Being a platypus, creeping up on ‘kangaroos’ and a treasure hunt for outback bikkies were all part of the fun on Eatser Saturday this year.

Fourteen children with their  families, aged from 2 to about 10, camped in the Andrew Drynan Reserve next to the Araucaria property, and joined us for a couple of hours of activities on the Saturday.

The little ones got the first turn, with the older ones helping out, finding all colours of the rainbow –  natural objects only,  such as flowers, leaves and stones.

Darren and our intern Delphine then became ‘kangaroos’, crouching next to our wrought-iron kanga, while the children practiced their skill of quiet approach for photography or wildlife observation, going back tot the starting line near the bunya if one of the kangas heard them.

A treasure hunt took them all searching for clues hidden in many niches. This was a cooperative game rather than competitive, and led to a box of ‘outback animal’ biscuits to share.

Some of the initial energies having now been dissipated a little, Ronda showed one group (with their parents)  through the WIldlife Information Centre while Darren and Delphine took others through the butterfly walk and down to the creek. In the Centre, children could don a platypus mask to get a feeling for how the platypus searches for  electrical vibrations from its prey, as well exploring as our walk through time, Australian habitats, local wildlife and other exhibits.

That night Ronda brought her guitar to the campsite, accompanied by Darren and Delphine, for about an hour with the families going through songs old and new, from pre-school to country-western and more.  It didn’t seem to matter too much that occasionally there were two songs being sung simultaneously. After a few toasted marshmallows and a glass of red wine, we retired to bed in preparation for the early rise the next day (5.00am to set up a wildlife stall at the Rathdowney Heritage Festival)