We took the ute to Ballarat for some work today and when it was done, we decided to drive west about an hour before heading home. Along the way we found some idyllic sheep farms.
The original plan was to drive to Ararat, but along the way we discovered a plae we'd rather be.
Just beside the highway is a sizeable park called Langi Ghiran State Park. Empty dirt roads flowing through eucalypt forest. Along the way we found a few kangaroo.
But the real prize of the afternoon was a good look at an echidna. He was just next to the road. The sound of the engine caused him to start burrowing for protection. Their first order of business is to hide the soft parts on the front and bottom and leave the spines exposed. When this doesn't work they run away. We've seen them in this face-in-the-sand mode before.
The lens I had was not good for shooting long distances (see the kangaroo, above)... only 100 mm ...so I had to get a bit closer than he/she was comfortable with. As I crept in, he began to fidget.
Soon he decided to make a run for it and I was finally able to get some photos of his head.
I hated to scare the little fellow so much, but this really is the only way to see an echidna up close.
These are the best photos I have yet of this elusive guy. You can even tell he has ears!
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