. Pay for about AUD 12, and there I go. The zookeeper asked me to open both of my palm in front of my belly and she put the koala, weighing around 4-5 kgs, sloooooowwwwlllyyyy. Why does everything about koala is so slow? I took like 3 minutes hugging the koala and took few of pictures. As I waited for the pictures to be developed, the other crew and me enjoyed the reptile show, where I got a chance to touched an albino snakes, met a wombat, which is more like a boar in my opinion and stroll around the platypus pond which is like a diving duck, also see the birds variety. 

Ryan and the snake

Got my picture in hand, which remind me how fat and chubby I have become since I joined this company, three of us made our way back to the hotel. Lone Pine is truly a good bid! I hope they do breed more of those koalas, not to mention the Retirement tree. As I mentioned before, after a day full encountering animals in the rain, a hot bath would be a very good treatment for my body. Sleep in a very good mood is the best way to rest before operate the flight back to HK. 

Platypus and Me

Brisbane, a city that I wouldn’t have even imagine that I’d fell in love into. It was peaceful and still got some original touch of British invasion, several tall buildings and laid back atmosphere. I learned that the least I expect, may be it would surprise me more. Never thought I’d love Brisbane this much.

“Expect least, and let the world amazed you for what they have in the store for you.” – Me.