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Crikey, Looka Those Snappers! I spent two full days in Brisbane, exploring during the day and updating my website at night. Well, o.k., I also caught an episode of that campy and popular "Babes-in-the-Outback" TV show, McLeod's Daughters, one evening, but I'm not proud to admit it.
My second morning in Brisbane was gray and drippy, so I got in the Camry and drove a half-hour north to visit the Australia Zoo, figuring that the weather might be better up there. If you've ever seen the TV show "Crocodile Hunter" hosted by the ever-cheerful and exuberant (to put it mildly) Steve Irwin, you've probably seen the Australia Zoo, because Steve is the zoo's owner and manager. I was disappointed not to see Steve and his American wife Terri at the gate greeting visitors with a cheery "G'day," but I figured they had a good excuse, because it was absolutely pouring down cats and dogs – or maybe in this case, joeys and dingoes – when I got there.
The zoo is one of most popular tourist attractions in Australia and during my three-hour visit there, I saw some cassowaries that I'd mentioned earlier, as well as a very lively Tasmanian Devil (which is something like a wolverine) scurrying around his outdoor pen. And yes, the koalas were really, really cute. By the way, I would've enjoyed meeting Terri because she's from Eugene, Oregon (pop. 100,000), two hours south of Portland and, for about a year in 1989, the city that I called home.
I got a chuckle at the zoo as I watched Aussies fawn over kangaroos. It became obvious to me that many Aussies had never seen a real, live kangaroo before. That might sound surprising, since a lot of people around the world think that all Aussies are like "Crocodile Dundee" and eat kangaroo and crocodile meat every night while camping by a billabong out in the bush. As I've discovered on my trip, though, most Australians living on the east coast have never been to the Outback and hardly any of them have visited Australia's west coast.
During my travels down the east coast of Australia, most of the folks I talked to thought I was either very brave or very stupid to have driven the length of the Outback alone. The attitude seemed to be, "Why would you want to go out THERE?" I was surprised at how little-traveled most Aussies seemed to be, especially compared to highway-loving Americans. I'm sure that's because there isn't much to SEE in the Outback, and although I found the Outback pretty interesting, I have to admit that most people probably wouldn't.
Another reason Aussies don't travel around their country as much as Americans drive around America is because of the limited road system in Australia's rural areas. That includes the one-lane paved highways (yes, I said ONE lane; see News: March 16, 2002) that make driving across the Outback a thrill. There are only 19 million people in Australia compared to 280 million in the U.S., a country of about the same size, so the road network here in Oz isn't nearly as extensive. That really hit home while I was driving on the Stuart Highway through the middle of the country and realized that I was on was the only paved road within a thousand miles on either side of it.
But getting back to the Australia Zoo, the best part of my visit there was the Crocodile Show, during which the trainer fed a chicken to a large saltwater crocodile – and, in the process, nearly lost part of his hand. What amused me the most about the Australian Zoo, though, was that the entire staff, all 47 of them, were dressed EXACTLY like Steve and Terri Irwin. Crikey, that's kind of creepy, mate!
Above left: The entrance to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, a few miles north of Brisbane. Above center: Here's one of those deadly cassowaries I mentioned in a previous update. Check out the size of his claws. I kept a safe distance from this fearsome feathered fellow. Above right: I'd wanted to see a Tasmanian Devil ever since I watched the cartoon character when I was a little kid (i.e., two years ago). It's like a balding version of an American wolverine. You don't want to mess with this fierce little guy.
Above left: Lunchtime in the Australia Zoo. Every person who works here, including that guy feeding the croc, dresses exactly like Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. It's kind of weird. Above right: Don't be afraid of Charlie, mate, because he's a friendly croc. Yeah, right.
Above left: "Crikey, mayte, looka the size of 'im!" At twelve feet in length, this is the biggest salty I saw in Australia. Too bad I saw him in a zoo – or maybe it's a good thing. Above center: Koalas do two things: look cute and eat eucalyptus leaves. Above right: Hey, it's Steve and Terri. And they're multiplying!
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