‘He found me when he wandered into the pond one day.Back then it was more of a bog-hole from the wet season rains.It’s what got me started creating a pond that’s chemical free for someone like Finley.’The clear water was like glass, reflecting the tropical paradise that surrounded it.‘Feel free to swim in there, I do.Finley loves to show it off like a houseproud parent.’
‘You built all this for a turtle?’
‘Finley’s more of a housemate, and he’s toilet trained.So don’t freak out if you see the plants move in his food forest.It’s just Finley getting his jungle on.’Stone patted the back of the turtle’s shell so tenderly.
‘You’ve had him a while?’
‘Nearly ten years now.I’m hoping Finley will be a part of this family for another fifty years or more.’
‘Is this the only house pet, besides the fish?’
‘No, the rest of the pets are kept out the back.’Stone stood, brushing down his jeans.‘You’ll rarely need to do the boys, but I’ll let you know.’
She paused as he approached a wall made of clear glass panels like you’d find at some hotel pool area.‘What else are you keeping here?’
‘Only the boys.’He held the gate.‘Remember, keep this shut—unless someone’s supervising Finley.The little bloke loves picking fights with the locals.’Stone gave her a wink before strolling down a cemented path, with the turtle following.
The aroma reminded her of the crocodile farm but without the clinical smell.Its source was a group of massive pools surrounded by more tropical gardens, but with barriers made from thick walls of clear glass.
‘Let me guess, you have pet crocodiles.’Yelp.‘You don’t bring them inside, do you?’
‘Hell, no.But they perve on us, and we can perve on them from the pond.’Stone pointed through the glass barriers, where the raised area gave them a view of the house and pond.Or was that the other way around?
The massively large open-air aquariums followed the curve of the walkway as they made their way uphill.
Swallowing her gasp, she clutched her throat at the view from the hilltop, where the outback unfolded in breathtaking layers of red soils and greenery.Bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight, sprawling flood plains stretched endlessly in a mosaic of cracked red earth, to the shimmering waterways that snaked lazily through the land.
Dense clusters of pandanus and paperbark trees hugged the swamps.While billabongs, surrounded by deep green foliage, gleamed like jewels in the distance, where a pair of slender brolgas glided against the endless cobalt sky.
‘Is this really your backyard?’
Stone barely nodded.‘I like to come out here and have a beer with the boys.We watch the sunset together.’Stone pointed to the bench seat, perfect to take in that epic view of the land.
‘This place is amazing.’That was an understatement, it was paradise of a different kind.
‘I like it.And the boys love it even more than me.’Stone opened a cupboard that was part of the wall, releasing a mechanical chatter inside.It was the pump, where he checked over some valves and dials.
‘Will I need to do that?’
‘Nope.It’s on automatic timers.I just check the seals and the filter, now and again.Mostly it runs on solar, with a backup generator system if needed, so no need to touch it.These pumps do all the ponds, including the boys’ pens.’
‘Are you feeding them today?’
‘Just a snack.They had a big pig-out session a few days ago.’He opened another cupboard, this one was full of labelled air-tight drawers.‘You’ll find a stash of assorted foods to suit even the pickiest of Crocodylidae in here.’
‘What do they snack on?’
‘Dried fish keeps them busy.’Stone held out three dried fish that were the size of flattened bowling pins.
‘Don’t they jump?’The glass panels on the walkway didn’t seem high enough, especially the ones that faced the house and outdoor pool area.
‘Sure.But this is reinforced glass.They won’t break through, and it’s much nicer than mesh.’
Finley’s wheels rumbled beneath his turtle shell, his tiny front legs held out to the sides as he surfed downhill, following Stone like a dog.
‘I’m not feeding crocodiles.’
‘Yet.’Stone approached the first of three large pools.‘Boys, this is the new backpacker, Romy.’
