From Bundeberg QLD (turtles) to Tamworth, NSW

Hello again from Tamworth (how can you tell by that name that Scots settled here!).
Decided on a jaunt inland after stopping in Noosa Heads & Tweedheads in Queensland to Byron Bay and then inland  to Tamworth, New South Wales. Heading towards Sydney and the vineyards of "Hunter Valley" inland and north west of Newcastle, NSW.
Posting pictures from along the way and some wildlife.

Walking in Noosa Nat'l Park looking for koalas in the wild...no luck

Noosa shoreline

 Light house overlooking the main beach at Byron Bay

The color of the water is awesome at Byron Bay beaches. Dave & I were particularly interested in the topless sun bathers.

 Byron Beach again

Photo taken by a lovely blond from Sweden 

The light house at Byron Bay

Photo taken by a young Canadian from Kelowna, BC. He was down here for a year.

The "Golden Guitar" in Tamworth, NSW the Aussie Country Music hub

Now this is a crested pigeon

 And the pretty Galah birds

the masked Lapwing

 And the famous Kookaburra

Bush Turkey

 And Rainbow Loikeets

The Eastern Water Dragon that Dave filmed at Noosa

 a Carpet Python in a tree at Byron Bay. We would have not seen it but were attracted to the tree by a very noisy bird that we wanted to identify. Dave guessed it might be 7-8 feet long

The white ibis

Turtle Encounter

Bundeberg, Queeensland was another wonderful experience. This city of 49,000 was where we went to see the loggerhead sea turtles nesting on the beaches at night. These are Ranger guided tours after dark, for only a small fee. We were allocated to a group at the centre and when the spotters on the beach radioed the centre we were given very precise instructions as to what the rules were for viewing. The goal was to allow the turtles to do their nesting with as little interference as possible. We were not to have any lights, and not to be in front of the laying turtle til she had laid at least 10 eggs. Then it seemed that she was committed to her  duty and would barely notice us. At least that is what the turtle Doctor assured everyone as he proceeded to perform an ultrasound on her as she laid the eggs. All for research.
This particular turtle was 85 to 95 kg and measured approx 40'' (her shell). She laid 104 eggs and because she had nested too close to the tidal menace, we all helped move her eggs to another sand nest dug by a volunteer.
These turtles don't mature til 30 yrs old, this one was 35 years old.

We went while it was still light to take pictures of the surroundings

Here she is busy laying her eggs. She will lay another 3 times this year. She has a store of sperm from the male encounter and they will fertilize the other eggs that she will lay the next times.

The back of her as she covers the eggs with sand

Her eggs as they are removed by the ranger to be transported a few feet up on the beach

Children carrying the eggs to the new nest

Irene even helped

Enjoy. We were not allowed to photograph while she laid.

The Red Baron Caper, Whitsundays, Airlie Beach, QLD

Dave ready for the big ride

Irene stepping into the cockpit

AFTER TOUCHDOWN!!

Airlie Beach from the air

Our pilot Peter

Whitsunday Islands is in the designated Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. There are 70-90 islands most uninhabited

This was so amazing near the 7 km white sand of Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach

Port Douglas North of Cairns

Sign on 4 MILE beach in Port Douglas
Note the water temp in the Coral sEA

A visitor from Melbourne was fishing when the tide was coming in at 4 Mile Beach

Not familiar with this fruit that was served at The Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas

Now isn't this an awesome looking bird. About 30" high

Yes, these are bats!!

Dave finally held a koala

The Tree Kangaroo..4 foot tail

Four Mile Beach

Always a pan handler.

This is the cockatoo that feel in love with Dave, or his gold chain?

Is this a bird hug?