Recently we had a day out at the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary. The weather at this time of the year is hot so what better place to spend the day than in a beautiful rain forest location in Queensland with waterfalls and rock pools, getting up close and personal with our Australian wildlife.

I was as excited as any tourist to see koalas awake and climbing to reach the tender eucalyptus leaves. Usually they sleep during the day. The wild bird show was wonderful, with owls flying low over our heads, eagles swooping for food and parrots flying in on cue.

I loved walking among the kangaroos who were oblivious to people stopping to watch them as they took a nap on the warm stones.

No Australian show would be complete without seeing the snake handler, sheep being shorn and crocodiles being fed. The highlight of the day was as were were eating our lunch, a peacock suddenly emerged from the bush, walked up to our table and with a couple of shakes, opened up its magnificent tail and strutted around as if to say “Look at me – aren’t I beautiful?”…. and he was!!!