It was this time last year, the winter solstice, that we had taken a whale watching cruise along the coastline of Phillip Island. That coastline that we saw from the cruise boat last year, we walked along on the shortest day of this year, my birthday. We started at Pyramid Rock, wondering if by chance we would catch a glimpse of the whales but alas, binoculars would have been needed as they were too distant. However, as we commenced our walk, some very curious and cheery little creatures were to be seen everywhere we looked. We came across many Red Necked Wallabies above, but we did also see the fluffier and more robustly built Swamp Wallabies. They were great to encounter close up, but I fear they may have become a little too trusting of humans, as on the drive home they were often seen close to the road - on one occasion we needed to toot the car horn in order to get past. An 80 km speed limit on roads with not a single wildlife alert sign was telling of the attitude local council / residents have towards these animals.
The very charming Ms Vootsak.
Other curiosities of nature - the Fam.
The rugged coastline, with Red Bluff in the distance 1.5 km away.
Never far, exploited animals grazing on cleared land and the slow invasion of suburbia in the form of two story houses (which I didn't waste time photographing) being built nearer to Berry Beach. Such a shame.
A lonely sentinel in the distance, Pyramid Rock as seen from about one kilometre away.
Soils atop the cliff face at Red Bluff, where we stopped for a while, supped on sandwiches and drank from a thermos of hot tea. Comforts that transform a cold wintery lookout into a warm outdoor lounge room.
An abundance of Swallows, hovering over the grasses, no doubt feasting on flying insects.
Berry beach in the distance.
Returning , the striking soils of the Red Bluff .
