South Australia

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Eucalyptus Oil Farm on Kangaroo Island with Zeb and Eider Duck

Today we visited a farmer that does not grow crops, does not have cows and does not have sheep.   Lawrence, the farmer, does not use any sprays and no chemicals are used.   He plants and cares for native Kangaroo Island Narrow Leaf Mallee eucalyptus trees.   This is not one of the varieties of eucalyptus trees favored by the koalas.

Emu Ridge is a working farm

Emu Ridge is a working farm

We were at Emu Ridge, the only commercial Eucalyptus Distillery remaining in South Australia.   The eucalyptus oil is distilled in the traditional method.   The eucalyptus plant is cut every few years and then taken to the distillery.

Eucalyptus still

Eucalyptus still

The leaf is placed into a pot containing water, beneath which a fire is lit.   The steam carrying the oil is passed through a system of cooling pipes.   The oil separates and is piped off into containers.   The raw oil undergoes another refining process to produce the final product, crystal clear oil.    This is the process used to produce or distill eucalyptus oil over 100 years ago.

Old farm equipment still used

Old farm equipment still used

All parts of the plant are used in this process.   There is no waste and any byproducts are recycled.   They even produce their own electricity.    Lawrence and his wife, Beverly, were sheep farmers, but in 1991 the wool prices took a sharp decline.   They decided to revive the old custom of producing eucalyptus oil.    Eucalyptus oil was the first true overseas export of Australia.

Why have eucalyptus oil?

Why have eucalyptus oil?

The old shearing shed is now a plant nursery.    Emu Ridge farm has been a major tourist destination since 1991.    There is a retail outlet where you may purchase pure eucalyptus oil and other products.

So many products from Eucalyptus oil

So many products from Eucalyptus oil

Mom really liked some of the lotions and creams.   Of course, the products also may be purchased online.   Please visit http://www.EmuRidge.com.au for more information.   The 4 minute video on the home page is really interesting.   The humans were watching these kangaroos.

Kangaroos in the back yard

Kangaroos in the back yard

We really enjoyed seeing these kangaroos, too

We are watching these kangaroos

We are watching these kangaroos

This is an emu, the inspiration for naming the farm Emu Ridge.

Emu at Emu Ridge

Emu at Emu Ridge

When you visit Kangaroo Island in South Australia, we hope you will visit Emu Ridge also.   We loved it and we think you would enjoy it also.

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Pelican Feeding on Kangaroo Island with Zeb and Eider Duck

On the way to Kingscote for the Pelican Feeding, we passed grapevines.

Grape vines trimmed back for winter

Grape vines trimmed back for winter

There are many wineries on Kangaroo Island.   Our guide also pointed out some termite hills.  The Kangaroo Island Heath Goanna Lizard is very smart.   The lizard lays the eggs in the termite hill.   The temperature inside the hill is perfect for incubating eggs.   Eight months later, in the spring, the eggs hatch and the mother lizard is there to help the new born lizards as they emerge from the termite hill.

Termite hill on Kangaroo Island

Termite hill on Kangaroo Island

Zeb and Eider went to a pelican feeding.

Australian Pelican

Australian Pelican

It was our first pelican feeding.  Arriving at the pier in Kingscote, we sat in the viewing area.   There were so many pelicans waiting for food.

Many pelicans

Many pelicans

Soon the man arrived with a huge container of fish.

Box of fish for pelicans

Box of fish for pelicans

The pelicans gathered around him as he talked to us.   These pelicans are different than the U.S. pelicans.

Eager pelicans

Eager pelicans

We have brown pelicans and the man said ours are a little smaller.   Soon the feeding began.

Man talking while pelicans get some fish

Man talking while pelicans get some fish.   Nice hat!

We loved to see all the pelicans.   They are so pretty

Pelicans patiently waiting

Pelicans patiently waiting

We really liked the pelican feeding and we really liked the pelicans.

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Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park with Zeb and Eider Duck

We entered Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park and were greeted by these kangaroos.

Our kangaroo greeters

Our kangaroo greeters

These were the first white kangaroo we saw.   Aren’t they adorable?

Aren't they adorable. Our first white kangaroos

Aren’t they adorable. Our first white kangaroos

Soon the humans were given kangaroo food and the kangaroos were ready.

They like humans to feed them

They like humans to feed them

These guys are so gentle with humans.   They like people.

These kangaroos like humans

These kangaroos like humans

And they like ducks.

Kangaroos and ducks meet

Kangaroos and ducks meet

This white peacock was watching us.

White peacock

White peacock

Watch out!   This is a common tiger snake, but it is one of the most poisonous and dangerous snakes in Australia

Tiger Snake--very poisonous!

Tiger Snake–very poisonous!

We saw many colorful birds, but we really liked the Southern Cassowary.

Southern Cassowary

Southern Cassowary

This is the smallest penguin.

Fairy penguin or Little Penguin

Fairy penguin or Little Penguin

They are sometimes known as Fairy Penguins, and sometimes called Little Penguins.    Here are the koalas.

Koala at rest

Koala at rest

Koalas sleep about 20 hours each day, but this guy was awake and moving.

Koala on the move

Koala on the move

He wanted the humans to touch him.

Koala likes humans

Koala likes humans

Isn’t he just too cute?   Another snake is here.

Snakes are not all bad

Snakes are not all bad

This one is not poisonous.   Our humans touch it.   They like the snake.   One of the ladies on our tour is holding this baby kangaroo?

Baby kangaroo likes humans also

Baby kangaroo likes humans also

It is so cute.   We hope you visit an animal park here or near your home soon.   It is fun!

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Raptor Domain Birds of Prey on Kangaroo Island with Zeb and Eider Duck

We liked Raptor Domain Birds of Prey.

Raptor Domain

Raptor Domain

We saw the raptor demonstration but we also enjoyed the figures on the trees and on the ground.   This Echidna is not real,

Echidna

Echidna

but we did see a real one on an evening nocturnal wildlife hike.   This is a really big bee.

A really big bee

A really big bee

Hey mom!   Why are we sitting on a branch with this snake?

We are with a snake??

We are with a snake??

Let’s go down the path to the raptor demonstration.

Down the Path

Down the Path

The birds are trained to return to the arm of the trainer.   We like black and white birds.

These birds are so pretty

These birds are so pretty

Here is tawny frogmouth.

Tawny Frogmouth

Tawny Frogmouth

We liked to watch this one walk with the long legs.

Such long legs

Such long legs

This snowy barn owl sat on people’s lap.

Snowy Barn Owl

Snowy Barn Owl

Snowy Barn Owl has no fear of humans.

Friendly Snowy Barn Owl

Friendly Snowy Barn Owl

He has long claws or talons, but he did not hurt people or ducks.   We like these kookaburras.

Kookaburras

Kookaburras

They are not birds of prey.   They are from the King Fisher Family, but we were happy to see them.   We also saw the Black Breasted Buzzard.

Black Breasted Buzzard

Black Breasted Buzzard

He loves to eat green emu eggs, but the shells are very hard.   The Black Breasted Buzzard knows to pick up a rock and break the egg.   He did enjoy his egg.   The humans missed that photo.   This is an Australian eagle.

Australian Eagle

Australian Eagle

We like seeing all these birds.   They are different than the birds we see in our yard in Colorado.   On the way out of the Raptor Domain we admired these lady bugs on the tree.

Lady Bugs on the tree

Lady Bugs on the tree

We liked our visit to the Raptor Domain Birds of Prey and we think you would like it too.

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Clifford’s Honey Farm on Kangaroo Island with Zeb and Eider Duck

It is 6:15 a.m.; ducks and humans are waiting for a bus to the harbor near Adelaide, South Australia.   We will have a 45 minute ferry ride to Kangaroo Island

We will get on the ferry to Kangaroo Island

We will get on the ferry to Kangaroo Island

and then a couple days of tours.   Some people are taking cars on our ferry.

Cars are going on our ferry

Cars are going on our ferry

We are not taking a vehicle.   The ferry has left the harbor and we are sailing.

We love riding on boats

We love riding on boats

The back of the boat is a little chilly.   Not much sun yet.

Very windy back here. We have to stay on the floor so we don't blow overboard

Very windy back here. We have to stay on the floor so we don’t blow overboard

We are docking at Kangaroo Island.

We are approaching Kangaroo Island

We are approaching Kangaroo Island

We board our tour bus and begin exploring the island.   Driving we admire the green fields.    As we continued, we saw some kangaroos  grazing in the fields and some fields of cattle.   We saw many sheep

We love the sheep

We love the sheep

and some new snow white baby lambs.   Our dirt roads are red.

Red dirt on Kangaroo Island

Red dirt on Kangaroo Island

The color will vary across the island.   This is a grass tree.

A grass tree

A grass tree

Our first stop is Clifford’s Honey Farm.

Clifford's Honey Farm

Clifford’s Honey Farm

This machine separates honey from the hive.

Getting honey from hive

Getting honey from hive

There are three levels of honey in each hive.   Humans only take 2 levels.   The bees need the 3rd level for their food.   Bees are working here.

Bees at work

Bees at work

The farm has Ligurian bees from Italy.   Bees cannot fly far, so the bee line remains pure on the island.   These bees are very quiet, docile and much sought after by bee-keepers.   They are easy to work and very productive.   The queen bees are exported around the world.   We visited the store.   Humans tasted honey.   They liked it.   They bought chocolate coated honeycomb and honey bears.   Both were enjoyed!   However, the honey bears were the favorite.   Yum!  For more information on Clifford’s Honey Farm, visit http://www.cliffordshoney.com.au     On our way to lunch, we passed the Weatherspoon farm with this sign.

Creative sign

Creative sign

Can you read it?   It says:  Did you bring a beer long.   A very clever and original sign!   Next we enjoyed a buffet lunch

Good lunch

Good lunch

at Vivonne Bay Eco Adventures Bistro and Function Centre on Vivonne Bay.

Let's eat at Vivonne Bay Eco Adventures Bistro and Function Center on Vivonne Bay

Let’s eat at Vivonne Bay Eco Adventures Bistro and Function Center on Vivonne Bay

Let’s continue down the road toward our next spot.

Let's continue down the road

Let’s continue down the road

We like our tour so far.   I think you will like what we show you next time.