I didn't think anything could, but sunrise in Metung actually rivaled the stunning sunset we'd seen the night before. If there are people out there hunting the best sunset and sunrise locations in the world, please contact us. We have some recommendations to share!
In the morning, after photographing the sunrise, we drove straight to nearby Paynesville to catch the ferry to Raymond Island. The ferry ride, which we had read online took about five minutes, actually took all of 90 seconds to cross a channel that couldn't have been more than 100 meters wide. (Oh, and it's free!)
Once we stepped off the ferry onto teeny-tiny Raymond Island, we started off on the "Koala Trail," in search of the furry grey bears. Raymond Island is a haven for koalas and other endemic species. It has been called "one of the best places in the world to see koalas" and it did not disappoint. Within minutes on the island, we spotted our first koala, snoozing up in a tree, as they do.
We continued on, heads bent back so we could scan the manna and red gum trees for more grey furballs. At one point, we heard a deep grunting sound that could have been mistaken for a pig. We followed the noise to an unsuspecting koala, who stopped as soon as he noticed us watching him. (Our completely unqualified opinion is that he was making a mating call. But we're not biologists so we really have no idea.)
We continued slowly walking, stopping whenever we saw any koalas to take photos and observe them. To our delight, we realized that koalas are not like other animals we've met along our journeys, who have often been elusive, skittish, or hard to photograph. Because they just chill out in trees all day, photographing koalas is relatively easy, as long as you're able to catch a few awake and get a good angle.
Eventually, we were back at the ferry port, after seeing more than 20 koalas, five kookaburras, a kangaroo and a tiny owl. It was so cool seeing all of those animals in the wild, instead of in a zoo. If you're in the area, a stop at Raymond Island is a must!