DINGO DAZE

When we moved back to Australia from Canada Tammie had a list of wants that she wanted to accomplish whilst here. We weren’t here for very long when she accomplished one of those by petting a wild dolphin. Another was to travel the outback. Check! We took a campervan from Cairns to Melbourne via the inland route which gave Tammie a good dose of the outback, including lots of flies, heat and bugs.

Another topic on her wish-list was to visit a dingo sanctuary that she had discovered online. The Dingo Discovery Centre is (http://www.dingodiscovery.net/index.php) located at Toolern Vale, on the outskirts of Melbourne. 

So after enquiries with the founder of the Dingo Discovery Centre, Lyn we set off to visit the Centre. Now let me state here and now that this was never my idea, I never wanted to visit the Centre, nor did I have any interest in dingoes’. But to keep the peace I agreed to the visit. That quickly turned into a mistake as we couldn’t find the Centre, I got frustrated and Tammie and I arrived at an argument. 

I said it couldn’t be found and we should turn back. Tammie said no keep looking. All of a sudden it changed. Tammie said she had had enough of my complaining so let’s go home.  

The gauntlet had been cast down. Once she said that I changed my tune and said I was going to find it and Tammie replied that even if I did she wouldn’t get out of the car. 

We’ll see I thought! 

Finally we did find the Centre and Lyn came to the car to greet us, Tammie, being a nice Canadian had no choice but to get out of the car and greet Lyn. 

The Dingo Discovery Centre is sensational!  

The Centre is nestled into a side of a hill that affords a commanding view of the valley below. We had arrived at the Centre right in the middle of breeding season so all of the Dingoes’ were slightly agitated. There was also a huge building program underway to build new kennels for the dingoes’. 

Tammie and I were lucky enough to have a guided tour of the centre and be introduced to two dingoes’ in an open enclosure. They were amazing animals, intelligent and attentive but ever so aloof.  

We both enjoyed our time at the Centre and left thinking that would be the end of our dingo adventure. 

Soon after Tammie and I commenced work with an Aboriginal organisation in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory we received an email from Lyn wanting to know if we were interested in “adopting” a dingo.  

Now didn’t that throw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons! 

We had been contemplating a dog....perhaps. Our lifestyle is such that pets really aren’t too smart an option, but Tammie can be persuasive.  

Whist we were trying to figure out what to do Lyn came back to us and said in reality it would be better if we took two dingoes’, a male and a female as they would keep each other company and we could breed them.  

So many discussions followed, the pros and cons were laid out and finally the decision was made to go for the two dingoes’...............heaven help us!