Lions and Tigers and Bears....Oh My!

OK, well maybe not Lions or Tigers, but we did see bears! Last Saturday we all piled in the truck and headed north up the coast to Yanchep National Park for our first official outing to see the area outside of Perth.
Equipped with a roasted chicken, chips, cookies and the beloved footy, we set off for a day of "come what may"; one of my favorite modes. No real plans, just the day ahead and let's see what we see!
Yanchep isn't far up the coast from Perth, but it feels like a completely different place. It reminded me alternately of Northern California because of the low, scrubby brush along the side of the road; Oregon because there was a grove of pine trees planted in the middle of nowhere; and the midwest where I grew up because of the expanse of land to the horizon, some of which had crops planted on them. I am beginning to get a sense of just how huge Australia is and how little of it is actually inhabited and/or developed.
We arrived at the park, paid $10 to get in (per vehicle; not bad) and found our way to a beautiful spot for a picnic near a lake. There were a lot of people there with the same idea; it was a simply gorgeous day in late autumn. No jackets or sweaters required, it was plenty warm and the sun shone brilliantly. The park had lots of wide open spaces and walking paths everywhere. I immediately took note of the animal droppings in the grass and was told by Steve that it was "roo doo"; the kangaroos are in abundance in any large expansive areas and this was certainly a popular spot! Roo doo is obviously a fact of life here and no one seems to take much notice; without being unnessesarily graphic, roo doo is just like rabbit pellets, except a bit larger.
Within minutes we had food spread out on the table being devoured by everyone. Sheesh, we had only been in the car for 30 minutes; you would think we hadn't eaten for 3 days!
Footy immediately followed lunch and I decided to set out for a walk around to see what else was there. We were briefed at entry to the park there was much to see and do there.
I soon found my way into the Koala sanctuary and could not have been more delighted. There weren't many people around, and Koalas were visible and viewable in several locations. Some were eating, some were sleeping or just sitting; all were completely adorable. I gathered up the rest of the family to come have a look and we all stood in awe of these little creatures, very accessible to us at just about 1 or 2 ft. away! Their diet, we learned, is purely eucalyptus leaves. I couldn't help but think their breath must be quite pleasant!
Once we had our fill of Koala watching we stopped by the Chocolate Drop for a delicious chocoate confection and piled back into the car to head further north to Lancelin. A short 40 minute drive and we are there. The town is small and sleepy; the kids find a park and play footy, Steve and I browse a shop. A long walk on the beach follows as the sun begins it's decent into the ocean. It is quiet, beautiful and serene. The sand on the beach is as fine and as white as sugar, the surf gentle. Lobster boats bob in the bay and the sun dips lower and lower and the cool of the evening begins to make itself felt. After a quick stop for a beverage at a restaurant on the beach, we set out for home, urged to watch out for kangaroos on the road at dusk. We watched diligently, but didn't see a single 'roo. We didn't see lions or tigers or roos, but we are definitely not in Kansas anymore.