More from Tidbinbilla

On Sunday I finally took you to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve with us.    It is a big area and we saw only a tiny fraction, concentrating on the bird life in the Sanctuary (which is a wetlands ecosystem surrounded by bushland and protected by a predator proof fence) and an excursion to the Eucalpyt Forest.  There is lots more to see, and we will have to go back.  Which will of course be a trial and a torment to us both.  Not.   There are 21 different marked walking trails, ranging from an easy 15 minute stroll to an all day 8 hour bush walk.  Many are wheel-chair accessible too.

Starting with The Sanctuary, and continuing to show both natural and man-made art works.

This fox can look but cannot get inside...

A slightly different view of the goanna which many of you liked.

The black-billed ibis seemed very happy - and ignored us completely.

We did see a platypus - but I was far too slow to take its photograph.  It came up and briefly basked in the sun in the pond in the next photo. 
 

Dozing magpie geese.

The Brolgas were camera shy.  I took rather a lot of shots where I inadvertently beheaded them.

I really liked this carving of the pelican.

While we were in the Sanctuary we also saw a potoroo - which I have never seen before.  Of course I failed to capture it with the camera. 

Then we wandered a couple of hundred yards away to the Eucalypt Forest.  It was our lucky day.  We know that the Eucalypt Forest is home to several koalas, but they are usually hard to see.  We have often not seen one.  This time?  We saw this pair not long after we entered the area.  We then followed the trail (a kilometre or so in a loop).  We saw no more koalas.  When we returned to the starting point there wasn't a koala to be seen. 

I am going to finish this long and photo-heavy post with kangaroos.  We see them much closer to home a couple of times a week - and loved seeing them here as well.

Sunday Selections #340

Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
 
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life.  The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week?  You may start to detect a pattern.  Today I will feature some photos (with more to come later) from a day-trip we took last week.   We finally did get back to Tidbinbilla - and had a glorious day.  A long day, a tiring day, but an excellent day.

One of the many things about Tidbinbilla that I really like is that while Nature's artwork is on display, human artwork (with a strong nod to our indigenous people) is also featured.

Starting at the entrance to the visitor's centre.

The artwork (natural or otherwise) was everywhere.

The acoustics (and view) from the Ribbon Gum theatre were amazing.

We also saw some marvellous birds and animals (some of which were MUCH too fast for my camera).  So another post about this wonderful place next week some time.

Later this  morning we are heading out again.  To a kite festival in a town just across the state border from us.  Himself has been complaining bitterly that we never go anywhere.  I think it is time for him to back down.. 

Japanese Gardens

The Smaller Portion has been telling me for a while 'We never go anywhere, we never do anything.'  He is right.  Guilt got to me this week and I agreed to go on an outing with him.

He chose to go to the Japanese Gardens at Cowra, some two and a half to three hours drive away.  We have been there before years ago and both liked it.

The gardens were established to recognise and build on a relationship between the people of Cowra and the people of Japan - a relationship which has its origins in the Prisoner of War Camp which housed Japanese Prisoners or War during World War II.

In 1960 the Japanese Government decided to bring their war dead from across Australia to be re-buried in Cowra.  

The Japanese Gardens and attached Cultural Centre support and advance the friendship between Japan and the town of Cowra and promote Japanese design, culture and crafts.

Choosing to go to gardens in winter might seem odd, but we thought that we would see the bones of the garden.  And we were right.  There are some things in bloom, but we revelled in the shapes and structure of the gardens.

The gardens were beautifully laid out.  Most of the pathways were wheelchair accessible (well over 90 per cent), you could hire a wheelchair or an electric scooter and there was plenty of seating to sit, look and dream.

As always, many, many photos follow.