Befriending the Local...Marsupials! #HogsAbroad in Australia

 

How has it already been six weeks since I got here? How am I nearly a third of the way through my study abroad experience? When did this happen?!

In these six weeks that I have been here, I have already seen emus, a dingo, kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. Until today's trip to Oakvale Farm in Salt Ash, NSW, I had only seen most of these animals from a fair distance. So, you can imagine (and see photographed above) my excitement when I finally got to get up close and personal with some of these fine creatures.

The kangaroos loved to lay stretched out in the sun, just enjoying life.

 
Because these kangas are tame, they love human attention. They shamelessly beg for belly rubs by rolling over on their backs.

And they shamelessly beg for food by being incredibly cute. 

I had this one literally eating out of the palm of my hand. We instantly became best friends.

After we hung out with the kangas for a while, we had some time to kill before the koala encounter. So, we wandered about the rest of the farm.

And hung out with llamas.

And some VERY hungry camels. VERY hungry.

Once the camel decided my finger was a better snack than the food, we walked back to the koala encounter. Boy, these were cute. We got to pet them and take plenty of pictures with them, but unfortunately I wasn't able to sneak one out to take home as a pet. 

(Yes, this is a real koala. They look like teddy bears in real life.)

In New South Wales, there is a law stating that visitors at zoos and reservations are not allowed to hold the koalas. (We'll save that for when I go to Queensland!) But a koala did get to hold me!

I'll happily stand in for this sweet koala's joey any day.

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Read more from Caroline at http://newiintown.blogspot.com.au/
Find out more about the University of Newcastle exchange at http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/newcastle