Once upon a time, an Australian boy lived with an American girl in the sprawling northern suburbs of Chicago. The American girl had never been to this mythical place called Australia, but the boy told her many stories about it. She hoped that she could travel there one day. One of her favorite stories that she heard from the boy was about a place on top of a hill where tall furry creatures hopped around with their babies in their pouches and gigantic rodents ran wild. He told her about the dogs that lived there but preferred to live outdoors and without a master. The girl knew that when she made her long journey to the other side of the world, she must visit this place.
In September 2009, she did. She went to Cleland Wildlife Park.
In September 2009, she did. She went to Cleland Wildlife Park.
The Australian boy and the American girl started at Waterfall Gully and walked up from there. It was a very long and a steep walk, but they knew they made it when they saw little animals hopping on the other side of the fence.
When they got inside the park, the American girl saw her first Tasmanian Devil.
She was saddened to hear that many of them were dying from cancer.
Then she saw the wild dog, called a dingo, that the boy told her about. It was sleeping.
She also met a large rodent. It was very friendly. It may have been a potoroo or a bandicoot.
The boy and girl then met the tall and furry animals with the pouches. One of these creatures really loved the food in the bag that the girl and boy bought at the front gate.
The gray kangaroo tried to steal the brown paper bag out of her hands. The girl thought it was very comical.
After the American girl had her laughs, the native boy wanted to feed the funny marsupial.
The little creature held on tight with both hands while he ate.
This photo became of favorite of the girl.
The girl loved her playful little 'roo.
Not all of the kangaroos wanted to play.
Some of the kangaroos were not hungry.
The American girl did not want to leave the kangaroo enclosure, the the Australian boy told her that they had to leave. They spent a lot of time there, and there was so much more to see!
There were emus.
There were wallabies. The girl learned that they were little kangaroos.
The girl saw a foot sticking out of a wallaby pouch! The stories of the babies in the pouches were true!
There was even more to see, but the rain began to fall from the sky. The girl and boy were very cold. They knew it was time for them to go, but they knew they would be back.
The American girl told her mother and father of her adventures in her letters. After a while, they also took the trip to this mythical land of hopping, pouched creatures.
The American girl told her mother and father of her adventures in her letters. After a while, they also took the trip to this mythical land of hopping, pouched creatures.
Once again, they fed the kangaroos.
They met an old and serene koala bear.
They saw the pelicans that the American girl often saw when walking along the river.
There were many birds there. When the American girl tried to feed the duck below, it walked right up to her and bit her on the leg. Everybody, including the girl, responded with shrill laughter.
The American girl loved her duck bite. She did not want her little wound to heal. She wanted it to stay there forever so that it could always remind her of this magical place. Plus, she knew that her duck bite would make good stories.
Day after day, the American girl dreams of this place. She is glad that she was able to tell the story of the place called Cleland, and she hopes that all of you will go there one day.
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