Russ Travelling Australia

We heard that the weather for the next three day was going to be excellent at Cradle Mountain, so instead of heading North to the coast, we arrived at this special place at 11am.  After coping with a very winding road for the first 15kms, there were loads of steep ascents and descents, meaning Russ used 1st gear and travelled slowly, keeping me (and him) pacified.

The mountain is a vibrant place, full of tourists from all over the world and there is a real buzz.  They use a shuttle bus system to transport everyone to all the walks and to Dove Lake.  It really works well.  Buses every 10 minutes.  The first day we took the shuttle to Dove Lake and walked to the Boat shed and Lilla Lake.  This is where you view Cradle Mountain at its best.  We were standing in exactly the same place as Russ’ brother, Lynton did, nearly 50 years ago.  We don’t think any of the habitat would have changed – it’s surrounded by a few snow gums and button grass.  Button grass grows in half metre clumps and sends up a flower, resembling a button.

Then we got off the shuttle bus at the Ranger’s Station and did the Pencil Pines Fall walk and the Rainforest walk.  A short walk with a good view of the falls and a boardwalk through Pencil Pines, Myrtle Beech and Celery Top Pines.  The ‘leaves’ look like celery leaves, but in fact are not leaves, but stems.  Everything is extremely well set up.  The Interpretation Centre, at the Ranger’s Station showed some very old photos, with women walking in their cumbersome long dresses.

Today we went out for breakfast to the picnic area at the Ranger’s Station – delicious bacon and egg muffins!  Then walked it off doing the lovely Enchanted Walk, alongside a beautiful creek and through another forest of older trees, with moss and lichen growing over every everything!!

Woke at 5:15am and we were all set to go by 6am.  Setting off in the dark is quite exciting, but the thought of nine and a half on the ferry, crossing Bass Strait for the first time – I guess you could say, we didn’t know quite what to expect.  Arrived at the port at 7am and had to wait an hour before boarding, but the bay looked wonderful and there were seven hot air balloons for us to watch.

There was also a duck enjoying the Bay at dawn!

The ferry was enormous and after getting the lift to the 8th floor, we walked, what seemed to be the whole length of the ship and then across the width of it, until we came to the Reclining Chair section where we were booked into.  What a view!  Facing towards the back of the boat, we had seats in the second row of seats.  We saw the churning water and felt a shudder and we were off.  The trip across the   bay was interesting and because it was a Sunday there were a lot of boats and jet skis.  We particularly liked the bay from Dromana to Queenscliffe.  Unfortunately, the person the the recliner in front of me, reclined her seat completely, hemming me in completely.  I couldn’t even reach my handbag at my feet.  At lunchtime, I was released and Russ and I went down to the next level and had lunch.  Going through the heads was interesting, the photo is of Point Lonsdale.

Arrival at Devonport didn’t go completely as expected, as Russ must have had a senior moment in Melbourne when booking our accommodation.  There was a mix up with the person when he was booking our ferry trip, and he ended up booking us into a Melbourne caravan park!  She assumed we were going to Melbourne and gave him the name of the nearest caravan park to there.  Eventually, we ended up at a free camp about 10 kms from Devonport at Latrobe.

The next morning we set off to Deloraine, an arty little town only 45 or so kms away.  Set up for a couple of nights on the banks of the Meander River, with ducks, trees and a great deli in town.

Next day took a picnic to Liffey Falls, then took an “easy” walk!  I went half way, down a long descent then decided to return to the car.  The walk back was difficult for me and Russ said, on his return, that it was difficult for him as well.  Hope we can trust their grading signs.  The walk was picturesque, winding its way down through tall tree ferns, with viewing platforms at every stage of the falls.

We then headed to Pine Lake, driving and ascending on windy roads, with cliffs of crushed rock on either side.  The rock had been crushed by ice, after the ice expanded.  An amazing sight to see!!  Russ went on a boardwalk and said it was like walking through a forest of bonsais.  He saw many of these native pines, all at least 1000 years old.  Quite breathtaking.

The stone flows were also very interesting and covered most of the area around Pine Lake.  They were formed during the last ice age when water froze in the cracks in the rocks and split them.  The pieces of rock then moved down the hilss to form “Stoen Flows”

This morning we have moved on to Gowrie Park, staying at the Wilderness Village.  Next to our van was a TasmanianPademelon, also known as Rufous wallabies, a tiny wallaby, like a potteroo – extremely cute.

On the way to Gowrie Park we visited Alum Cliffs on the Mersey River.  It was a 2 Km return, walk up hill 1/3 the way out and 1/2 the way coming back, but it was a wonderful view when you got to the gorge.

I have typed this on an Apple for the first time – it’s taken me three times as long – but I’m still learning!!

Today we drove towards Cradle Mountain, in search of a picnic area, but to no avail.  We returned to our camp and had a lovely lunch.

The clouds have disappeared and to our surprise, we are surrounded my massive walls of mountain and the drives are windy and steep.  we had no idea that our camping area is at the foot of these magnificent mountains.

Another thing, is that, from Sunday, the humidity has been in the 80s – very steamy – but today (Thursday), after a cool change, the humidity is a comfortable 40 percent.

We enjoyed our stop in Rutherglen, having the lake just opposite our site has been delightful.  Our first stop on Monday was to order a hamper from The Pickled Sisters in Wahgunyah, to be picked up on Wednesday (they are closed on Tuesdays).  On Tuesday we went for a drive through Chiltern Mt Pilot National Park, which was much greener than we had seen, it is usually very dry and rocky.  We had a BBQ at the Old Magenta Mine Site.  Not much to show for a mine that delivered about 13,000 ounces of gold over its lifetime.We enjoyed the National Park so much we returned the next day with our hamper, which we enjoyed at Honeyeater Picnic Area, a lovely shady cool spot.  The hamper was delicious and very generous, we had two lunches and a light tea from it. 

On Friday we went to Mt Beauty for the traditional Melbourne Cup Camp.  The camping ground is excellent, right on the Kiewa River, and Adam had secured prime river front sites, with a fire bucket and all the sites together, it obviously paid to book early, well done Adam.

Most of the weekend was spent around the fire catching up with our good friends, lots of good food, conversation and wine.  We did manage to fit in a walk along the Kiewa River walking track and a walk at the Mountain Creek Picnic area.  Mountain Creek is a beautiful mountain stream

We thought this camp was our 39th, but Adam had correctly calculated that it was in fact the 40th camp (and the 39th year).  We are proud of our achievement of attending every one of those camps.  Adam surprised us with a “40” candle on a cake surrounded by sparklers to celebrate that achievement.  Lots of man hugs all round!  Thank you Adam, you are a wonderful friend.

Today everyone packed up to return to Melbourne.  We go home tomorrow, after nearly 6 weeks of touring a really beautiful part of this great land.  Our next blog will be from Tasmania early next year if everything goes well.

A lot has happened since our last blog.

Again, we found another brilliant picnic area at Kianniny Bay.   Watched boats coming in from rough seas, enjoyed two families watching their children playing in the creek, then we were engrossed in their cricket game, without making them feel too conspicuous!  Te scenery along the East coast is spectacular. Drove into Bournda, after checking it out a few days earlier.  Thought we’d have to battle for a site, but only one or two camps there.  Set ourselves up, with solar panel, etc., and over the next three days, enjoying our self sufficiency, making bread and cooking lamb shanks in the camp oven – feeling that we were impervious to anything . . . then at 3am, something tried to open our caravan door.  Many leaps and bounds getting ourselves out of bed to look outside, only to not see anyone or anything.  Once we thought no-one was around, I decided to go to the loo.  Once seated – something, or someone, trying to get in the van again (which we had locked by then).  Then I shone a light, and saw a massive possum.  They are getting a bit too familiar!!

We lunched at the beautiful Bournda lagoon.  The wind was freezing, but we found a sheltered table and went for a walk afterwards.

Next day, we went to moved onto Two Fold Bay Caravan Park – a quiet park, well run and where you can have a look for whales. Don’t say it – we are getting soft!!

Some bad news was received over the last few days;  unfortunately, we have heard that our lovely neighbour and friend, John Pothecary has died of a massive stroke.  We will miss him very much and we wish we were able to attend his memorable, but we will commiserate with Janice later next week and we look forward to many years ahead, sharing all our memories.

We travelled the Snowy Mountains Highway, a trip that I wasn’t looking forward to, but how wrong could I have been?  It was spectacular!!  We even saw snow on Mt Kosciuszko!  The lakes are beautiful, as we descended from 1500 metres to 1100 metres, all cradled by massive mountains.  At 1100 mts, at Nimitabell, it was 8 degrees and at 1500 mts (the highest of our climb), it was 14 degrees.

We stayed at Talbingo.

We are now at Rutherglen for 4 days.  We were lucky enough to get a lake side site, even though it is quite small.

We are surrounded by a very large group from Phillip Island, who have left the island, because of the Moto Grand Prix – for two weeks!!  They are a great lot, but I think there are more dogs than owners!!  A bit confronting for me.  A must add, that all the dogs are very well behaved and so am I!

(Had a technical problem with this blog, so unfortunately, not as many photos as usual).

We had to spend two days confined to the van because of the shocking weather.  We were lucky not to experience the strong winds that the coast, further north suffered, but the rain was amazing.  100mms at least.  No camp kitchen facilities here.

We spent several days there, drying everything out and enjoying the lovely surroundings.  We especially loved Bermagui; a small village on the Bermagui River, with a magnificent State Forest.

We picnicked there twice amongst massive eucalypts and cycads.  I’ve had a cycad for ten years and it’s about 15 inches tall!!  We were able to light a fire, so had our BBQ fix.  Unfortunately, I found a tick in my head, which has left a lump about the size of a marble, and it was extremely painful for about 40 minutes after I removed it.  All the locals say to expect getting a tick and there are special tick removing things for sale.

Time to move on so we set up at Gillards Beach, in Mimosa Rocks National Park – stunning!  Our camp site had a great view of the ocean, although the winds were freezing at times, but the highlight of the stay there was watching the constant stream of whales and calves, heading south.  We had no idea that this could have been a possibility, and heard on the radio that the exodus of the mothers and babies was earlier – so how lucky were we?  The calves were incredibly playful and captured our attention all day long.  There was one occasion when the female rolled over on her back and waved her flippers in the air – so exciting, but we weren’t quick enough to get a photo.

Dawn at Mimosa Rocks.

Met some nice people there – one group from the Kimberley Karavan Owners Group – a group set up to “Help Members Live the Dream”!  Very interesting to see all the additions and modifications people have made to there vans.  Had drinks with Sandie and Phil, on ‘their front porch’, (an area of grass, facing the ocean), where we continued to chat and watch the whales.

Today we are 5kms out of Tathra at  Countryside Caravan Park (dogs allowed).  Not near the ocean, or the highway (good), but full of large trees, full of lorikeets, parrots, a great kitchen area, under cover.  We have stocked up with water, done the washing, cleaned the van (after a bush rat got in last night, gnawed through our bread container, for the second night in a row!!!)

Have decided to extend here for a few days, then the weekenders should have vacated Bournda National Park and we should be able to find a good site.

Strange name, but a great location – we are camped next to the estuary, with a view to the ocean.  No fires unfortunately, but fabulous septic toilets, cold showers and only about 10 kms from Moruya.

We have been around our camp most days as we’ve both got the reading bug.  Russ has walked to the beach and I’ve enjoyed looking at the birds and listening to the fish jumping in the estuary.

We are still at Murramarang Resort and have settled in, what seems like, for good.  We have extended our stay twice, mainly because of the school holidays, but there is everything we want here.

The weather has been wonderful, with temperatures in the twenties and almost thirty yesterday.  Some days we have just stayed around camp, others, we have taken out BBQs for lunch, although fires are not allowed.  We have a gas stove, which has saved the day many times, as there often isn’t any gas bbqs or tables provided in most of the places we have been.

One memorable lunch was at Depot Beach, 12 kms north and 8kms east in from the highway.  The drive in was spectacular, as was the beach.

These were photos taken at Depot Beach, looking North, showing the Littoral Forest and our picnic area.

This is Depot Beach, looking South – shame the water temperature is only 16 degrees!

Throughout the footy season, Russ & I have a footy selection contest and the winner has to take the looser out for lunch – a win-win situation!!

Russ took is winnings and shouted me a delicious seafood platter (for 2) at the Starfish Cafe, in Bateman’s Bay.  Flathead, calamari, oysters, prawns and the best smoked salmon we’ve ever tasted.

Yesterday was a bit of a worry, with a fire  in the forest on the left side of the only road into our camp.  We were told that things were under control and an expected wind change would take it away from the camp, but billowing brown and white smoke made it rather unnerving.  Woke this morning to no smoke, but we were surprised to see, when travelling into town, just how close it was to the road and the resort.

There is a lovely family of ducks – eight ducklings and two very protective parents, who seem to find our camp the safest place to have a nap.

We are moving to Congo in the Eurobodalla National Park on Monday.  Rain is expected, but it’s time to enjoy new surroundings.

I’ve since learnt that Ap is App – coming into this new age world has a few challenges for me!!

Most of NSW, Melbourne and Tasmania has felt the strength of Mother Nature over the last few days and our experience was mostly severe, continuing, cold wind gusts, which made the next two days quite unpleasant, but at least there wasn’t much rain, as there are a lot of tent sites here and people have been wonderful throughout the adverse conditions.

This is a park full of young families – I don’t think I can remember seeing so many babies and toddlers in one place.  Lovely families, all having a wonderful time with their children.

On Thursday, we headed off for a picnic to Holmes Lookout, in the Clyde River National Park, but Russ took a photo (looking towards Bateman’s Bay) and then we headed home, because of the freezing, howling gale. The next day we stocked our frig with goodies for the Grand Final.  The app worked brilliantly and a new world has opened up for us.  As we watched the final on the iPad, we grazed our way through the day with trout dip, battered chicken breast, seafood cocktail and oysters mornay.

Today is a beautiful day – hardly any wind, so took a BBQ to North Head in the Murramarang NP.   A remarkable forest and beach, with a campgound, where fires are permitted.

In the picnic area, campers has left a pile of spent bottles and a hot fire, and had decided to go for a walk along the beach, before they left.  In the meantime, Rangers had arrived, spoken to people in the campground, who reported there misconduct the previous night, lighting fire crackers and hooning around in cars, so the Rangers waited for their return and booked them.

We were just across the road from them, while all this was going on.  We were  about to light a fire, but fortunately, spoke to the Rangers beforehand, and were told to use a gas stove instead.  The location was beautiful and we had a very relaxing time, after all the excitement.  We forgot our chairs, so found upturned crates very comfortable.

On our way home, we called into Honeysuckle Beach and Wasp Head, where the Rangers has told us about the only picnic tables in the vicinity.

Honeysuckle beach.

Wasp Head was surrounded by sandstone cliffs, beautifully sculptured by the weather.

Four days into the holiday and our first report – we are relaxing in our old age!!

Stayed at Lake King Caravan Park at Eagle Point, a place we have been to several times.  Only a few powered sites, facing the beautiful lakes, but just when you are thinking that nothing changes, we were hit with the price!  $50 a night!!  Nevertheless, it was a great location, not far from home.  Dogs allowed, also fires, at this time of year.

The weather was cool, with a freezing wind, but at the camp, it wasn’t too bad at all.

The next day we had another short stint to Eden, but decided to give Two Fold Bay Caravan Park and Resort a try – loved it, although no dogs allowed, for those who are interested.

The weather had improved and we decided to stop for lunch at the Drummer Rainforest picnic area, set up very well with several tables, a shelter and a 1km walk through the rainforest.  The walk crossed the Thurra River several times, which made us remember the camping area in Croagingalong National Park.  We stayed there for a couple of hours, did the walk and the rest of the trip was only 90kms to Two Fold Bay.

A very well set up park, with a blackboard reporting that the whales were present, but not when we were watching!!

Headed off in the morning for our one-week destination – Murramarang National Park Resort, but we were constantly stopped with road works, slowed down with hills and arrived, after such a small trip, tired, disappointed with our destination.  We redeemed the day, by grilling cheese-topped oysters and opening a lovely bottle of rose.

There is a different feel to this park and our reserved site was impossible to get the van into, as well as not being level, sites unclearly marked, confused people as a result.  Fortunately we were able to swap to the only unreserved site – right opposite the kid’s playground.   Things to have improved by finding all our surrounding campers very nice, a restaurant and cafe here and the flathead and chips for lunch were delicious.

My back has let me down today, but Russ walked to the nearby beach and took a few snaps.

We are located in a ‘bad’ spot for TV, so Russ has installed an Ap on the iPad, so we can watch the grand final on Saturday.  Pretty clever isn’t he???