But before our start, the co-leader the Broome expedition, Ros Jessop, invited us to Phillip Island Penguin Conservation Center where she studies and protects the Little Penguin.
A noobie or small island off the southeast coast of Australia
Coastal islands called the “Nobbies” off Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia
A Wallaby on the grassy bluffs of Phillip Island
The Little Penguin spends most of its time out at sea feeding, but when breeding the foot-high birds come ashore at dusk at the edge of the sea, cluster into groups and courageously march across the open beach to burrows hidden in the dunes. Since 1923, the Australian National Government and Victoria State Government have nurtured this remarkable natural event into one of the most unusual and successful wildlife tourism opportunities in the world. Each evening, up to 4,000 people populate stands built into the dunes and watch the march of the penguins while park staff describe their life-history and answer questions in at least a half dozen different languages. Boardwalks lace the dunes providing adults and children rare access to intimate courting behaviors without impact to the birds.
The stands fill for the evening “Penguin Parade”
Roz Jessop near the Penguin Foundation display
What impressed us the most about this operation was its scale – the Foundation not only educates but entertains thousands of visitors nightly. There are exhibits, games, food, even a green screen studio that allows visitors to be photographed surrounded by virtual penguins. This more than makes up for the prohibition on flash photography. Wisely the Victorian government allows the Foundation to keep the funds raised providing the basis for their conservation work and the incentive to do it well. One can’t help thinking that within this operation lies a productive model for the conservation of shorebirds on the Delaware Bay.
The next day, Clive and his wife, Pat, graciously helped us prepare for our 10-day journey across the Outback — an adventure when prepared, a disaster when not. For those readers who know Clive, he was “in his glory” helping us pack for the trip he has taken many times before, right down to the precise arrangement he favors for postitioning boxes across the back seat to allow meals without stopping, and a timetable with daily targets to be achieved each day. When we described this to Roz, she said “oh yeah, just ditch that . . . . On second thought, keep it so that you know where you are supposed to be when you call in to Clive”.
Pat Minton feeds a Magpie
Clive prepares the Land Cruiser for the journey north By 7 a.m. on Thursday, November 1, we were off. On our first day, we fell short of our goal by 400 km!!
