Devils @ Cradle

About 2 and half hours drive from Queenstown, we finally reach Cradle Mountain*****.  The first place we went is Devils @ Cradle*****. This is a conservation park for Tasmanian Devils, the fierce vocals marsupial carnivore! They are just as cute as the roos and koalas! Don’t be cheated by its name. LOL

Entrance fee is $16, and they provide explanations and videos on the devils behavior and current crisis. Tas devil is only found in Tassie, and almost extinct largely due to human and dingos. Because Tassie was separated from the mainland 10,000 years ago, there were no dingos in the island that kept the devils safe. Now many devils die due to the contagious facial tumour disease which is like cancer, only worse because it is contagious. The devils are very solitary; they compete with each other every day for food. So when the devils fight for food, they will knock each other’s jaw. This touching leads to the contagion.  They feed on wallabies. Their related family species is the Quolls.

 Eastern Quolls feeding on ‘tuna salad’!

It is a good place to go and look at the devils, only found in Tasmania. We even get to pet one of the young devils. Their fur is so soft.

The devils may look small, but they have one of the strongest canine jaw! Be careful!

It is P&A’s first time staying in a BIG4 Discovery Holiday caravan park. BIG4 is known as the better branded caravan park, providing top notch facilities! We had no choice but to stay here since it is the only caravan park in Cradle Mountain. Surprisingly, their price is not that expensive, $35 for power and full facilities! Way better than Lake St Clair! Complete with a big kitchen with fireplace and wood! WOohoo.. 

Well, let’s have a good sleep before challenging the summit of Cradle Mountain!