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Situated at Westernport Bay, southeast of the city, this nature park is one of the most popular wild life attractions in Australia for tourists and Australians alike. Penguins, koalas and wild birds may be seen in their natural habitat. It is possible to watch the penguins from stands as, every evening they return from the sea on Summerland Beach and waddle home o their burrows. Summer time is always popular because that's when the chicks make their appearance. The visitor's centre contains displays, an eating area and of course a gift shop. May visitors are keen to visit the patients in the penguin hospital. All donations and admission fees go towards the operation of the park. Visitors may also have time to walk along a raised boardwalk in the Koala Conservation centre to see Koalas in the treetops. Bird watchers flock to the island between October and April to watch the colonies of short tailed shearwater 'mutton birds, while a walk through some mangrove wetlands (over a boardwalk) allows close contact with other wild birds. Seal Rocks is of course where you might expect to locate colonies of fur seals – Australia's largest colony. The visitor with some energy left may still be able to manage a short walk over a bridge to Churchill island that contains a 19th century farm. |