Coach Tour to Wildlife Park & Sydney’s Northern Beaches on Monday 5th March Meeting Time & Place : 8.30am at the rear entrance of the Wentworth Hotel in Bligh Street. Please don’t be late.

My thanks to Les Baker for these photo.  Please send yours.

Dr Nick giving the Koala a physical.  Rosemary Baker telling it the nasty Dr has gone.

Helen & Mike Dalton, Tini Rosenberg and Suzy Barros watching Roy and the Kangaroo.

Johnny Monteiro describing the size of a Koala to Mike Dalton, Shellie Hausman, Phil Rosenberg and Skip Heinecke.

Dickie Gasten showing the height of the snow back home.

The Beach Boys.  Our own KGV pin ups.

The Newport Arms Hotel tends to do this to you.  Looking at the empty plates everyone is happy.
Rosemary & Les Baker, Janina & Frank Rodrigues,Bob & Pauline Burnaby.

The Wild Ones with the Wayward Wind at North Head.

(Maunie Kwok)
Day 2  Monday 5th March, dawned grey and overcast but it didn’t seem to dampen any spirits. Everyone was on a high, anticipating what was to come during the week ahead.

Those staying at the Wentworth Hotel were down at breakfast bright and early ready for the 8.45am departure on the Wildlife Park & Northern Beaches coach tour. We departed in two coaches and early in the tour it rained quite heavily but by the time we arrived at the wildlife park the sun was out. It remained that way for the rest of the day.

 Cherry (Gardner) Clark.  Image from Maunie Kwok

Les & Rosemary Baker and Pauline Williams.  At the back in Hat is Fearn Cochrane with Graham in the blue shirt.
Image from Frank Rodrigues.

The overseas visitors enjoyed getting close enough to koalas to be able to touch them and there were loads of cameras clicking. We were also able to enter a large enclosed paddock to hand feed kangaroos, wallabies and emus. Roy Hutchinson found out first hand just how greedy kangaroos can be when one tried to snatch a bag of feed from him, and succeeded. After his ‘close encounter of the roo kind’ Roy was left with dirty paw prints on the front of his white shirt.

At Waratah Park  home of Skippy (Killer Kangaroo).  Image from Roy Hutchinson

Roy and Skippy at the start of Round 1.  Image from Roy Hutchinson

And the winner is.  Image from Roy Hutchinson.

Maunie Kwok and Mike Terry feeding Big Bird.

Left  Roy Hutchinson just before his ‘close encounter of the roo kind’

Right  Lulu (Diespecker) Lee, Roy Tjioe, and Nora Sun at wildlife park

From the wildlife park we drove to Palm Beach where we were able to wander on the fine golden sand and paddle in the shallows. One of our group thought she would try walking on water but soon discovered she was a mere mortal and ended up with shoes full of water instead. And our youngest attendee, Fiona McIlravey, whilst paddling, got caught by a wave and had to put up with wet jeans for the rest of the day.

Left  Fiona McIlravey on Palm Beach.  Right. Pauline (Williams) Burnaby at The Newport Arms Hotel

We then went to the Newport Arms Hotel for a BBQ and salad lunch before driving down the coast past more lovely beaches to North Head, at the entrance to Sydney harbour. The views of the harbour and surrounds with the city in the distance were spectacular but as it was blowing a gale, all photos taken at that spot will have people with very untidy hair styles.

Lunch at the Newport Arms Hotel. Image from Roy Hutchinson

Waiting for the food. Image from Roy Hutchinson.

At North Head.  Roy advises he always knew Lulu had a devilish streak. Image from Roy Hutchinson

Roy Hutchinson, Adam McIlravey, Fiona McIlravey, Kristina McIlravey & Anders Stenberg at North Head.

From North Head we drove back down to Manly where some of the group got off for a look around then caught a ferry back to the city, whilst others chose to remain on the coaches for the return trip to the hotel.

The Ferry trip back.  Johnny, Dickie, Jack and Brian.  Image from Sid and Sandra Fattedad

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