Is is just over half an hour to drive to Seal Bay from the northern side to the southern side of the island.

Seal Bay is a Conservation Park which has restricted beach access to tour groups. Nobby Island completes an incredibly scenic site. This is the home for up to 900 Australian sea lions – the third largest colony in the world and 8% of the world’s Australian sea lions.

There is a ramped access to a viewing platform with no beach access. We go on a guided tour to get the full experience.

A sea lion pup greets us on the path.

It is at times cheeky, playful and shy.

Further down the track, several more sea lions are in low shrubbery to avoid the cold bracing winds. Despite the sun, it was 11 degrees with a strong southerly wind.

A male sea lions. Males weigh up to 400kg, females just 100kg. They rest on this beach after 3 days of hunting on the continental shelf eating squid, octopus, fish and lobster.

The eastern end of the beach

Sea lion tracks into the dunes

A sea lion emerges from the water after a hunting trip.

Hooded plover

Male Pacific gull

There were warning signs not to pat the sea lions. See the lower canine teeth on the bull sea lion below if you have any doubt of their ability to bite.

Sealed with a kiss

A humpback whale skeleton from a beaching in 1984

Birds were very active behind the dunes out of the wind.

Bales Beach on the edge of Cape Gauthaume Wilderness Area.

Melaleuca in the coastal heath.

Vivonne Bay is a sheltered inlet.

Waves crashing on Cape Ellen

We walked to the end of Cape Ellen to be treated to de generes rainbow display.

Vivonne Bay beach

Off to Raptor Domain with its ingenious use of colourbond steel.

Once inside we saw the birds….well offcuts from the main gate.

Suddenly the show started and it didn’t take long for everyone to start raven about it.

This clever raven can pick up rubbish and put it in the bin. Every school should have one.

The barn owl was woken up early with the promise of a treat.

An Australian hobby was very acrobatic in the air.

The barking owl was wide eyed with wonder.

And the Nankeen kestrel did some hovering for us.

We had a laugh or two with the kookas.

And Jedda the eagle stared down most of us.

This man from the audience was told he would get a wedgie – he was delighted when the bird appeared.

The magnificent Wedge-tailed eagle, the largest raptor (bird of prey) in Australia.