Sunday, March 3, 2013

March 1, 2013 Burnie, Tasmania 10:00a to 6:00p

After a couple days of rough seas, it was nice to wake up to sunny skies and calm seas. We were greeted with a huge pod of very active dolphins seen from our balcony.
 
 

I had booked a tour with Murray’s Day Out.  We are joined today by Rick & Janie, Marianne, and Dale & Janet.  www.murraysdayout.com.au 
Here it was a must to go see the famed Tasmanian Devils!
After breakfast we met in the Casino Lounge to wait in line to get our passports and have our face to face meeting with the Australian Immigration. Then, the 7 of us took off to catch the shuttle bus to the tourist info center where we met our guide Murray.
While waiting for the shuttle to arrive we were greeted by the Mayor of Burnie. He was very friendly and kindly posed for pictures with all of us. Our guide Murray was a very enjoyable guy who loved telling us about his country and showed us a lovely day. Highly recommend Murray’s Day Out to show you a great time in Tasmania. He was very knowledgeable and you felt more like you were with an old friend showing you his country than a tour guide.



 Mayor of Burnie
Murray

We started the day with a beautiful drive through the countryside on our way to the Wings Wildlife Sanctuary. Gorgeous farms of cattle, deer, sheep, vegetables and poppies. My favorite sign was “For Sale Rabbit Poo”.




Wing's Wildlife Park in Tasmania is the largest wildlife/animal park that provides accommodation and displays the largest collection of Tasmanian wildlife in Australia. They are also the first park to import American bison in Tasmania. Their display also extends to include an aquatic section where you can view Brook trout, Brown trout and Rainbow trout (including albino rainbow trout) and Atlantic salmon. Wing's Wildlife Park is a family orientated business with 3 generations working together.
We had an amazing time here. Murray got our tickets and made sure we all got food for the kangaroos and the fish. We got to see the Tasmanian Devils up close and personal. We watched them during feeding time and they do a tug of war with the meat to pull it apart. Very funny!



 Beware...they may bite says the sign...he's looking at it like "who me?" or "I'm in here with them?"




The highlight was feeding the kangaroos. We were allowed to walk amongst them. They come hopping up to you and were quite gentle eating from your hand. Some would hold your hand with theirs, firmly but gently. One stood up and grabbed me around the waist and held me. They like to be scratched under their chins/neck and one even started scratching the air with its leg like a dog does when you scratch it.
There was a very young one in the pouch and we watched it several times go inside the pouch and poke its head back out again. Amazing to be that close to mom and baby. There were also wallabies, birds, koalas, monkeys and other native animals.




























We left the sanctuary and drove the countryside in and around Braddons lookout, the drive back along the coast to Burnie passing through , the towns of Ulverstone and Penguin. Once we got back into Burnie we headed westward to Table Cape to the lookout along the coast road and then up to the Burnie Lookout to take a photo of the Burnie area.
 lunch stop
 someone's yard (all toilet seats)

 Poppy Fields (illegal use may cause death)

 



 town of Penguin





 Wallaby's in the wild




 burning of poppy fields


 

We stopped for lunch at a Take Away place. Most got chips or fish and chips and I got a pastry filled with sausage. Very good! Murray had the best toffee in the van and we had several of those.
We also went to a lighthouse and we walked the short distance from the lookout to the lighthouse. The walk had great views of the ocean and we were lucky to see a couple of wild wallabies hop very close to us. WOW!
Then, on the way back to the ship some on the tour wanted to stop to buy some wine so Murray made a stop at a “bottle shop” and a stop for me to buy my token magnet and something I can fashion into a Christmas ornament. He had us back to the ship with time to spare.
We quickly changed for dinner and went to the show. I'm currently in Sydney so I don't have the groups name, but a fantastic trio of tenors billed as Australia's answer to Il Divo performed. One of the best acts so far! Then, there was a late production show of classical music. One of their best shows as well.
Tomorrow we have 1 sea day before Sydney.
 

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