I first met Phil Thurn on the beachfront at Port Denison two years ago - when he was taking two of his dingoes for a walk along the waterfront, and we stopped and chatted with him and looked on a little warily of the two animals he was walking. It was a brief chat, but today I went to visit Phil and the dingoes at his property on the Brand Highway at Dongara.
One does have to make an appointment to see them, and we did, arriving a few minutes early to find no one at home. Minutes later he arrived though, with one of the dogs back from the morning beach walk. We'd rung the door bell on his home/office and I could hear the howl of a dog, and wasn't sure if the ringtone on the door bell was fashioned to sound like a dingo howling, or that there was one in or near the house that had heard the door bell. We were to learn that it IS the ringtone of the door bell. Clever.
Phil took us to the back yard where he asked us to wait near a high wire fence, and his favourite dingo Kal came to greet us. Phil went in the yard, put Kal on a chain, and then opened the gate to let us in, and we walked into the enclosure and soon Kal was free to roam.
We went onto a cement area, and Kal came and made friends with us, just as if he was a house dog - not a dingo. We were able to pat him, pose for photos etc - Kal clearly loves Phil, and when we left the enclosure with Phil, leaving him alone, he was clearly upset and howled.
Phil took us to another enclosure where there were two more dingoes - a male and a female, and initially they too were chained, until we went in the enclosure and they were allowed to roam and make friends with us. It was an awesome experience.
In the same pen with dingoes!!! Phil has an infectious enthusiasm about the dingo, and his beloved mates as the calls them, and they clearly love and respect him. His knowledge about the dingo is most interesting and I suspect he can talk for many hours on the topic.
The information we learned about the great Australian dingo, and the facts that he shared are impressive and he is working to make the property a greater haven for dingoes and the education of the public about this much maligned Australian icon.
At the moment there is only a coin donation required to attend the Dingoes of Dongara exhibit, and one must make a booking before visiting the property. It is a exceptional experience, and I would recommend everyone visit! You can book by phoning (08) 9927 1585 or 0412 543 297. The property is right on the Brand Highway so easily accessible. There are time restrictions, and they are not on view when it is very hot, so it is important to check and book!
I am so thrilled that I went - and now know so much more about the dingo!!!!
One does have to make an appointment to see them, and we did, arriving a few minutes early to find no one at home. Minutes later he arrived though, with one of the dogs back from the morning beach walk. We'd rung the door bell on his home/office and I could hear the howl of a dog, and wasn't sure if the ringtone on the door bell was fashioned to sound like a dingo howling, or that there was one in or near the house that had heard the door bell. We were to learn that it IS the ringtone of the door bell. Clever.
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| Kal - is he smiling? |
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| A good place on a hot day for Kal |
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| Kal - bothered by strangers in her yard? No way! |
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| Up close and personal with a dingo. |
Phil took us to the back yard where he asked us to wait near a high wire fence, and his favourite dingo Kal came to greet us. Phil went in the yard, put Kal on a chain, and then opened the gate to let us in, and we walked into the enclosure and soon Kal was free to roam.
We went onto a cement area, and Kal came and made friends with us, just as if he was a house dog - not a dingo. We were able to pat him, pose for photos etc - Kal clearly loves Phil, and when we left the enclosure with Phil, leaving him alone, he was clearly upset and howled.
Phil took us to another enclosure where there were two more dingoes - a male and a female, and initially they too were chained, until we went in the enclosure and they were allowed to roam and make friends with us. It was an awesome experience.
In the same pen with dingoes!!! Phil has an infectious enthusiasm about the dingo, and his beloved mates as the calls them, and they clearly love and respect him. His knowledge about the dingo is most interesting and I suspect he can talk for many hours on the topic.
The information we learned about the great Australian dingo, and the facts that he shared are impressive and he is working to make the property a greater haven for dingoes and the education of the public about this much maligned Australian icon.
At the moment there is only a coin donation required to attend the Dingoes of Dongara exhibit, and one must make a booking before visiting the property. It is a exceptional experience, and I would recommend everyone visit! You can book by phoning (08) 9927 1585 or 0412 543 297. The property is right on the Brand Highway so easily accessible. There are time restrictions, and they are not on view when it is very hot, so it is important to check and book!
I am so thrilled that I went - and now know so much more about the dingo!!!!
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