Keeping company with calm Cassowary

Most tourists visit Wallaman Falls for plunging waters and super rainbows of Australia's biggest cascade, birders go hoping to see the plunging neckline and cascading colours of the rainforest's biggest bird, Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

Few get close in the bird's dense and often prickly habitat. Best view is usually a few seconds from a vehicle as the bird quits the road ahead. But every now and then one gets lucky. 

Like today: 15 minutes from appearance on a side track, a meander down said track, and a slow amble through trees and wait-a-while before the male dawdled off into even denser stuff. And in spite of silly hype about 'dangerous and deadly' animals from would-be Steve Irwins like 'Bite Me's' Mike Leahy (SBS doco series: about two weeks ago teased and provoked a caged Cassowary to attack, an episode the makers should be ashamed of, and an incident for which the exhibitors should lose their wildlife licence) the bird preened and fed calmly with me feeling absolutely safe 7-8 metres away.  
Click pix to enlarge