Cuddly and Creepy Australians

Wombats spend between three and eight hours each night grazing on their favourite food like this little fellow.

They feed on native grasses such as wallaby, and kangaroo, grasses and also eat sedges, and the roots of shrubs and trees. They can wonble around for about 3 km a night looking for dinner.

They chomp through their food with sharp, chisel-like front teeth which grow continuously.

Wombats have been pushed into the scrub, into the rugged hills and mountains, far away from pesky people. They're endangered now, and are protected. I had a wombat living up at the back of my house some years ago but we lost her to bushfire.

Georgina the Wombat

A little Soft Toy Wombat friend from Australia. She's much happier in cooler weather and a real snuggler, very lifelike and a wonderful addition to any collection of international animal toys.

Large Australian Wombat Soft Plush Toy (42cm)

Curious and energetic, Tasmanian devils travel up to 16 km - 10 miles looking for food. They are carrion eaters, scavenging anything that comes their way, plus hunting any small mammals and birds. They are nocturnal hunters, with a keen sense of smell and hearing.

By day they shelter in caves, bushes, old wombat burrows, or hollow logs. As they amble along with their stocky bodies and large heads, Tasmanian devils look slow and awkward in their movements, but they'e the top carnivore in Tasmania!

Their names may sound similar but the 60+ "Opossums" from South America and the 20+ "Possums" from Australia are very different. They aren't closely related biologically. Australian possums have been separated by more than 70 million years.

In Australia, possums are almost a national treasure. They'e protected under the provisions of various State laws.

It's quite common to have a possum or two hanging out in your backyard. I live backing onto a creek and any night of the week when I turn on my outside light, lots of little eyes blink at me. My only anxiety is that they will chew my computer cable!

Once numbering in the millions, koalas suffered major declines in population during the 1920s when they were hunted for their fur. Today, habitat destruction, traffic deaths, and attacks by dogs kill an estimated 4,000 koalas yearly.

The Saltwater Crocodile is the world's largest reptile.


These amazing creatures are found on the northern coast of Australia and inland for up to 100 kms or more. You see plenty of big crocs in Kakadu where some have been measured as long as 7 metres but the average size of a Saltie is 4 metres long.

Long enough!

The crocodile is now a protected species in Australia, however if human danger is a factor, the crocodile will be moved away from possible contact.

The Great White is found in temperate waters throughout the world's oceans. In Australia, many shark species are listed as threatened and the Great White is listed as "vulnerable".

Shark attacks on people are rare, but if a shark takes a bite at you, it's pretty sure to be fatal.

Avoid attacks by

* Not swimming or surfing where sharks are known to congregate.
* Always swimming or surfing with other people.
* Not swimming with pets and domestic animals

If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, get out of the water!