Discovering A Life Wonder

Bundaberg, Australia

There’s one thing in life you’ll never forget, actually there’s many but only few come as real and yet so overwhelming as this. Driving down from Airlie Beach was a tough run, but in darkness we kept our spirit high and proceeded to Mon Repos Turtle Conservation Centre in Bundaberg. As a brief background, the conservation centre was set up around 50 years ago to help to protect and provide vital information on endangered turtles. Nowadays it’s research has helped saved thousands of turtles and is the epicentre in Australia for turtle births. Upon arrival, a video and small exhibition area gave a brief description of their work then we patiently waited in groups like kids at Christmas for ‘our moment’. What was our moment? Unsure of what we were exactly about to see, in the ball park it was the birth of turtles. After one false signal and a walk to a slightly quiet spot we were eventually led on the beach and in the dark towards what was literally sand. This sand was special though, not in its appearance or value, but the recently birthed turtles that were clawing their way up from their recent birth home to their home in the sea. Words can’t really explain the moment a turtles pops it’s head through the surface and starts wading it’s way over the sand towards the ocean. I say ocean, but due to the conservation of the centre, each turtle was guided towards a fake light and placed in a penned area. Before releasing, a couple of turtles got their claim to fame and paparazzi moments from the surround ‘awwwing’ crowd through various pictures and the rare moment of touching the strong flippers scrape against your skin before being released safely into the ocean. This doesn’t explain it all, so if even the thought of a tiny little turtle birth and journey into the ocean even excites you a little, I would get a plane over now. After getting lost several times on the way back, it’s easily forgotten when you’ve just experienced a life wonder.