Critters we saw on the road
A pair of wallabies don't mind some canoodling in public
Australia has some of the most diverse and unique animals in the world. The continent is probably most well known for its wide range of marsupials but there is also a spectacular choice for reptiles – read snakes and crocodiles – fish and birds. And then there are the introduced species, some of which wore out their welcome long ago. Whatever the case may be, as we travelled around Australia for 96 days, living in the bush and exploring all its natural wonders, we also came across a great range of wild critters. Here’s a collection of photos with the highlights.
A King Parrot in Cania Gorge National Park, central Queensland
We saw many dingoes on our travels, usually near camp sites and rarely afraid of humans
The pride of all fishermen in the north - the barramundi. This one was caught by a station hand at Strathburn Station in a local billabong
The beautiful Jabiru, an uncommon sight in the waterways of the north
Crocodiles were a major theme of our trip and this one in Normanton Queensland almost got me
Magnificent long horned cattle in northern Queensland - all hooved animals were introduced to Australia
Stay clear - the buffalo are feral and have a very aggressive disposition
Here's a gentler buffalo acting as a mailbox for the rangers in Northern Territory's Limmen National Park
The haughty and almost imperial bustard, never bothered and never hurried
Too close for comfort to the perfect killing machine - the salt water crocodile
Dusty the crocodile, our trusty mascot, getting some early morning sun on our bull bar
An Agile Wallaby making himself at home in our camp near Katherine Gorge
A fresh water crocodile warming up on the banks of the river in Katherine Gorge
We saw many different kinds of ducks - these Wandering Whistling ducks were in Kakadu National Park
Yes, they are only cattle but they are being rounded up by a helicopter
The scariest moment on our trip - a black headed python casually passes by our chairs and fire
The Comb-crested Jacana, also known as the Jesus bird because it can walk on water
Braveheart - I slowly walk up to two fresh water crocs; luckily they blinked first
Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, lined the trees above us in Windjana Gorge
Two graceful brolgas, always in pairs, on the shores of a billabong in Windjana Gorge
A huge Olive Python tries to hide from us in a rock crevasse - they can grow to 6 metres
And here's one we caught earlier - our own personal camel on Cable Beach in Broome
A rare Spinifex Pigeon we found one morning in Millstream Chichester National Park
An echidna on our trail balls up in self-defence
Okay, not a great photo through the windscreen but this is a huge feral goat with intimidating horns
Sheep cross our track on the sandy plains near Cape Range National Park in WA
An emu checks us out while we check him out
Dolphins swim into shore for feeding time at Monkey Mia in WA
A colourful galah gets his feathers ruffled in the high winds near Coral Bay in WA
A huge green turtle, over a metre long, swims on the surface near Steep Point
Two Sooty Oystercatchers, distinctive with their red eyes, feed on a beach off the Southern Ocean
Snake on the road - we may have run over some but this one got away
Cormorants, one of the most common birds we saw, sit gracefully on an old pier near Eucla on the WA - SA border
A salt water crocodile shows why he owns Mary River National Park
The handsomely decorated monitor lizard also enjoys the early morning sun on the road side
A tiny rainbow bee eater is unconcerned by the presence of its admirers
The long extinct Tasmanian Tiger, forever remembered in Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr in Kakadu