Day 2 was a trip to Pardana in the centre, sadly a dying town originally set up for and by returning servicemen and their families who developed the land. We also visited the secret that is Stokes Bay for a paddle in clear cool water, and the bushland of Lathami national park, where we saw a wedge tail eagle soaring over the trees, which disturbed the birds that we’d hoped to see including the now rare glossy black parrot with a bright red tail – only 300 left but increasing from 200 the previous season. I saw one on day one by accident, disturbing it as I walked out to the field over the fence!! At the time I didn’t know about them so a nice treat for me!

We also encountered several wild kangaroos nearby us, a group of seven with a huge male protecting the group but we care-fully gave them a wide berth whilst enthralled at the proximity to us!! We saw others and a small wallaby who watched us and kept their distance, but on the way back to the car I saw a large one and a joey which, by the time we got nearer, had disappeared! He had jumped in mums pouch and we could see his head popped out and were only about five feet from them!

We made eye contact so she didn’t feel threatened, but again walked round widely from them and I moved close to Paul so only had to watch us in one place rather than feel uncertain if we were either side of her. We stood looking at each other for a few minutes and she was big for a female, quite old too, standing on her hind feel almost my height (Im 5′ 2″). Her joey was quite big too, his head the size of a football, maybe smaller, nose to back of his head. So cute, he looked relaxed, feeling he was now protected by his mum, and she ready to move quickly if necessary. It was an awesome moment for me, so close and sort of trusted just to watch…

It was tough working through the forest, hard dusty ground, sharp stark grey branches and twigs intertwining so we had to find easier ways where we could hold back the branches or archway spaces to duck through. We had a few scatches to show for our efforts! And it was hot in the brush.

These pics are of towns on KI not Pardana, and seascapes along the coast.