An interesting half day trip

As part of the package for the Ningaloo Reef 5 day trip, I got a free half day trip to Swan River.  This was an excellent half day.  We started by going to a wildlife park where we had a two hour tour with a guide.  We saw kangaroos, walleroos and wallabies (3 different sizes of the same type of animal), a wombat and koalas.  There were dingos (wolf family, not dog family) eagles and kookaburras. 

The guide was very fond of his animals.  We were allowed to stroke and feed the kangaroos with pelleted food (they were obviously used to being fed by tourists).  The fur was quite soft and fluffy.

Me feeding white and red kangaroos

Teenage joey having a drink from inside Mum's pouch

Wisely having a sleep in the midday heat.

We were shown a wombat, that was happily sitting on the lap of one of the rangers.  Being a marsupial, the wombat gives birth to unformed young, and incubates them in her pouch.  This wombat was lying on the lap of the ranger, with her pouch on display.  The entrance to the pouch looks like a large belly button and the pouch lies up towards the ribs, rather than downwards like a kangaroo.  Apparently normally, there are several wombats that are used for education but this particular wombat likes being brought out of her living quarters, and sulks and shows off if any other wombat is chosen, so she is usually the animal they use.  Her fur was quite coarse to touch.

Wombat showing her pouch entrance

Wombat enjoying being made much of.

After the wildlife park, we went to the chocolate factory and sampled excellent dark chocolate, then were taken on to a vineyard.  Others on the tour had the chance to sample about 10 different red, white and fortfied wines.  I sat drinking water and eating the muscat grapes grown by the vineyard.  We arrived back in Perth about 7pm.  It was a jolly good half day tour.