M & M’s favourites of Australia

Entries tagged as ‘Animals’

Thorny Devil

12 July 2008 · 1 Comment

The Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) is an intimidating looking Australian lizard.
Don’t worry … this dangerous look is only a disguise, this animal is very harmless (unless you are an ant).

The Thorny Devil inhabits the arid scrubs and deserts of Central Australia and early morning is the best time to come across them, when they are warming themselves in the sun on the road.

The fellow below we met on our trip over the Gunbarrel Highway in 2004.

Thorny Devil

Please, click here or on the photo to see more photos of this location)

Categories: Australia · Outback · Photos · Travel
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Australian Pelican

4 June 2008 · Leave a Comment

The Australian Pelican (Pelecanus Conspiccilatus) is a large water bird. It can be found in Australia, wherever there is water with fish in it. For instance, if there’s water in Lake Eyre, in Outback South Australia, they will somehow know it, and be there. Naturally, they’re quite common at the seaside as well.
The Australian Pelican is usually white, with some black in its wings. The eyes are yellow, and its bill is enormous. It always looks to me as if the bill is a little bit over-sized compared to the rest of the body. But it sure makes them look very special.

Picture of an Australian Pelican
(Please, click here or on the photo to see more photos of this location)

This particular one was sitting on a branch over the Paroo river, at the Corni Paroo Waterhole, in Western Queensland, close to the border of New South Wales.

Categories: Australia · Corni Paroo · Gum Tree · Outback · Photos · Travel
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G’day Mate! Coolah Tops National Park

24 March 2008 · Leave a Comment

Coolah Tops National Park in New South Wales, Australia is a magic place.

This not so well known park is situated where the Warrumbungle Range meets the Great Dividing Range and has beautiful lookouts, pretty waterfalls, heaps of wildlife and last, but not least, the amazing Grasstree forest.

The park lies east of the sleepy country town of Coolah.

Our thanks go to Peter Smith who used to run the Barringun Roadhouse (anybody knows where to find him?) and took us there very early in 1995 when it was still a state forest; this was our very first ‘Australian bush’ experience and started the ball rolling …


(Please, click here or on the photo to see more photos of this location)

We spent last Christmas camping there among the Kangaroos and had a great time!

Categories: Australia · Kangaroo · Photos · Travel
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Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby

16 March 2008 · Leave a Comment

The Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby (scientific name: Petrogale penicillata) is one of the inhabitants on the Great Dividing Range of Australia. It is very agile and lacks any fear of heights, living on steep cliffs.

A good spot to look for them is Chaelundi Bluff (or Lucifer’s Thumb) in Guy Fawkes River National Park in New South Wales Australia. That is were the fellow below was photographed.

Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby

(Please, click here or on the photo to see more photos of this location)

Categories: Australia · Photos · Travel
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