On the road again

Dave and I are on the road again, after a week of R&R in Melbourne (travelling can be very tiring!). We certainly re-charged the batteries staying at Amanda’s very comfy pad in Carlton, with her two gorgeous cats- Mini and ‘Queen’ Bessie. We also popped over to the Hilton to catch up with our friend Sammi and Sydney friends Jo, Jamie and baby Gab.
But it wasn’t all R&R-

Fairy Tree and dinosaur slide, Fitzroy Gardens

We did manage a stroll through the very green Fitzroy Gardens and an explore through Captain Cook’s Cottage- OK not much for a week, but hey I had cats to play with! And then there was the Foxtel....... (we did get to see both Sound Relief concerts!)
Dadwells Bridge- the home of THE Giant Koala, and where we had left our camper. Over the week, Dadswells had 2 inches of rain,

Scramble up to Hollow Mountain

which certainly settled the dust. We opted to stay another night and walked- or should I say- scrambled over rocks to the top of Hollow Mountain. The Grampians would have to be one of my favourite views to date. Words alone cannot express the sheer beauty of plain lands surrounded by mountains made of undulating rocks. T

Views from the top of Hollow Mountain

the sun seems to flit across these structures, creating an artist’s palate of colours for your visual pleasure. From the top of Hollow Mountain we could see for 360 degrees, across the valleys below made up of olive groves, national park and grazing land- enough to calm anyone’s soul.
However, we moved on to Little Desert National Park- which is desert in name only. Here we camped beside the Wimmera River,

River Red Gum- the photo does not do justice to the beauty

which is in reality now a dry creek bed with the occasional billabong. The banks are lined with River Red Gums, which boldly display their silvery trunks against the clear blue sky. I could sit and gaze at these trees for hours, which is a good thing, as they are also known as ‘widow makers’.


River Red Gum- AKA The widow maker- check out the fallen branch!

We made sure not to camp underneath though. We were to be the only ones camping here, that is other than the Western Grey Kangaroos and Mum Emu and her 4 chicks. These are the first emus we have come across, but as we venture further into Mallee country, we have been assured of seeing more. After so long of walking through dense bush and forest, it is a pleasant change to amble through the flat, low lying scrub of the Mallee. There is something very peaceful about wide open spaces.
With the threat of bushfires now behind, we fired up the campie for a vegie and lentil soup. As the sun descended we sat around our camp fire mesmerized by the flickering flames. Occasionally we would look up to watch the stars. Out here with no other light, or a bright moon, we could vividly see the Milky Way, Saucepan, Southern Cross and all those other ‘ones’ I can’t name. I also watched a UFO hover in the distance.

Dimboola- a town staright from the 70's with this relic caryard!

Sceptic Dave, proceeded to explain to me how the mind cannot perceive objects at such a vast distance, and therefore they can appear to ‘move’. Perhaps it is good he quashed my daydream- a rather scary thought to be the only ones out in the bush with a UFO in the distance!
To be safe from potential UFO attacks (hee hee), we moved on to another free campsite at Lake Albacutya. Again this lake has no water, but has not had any since 1975! I don’t think it will ever be a lake again. Still it is a relaxing spot and comes with showers (albeit luke warm). So, it is goodbye from me as I head for a ‘real shower’.


The sun setting over our free camp

Shades of brown

After the pristine beauty and abundant flora and fauna of Tasmania, there is only one word for Victoria- drought.
After leaving Melbourne, we headed for Ballarat. As far as the eye could see were brown, wilting trees and a landscape that seemed to be crying out for water. Not a green blade of grass in sight, just vast paddocks of brown. Ballart itself is a ‘pretty’ town, with many heritage houses and grand buildings from its goldrush past. It also has a ‘Shepparton Factory Outlet’, where we re-stocked on non perishable foods!
The dry Botanic Gardens

A visit to the Botanic Gardens the dryness is not confined to the countryside. Having seen brochures of the lush green, flower filled gardens it was rather confronting to witness the devastation that the drought has brought. Many flower beds are now ‘dirt beds’ and the grass a patchy brown. It seems a real shame that the tallest examples of Redwood trees in Australia have been left to die. Over 150 years old, they will not make it to the next century.
As we left the gardens, we drove past the lake. Or should I say ‘paddock’. The lake is bone dry. It is a ‘weird’ sight to see piers, rowing clubs and boat sheds with jettys out to nowhere.
Daylesford, in the middle of Victoria’s spa country, again brings images of a green countryside. The reality, we were to discover, is another region of yellow grass that crunches underfoot. However, the region does still possess a certain magic. With over 80% of naturally occurring mineral spring water in Australia, we discovered the source of Deep Spring Mineral Water!



Dave filling up our Deep Spring Mineral Water

Having filled up a container, we have been enjoying our ‘home made’ flavoured versions. Tonight, I am enjoying a refreshing lemon and mint tipple. I am still awaiting the health benefits, apparently the bicarbonate balances the pH in my bloodstream, calcium and silica are good for the bones, magnesium for healthy kidneys, potassium is good for the mind and muscles, sodium helps keep the tummy in check and sulphate purifies the liver- I will be a new woman! We also got to check out our friend Jonnie’s newly purchased B&B. So, if you are ever in Daylesford make sure you stay at Jonnie’s place!
Off we were again to free camp at Green Hill Lake. The lake is famous for trout fishing, and I was sure that this time Dave would deliver the goods. The rod was handy and we had some new lures. We should have known better, the lake has been bone dry for 3 years now, the boat ramp leading to a dry, cracking lake bed.

Leisa swimming in the lake....

Oh well, being 3kms south of the town of Ararat, it was still a pretty place to camp. We walked the path into Ararat- another pretty historic gold town- and ambled along the main street, which is bordered by grape vines. These towns have been hit by the drought, recession and bushfires, so the local hairdresser was having a special on walk-in men’s haircuts. With an offer too good to refuse Dave has now had his first haircut in 7 months! I am still getting used to this clean cut version, having finally grown used to his long curls.
With a ‘new man’ to show off, we moved on to Halls Gap, in the Grampians. We settled in a Caravan Park, situated in the centre of town (OK so it is a very small town), yet brimming with wildlife. Ducks, cockatoos and kangaroos have been over to check us out and not to forget the kookaburra that has taken up residency in our herb garden!

'Kooka' in our herb garden!

The caravan park is hemmed on one side by a mighty rock escarpment of The Grampians, so we decided to take off for a short walk and explore this popular tourist destination. Our ‘short walk’ has left us both completely knackered, but we got to see the Venus Bath’s (rock pools) and Spittlers Waterfall (not that there was really any water).

Venus Rock Pools, Halls Gap

The Grampians are certainly the greenest part of Victoria so far, but still the lack of solid rain is ever present. It is so dry that the smell of eucalyptus pervades the air as the gumtrees seem to give off any sense of life. However, it must be said, The Grampians are stunning. They really have it all- sweeping views of the valleys below, McKenzie Falls, which are still running strong, aboriginal art and walks for all grades of fitness.

Mackenzie Falls

But we were to discover the real attraction of The Grampians.......... ROCK CLIMBING! Having met up with Liz, a friend who has recently moved back to Melbourne, we were invited to join her and 10 others at a campsite at Dadwell Bridge in the Grampians, over the long weekend. We were assured we would get on well with the whole ‘rock climbing’ group,

We have dinner guests!- Anne Marie, Johnno & Liz

and we have to admit you couldn’t meet a more welcoming bunch. Having already walked in various spots, we knew that as they climbed we could easily amuse our selves discovering more of her beauty, from the ground. Aaaah no. We were roped in (pardon the pun) and gave it a go. Afterall, the other guys made it look so easy, and certainly impressed us with their skill. Both Dave and I did manage to scramble part the way up a ‘climb’- i.e a vertical rock face. Leisa holding on for dear life..... took all my strength and energy and I am finding it hard to type, but know I will be even sorer tomorrow. The fact that we did not get to the top of the climb is not too disappointing, after all it was a grade 15 climb!! Starting at one, the grades go up to about 30. I did feel a little better on the grade 11 one I did today.


Carl, leading and setting up the climb
Climber Dave

After being the two of us for a while now, it certainly was fun to be part of a big group. Besides the exhilaration of learning a new sport, there was much fun and frivolity. Many laughs were had too, however many were at my expense...........
Liz had briefed Dave and I on what to expect at Dadswell Bridge, i.e not much, except a ‘big ugly koala’. I had also read in the guide book that Dadswell Bridge is famous for its giant koala. I must admit I was quite excited to see this ‘big old koala’, who obviously didn’t venture far. Having made friends with a german tourist back at Halls Gap, I was happy to share my knowledge of where he was guaranteed a koala sighting. You can therefore, imagine my horror when we drove past said koala, and I was to discover that he was a ‘big’ koala as in the big banana, big pineapple....... Some poor german tourist must think I was having a lend of him.