Talk about mixed emotions. Since late 2002 when we moved in to our newly-built Mole Creek home, we’ve tried to grow grass, nay lawn, between the house and the top of the front earth bank. To date, success has been between scant and modest. On any moonlit night 6-8 wallaby can be seen munching on none-too-delicious-looking grass. Why there, when they have acres of grass to eat in the paddocks? Because they can, I suppose. Last Sunday afternoon I sat entranced at our dining table as I watched an echidna waddle through the drizzly mist and plonk down in the middle of the so-called lawn. It (far be it from me to decide its gender from four metres away) tucked its beak into its chest and its legs under its body, and remained totally still for about five minutes (photo, above). Well that’s what I thought, until I saw piles of soil beginning to appear around its body. Surely and steadily it dug itself underground so the only thing visible was a mound of soil (photo, below). I don’t know why it did it – certainly not sheltering from the drizzle; maybe escaping a predator such as a dog or a raptor; or maybe starting a home. I love echidnas, but I don’t relish the thought of one living metres in front of my house. And if it leaves, I’ll have a hole to repair, and grass to grow in the newly disturbed soil. Talk about mixed emotions.
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