LAUGHING KOOKA

Parking at Noosa National Park—a mission in itself. Everything was peaceful, except for this deep, echoing laugh cutting through the air.

We looked up, trying to find the source. The guy parked next to us shook his head and muttered, “F**king kookas.” We laughed, having no idea what a kooka was.

Turned out, it was a Laughing Kookaburra, one of Australia’s most iconic birds. As we walked to the beach, its call never left our ears, blending into the background of this calm ocean scene.

Now, when I see this photo, I don’t just see the waves—I hear the kooka’s laugh. A peaceful moment, wrapped in a funny memory.