Lillydale onward

Our next camp was Waterhouse Pt (our camp is the first white bit in the bushes to the left of the people in the water.  We arrived in the rain and left in the rain and the day in between  was glorious.  We did experience a fog roll in off the sea here, it was very eerie and weird, it was 2 hours before the sky cleared again.
We drove to Musselroe Bay but Musselroe wasn't very appealing (good if you have a boat for fishing) then into Mt William National Park, nice camp spots here at Stumpy's Bay camps 1-3, we ended up at Policemans Pt near Ansons Bay, (Stuart Mc you would like this spot being a policeman and all).  Nice camping but busy, we didn't get water views but we did get grass!

Our first night here I was woken about 3am to a noise and when I looked outside we had a visit from a very big wombat...I was so excited I woke Steve but by the time he looked the wombat was gone.  Here I also got bitten by very big nasty mozzies the first night.
We forgot to take the steak out of the freezer for dinner so we found the car engine is good for more things than running the car!!!

We left the van here and did a day of driving Mt Paris Dam which is not a dam any more but the wall remains

 

Four holes have been cut in the dam wall to allow the natural flow of the water into the river again
 

to Derby to the Tin Mine Centre, very interesting history here of the tin mining and how the town was wiped out by flood in 1929 because of huge rain fall causing a dam collapse.  Then a very fun 4WD to the Cascade Dam but unfortunately no view because the cloud had set in the mountains and we drove until we couldn't go any further and we realised we were actually on the spillway of the dam...lucky the water levels were low.

Swing bridge across the spillway to the dam wall but it was locked

Couldn't see anything anyway

 

On our way back to camp we did a  detour to see the Anchor Mine Battery Stamper but we came to a halt because of a tree on the road so we drove around another way and found the Stamper was closed because of track not safe...bummer!

 

 

 

 So we went to the Halls Falls and did a quick 2Km walk to the bottom of the falls and didn't stay for too long because the leeches were starting to take hold

Back to St Helens for fuel and a $2 hot shower on the wharves.....luxury.   Then saw a ferry on the water that sold fish and chips so that was dinner and we were off back to camp by about 7pm.  There is still plenty of daylight at this time but we also found why there is so much road kill here the roos and wallabies are every where at this time but we did not have any accidents.  We also spotted 3 more wombats on the side of the road on our journey home and we also had one of the best sunsets we've ever seen.

 

 Battery is low, till next time we charge up....Cheers

Tasmania

We have been in Tassie for a week now and this is the first network coverage we have had as we have been in free camps the whole time.  We have been in the north east coast and the camps are all off the bitumen so we have been having some fun 4WD to find the camps.  Our first port of call was Bellingham...but the free camp was closed so we found one inland a bit at Lillydale, then it was back up north to the coast and we have been travelling along the coast ever since with some day trips in between and tonight we are in Moulting Bay in the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, 8km north of St Helens.  Photos might be better:


 

first sunset in Tassie, Lillydale
 



                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                            first night of many with a glass of red

Lillydale Falls

Beaconsfield Gold Mine

Pilots Village and Maritime Museum at Low Head

 

A view of George Town from Mt George Lookout

 

 





The Heat is on....but not for long

We left the farm and made our way to Geelong for the family connection but we had a couple of stops on the way:  firstly, Bendigo and the first unit Steve and I lived in together in 1983-4 and it is still there but looking a little worse for wear.

The town has not changed that much but it certainly has gone ahead with new buildings etc.
Our next stop was Ballarat to meet up with Cheryl and Bob, who we met in Port Douglas August 2012 on our return trip from The Cape and we always love a home cooked meal (thank you for lunch) and we got to look at their new TVan, very nice might I add.
We made it to Geelong in time for  dinner, we seem to always arrive somewhere at meal time - it is not intensional. It was so good to see Barbara, Steve's mum in the South.  In Geelong we had two hot days of about 34C which were fine for us but not so nice for the native Victorians but then the weather changed and we nearly had to dig out our winter woollies and it almost rained....but only almost. 
Monday 18 Feb we went shopping, we shopped till we dropped and it was nice to be in the air con but we walked our legs off.  I bought a new smart phone, nothing fancy, but I'm still trying to work it out, so if you ring me and I don't answer its because I'm still trying to figure out how to answer the silly thing!
Tuesday 19 February marked our 30th Wedding Anniversary and we spent a lovely lunch at the Parisian down at Western Beach, even though it was windy and a little cool we had a lovely day.
Wednesday we got to catch up with Steve's brother Mark and we all went out for dinner, again a lovely time.

 

 

Thursday it was time to drive to Melbourne, we found our way to Port Melbourne to catch the Spirit of Tasmania,

it was a little wait to start boarding but once it starts its a race to get on first.  We watch the traffic for a while and when it all died down we drove on...or so we thought.  There is a security check and then drive on, waited on the pier in queues,

then check in to get our boarding passes and cabin keys, then waiting in more queues for about one hour till we were allowed on the boat

and we ended up parking 2nd in line to the front to drive off...yippey...but that means need to get to the car fairly quickly so we don't hold up the traffic and we get a wake up call at 5.45am...oh I am so not a morning person!!!

The last bit of blue sky in Melbourne for the day

Goodbye Melbourne
 

Love the Farm Stay

We have had the last the last 4 days at our friends, Roc and Lisa's dairy farm, 30km south west of Shepparton.  We always have a fun time at the farm either helping out around the farm or relaxing helping Aaron doing a jigsaw puzzle.

Every time we pull up to the farm and we open the car door we get that distinct waft of a dairy farm...you guessed it...cow poo and one has to be very careful when speaking that one does not swallow the flies...OMG the flies out number us 1million:1, I reckon.
It is always a pleasure to help out around the farm and in return we always get a home cooked meal everyday and a continuous flow of Nona's beautiful biscuits to eat.
Steve mowed the lawn...around the house...not the whole 150ha, helped drench the calves, fixed machinery and repaired the fences and its always fun riding around on the quad bikes driving through the paddocks that were getting flood irrigated (hmmmm muddy water splashing up behind me, getting covered on my back and running down my arms, the joys of doubling on the quad bike - sooooo much fun).
Of course all the big boys love playing in the big "tonka" tractors.

Where's the diesel?
 

Roc hard at work on the farm

drenching the calves

one...

two...

Yessssss!!!

Big Boy's and their Toys!

fencing
 

It has been stifling hot here in Central Victoria and they hardly ever get rain....except when the wandering weber's arrive:  I'm not sure when they had rain last but the cracks in the ground show that it hasn't been for some time and after we were on the farm for 2 days, in 4am, the skies opened up and it poured but not leaving much evidence when we woke in the morning but again at 9pm the same day there was lightning, thunder and rain, rain, rain; we even had to get the torches out in case we lost power but we didn't have to worry about that while we were awake.  I'm starting to believe myself when we say the rain follows us where ever we go.
We did get to the Tatura swimming pool and do a few laps and I did a pilates class at Roc and Lisa's gym so you can all rest assured we don't sit on our backsides in the car all day enjoying the views of our beautiful countryside, but we don't have any photographic proof of Steve in his budgie smugglers or me in my gym gear so you'll have to take our word for it.

The youngest son, Aaron, loves doing jigsaw puzzles and the last couple of times we have visited there has been a very large puzzle (in pieces) on the table and this trip was no different so at the end of our days we sit around with Aaron and tax our brains doing a great puzzle of  a very red train of 1000 pieces or so.  We did get the train done and left the blue sky and the white gravel for them to finish...good luck guys.





Shoo-Shoo the sheep

Hansel the mini horse

Bull doing what bull's do - calling the girls
 

Saturday 16th February we were up a little earlier than normal to say our goodbyes to Lisa before she left to open the gym and goodbyes to Aaron who had his tennis match and Roc.

We are on our way to Barbara's (Steve's southern mum) in Geelong but first we take the scenic route through Bendigo and went and had a look at where we used to live during the '80s


Our place of residence Bendigo 1982-4

and it was all still there just a bit worn









and a lot more buildings where I used to go to college across the road.


The dry conditions in Victoria Country

The scenic route continued through to Ballarat and have lunch with Cheryl and Bob, whom we met when we stayed in the caravan park in Port Douglas last year and they were quite interested in the tvan as they were purchasing one soon after.  We loved seeing them again and thank you for the lovely lunch and your friendly hospitality....more friends to add to the Christmas Card List.  We had a great day in Ballarat but it was time to move on to mum's. 


A few days in Geelong before we set sail to Tassie on Thursday.

...the car saga continues but end in sight...

Our last entry we were expecting our car the next day, Wednesday 30 January.  RACQ has arranged another night at the Caravan Park and then we should be off, THANK GOODNESS!!!

For those who already know I will give the condensed version:

We got the awaiting call....yes, yes, yes....no, no, noooooooooo.  The car was put back together but the engine was still running rough so Mitsubishi had to start pulling the engine apart.  The next day we get a call that they found an alloy washer in the engine and luckily it got stuck and hadn't fallen too far into the engine;  The head was sent to the recondition ppl to make sure nothing was damaged; Steve contacted Eagers in Brisbane where we had work done before we left, the guy was very apologetic and told us to get another rental car and any other accommodation and the costs will be reimbursed to us.  Yeh we were so glad someone finally found the problem and someone  has claimed responsibility.

Steve gets us a Ford Escape for a rental to pick up Friday and we are expecting our car early next week.

 

Friday 1 February we are back in holiday mode.  We pick up the rental and we drive out to Ellenborough Falls...for those who may have forgotten....11 days ago, we were heading to Ellenborough Falls when all this started.

The falls is about 70km west of Port and we arrived, it was hot about 31C and had our first look and the falls were worth the drive, there are several viewing platforms of the Falls and a staircase to the base of the Falls of 641 steps down and of course 641 steps up, it was hot, humid and hard work working through the steamy vegetation.  Well we did every last one of the steps and my legs felt everyone of those steps for the next three days.

 

 

                                                               

                                                                               

      

 

 

We had a look at the Cowarra Dam and then we had to jump in the car as the rain started again and it poured all the way back to Port.

 

Back at the caravan park we had long hot showers and drove into town to have fish and chips and drove to Town Beach to eat and soak in the seaside view .... well it started to rain again and it rained, and rained, and rained.  We didn't change our plan, we went and watched the board riders in the surf in between the wiper blades sliding back and forth. There was even flash flooding on the roads back to the caravan park the rain was so heavy in the hour we were gone but we got home safely and another day closer to getting our car.

 

Sunday was a drive north to Kempsey and pies for lunch at Fredo's famous Croc pies, definitely worth a stop for a feed.

Took the back roads to South West Rocks and back.

We've had a couple of windy days and now we are into jumpers and uggies.

 

Tuesday5 February we expected the car soon but not today.  We drive to Old Bar Beach, near Taree, and lunch at the Flows Espresso Bar.  Viewed Saltwater and Wallabi Beach with beaut views north and south of the coast and then back to Port

 

 

 

and returned the rental car...again.  Car should be ready tomorrow.  But we have all heard that one before.

 

Guess what?  A kit was delivered  to finish off the work on the car and in the kit 2 seals were missing out of the kit.....arghhhhhhh.  We are so over this.  The seals were shipped overnight and ... 

Finally...

 

 

3pm Thursday 7 February the car arrives,  the people in the caravan park we starting to doubt if we really had a car but we finally had the proof.  We took the car for a drive and all was good, it was back to pack the car, take aways for dinner and ready to leave in the morning.

 

It has been 19 days in Port Macquarie and we were well and truly ready to leave.  Our 5 weeks of driving to Melbourne, visiting friends and family on the way, has now reduced to 2 weeks.

So we had flying visits, one night in Nelson Bay with our friends, John and Cheryl, and a few (10) others for dinner.  Had a great night thanks John and Cheryl. Then one night at Candice and Ben's in Wollongong and Ben cooks a mean lamb roast...Mmmmmm.  Thanks and we met their friends Tanya and Phil (who we may meet up with in Tassie if our paths cross again). 

The 6 of us had brunch at the beachfront  and a beautiful morning at the beach very busy with swimmers and nippers etc.  We left Wollongong a little later than expected, stopped at the Kiama Blow hole but not very exciting as hole not blowing

 

 and we only made it south of Bateman's Bay so we stopped at Waldon's Swamp Rest Area Free Camp

 

instead of Bega and it was so cold we had to pull out the jumpers and it was drizzling.

Early start to make up a bit of time today and it was cold (14C) this morning and drizzling rain still, we drove over Brown Mountain  on our way to Cooma and it was 2nd gear all the way through pea soup weather.

 

It has been so lush and green all the way so far and we get to the other side of Brown Mountain and the skies start to clear and everything is brown and dry, such a dramatic change of scenery.

Through the Kosciuszko NP

 

where the black Saturday fires went through 3 years ago and the scenery changes again...hills of dead trees for as far as you can see

 

across the Snowy River Scheme and the Tooma Dam

 

 

The wildlife was few and far between...wombats, roos , foxes, snake and goanna all lying on their backs with their legs in the air...not the snake of course...he was actually alive and of course he has no legs haha.

 

We find our next stop called Pigs Point Reserve on the banks of the Mitta Mitta River

 

and now we have made it to Victoria, where it is hot and dry and ....oh the flys....the cows across the river don't help!!!

 

But a nice stop for the night none the less.