Remarkable island

It needs dedication and farsighted policies to keep the land so environmentally pristine. In 1997, the Kangaroo Island community, some 4,500 inhabitants, in cooperation with different conservation agencies under the government took up an innovative model to monitor the effect of tourism called The Tourism Management Model (TOMM) which is recognized across the world today. It has some of the strictest rules like preventing unknown pests and diseases entering the island, restricting animal feeding because " animals are quite happy feeding themselves as they know what is good for them," etc.

All these facts ran across my mind as I waited for my guide Tim Harris of the "Exceptional Kangaroo Island" tour operator to meet me. The tour operators are licensees allowing them to escort the visitors. They offer good value for money as the drivers on the four-wheel vehicles also act as guides and can talk about everything about the island, from the properties of sweet gum tree to the habits of the Wallabies, and even rustle up a quick lunch in the bushes.
The biggest attraction of Kangaroo Island is viewing wildlife in their natural habitat. Seals, Koalas, Porcupine-like Echidnas wandering in search of insects, Kangaroos, Goannas, Wallabies, Penguins and a variety of birds are just some of them.

As Tim explained about the various plants, some native which were flowering now in the summer, some brought in by settlers, I needed a coffee break. Not to worry, Tim drove into a pretty compound full of flowers to reach Roo Lagoon Woodwork Shop owned by a friend, a creative carpenter, who welcomed us instantly. All seem to be on first name basis here. And by the time I had a look at the products on sale, hot coffee and home-made chocolate cakes were ready on the verandah out of Tim's resourceful box. As expertly he packed up everything in a jiffy.

A short drive from here led to the Visitor Centre at Flinders Chase National Park to get introduced to the island's flora and fauna and get a feel of the island's history. European settlers who landed here in the early 19th century found it uninhabited. There was no sign of the Aborigines as in other parts of Australia. Mainland aborigines in fact, called it Karta, "land of the dead". The first recorded "outsider" to the desolate island was Captain Flinders sailing the "HMS Investigator" in 1802.

From here a 10 minute drive leads to Cape du Couedic, a French name, on the shore which has a light house . French explorers had arrived almost simultaneously with the British, but their hostility back in Europe did not affect their relationship as co-seafarers and explorers and they shared their information freely. Walking down the wooden boardwalk I could hear the huge waves breaking against the rocks as if going on for eternity. This shore has seen 70 shipwrecks in 160 years, the last being in 1996 which, thankfully, did not have a crew.

The Admirals Arch is a spectacular cave- like nook with a canopy of stalactites formed by rocks whittled down by sea water and wind for thousands of years. From the boardwalk I watched the brown New Zealand Fur Seals, their another name is Kekeno, swim, slither, and sun-bathe on a platform of rocks down below which are called 'haul-outs'. Every year, the seals return to the same area for the breeding season.



Nearby the Remarkable Rocks island is well, quite remarkable. These rocks have been formed through thousands of years by the sea and the wind. Awe at the sight of these granite boulders worshipping the sky gripped me as I walked down to reach the Rocks. From a distance one formation looked like a sitting camel, from another like the beak of an eagle, or a human face. With summer approaching, the rocks were alive with flowering lichens and small plants creating pretty landscape garden. Aborigines held these rocks sacred from where their ancestor Ngurunderi was supposed to have crossed over to the spirit world after death. His people believed that after death, the soul came to this island to rest before departing to the other world. Many think the Aborigines abandoned this island for the same reason.

By now it was lunch time. Lunch here is quite an experience too served deep inside the bush land in a dedicated place for visitors. With kangaroos scuttling away and surrounded by tall trees, I sat on a rough wooden bench and watched Tim expertly lighting the barbecue board to saute' slices of local goat cheese and King George Whiting fish, soft like butter. And hey presto it was ready! Out came a tablecloth to spread on the wooden table, a local Reisling wine bottle and a bowl of crispy salad and bread. Your tour guide packs all these things while starting out. It was a delicious meal, especially in this pristine setting with not a soul in sight.

Next stop was to meet the famed Australian sea lions at the Seal Bay. There were many basking in the sun . Not too far from (visitors are asked not to go too near) was a baby seal suckling his mother. The big ones lay supine, tired after swimming for days and foraging for fishes to feedt and take back home to the babies. Saying 'bye to the adorable baby seal now climbing all over his mother, I headed back to the car thinking of the scenario as if out of Natural history programme in the TV.

Many visitors fly back to Adelaide the same afternoon. But those with more time in hand stay back. Certainly, Kangaroo Island is an island that deserves more exploration.