The "Steve Irwin" Australian Zoo

Chy having her magic moment cuddling a koala

In keeping with the animal theme, our Day 6 plan was to begin our drive north of Brisbane towards Hervey Bay and spend the day at the "Steve Irwin" Australia Zoo in Beerwah. 

We passed the Glass House Mountains on the way. 

Liam and Bryce petting some sort of lizard 

(Bryce is holding a scavenger hunt which kept us busy 

searching all around for stations based on clues). 

Heaps and heaps of crocs in this place. 

Each one was named with a description of how it had been caught and other interesting information.

More cassowaries!

The koala enclosure

We never did end up finding the "bear cat"

Some time for the bouncy croc slide

Some really great murals

Zoo staff walked around all day with different animals to allow you 

to have a pet and see them out of their enclosures (a great idea!)

We spent some time in "Roo Heaven" (these kangaroos are having a lounge in their resting area)

Roos and wallabies (smaller one) - see the difference?

More koala pets!

And then there was the show at the big "Crocoseum!"

Beautiful macaws!

They showed us how crocs think and react. 

A major focus was how to keep yourself safe (while dispelling some myths about them, too)

Then a walk through the koala habitat...

Then onto Asia! (in the zoo, that is!)

Red Panda

Onto Bindi's Island and Treehouse...

The tortoises were huge!

Back for more roo-love!

The wombats (short-haired is below)

After the zoo, we drove on to Hervey Bay and prepared for our morning flight
over to Lady Elliot Island
(the Southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef)