We pulled up to the address that we had entered into our GPS off of Australia’s Great Ocean Road and saw a long drive way leading up a hill. There were gates, and Matt had to get out to open them. We approached a large wooden house perched upon a hill. It was isolated, we could only see other houses dotting the rolling hills in the distance.

The house was very large and extremely cozy. Even though we were far away from the nearest town, the house felt alive with human touches. It was rustic, in the best way rustic can be. There was a huge open kitchen overlooking a wrap-around porch. The porch allowed the house to reach out and kiss a grove a trees on one side while leaning itself over a small, beautiful valley.

We put together a fresh, Mediterranean meal with ingredients we bought on the road. As the sun dipped below the tree line, we drank wine and ate our dinner on the porch among the trees. There was an insane cacophony of noises as birds of all shapes and sizes fluttered around the premises. We put water in the bird bath and watched in awe as they swooped down, chatting away, drinking.

The grove of trees around us were eucalyptus. They swayed gently in the breeze and the birds fluttered from tree to tree as they composed their symphonies. I looked at one of these trees, and I noticed a figure moving about in the branches. I stood up and looked closer and realized I was watching a koala eating leaves. I quickly grabbed Matthew and we leaned on the porch railing to observe as much as we could. It was incredible. The animal was just as cute as any cartoon I’d ever seen, with big ears and a round, black nose, chomping away.

We started scanning the other trees to see if there were any more, and indeed there were. A little farther away, higher up, was a koala that was apparently sleeping against the trunk of the tree. Another one was eating vigorously, and we noticed it had a growth on its back. As we watched, the growth moved! It was a baby koala! The mother was feeding the baby, and the baby eagerly grabbed the leaves and ate. It felt like we were watching something private and beautiful. It was special.

That night, above the apartment, was an incredible display of the cosmos. Perched on that hill, surrounded by unique animals, I felt small. Not insignificant, just small and part of something large and incredible. Australia has a way of making you feel that way.