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Part 3 of 10Western Australia, 2017

Wildlife and a Sheep-Shearing Show at Whiteman Park

Koalas, penguins and pelicans, and my first sight of a sheep being shorn, on a morning at Whiteman Park.

By Thawaio1 min read6 April 2017 · Whiteman Park, Perth

A shearer bent over a sheep on a timber board, its fleece peeling away, while a presenter in a wide-brimmed hat stands by with a broom, in front of sheep in a pen and a wool press.
The sheep-shearing demonstration.

On 6 April, our day began at Whiteman Park, on the edge of Perth.

A wooden arch over a road reading “Welcome to Whiteman Park”, with eucalyptus trees and bush on either side.
Arriving at Whiteman Park.

We were there to see Australian wildlife, and there was plenty of it.

A bare, twisted dead tree full of perched white ibis, against a blue sky with soft clouds.
A tree full of ibis.
Two grey Cape Barren geese with pale green beaks grazing on a sunny, grassy slope.
Cape Barren geese.
A shady pond fringed with papyrus and tall grasses, with orange and white koi gathered in the dark water.
A koi pond.
A bright blue pool edged with pale paving and rocks, with a small penguin standing at the water’s edge.
The penguin pool.
A little penguin walking across pale paving beside a glass viewing window, where a group of children in hats press close to watch.
A little penguin and its audience.
A white pelican with black-tipped wings spread wide, standing on a mossy rock against a dark background.
A pelican stretching its wings.

The sheep-shearing show

I came across the sheep-shearing demonstration by chance.

It was the first time I had ever watched a sheep being shorn.

A shearer bent over a sheep on a timber board, its fleece peeling away, while a presenter in a wide-brimmed hat stands by with a broom, in front of sheep in a pen and a wool press.
The sheep-shearing demonstration.

Our son was more interested in something else: the children interacting with the baby sheep.

The children also loved the chance to feed the kangaroos.

Red and grey kangaroos grazing on bare ground beside an open shelter with a “Kangaroo food” sign, while visitors crouch and bend to feed one kangaroo from a cup, and others stand and take photographs under the trees.
Feeding the kangaroos.

Koalas and other animals

A group of fluffy white and grey silkie chickens resting on wood chips in a pen.
Silkie chickens.
A koala sprawled across a horizontal branch, legs hanging down on either side, with eucalyptus leaves around it.
A koala, fast asleep.
Two koalas among eucalyptus branches, one climbing a stump and one sitting on a cut log looking out to the left.
More koalas.

The park itself had wide, shady lawns.

A broad green lawn under tall shady trees, with a red building and green umbrella at left and a veranda at right.
The lawns at Whiteman Park.

From there, we headed into the Swan Valley.