Australia: Philip Island

Submitted by Daniel Intriago on the 2019 winter session program in Australia sponsored by the Department of Chemical Engineering…

The first weekend of the program, our group took an excursion to Philip Island, which is south of Melbourne and can only be accessed by helicopter or by a single bridge over which one can drive. We began our day at the Dandenong Ranges where we explored a dense forest filled with the tallest flowering tree in the world, the white ash. Before departing from the ranges to the wildlife preserve, we were able to feed the native parrots with seed – at one point I had a bird on my tray and one on my shoulder!

After a relatively short drive, we arrived at the wildlife preserve. As I entered, the worker at the front desk handed me a bag of feed. I was able to look at quite a few different animals in their exhibits – from wallabies to kangaroos and Tasmanian devils, there were so many different species I had never seen before. Finally, I enter the feeding area where our group walked among kangaroos and emus. We were able to hand-feed all the animals and it was the experience of a lifetime.

The remainder of the day included short hikes along trails with beautiful views, a boat ride to view the native seal population near Phillip Island, some enjoyment at a wonderfully warm and empty beach, and a viewing of the march of the native little penguins from the ocean to their homes. This excursion was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life!