Australia Has My Heart

This is one of the main reasons that I wanted to fly half way around the world to Australia.  The koala bears were adorable and the kangaroos funny to watch but the little penguins of Phillip Island stole my heart. Located about 1 1/2 hr southeast of Melbourne, Victoria, they are the world's smallest penguin species. Every night at sunset (while the birds of prey are on their roosts) hundreds of little penguins storm the beach after a day of feeding in the Indian Ocean. Then they waddle their full bellies to their burrows in the sand dunes to feed their families. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time.  Today photographs are discouraged because the flash frightens the penguins. But here is a classic image from the 1960's.

They still march right past the visitors in the park and it would be possible to reach out and touch the little penguins but people respectfully let them pass by on the trail. The boardwalks that are now in place allow visitors to walk along beside the penguins. Phillip Island Nature Parks manages the daily penguin parade. All revenue generated from the Penguin Parade re-invested into research,  environment and education projects to protect the little penguins. I strongly recommend making the trek to visit these sweet creatures. Their strength, determination and adaptation (they used to have wings) is inspiring.