Kick start the day with a filter coffee and porridge while we wake up slow

Realise the time and get a move on – got to make sure we’re checked out in time as this place has coded gates to get out which will expire after 10am

Out to South Warrnambool where their pier is as well as several islands

Stop at Pavilion Cafe & Bar first, though, for a couple mugs of coffee

Now, to Stingray Bay; there’s a boardwalk around the headland

It’s opposite Middle Island which is home to a colony of Little Penguins

The public have never been allowed to visit and it has a world first for penguin protection:  there are 7 pairs of Maremma dogs live on the island as a form of guard dog – how cute!

Following the walkway, we make it to Merri Marine Sanctuary and it’s rock pools

Rambling over the rocks, we get close views of the local birds, including Herons, Oyster Catchers, various gulls and Fairy Terns

We see a couple other coves of this walk before turning back to head into the centre for some supplies

Next, we’re off to Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve

It is actually the site of an inactive, or dormant, volcano which is a relatively recent volcano as it first erupted around 35,000 years ago

Tower Hill was declared a National Park in 1892 and has a few walks where you can guide yourself around the caldera

We have some lunch first – bizarrely cheaper to buy a whole roasted chicken and some bread than pre-prepared sandwiches ????

We even spot 5 Koalas in the trees above the picnic, BBQ and carparking area whilst battling some feisty and hungry Pied Magpies

As we finish and head to our first walk, two Emus pop out to try their luck at someone’s lunch ????

We start with Lava Tongue Boardwalk – it goes over some swamp land as well as where water has filled the bottom of the crater

On the other side of the water, we catch a glance at 4 more Koalas, a little Eastern Grey Kangaroo and a couple scuttling Skinks

Back to the carpark, we head for another walk – 2 tracks share the same path for most of the way

Walking past another body of water, we see several ducks and Skinks before the heat takes it out of us so we go for the lesser of two walks: the Wagon Bay Loop

Down to the other side of water, Dave overhears some rustling… wouldn’t you know, it’s an Echidna

Back to the carpark again, we spot another couple Koalas chilling in the trees – 10 total ????

Time to head off to Cape Bridgewater as it’s a bit of a drive

Here, we get to where there’s a chance to see a Seal Colony from a viewing platform – unfortunately, it’s a hearty 2 hour 6km hike so we have to cancel that today

We wonder along the beach briefly seeing Fairy Terns on the waters edge as well as spotting some of the endangered Hooded Ploover shorebirds

We’ve got to rush to Portland as there’s a free guided talk on shortly

Before arriving, however, Dave spots a Koala on the floor just having a little stroll

We just about make it for the talk at Point Danger about the birds that frenzy on the edge: the Australasian Gannet

It’s a volcanic plain they’ve settled on and originally came here in 1996

They put up a fence was brought in to protect them from foxes… that didn’t work, as they couldn’t build a fence to cover the nesting area in its entirety

Next, they attempted to bring in some of the Maremma guard dogs… but that also didn’t work as they didn’t bond with the birds

Ultimately, they left it with an electric fence which does currently have a fox in and they’re in the process of finding and executing it…

They even had a Koala break in too!

Gannets live a 25-year life span and mate for life with one nest the entirety, but continue to replenish it

One egg is laid per season that takes 6 weeks to hatch – there are some big babies in this flock

The parents decide when their chicks are ready to fend for themselves: they stop feeding them forcing them to fly and source food for themselves – one chance to get that flight right!

We’ve got to make hast as we’re driving to a new state now: South Australia

The border is pretty unassuming but we do have to get out and bin our one illegal apple at the quarantine bin!

While Daisy’s driving, Dave spies several Foxes/Dingos!

We make it into Mount Gambier in amazing time, as we enter a new timezone too, and check in to Grand Central Motel before racing round the corner to Southern Thai Cafe

The place is rammed but we grab the last table in the front porch area

Some local wine, a chicken green curry and Singapore noodles to fill us up ????

Back to our motel to sleep