Phillip Island Activities (5-6 Sept 2012)

After Puffing Billy in the morning, we drove on towards Phillip Island. We arrived at Phillip Island at about 530pm. It was just about right as the Penguin Parade begins at about 630pm. We were told that the penguins will start coming in at about 639pm that day (cos they did that the day before). As we were entering the park as a family (and that we also intended to visit the other attractions on Phillip Island), we had a pretty good package deal price. The tickets that we got for the penguin parade got us "grandstand" seats and from where we were, we saw hundreds of penguins come in to shore that night and as they waddled towards there burrows, we could literally walk side by side with them. If we were to stretch our arms our of the boardwalk, we'll definitely be able to touch them.

Photography was not allowed. So all I had was this photo of a taxidermied penguin.

See the egg?

Yes. They were safely back in their burrows.

The next morning, we were off the the Koala Conservation Center and the Churchill Heritage Farm.
The first sight to greet us was this really old, old tree. It is supposed to be about 200 years old. Ain't it magnificent?

Love the woodland of tall eucalypt trees. Though we were in the woodland, surrounded by the eucalypt trees, I didn't smell the distinct eucalyptus oil.

 

Love how the bark peels off the trunk.

Spotted a mummy? koala with its baby. Koalas eat such an indigestible food source that they spend most of their time dozing while their body detoxifies the eucalytus leaves they ingest.

I think these are the inflorescence of the eucalypt trees.

Love, love, love this picture of the 2 of them.

After the Koala Conservation Center, we drove off to Churchill Island Heritage Farm. It is not exactly a working farm, more like an exhibit farm. We didn't stay there for long as we were trying to make the 530pm Serranto Ferry. The boys had fun there nonetheless.

It was just nice to be away from the city for a while. Really lovely to be just seeing trees, grass, sheep and cows.

The Puffing Billy (5 Sept 2012)

We landed late in Melbourne. After a late dinner (at Stalactites) and a night's rest at Rydges, we drove off the next morning towards Phillips Island. On the way, we first went by Belgrave to the Puffing Billy.

We left Melbourne CBD a little late and thus would miss the 1030am train. So we detoured a little and stopped by Pie in the Sky for a light brunch. In our opinion, erm, the pies were just ok. I found them a little too dry. Or maybe we ordered the wrong stuff. I had an Aussie meat pie while hubby chose the mushroom one. Kieran didn't like the mash potatoes either. However, it was a nice a quaint little place.

Loved these beautiful "weeds" as we walked towards the train station. 

See the little rascal's cheeky face? He was getting ready for his next stunt!

We didn't know he was climbing the rails until we saw it on the photo!! 

 

We stopped at Emerald Station and the boys played at the playground for awhile. I think they really do love the playground in cold weather. They can run all they want and yet remain nice and cool. Not smelly and sweaty like back here.

 Silly boy got himself stuck in the swing!

 After about an hour at Emerald, we were back on the train back to Belgrave and then continued our journey to Phillip Island.

Meeting up with the Daddy in Melbourne

Hubbs was in Melbourne on a study trip for a week and we thought it would be nice to fly in at the end of his trip and have a short family holiday. On Tues, the boys and I flew on the SQ A380 to Melbourne. It was a pretty "fun" 7 hour flight with the boys. I remember saying that I don't think I want to fly alone with the boys after the USA trip 3 years ago. This time, they are much older and they could pretty much entertain themselves. Only kiefer kept wanting to use the bathroom and kept wanting me to change movies for him on the flight. Between the 2 hour nap they took, the movies and the inflight meal service, we arrived in Melbourne in no time. Once we got out of the arrival hall, tge boys were so excited as they spot their daddy waiting for them. I guess their happiness was worth flying solo with them. :)