“It looks like a plush toy,” I told C as we stood transfixed staring at an actual real live koala inside a pen. Clinging on a vertical tree branch and slowly gnawing on eucalyptus leaves, the furry little creature unhurriedly moved to a more comfortable position. Being nocturnal animals, most of its neighbors were asleep, also clinging to tree branches as they do. It’s the first time I’ve actually seen a koala in real life and it’s as cute and cuddly as a, well, a plush koala toy.

FLYING IN FROM SYDNEY TO GOLD COAST

Coming from a one-hour flight from Sydney, we arrived at the Gold Coast International Airport at around noon. The heat was unbearable as we navigated its almost empty roadways. We’re here to see Byron Bay, but before that, we took a quick detour to Currumbin—G of Pinay Travel Junkie apparently booked us to see them kangaroos and koalas.

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CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

VISITING THE CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY BEFORE HEADING TO BYRON BAY

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary started out as a bird sanctuary of sort in 1947. Alex Griffith, a New Zealander whose parents migrated to Australia and retired in Queensland started feeding wild rainbow lorikeets as a way to keep them off his flower plantations and honey farm.

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THE MINI TRAIN INSIDE THE ZOO STARTED OPERATING DURING ***

Soon, the daily flock of birds in his farm started attracting people, eventually making it as one of the local sights in the area. In due course, it evolved into a bird sanctuary, then the zoo that it is now. It’s one of the oldest animal sanctuaries in Queensland and is listed as part of the Queensland Heritage Register.

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A SLEEPING KOALA INSIDE A PEN

As unhurried as koalas, we sauntered across the park’s paved pathways, dodging a mini-train that circles the park, visiting the koala pens, and actually having our picture taken with one of the koalas while it clung to J of Lakwatserong Tsinelas’ torso for a few Australian dollars. Yeah, we’re touristy like that. Lol.

FIERCE EMUS

We then headed to the kangaroo enclosure, passing a couple of huge emus resting right by the fence. These birds look fiercer than their relative, the ostrich. Their eyes are especially daunting, but I guess they’re friendly enough since they’re freely roaming around the Currumbin’s kangaroo area.

LAZY ADULT KANGAROOS

We found a mob of kangaroos lazily lounging around the dry landscape of the enclosure. A few were being fed by visitors—you can buy food to hand-feed them if you want to get up close and personal with these creatures, but it’s really not our thing. Most were just lying down, having their afternoon siestas and we actually saw one with a baby up its pouch.

To be honest, I actually find kangaroos to be weird-looking animals, they look like a brawny horse-like, not-so-adorable rabbits with weirdly jointed legs. But that’s just me, most of the people at the park we’re just crazy about them.

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THE YOUNGER KANGAROOS LOOK MUCH CUTER

A few meters away from the fenced enclosure is grassy hill where a few young kangaroos—I don’t know if they still count as joeys or baby kangaroos—were roaming through. They seem to be more popular than the adults at the pen since they’re about a thousand times cuter. Still, they don’t stand a chance to win a cuteness contest with the koalas.

CHECKING OUT THE LOST VALLEY SECTION OF THE SANCTUARY

A RED PANDA AND A LEMUR

Before going, we entered Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s Lost World, a five-hectare enclosure that houses lemurs, cotton-top tamarins, tree kangaroos, capybaras, a host of colorful free-flying birds, reptiles and red pandas. The last time I saw a red panda was at the Singapore River Safari, and they’re really adorable.

ELEVATED WALKWAYS ALONG THE LOST WORLD

An elevated walkway, similar to those we treaded on at the valley floor of Scenic World Blue Mountains, wounds around the area, making it quite easy for visitors to peek through the animal enclosures. I like that some of the animals weren’t caged at all and can comfortably roam around the area.

 

CURRUMBIN BEACH

THE ELEPHANT ROCK AT CURRUMBIN BEACH

Having had our kangaroo and koala fix, G drove us to Currumbin Beach for a late lunch. We parked near the Elephant Rock, a boulder-sized outcrop the size of more than a hundred elephants, where the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club or simply Currumbin Surf Club sits comfortably on.

GOLD COAST’S SKYLINE ON THE HORIZON

This is a member-only restaurant but guests can apparently dine here too, provided there are free seats available. We’re lucky there were a few open tables when we visited, and they’re even premium ones at the open balcony overlooking the Coral Sea too!

AFTERNOON SURFERS

Against the backdrop of Gold Coast’s skyline on the far horizon, a small number of surfers were out on the water, trying to get the most out of the afternoon swells, while a few people were taking a relaxing walk along Currumbin Beach. Us we busied ourselves taking photos along the rocky part of the beach just in front of the restaurant.

A SEAFOOD FEAST AT CURRUMBIN VIKINGS CLUB

Soon enough, our lunch was served and we were pigging out on a feast of, not one but two, Seafood Platters (AUD75.00) filled with fresh shrimps, natural oysters, balmain bugs, smoked salmon, garlic green lip mussels, chili salt and pepper calamari, and maine lobsters! As if these aren’t enough, we paired with a plate of crispy potato wedges. Quite a way to start off our Gold Coast adventure!

 

SCOOT HAS DAILY PROMO FARES FROM MANILA TO AUSTRALIA

SCOOT, KLOOK, AND ONE VINE MIGRATION MADE OUR TRIP TO AUSTRALIA POSSIBLE. VIEWS AND OPINION ALL MINE.