Hartley's Crocodile Park

Crocodiles of all shapes and sizes were lurking in the water between the reeds and hiding in shadows as we ate a delicious lunch of fresh seafood and 'dinosaur' burgers which in actual fact were crocodile burgers...

Where were we you ask? Hartley's Crocodile Adventures in Stunning Port Douglas in Top North Queensland. In the last few days of our most recent trip to Queensland we took Amelie to experience crocodiles, snakes and other less dangerous Australian wildlife. I must say she was fearless. Running to be the first of the line to pet the giant snakes and spending almost an hour with the baby crocodiles.

She referred to the kangaroos as her friends and insisted on returning to them. I feel so blessed that I was lucky enough to be taken there on an adventure with my parents. She was really able to get up close and personal with the animals. She could see what they felt like, how they reacted to her and how they live in their natural environments. It is so much more of a learning experience than going to the zoo. Getting to see the crocodiles leap out of the water, nestling her head in to the soft fur of a kangaroo, running her hands over the scaly slithery skin of a giant snake all the while listening to the calls of native Australian birds and breathing in the fresh smell of Eucalyptus from the Gum trees in the surrounding rainforest. What a way to stimulate the senses and get in touch with nature.

I honestly give this place a 10 out of 10. (This has never happend before on this blog!)

The food in Lillies restaurant on site was excellent. There were ample highchairs for the little ones. We were able to hire a good quality stroller for the day for only €5 which could be picked up and dropped of at the entrance and exit so was no hassle whatsoever.  The changing facilities were also immaculate. The staff really made the day.

We love the commitment Hartley's have to the environment, they are a conservation park who are committed to conserving crocodile populations in Australia, they re-vegetate and work in harmony with the World Heritage forest that borders the park. They provide a natural sanctuary for many of Australia's rarer flora and fauna species. Hartleys are accredited for providing Eco Tourism and we just love that!

From the second we arrived and purchased our tickets we felt so welcome. We were greeted by smiling staff and that is all we saw all day. The people that work here obviously love their jobs. In particular we loved Wade the park ranger who was working on our boat tour. He had kids himself and was really having the craic with the small children on our tour. This is really a great action packed day for the whole family but also set in such a relaxing and stunning part of Australia that it is easy to find time to relax in between all of the animal encounters.

Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures is located just off the Captain Cook Highway at Wangetti. You can enjoy a spectacular scenic drive between Cairns and Port Douglas, 40 minutes north of Cairns and 20 minutes south of Port Douglas. If you are visiting Top North Queensland this place is a must!

Love the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Lets talk travel mugs... again x

 

OK so have been 'off line' for a while but here we are back and blogging. No promises that I will get in more than one a week but that is my plan for now. Some new and updated reviews in the pipeline. We will bring back our Dublin Events Page and launch a London Events Page too... but for now lets talk travel mugs and me!

Not all that long ago I jumped on the travel mug band wagon. It was the boring silver type with a black lid. It did the job right but it didn't look all that me, I love a little colour in my life. So recently it broke, I recycled it and got super excited about getting a new travel mug.

I spotted these gorgeous ceramic travel mugs in Urban Outfitters around Christmas time. One of those things I should have just got there and the patterns are adorable. I thought that I would shop around a little more but nothing topped these until I was in good old Oxfam and found a simple but funky ceramic travel mug. Buy of the year I reckon... It's just like these ones only its plain white with a red band and a red top, seeing I'm trying a little to move away from pink and bring red back into my wardrobe its perfect, a little retro or something...

The first time I posted about my travel mug I gave you the math so here it is again

The Math –

If I got 1 take away coffee a week (and well let’s face it, it’s usually three) for a whole year I have saved by using my travel mug between 52 – 156 paper cups, and 52 – 156 plastic lids from ending up in landfill.

I also urged everyone who hasn't got themselves a good travel mug to do so and this little change in your life could make a big difference to our earth. It's a change I made a year ago and I haven't looked back just re-styled that's all :)

You can buy a huge range of travel mugs from Urban Outfitters online at www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/gifts-+amp-novelties/mugs/icat/mugs/

Angi xxx

Mama Loves an Eco-friendly Christmas...

Christmas can be such a wasteful time, that is not what it is all about at all... over the next few weeks I will try to post a few of my favourite tips for keeping it green this Christmas, to get the baubles rolling here are a couple of pics that have given me a little inspiration this festive season....

I absolutely love love love this, combining the silver candle holders and adding pine cones, so simple and so effective, a perfect table centre piece.

This is so subtle and cute, I adore it because it doesn't scream CHRISTMAS it whispers Christmas ever so quietly.

I'm loving the red and white tea set, very candy cane and the baubles make a cute way to serve delicious chocolate or fudges on Christmas day!

I found this image at www.furniturehomedesign.com

Pop over to this site for and endless list of amazing eco- ideas, I just love it, so inspirational! I think this particular tree could be great in the garden and wouldn't it be pretty if tea lights were placed at the end of each branch instead of lights... ooh magical!

Loads more Christmas to come soon...

Love the Yummy Mummies and The Jestestting Babies

xxx

Eco Tip - 10 ways to reuse yougurt containers

Good morning everyone, I have not done a good eco-post in a long time, so I though that it was a great day to start the week. I recently found myself getting a little creative in re-using yogurt containers of different shapes and sizes. Amelie has a variety of different yogurts that come in differ sized pots, I also eat yogurt that comes in large pots with lids. Taking them to the beach is her favourite or using them in water play. I have also recently started finger painting with her at home and using yogurt tubs as paint pots or to hold glitter (or the bits of paper from the  hole punch) she can crate master pieces that are now suck all over our house.

Ten ways to reuse yogurt containers…

1.     Small yogurt containers are perfect mini paint pots or holders for brushes for the budding artists

2.     Take a bunch of them to the beach and let your child fill them with sand and rock I guarantee it will keep them amused for hours

3.     Use them in the bath or in larger tubs for water play

4.     Homemade music makers, for small babies just pop in a few popping corns or a bit of rice, stick on the lid or cover the top and you have a homemade rattle.

5.     Larger Yogurt containers with lids can be fantastic for storing crayons, paint brushes, glitter, beads and strings

6.     As mini pots for planting seeds and seedlings

7.     Donate them to your local school to be used in arts and crafts

8.     Use them to make giant ice cubes to keep food or drinks in a cooler cold

9.     Use them to make icy poles in the freezer

10.  Use them to store snack and food in the fridge

*For the last two keep an eye on the type of plastic, be aware that we now know that BPA found in certain plastics may be harmful. We also know that heating any type of plastic not specifically designed for the microwave can be dangerous so do not expose these containers to high heat and stick to plastics with recycle numbers 1, 2, 4 or 5 for food storage.

 

If you would like to read more of our eco tips pop on over to our Eco Love page and please send us any suggestion you have, we would love to hear them.

Have a lovely green day,

Love and smiles, the Yummy Mummies and the Jetsetting Babies

xxx

Eco-Tip #5 - The Creative Reuse

Hi Everyone, I haven't posted an eco-tip in a while but I was inspired as a friend shared a great re-use idea with me over coffee this week so here we go re-using ideas for your home...


Everyone by now has heard the words reduce, reuse and recycle and tried to incorporate the idea into different aspects of their life, I would like to share just a few of my 're-use' ideas with you... I hope you will share some with me too as I am always loving new and creative ways to reuse!

Egg Cartons - Tara and I both take our empty cartons down to the Coco Farmers Markets in Dun Laoghaire to be reused by local farmers, find your local markets I am sure there are farmers that would make great use of your egg cartons for you!

Tissue boxes - If a box is emptied I keep it and have so many in my house being used to create dividers in drawers and cupboards or to store things that don't really have a home...


Glass Bottles and Jars - Can be used for so many different things I have swing top bottles I use for water in the fridge, old cola bottles I use in the kitchen for olive oils and vinegars, filled with pine cones or shells they can make a lovely ornament, large jars a perfect for storing rice or pasta, small jars can be used for storing buttons or screws


Chipped crockery - Old Mugs and bowls can be used to store things like pens or hair clips. You could also use them for small plants on your window sills or outside, chipped plates can be used under pot plants too.


Old clothing - Not fit to be donated can be used as dusting or cleaning rags


Yogurt tubs - This one is a new idea given to me by a friend Katie I can't wait to try it... re-use empty yogurt containers to freeze fruit juices for your toddlers, they are the perfect mini popcicle size

If you would like to read more visit our Eco Love page,

Angi xxx