Outback to the Glaciers

Today we had the afternoon free.  What the heck did they expect us to do?  We were in the Outback, and there's not a whole lot of fun going on around here.  We sure weren't going to hang around the hotel or spend time shopping for souvenirs.....so we set out to find kangaroos.  After $50 in taxi fares.....we struck gold!


No image of modern outback Australia is complete without a mob of kangaroos hopping across the horizon. Check out our video posted above! The word kangaroo derives from 'Gangurru', the name given to Eastern Grey Kangaroos. Kangaroos are of cultural and spiritual significance to Aboriginal people across Australia. Plus, their meat was, and continues to be, a staple protein source. Their pelts were used for clothing and rugs and their skin crafted into water bags.



















Kangaroos are famous for their means of locomotion: hopping! They can reach speeds of 60kph, clearing more than 8m with a single hop!  Their muscular tail is used for balance when hopping and also like an extra limb when moving about.  Kangaroos are most active between dusk and dawn, as they search for their favourite foods: grass, as well as leaves, ferns, flowers, fruit and moss. Like cattle, they regurgitate their food, chewing it twice before it passes through their chambered stomach.  Like all marsupials, kangaroos have pouches where the joeys are reared, drinking milk from mammary glands.  Kangaroos hiss and growl when alarmed, females make clicking noises to communicate with their offspring, and males ‘chuckle’ during courtship!  All kangaroos have short hair, powerful hind legs, small forelimbs, big feet and a long tail. They have excellent hearing and keen eyesight.


FYI.....even after spending all this time with the kangaroos.....I ordered Kangaroo Striploins for dinner at the casino back at our hotel......and I enjoyed it!  The meat is soooooo tender and juicy. They may be cute, but they also taste great!!!