I began my two and a half week trip, May 18
th to June 5
th, to
Australia with a group of 21 other students including a brave faculty member, as our “chaperone”. After a short flight of 2 hours to LAX, I met up with Carrie for dinner in
Santa Monica.
We walked around the
3rd Street Promenade. I tried sushi for the first time in my life, and its not as bad as previously assumed.
I then began my 15 hour flight, yes I said 15 hours! I slept for 10 and watch some movies for the rest of it. I think it went by pretty quickly with all the sleeping I did.
We left on Sunday and arrived in Melbourn on Tuesday morning, Monday doesn’t exist when you cross the International Date Line.
We began our journey right away. We started off traveling northeast out of Melbourne to Healesville Sanctuary. We saw kangaroos, wombats, marsupials, platypus, dingo’s, koalas and watched a “Birds of Prey” show.
We headed south to Werribee, Melbourne Water, Werribee Research Farm. They take the sewage from Melbourne and use it to irrigate their crops and sustain livestock; of course this is after they treat it. We then traveled along the Great Ocean Road through Geelong and Lorne, I had Flake-shark for lunch! Finally we drove to Colac to visit Te Mania Angus Stud Farm. We ended the day with dinner at Otway Estate Winery. Afterwards was spent driving to Ballarat, where we would spend the night.
Ballarat is the home of the 2000 Olympic Games rowing competition; we drove around the lake where this took place. Sovereign Hill, is a living museum of the gold rush days. We took a tour of a Quartz mine there also. Then we traveled north to Echuca to Clydebank Holsteins. We were able to view their milking parlor as well as try some fresh milk and help with the evening milking.
We now traveled through the Murray Valley to Yarra Wonga. The day began with a stop at Kelly Brothers Market Garden. We were able to see their processes in action and took an extensive tour of the place. We had lunch at the Byramine Homestead, just adjacent to Kelly Brothers. Upon departure we headed to Rutherglen to All Saints Winery for a tour and tasting. Next, on the list is Albury in New South Wales, until now we have been in Victoria. This evening we would be picked up by our host family, but before we had a bon fire, learned traditional Australian Western dances and enjoyed looking at the Southern Cross.
Vienna, a girl from the trip, and I were paired together for our farm stay. We decided to take a walk that morning, after walking a few miles with their three dogs we headed back. The dogs decided to chase a Ute and jump in the back of it, and then they chased a jack rabbit and got all bloody and ripped its leg off and carried it back and set it on the back porch. When we got back our host mom said the kids were gone! Oh great, they went out looking for the “Americans”. We found the kids and waked around their operation. That afternoon we were able to help the grandfather feed some 2,000 ewes and 30 rams, viewed a shearing shed and I got to learn how to drive a Ute and also drive on the wrong side of the road and vehicle! It was so much fun! We went and watched a game of “Footy,” a cross of like football, soccer, ruby, etc. That evening we rode in the tractor with our host dad and planted wheat, yes it is going into winter there.
We regrouped and traveled to Wagga Wagga where we toured the CSU-Charles Sturt University, down under. We walked through their two week old vet teaching hospital and their equine center. We then headed to Canberra, the nations capital. We toured the Australian War Memorial and watched a very sobering closing ceremony.
In order to look nice for touring the Parliament building I decided to curl my hair, bad choice! I burnt a chunk off! We began the day at the Canberra RSL Club where we had talks with US Agricultural Attache in Australia and the National Farmers Federation. We had a very quick walk around the National Museum of Australia. We then drove across Lake Burley Griffin to the new Parliament House. We viewed the two chambers and learned of their daily routine. Upon departure we headed to Trangie. After dinner and some footy, a group of us decided we would go swimming in this pool that was like 50 degrees and it was like 50 outside, we were crazy but it was a blast!
All morning we had talks/presentations about Managaing Climate Variability in W. NSW, Stock and Cropping Integration, Genetic Improvements in Australian Beef Industry, Sheep Genetics, Economics of Biodiversity Conservation and Precision Agriculture for the NSW W Plains. We took a quick farm tour of Trangie Agriculture Research Center. With an opened up schedule we decided to tour a Lime Grove. We heard all about their system and got to taste some fresh lime juice and other products made from their limes! We then went just down the road to Auscott Cotton Mill. For supper we had a BBQ and bon fire.
Leaving Trangie, headed towards Dubbo. We took an inside look at the Western Plains Zoo. We saw Bongo’s, Eland’s, White Rhino’s, etc up close and personal. Next we went to Killara Feedlot in the Liverpool Plains. We stopped for lunch in Dunedoo, we continued to Tamworth/Manilla- Australia’s country music capital. We spent the night in our very rustic accommodation of the Oakhampten Homestead.
Quickly on our way out we drove past the Split Rock Dam, of which is less than 6% full. Next-Banalasta, a Eucalypt and Lavender Plantation, we toured their distillery and property. Kyabra, a huge sheep farm and I mean huge, 25,000 head. They developed their own line, to better suit the customer of expensive wool-www.coolmenia.com. I really would like to do an internship here next summer. We finally departed and headed towards Armidale.
This morning we listened to talks at the University Of New England. We had presenters from AGBU, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, and CRC, Cooperative Research Center. I really am considering this as a place for my graduate studies. It couldn’t be any more perfect. After lunch we heard from ABRI, Agriculture Business Research Institute and SBTS and TBTS, Southern Beef /Tropical BreedTechnology Services.
Guyra is our next stop at Bald Blair Angus Cattle Stud. After a tour we headed to Yerra Binda in Wollomombi. We learned of his holistic management techniques and after eating lunch in his eco-friendly house we traveled through the Great Dividing Range. We had a quick photo op stop at Dorrigo National Park, finally we made it to Coffs Harbor. After dinner the group decided it would be fun to go swimming in the Pacific Ocean in the moonlight. The water actually wasn’t as cold as one might think.
A small group of us decided we wanted to watch the sunrise, so we awoke bright-or I guess I should say dark and early. We walked down to the beach, a block or two away and watched the sun rise over the ocean while walking the beach. After breakfast we all walked back to the beach and went for a morning swim before we departed for Sydney. I got buried in the sand, but it was worth it to rinse off in the ocean down under! We then made our 7 hour coach drive to Sydney.
We took a guided tour of Sydney, we viewed the Rocks, Mrs. MacQuaries Chair, the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge, Bondi Beach-very well known for their life saving club, etc. We then departed on our lunch cruise from Circular Quay around the Sydney Harbor. In the afternoon a small group of us walked across the Harbor Bridge. In the evening we all went out to Scruffy Murphy’s and listened to a local Irish band play.
A group of us took a ferry over to Manly Wharf where we took surf lessons and played in the waves all afternoon. It was amazing, I have always wanted to learn how to surf and what better time then with a great group of friends and when you are in Sydney, Australia!? Upon arriving back at the hotel we got all “dolled up” and headed out to dinner before going to watch Edward Scissorhand at the Sydney Opera House.
Kees took us on a walking tour before going to the Aquarium in Darling Harbor. We saw the Queen Victoria Building, the Town Hall, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, etc. The aquarium was awesome! We saw crocodiles, little penguins, sea turtles, sharks, platypus, seals and all of Finding Nemo’s friends in the Great Barrier Reef! We ventured around China Town and got ready for our Fairwell Dinner in Darling Harbor. Afterwards we all went out to Scruffy Murphy’s and the Three Wise Monkey’s for some dancing and hanging out.
We boarded out 13 hour flight to LAX-of which I think I slept three hours! Ahh! I again met Carrie and we had lunch in Manhattan Beach, walked around and then I had to catch my two hour flight-wow that is nothing compared to the rest! It was interesting because due to the International Date Line we left Sydney before we ever arrived in LAX!
It was an amazing, life changing, never forget nor regret trip of a life time! I tried numerous new foods, ate lots of lamb and made memories and friends while getting an education.
