Yanchep National Park: It's About Time We Got Out to See Some of the Australian Countryside!!!

Our first koalas that we've seen. Heather was very smitten.
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Less than an hours drive from Perth is a great national park called Yanchep.  We picked a splendidly warm and sunny day to finally escape the city and see some real Aussie countryside.  And we're glad we did. 

We've got to say that Western Australia's landsacape is quite different from what we're used to.  You can see what we mean when you look at these pictures.  For instance, where else would you see tons ("heaps" as they say here) of plants with metre tall stumps, a big lampshade of grass with a tall lightening rod rising from the top?!?  No where else, that's where.  We've learned that up to 80% of the plants that grow here in WA (Western Australia) grow only here in WA.  Neat huh?

All the same, even though the koalas didn't actually DO anything, we still could have watched them sleep all day.

The one on the right looks like he's about to fall off
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When we went to the Perth Zoo, we saw our first kangaroos.  That was cool, but let's face it, it was a zoo.  Here in this national park, however, we saw our first wild kangaroos.  Heather and I were on a hiking trail, and no sooner did Heather complain about not having seen any roos, one hopped along just a few meters away!  And then not even 5 minutes later (well, after 10 minutes of gawking at this lone kangaroo that just stared back at us), we saw another three roos!  Too cool.  I have yet to see any of the kangaroos "boxing" though.  I can't wait for that!

These weird looking plants are called grass trees. They were everywhere, looking like a big...well, use your imagination.
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We also got to see our first koalas.  Heather was instantly in love.  They're like live stuffed animals, that's how cute they are.  Koalas have a bit of a reputation for being a lazy animal, spending most of their days sleeping (sounds like a nice life).  The reason for that is that they pretty much eat only eucalyptus leaves which don't really provide any nutritional energy, and are also a very slow digesting plant.  All the same, even though the koalas didn't actually DO anything, we still could have watched them sleep all day.  Must be what it's like to have a baby and watch it sleep.  You're entranced.

These brightly coloured plants were common too. They were quite beautiful.
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The national park also has a lake where you can rent (they call it "hire" here) a row boat.  It was fun to paddle Heather around the lake, watching her do her best Cleopatra impression, lazing in the back of the boat.  That's not really fair, I know, cause she actually did her fair share of the rowing.  Oh, and on a completely different topic (different yet still related because it was happening on shore as we were paddling around)...why do parents allow their toddlers to run around completely naked as they throw a temper tantrum???  As non parents we found it totally annoying, especially since this one spawn in particular had the loudest, most aggravating cry we've ever heard.  All you parents out there may be able to relate though, so I probably shouldn't complain.  Sorry (not really though). 

Mike ready to play ball with one of the grass tree stalks. Don't worry, he found it on the ground; he didn't tear it off the tree.
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Anyhow, see you all in the next entry,

Michael & Heather