Day 27 - Peak Hill to Dubbo Zoo
Last night I discovered there is a parking area for caravans and motorhomes at Dubbo Zoo, so I set the alarm for an early start. We left Peak Hill and were lined up at the zoo gate at 8.55am! I disconnected the Bushtracker in the parking area and put on a hitch lock. We drove around the zoo in the Toyota. This was a better option than the non air conditioned electric carts available for hire.
The forecast maximum temperature was 30° so it wasn't likely to be too hot. Another thunderstorm warning had been issued for this area so we kept an eye on BOM. This was one of the rare occasions that I wished I had brought a camera with a telphoto lens, but some of the Samsung pictures are OK.
My favourite animal is this lioness. The zoo has brought a lioness from another pride into the zoo. Before the new lioness meets the others they are being kept separated by a 3m gap between the fences which are covered so they can't see each other. She can smell and hear the others but not see them or have any contact at the fence. She was lying in the shade when we approached, but must have smelled her neighbours. This triggered her pacing along the fence with her nose in the air.
While we were having an uninspiring lunch at the zoo cafe my sister rang to tell me a large branch from a gum tree on the nature strip had fallen onto our father's garden. She also confirmed my fear that The Junkman's son had overlooked a lot of the rubbish he was supposed to have removed. The council inspected the tree and said it would be dealt with today or tomorrow.
After our second loop of the 6km one way zoo circuit, we hooked up the Bushtracker and drove to the Dubbo City Holiday Park where we set up on a drive through site. I went for a swim in the solar heated pool. There was a covering of dust on the botton of the pool from yesterday's dust storm.
Instead of leftovers we crossed the road and had Thai for dinner - taking nothing home with us. The briefest thunderstorm passed over Dubbo but there was no rain.
Tomorrow we will drive to the coast but can't stay at the Stockton Beach Caravan Park until Saturday. There is no space as cranes are being used to move some of the cabins away from the foreshore which has suffered terrible erosion in the recent wild weather. Thanks to the ABC News for this picture.
The forecast maximum temperature was 30° so it wasn't likely to be too hot. Another thunderstorm warning had been issued for this area so we kept an eye on BOM. This was one of the rare occasions that I wished I had brought a camera with a telphoto lens, but some of the Samsung pictures are OK.
My favourite animal is this lioness. The zoo has brought a lioness from another pride into the zoo. Before the new lioness meets the others they are being kept separated by a 3m gap between the fences which are covered so they can't see each other. She can smell and hear the others but not see them or have any contact at the fence. She was lying in the shade when we approached, but must have smelled her neighbours. This triggered her pacing along the fence with her nose in the air.
While we were having an uninspiring lunch at the zoo cafe my sister rang to tell me a large branch from a gum tree on the nature strip had fallen onto our father's garden. She also confirmed my fear that The Junkman's son had overlooked a lot of the rubbish he was supposed to have removed. The council inspected the tree and said it would be dealt with today or tomorrow.
After our second loop of the 6km one way zoo circuit, we hooked up the Bushtracker and drove to the Dubbo City Holiday Park where we set up on a drive through site. I went for a swim in the solar heated pool. There was a covering of dust on the botton of the pool from yesterday's dust storm.
Instead of leftovers we crossed the road and had Thai for dinner - taking nothing home with us. The briefest thunderstorm passed over Dubbo but there was no rain.
Tomorrow we will drive to the coast but can't stay at the Stockton Beach Caravan Park until Saturday. There is no space as cranes are being used to move some of the cabins away from the foreshore which has suffered terrible erosion in the recent wild weather. Thanks to the ABC News for this picture.
