We woke up to rain pattering in the roof on the day that a bus tour was organised by one of our residents. It was to Canungra where the Mountain View Alpaca Farm is situated. It is not far from home, less than an hour's drive through beautiful rolling hills of the Scenic Rim region. We stopped on the way for morning tea at the Bearded Dragon Hotel.
Leaving the Bearded Dragon Hotel
Luckily the rain was easing off when we continued up the mountain to Canungra, a little village with interesting little shops for the city visitors. We continued on to the farm. There was a shop selling alpaca goods and bags of food to feed to the alpacas.
The rain had made these cute animals look a bit bedraggled and scruffy. I laughed at their messy hairdo's. We have had a hot summer so the alpacas have been shorn and don't look like the usual fluffy. woolly, cuddly animals that they are. This one poses for Bill.
Love the eyelashes. Alpacas are a native of South America, especially Peru. The Andean people used them for sustenance. Eating the meat and using the fibre. The fibre is used for knitted and woven items such as blankets, jumpers, hats, gloves and scarves.
They are now found all over the world in captivity. They are farmed for their fibre. They are also used to protect sheep herds. They are good at fighting off predators like wild dogs, foxes, wolves and dingos.
They are starting to be used as therapy alpacas in aged care facilities because they can be trained to be good company for humans. However, if they get stressed or frightened they spit. They use body language to communicate to each other.
We enjoyed the short walk around the enclosures stopping to feed them now and then.
This one needs a blow dry but they do have lovely eyes. The ones in this pen were ready to be taken for a walk in the surrounding paddock. Unfortunately we didn't do that.
Next door there is O'Reilly's winery where we could taste the wines and then it was back on the bus to go to lunch at the Canungra Hotel.
We had a while to wait before lunch so that we could have time to walk around the village shops. Bill and I found an interesting second hand book shop, Steph, above, found this cute handmade doll. Others found shoes and clothes or had a drink in the hotel. It took some time for all 38 of us to get our meals and then it was a chat with friends and onto the bus for home.
Alpacas and wine, both sound great to me. The alpacas are cute critters. What a nice day out!
ReplyDeleteTake care, have a great day and happy weekend!
How impressive that alpacas can be trained to be therapy animals in aged care facilities. Their eyes certainly look sensitive enough.
ReplyDeleteApart from being good company for humans, can they help an elderly person to cross a road? Can they carry a ringing mobile phone to an elderly sitting on a couch?
How fun, Diane! Looks like you both had a great time. I also love bookstores!
ReplyDeletehugs
Donna
now this is an outing I would love. I knew about the spitting and wondered if Bill knew when he was eyeball to eyeball with that cute alpaca. their faces are so sweet. once I petted a llama, my one friend came over and petted him too, our other friend reached out to pet him and he bit her arm, just a pinch. she said why did he bite me and not the two of you? I knew the answer but did not tell her. she made me want to bite her all the time. ha ha
ReplyDeleteI love the palms and blue skies and the Florida look where you are
It looks like a fun day trip. I first saw alpacas in Peru many years ago and was fascinated by how silky and soft their hair is. I hope you got enough rain to make things fresh for you all in the land down under. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteAndrew has left a new comment on your post "ALPACA FARM VISIT":
ReplyDeleteThat was a nice day out. Alpacas are so sweet looking but I didn't know about the spitting.
Sorry Andrew I accidentally deleted your comment in the email. There is no way to undo. So I copied and pasted from the email. Sorry again.
DeleteWhat a nice day out with alpacas, shopping, eating and wine - perfect - and no driving for you. I am not sure about the alpacas as therapy though.
DeleteWhat a lovely day you all had. Interesting Alpacas related to the camel I believe. The Alpacas do have sweet faces.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Hello Diane,
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy this trip to the alpaca farm. They are sweet critters, wonderful photos.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
While many people I know do not like sponsored bus trip outings, many times these are the best way to go somewhere in comfort while enjoying the company of friends and having a good time.
ReplyDeleteCute & scruffy alpacas! Sounds like a fun trip despite the rain.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a lovely drive to Canungra, especially at the moment after a summer of rain. You have caught the cuteness of the alpacas so well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful excursion ! I love alpacas, they are really cute and you are right they have beautiful eyes. That's what I like now a one day excursion ! The season will start in April. Our first one are the glasshouses of the Laeken castle, where the Belgian king lives. It was created by King Leopold II who wanted that the population can see exotic flowers and plants and trees which don't grow here.
ReplyDeleteI love Alpacas, we have some in a field not far from us in France. Sounds like you had a great day. Keep well, t'other Diane
ReplyDeleteThose cute alpacas have better eyelashes than I do! I have a beautiful alpaca coat that I puchased when visiting New Zealand about 30 years ago. It's so warm, and it still fits!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip! Those alpacas are really cute and I enjoyed this very much. Thanks Diane, great photos!
ReplyDeleteLooks and sounds a great trip.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the Alpacas.
All the best Jan
Sounds like a lovely day out. The animals have such cute demeanours. Saltaire, where I live, was of course built on the profits from spinning and weaving alpaca wool into lustrous cloth, in Victorian times.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that I knew there were spinning mills there but I thought it was cotton or wool.
DeleteWhat a delightful day trip you all had.
ReplyDeleteI love Alpacas..their faces have such personalities. Love how that one posed for your hubby.
The other one definitely needs a blow-dry..haha...
We finally are getting into a bit warmer weather. It has made everything bloom like crazy...especially the weeds that seem to think they own our backyard!!
Sue
What a delightful excursion to the Mountain View Alpaca Farm in Canungra! Despite the rainy start, the scenic drive through the rolling hills of the Scenic Rim region must have been breathtaking. Exploring the quaint village of Canungra and discovering its charming shops added to the experience. The alpacas, despite their bedraggled appearance from the rain, surely provided moments of amusement with their messy hairdos and adorable poses. Learning about their origins in South America and their diverse uses, from fibre production to protecting sheep herds, must have been fascinating. It's heartening to hear about their potential as therapy animals in aged care facilities, despite their tendency to spit when stressed. The day sounds like a perfect blend of adventure, discovery, and camaraderie with friends.
ReplyDeleteThere really is something about those eyes! What a nice day trip!
ReplyDeleteAlpachas always make me fall in love with them with their beautiful eyes. Bookshops are a bit of a curse to us ... we always buy things there.
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