A day at a Farm

Not far from where we live is

Oakvale Farm and Fauna World

It is a working farm/zoo, so whilst it will have the cows, sheep and chickens, it also has the native animals (eg koala, wallaby, dingo) and a few exotics (eg Ostrich and camel), both the native and the exotic animals require a zoo keeping licence.

Llewellyn had mentioned she would like to go sometime, and as a birthday surprise, Maddie and Miriam had arranged to take her there.

Happy Birthday Llew

There is a big present

Yippee

but first

We want to take you somewhere 

We did check the website for the map and timetable, and it is all there in case you are planning your trip. They give you a map and timetable to take around the Farm with you once you've paid your entry fee.  It doesn't say it anywhere, but just to let you know, accompanied dolls get in for free!
That's probably why I got to go.
  

at the entry point you can also buy these Feed Bags. They are made of animal friendly brown paper and filled with pellets also suitable for animal food.

We assembled at the first picnic table

and planned out our route

First stop, American Alligator

A turtle pond (the turtle is sunning himself on the rock in the middle of the water). This might have been a Murray River turtle (short neck)'

We have them at our place.

Next stop was Reptile Ravine;

When the sun was not available the heat lamps were the next best thing, very appealing

Shingle back lizard ( a cross between a pull me pull ya and a pinecone)

Snakes

Next was the Walk through Aviary

An opportunity exists to have a tractor ride (in the seated carriages) around the farm, but we were a little early, like an hour.

So we decided our next plan of attack. The girl at reception had warned us that there were goats, and as we were earlier than the morning feeding time there was a high risk of animal nibbles. One bag and many animals, well it was the birthday girl's treat, so Llewellyn would do it. Maddie and Miriam decided to see the farm mostly from my backpack, and maybe come down when the coast was clear.

Some animals had warning signs not to feed. We should have checked whether there were signs on the other side of the fence telling them not to eat.

Wombat

Piggy

Geese making a fuss

more piggys

a chicken pretending to be a piggy

 Lambs, they were definitely upset that feeding time hadn't come yet

alpaca

on a mission

a big eastern grey kangaroo

I'ma comin'

a donkey

 more Alpaca, the larger kind

Wallaby and Kangaroos soaking in the morning rays, they also ate what was left of the feeding pellets and the bag that they came in.

 

whatchoo lookin at?

Juvenile Emu

mmm you look tasty

They live next door to the Camel 

and a draught horse

and insisted on following us along the fence line until we were out of sight

black swan

Dingo (native dog)

An Ostrich

A very tall aviary with a stair case up inside to get closer to the birds that are usually high up 

 

the right height for toe biting

 I couldn't get the right light on this fella, but he was eyeing off Llewellyn like nothing else, amazing eyes, and his neck going to and fro, even when we walked around behind him - a very Julie moment, or hmmm was he thinking friend or food?

peacocks and hens, no tail feathers

Koala Country

there isn't actually any whirlwind when these guys run, sorry to bust a myth 

We didn't take a train ride, but we did get nibbled by goats and kangaroos and pecked at by emu.

It was fun