Photos

There’s a park like setting, at the City Square just off Flinders Lane and Swanston St., behind the St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westin Hotel in Melbourne, where parents can take a break and get something light to eat and drink, and children can play. One of the play structures in the park is this one, made to look like a Wombat. Children can climb on this or ride it. This in my mind is the perfect play structure for them. It is in a spot where parents can watch, yet be comfortable, it has no sharp edges and Wombats are a favourite children’s animal, almost as popular as the Teddy Bear.

The real Wombat with its short tail and legs, characteristic waddle and 'cuddly' appearance is one of the most endearing of Australia's native animals. It is the largest burrowing herbivorous mammal. It is a fairly large, solidly built animal with a squat, round, bear-like body, small ears and eyes, and a large naked nose. Its thick, coarse fur varies in colour from sandy brown to grey and black, and is sometimes flecked with fawn.

Being marsupials, female wombats have a pouch that in their case opens backward to prevent dirt and debris entering while burrowing.

The common wombat was once found throughout south eastern Australia but now, partly as a result of European settlement, is restricted further to the south. It occupies Tasmania, eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria with scattered populations in south eastern South Australia and south western Victoria.

From: http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-53F7KJ?open

Post processing for this shot included selective adjustments for shadows and highlights, and levels. The final image was sharpened for this post.