Botanic Gardens and zoo

Today we know we're in the tropics, although it's past mid-April it's 36  degrees and humid.  We visited the Botanic Gardens with Kim and Debbie- luckily it's a very old park with huge trees, so lots of shade.  There's a little zoo which has a few examples of cassowary, emu, roos, carpet python, koala, macaque, chimp and monitor lizard.  Debbie was pleased about the cassowary because although she's lived in Australia for about 30 years (she was born in Bermuda) she's never seen one before.

The koala was alert and on the move as soon as she smelt the fresh lemon-scented gum being brought it.  By the time the keeper had it in place, she was already into it.  Her companion, still a bit snoozy, took longer to get there.

In the Botanic Gardens there are superb examples of various tropical trees, including a giant banyan which has spread for quite a long way to make a shady picnic spot.

                                         Banyan tree- this is part of just one tree!

                                       

  Chris on the left, Debbie, and Kim bringing up the rear.  Don't know who the other bloke is.

After the Gardens we went shopping.  The Dales don't have much chance because there are no big stores in Bowen, so they needed to go to Spotlight and Harvey Norman to buy necessary items.