Out last night to see the kangaroos come out at dusk, we saw about 80 just round Molly’s Run, the fantastic ‘b & b’ where I am staying with a friend. Just four guest rooms, I am in the top room overlooking farmland leading to the sea, on the north of the island near Smith Bay.

It is outwardly an Italian style villa, and inside a warm, cosy but fashionable farmhouse look with beamed ceilings, tables and floors, and served breakfast and dinner either in the kitchen/lounge area or the outdoor courtyard with a tinkling fountain and croaking frog I didn’t see! I love sitting in the open doors f the balcony looking out to sea, or down in the front seating area under the gazebo, the seats around the garden or walking the property exploring the bushland fields and partly dead forest to the back!!

Smith Bay is so named because a young 17 year old convict from England escaped with 3-4 others, seeking whale boating transportation and landing at Kangaroo Island to build a small stone home, the foundations of which are stll visible. Chosen as protection from the open sea winds, next to a freshwater creek, and yet close enough to walk to the beach to fish or swim, he learned to watch for boats with whom he traded. He learned to get gum leaves and black boy plant gum to sell as gunpowder addition, and other such useful resources, to exchange for skins and drink perhaps.

An amazingly cute echidna snuffling fir ant vibrations in the soil, not a bitbperturbed by me and others following him around to photgraph!

And my two new friends, boxers Tikka and Taj, I greet them each morning and when we return from trips with Paul. We took them to the nearby secluded beach for a swim, surrounded by boulder rocks and protected a little, dipping in the cool waters once past the seaweed here it was clear green water yet again!

An amazing place to live, or just stay for a few nights seeing the island attractions and wildlife.

This crow landed next to me as I walked and ‘talked’ to mefor a while, unsure why or what he wanted or threatening but certainly a unique encounter for me!!!