Mornington Peninsula 1

4/11/2018 Sunday Having slept well, R & R woke shortly after 6:00am and had coffee and breakfast.  It was a cool cloudy morning about 11*C so R & R dressed well for 8:00am Mass with C & C.  They all went together and after Mass the community opened up their hall with the leftovers from their fete the day before.  RA borrowed some cash from her brother, CT, as she wanted to buy something and had not taken her wallet.  When they returned, everyone had a cup, while C & C had breakfast and R & R watched the children play on their ipad.  As D, CA’s son, hoped to get the jet ski out of the garage, R & R needed to put the camper down and shift it.  RL just parked it on the road until it was decided where to move it to.  It was still, cool and cloudy so the decision to go to the beach with the ski, or not, had not yet been made.  CA and D whipped up a lunch to please all takers with the choice of hotdogs with white rolls or sausage sizzle on wholemeal bread.  After chatting for a while over coffee and washing up, CT made the decision to work on the front garden.  Everyone put some effort into cutting and sawing some of the trees or bushes or weeding and pulling up the kike in the garden bed.  CT did think that he might call that part of the garden, ”R & R’s corner.” in memory of their assistance.  Shortly after 3:00pm CT and RL went to the tip with about half the garden refuse, saving the other half for the next day.  When they got back, it was time for coffee and a biscuit.  CT & CA went down to the shops for some groceries while RL and RA negotiated where to put the camper.  There was trouble with the jockey wheel slipping so RL had to use, not one but, both jacks to steady the camper so that jockey wheel could be re-adjusted.  It was early dinner, all round at 6:00pm, of chicken and salad so that by 7:00pm everyone was watching the news.  RA wrote her diary while everyone watched a singing competition on TV.  S, R & R’s daughter rang so RA took the phone down stairs and chatted for a while before returning to finish the diary quickly before retiring for bed.  R & R really enjoyed their afternoon gardening.  They had been really glad … of the opportunity to help C & C with a job.

5/11/2018 Monday It rained heavily on and off during the night so R & R slept well.  They woke about 6:30am to a pleasant 14*C with a mild breeze.  The forecast was for a rainy morning clearing to a warm and sunny afternoon.  After breakfast, R & R remained in the camper so as not to disturb anybody in the house and read a post draft before selecting some photos for it.  About 8:30am RA spotted the cards R & R had bought for their grandchildren and wrote on them so that they would be ready for the post later in the day. Half an hour later, R & R went inside and upstairs to join CT and family for coffee and a chat.  It continued to rain steadily on and off all morning so heading to the beach with the jet ski was not an option.  Eventually, about 11:00am C & C took R & R shopping down the coast at the Rosebud shopping centre where RA posted the cards.  They looked round all the shops.  It was extremely busy what with all the tourists and regular holiday makers taking an extra-long weekend by including Monday (which is not a public holiday) before the Melbourne Cup Day holiday.  It was surprising to see how many children and young people were with or without their parents shopping and eating out during the lunch hour on a wet day.  If people can’t sight see or go to the beach, going to the shopping centre looks like a good alternative!  R & R wondered how many classrooms would have empty seats for the day.  R & R, along with C & C, went last to Coles to pick up some groceries before returning to the beach house for a late lunch of chicken and salad sandwich at nearly 2:00pm.  RL helped CT load CT’s ute again with more garden refuse and they headed to the tip while RA and CA went to the Dromana shopping strip to look through the three ops there and go to the local IGA.  By then the sky had cleared and the day had become quite warm and sweaty.   D & D and the children had also gone out and they returned mid-afternoon.  When everyone was back, they had drinks and cashews and made a plan for dinner at 6:30ish.  It was more like 7:00pm by the time everyone was seated and the food was ready for serving.  Everyone ate well.  After dinner, CT drew a highlighted route in R & R’s Melbourne UBD maps to show the best way for R & R to exit the city when the time came.  It was well after 9:00pm when R & R returned to the camper downstairs in the garden to eat their orange before going to bed.  It had been a pleasant day sharing travel stories and learning more about C & C and their family … learning to accept and appreciate others.

6/11/2018 Tuesday R & R slept well again and woke to a morning that looked like a repeat of the morning before.  After breakfast, about 7:40am, RA commented on the heavy mist sitting on Arthur’s Seat.  A few minutes later, as she sat to write diary and RL sat to read, it began raining, quite heavily, on the camper.  The sounds could be quite delightful when there was no urgency for the canvas to be dry to pack down.  There was thunder and, again, it was quite comfortable being able to enjoy the wintery weather and not have to be driving in it.  RA published a post before R & R went inside to join the relatives.  Upstairs everyone was reluctant to get out as there was no need, what with the weather being so bad.  So, for quite a while R & R read their books at the kitchen table.  Sometime mid-morning, Z, R & R’s eldest son rang and it was nice for him to chat also with C & C.  It continued to rain all morning and when it finally cleared about noon, C & C took R & R for a walk down to the Dromana jetty and along the foreshore.  It was grey and the beach was quiet but R & R could just imagine what a lovely spot it would be for families in summer with its brilliant blue, clear, still water and a clean sandy beach.  Add to that the charm of the little beach boxes all painted in bright colours.  Believe it or not, one of those little sheds with no amenities (some have power) costs the same as a small unit just back from the beach, somewhere between $250K - $300K as an average, but ranging from $155K-$615K.  During the mid-1800s Dromana’s focus changed from being a provider of wood for Melbourne to a place to holiday and it became fashionable to build or own a box.  By the time they all returned for lunch it was almost 2:00pm and so everyone was seated with food when the TV was turned on to watch the Melbourne Cup race; a first for RL.  Eventually, C & C began packing things up and putting them in the car to return to Melbourne for commitments the next day.  E, RL’s sister, rang to say that J had been moved to a rehab hospital where hopefully he would be able to develop better movement in his troubled knee.  CT picked up the cat, popped him into his carrier and packed it into the car as their last task before leaving R & R at their beach house.  They planned to be back again by Saturday evening and R & R thought they might still be around by then.  R & R read for a while before retiring to the camper.  Since D’s children, R & K, had not seen inside it when D & D looked the other day, they were curious to see where R & R slept.  The children were quite impressed and lay on the bed hoping to stay a little longer.  RA wrote her diary while RL had quiet time.  Dinner was not a problem as there were leftovers of chicken patties and salad and they had already eaten well all day.  R & R took dinner upstairs and watched a little TV for a change.  S, their daughter, rang so RA chatted for quite a while with her before retiring.  It did seem strange that, for once, … R & R did not even have any plans for the next day.

7/11/2018 Wednesday R & R slept well again and woke about 6:30am to a not too cool morning at 11*C and the forecast that the high for the day might only be two degrees more.  The wind was in the 20km/hr range from the north west and there was a chance of rain in the afternoon.  R & R had breakfast and did a quick job on the freezer/fridge before having a shower.  About 8:30am, they were walking down to the Dromana strip to see if they could get RL an appointment at the dentist since he had been experiencing discomfort with one of his back teeth.  As they were walking J, their brother-in-law, rang.  R & R leant against a dark wall in the sunshine but out of the wind, and away from the traffic, to chat for quite a while and warm their bodies.  The dentist was most obliging and offered an appointment for the following Tuesday which RL gratefully accepted.  While R & R were there, they went into all four of the local op shops before returning.  RA was frozen but hoped that the day might improve.  After a cup of coffee about 10:30am, R & R agreed to head down Point Nepean Rd to Portsea (about 25kms) and back again with the intention of running the Ute to maintain power in the Thumper for the fridge while taking in a few sights as well as op shops.  RL parked the Ute near the Sorrento jetty.  R & R sat out of the rain in the Ute having lunch and coffee while watching the water in the bay.  The car ferry came in and turned around to back up and allow the passengers and vehicles to disembark.  R & R walked along the beach for a while, as the sun had appeared briefly, so they could take photos of the ferry.  About 1:30pm, R & R headed back towards Dromana with a view to catching a few op shops but RL was concerned that his tooth may need attention sooner than Tuesday.  RA looked up another dentist in the area and fortunately they had just had a cancellation for 4:00pm.  RL was dead keen to take it, so they filled in time stopping at every op shop along the way, as it was not far with a couple of hours to fill.  R & R agreed it was hardly worth going back to Dromana and then going back out again to Rosebud, even though it was so close.  One way and another they managed to pop into about five op shops in the area and into Woolworths for some sandwich bags, as they had run out.  Just before 4:00pm, R & R were seated at the Orion Dental centre at Rosebud filling out forms.  The appointment was very short with RL needing a script filled for an antibiotic to settle an infection to see what would happen.  Luckily the chemist was just over the road so R & R made a dash for it in between the showers.  Both were glad to be back at the camper at C & C’s house for a cup and to be out of the weather by 4:45pm.  They watched some news on TV while RA wrote the day’s diary before making dinner.  K, RL’s sister rang while R & R were making dinner.  After dinner, RL just needed to veg. out in front of TV so RA just flipped through some recipes.  It had been an icy cold day and RL’s tooth was giving him trouble.  RA hoped … that he would be feeling a little better in the morning.

8/11/2018 Thursday R & R woke about 6:45am to a cool but dry morning with a forecast of a high of 14*C, strong winds of 26km/hr from the west and rain only later in the night.  Somehow it was not an accurate prediction as it rained heavily for about an hour.  After breakfast, R & R sat with their backs to the sun reading in an attempt to defrost.  It was 9:30am when R & R got into the Ute for a drive around the back side of the Mornington Peninsula with a vague plan to start at a beach that J, their brother-in-law, remember as a child.  The beach was called Rye Ocean (or Rye Back) Beach and having driven south to Rosebud, RL drove east on Dundas Road across the lower part of the peninsula to take the roads as closely as possible to the eastern coast.  Rye was hardly a family friendly beach with waves crashing over rocks and sand churning in the water where the rips looked treacherous.  The wind was icy cold, with R & R feeling much warmer just sitting in the car.  R & R were keeping an eye out for rock pools, which J had mentioned playing in, but saw only a few rocks on the water’s edge; nothing that children might play in.  From there, RL drove to Gunnamatta Beach which had a very similar appearance.  The beaches are all included in a long strip of coastal parkland called the Mornington Peninsula National Park which protects the diverse environments of more than 40kms of rugged coast as well as the beaches from Portsea to Flinders.  Boag Rocks were about a kilometre south of Gunnamatta Beach but just far enough for R & R not to want to walk there on such a blustery morning.  Instead RL headed for Cape Schanck.  The road moved a little away from the coast and there were diverse small farming activities including horse stables and ranches for trail riding, market gardening in the open, and undercover (including strawberries and potato), a boutique brewery and many wineries.  The land was hilly but not steep being near Arthur’s Seat and Red Hill which dominated the peninsula.  R & R arrived at Cape Schanck and its Lighthouse shortly before noon and enjoyed a walk around the lighthouse grounds and lighthouse keeper’s cottages before walking along the track and on the boardwalk to the point.  The boardwalk had several ramp sections in between stairs and was just amazing!  It protected the fragile coastal vegetation and fauna from the hundreds of people who were keen to traipse down and back up every day.  R & R were not sure who was more excited to see an echidna under the board walk; them or the Japanese tourists.  There was something very appealing about standing on the black rocks and pebbles at sea level and looking back up at the lighthouse high on the cliffs above.  Built in 1859, the lighthouse was the last of a series of beacons that were designed to assist safe passage through Bass Strait between mainland Australian and Tasmania.  So many were the shipwrecks in the area, that sailors, had come to dread the passage thinking of it as threading the eye of the needle.  R & R retreated to the Ute for warmth while they ate lunch before taking a quick walk to the Bushranger Bay Lookout.  So, it was 1:15pm when they headed for Flinders.  This time the road followed the coast more closely and was quite steep, up and down with bends of suggested 30km/hr speed limit. There were more small farms.  RA was surprised at the way common pine dominated the vegetation on the verge and in the farms, as driveway and wind breaks.  As RL drove through Flinders, he spotted an op shop and needed no excuse to stop.  R & R parked at the monument to Bass and Flinders and their coastal exploration of the area in 1798.  From that vantage point they were able to see the jetty below, across Western Port to Phillip Island and the RAN gunnery and navigational beacon reserve to the south.  RL drove down to the Flinders Pier where R & R had coffee and rang their daughter, H, after walking out on the pier and reading all the signs about the history of fishing and communicating via telegraph from Tasmania.  Never mind overland telegraph, the submarine telegraph cable of 320kms was successfully laid and in operation in 1869, connecting Tasmania to Darwin and ultimately the world!  The message had to be carried by hand up the steep hill before being telegraphed to Melbourne.  It would take another 30 years before boosting equipment enabled the messages to go directly to the top of the hill.  With the Navigators assistance R & R drove to Point Leo.  Point Leo had a very big caravan park which backed onto a beach that was largely protected from the bigger waves and RA thought it might be a lovely place to stay with a family.  It was about 3:30pm when R & R took the stairway beach access down to the shore where the Point Leo Boat club had a boat launching ramp.  Again, RA set the Navigator for assistance even though she had a map and knew the route.  RL followed it up and down steep hilly country side with orchards, vineyards and horse studs through Red Hill and towards Arthur’s Seat.  Much of the drive there was flanked by Arthur’s Seat State Park so it was difficult to see the coast on either side despite the height above sea level (314m).  Then the road down from the top near the chair lift took a series of switch backs, with speeds of as low as 15kms/hr, for a couple of kilometres before ducking under the M1 freeway to Melbourne and ending up in Dromana.  RL had driven exactly 99kms for the day.  It was 4:15pm as R & R sat to read more maps with a cup of coffee.  Between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, R & R walked back down to Dromana foreshore to take in the huts and jetty and shop fronts in the main strip again.  After dinner, R & R put RL’s photos on the laptop and deleted some in an effort to keep them organized and keep the number down.  S, their daughter rang so RA turned the laptop off.  R & R retired soon after … and hoped that the next day would be a little warmer for more sightseeing. 

Dromana Bound

31/10/2018 Wednesday R & R slept so well they did not want to get out straight away.  It was cloudy but not too cool at 10*C when they did and they set about breakfast and packing up.  By 8:40am, R & R were headed 16kms west to Orbost on Princes Highway.  They passed a large timber mill at the edge of the forests and for a while the countryside opened up into cattle farming, some cattle still lying in the cool grey morning while others grazed high on the hillsides.  The road was not quite so steep.  Shortly after 9:00am, R & R stopped for a coffee in the main street of Orbost before heading west again 60kms for Lakes Entrance.  After passing the water pumping station there were only a few farms before state forest returned to the north of the road.  To the south, there was the Ewing Morass Game reserve in a strip, along the 90 Mile Beach, with less than 10kms to the Southern Ocean at that point.  It was hilly and even more so after Nowa Nowa, about half way to Lakes Entrance, where state forest continued to flank both sides of the road.  RA came to the conclusion that the yellow blossoms were wattle and the creamy coloured ones were paperbark, preferring the swampy conditions in the creek lines.  She saw a sign about Adopting a Highway for litter removal but it also included text about weed control.  She had not noticed that before.  The last 5kms to Lakes Entrance, and sea level, was mostly a long downhill.  Parked on The Esplanade, the main street of Lakes Entrance, R & R had coffee before walking around all the op shops again.  While they were doing the rounds, their son, Z, rang from Mongolia with the news that he and his wife would be returning to Fremantle by November 2019, which was good news for R & R.  R & R went to the skate park and boat ramp area at the northern end of town and had a hot shower!  It was 12:30pm when RL headed up the steep hill with the lookouts west towards Bairnsdale 33kms away.  It was still cloudy but not cold at 17*C with a moderate breeze of 18km/hr.  The country side was undulating and not too hilly with farming land where cattle grazed on green paddocks.  R & R passed through Swan Reach and Johnsonville and Nicholson with their delightful rivers, the Tambo and the Nicholson (which flows into Lake King less than five kilometres to the south), in what is called the Twin Rivers District.  RA noted it was precisely 1:00pm when RL parked the Ute in the main street in Bairnsdale and they had lunch before checking out a couple of op and camping shops. R & R refuelled including a jerry can and went in search of water to top up the tank.  They had been instructed to got to the boat ramp but RL was not keen to use the water at the fish cleaning sink and they could see no other tap.  Since they were back at the eastern end of town, RL drove a little further to the ADRA op shop where they had not been before.  It was huge and they picked up a couple of items.  As R & R were leaving Bairnsdale for Stratford 45kms away, they both commented on a sign which informed drivers that there were five overtaking lanes between the two towns.  They both though it was a good safety device – not that anyone needed to worry about that at the current time. as there were road works most of the way, reducing speed to 40km/hr and limiting overtaking.  The country side was flat to undulating with farming land where sheep grazed, raising dust as they walked, on paddocks, some still with reeds.  The highlight of the drive was seeing one very handsome, very lucky, echidna waddle off the bitumen and into the bush having survived his four-lane highway crossing.  R & R stopped on the main street in Stratford for a cup of coffee before continuing west two kilometres and taking a right hand turn northwards towards Maffra 8kms.  Immediately, R & R witnessed irrigation by overhead boom sprays from channels full of water and cattle and cropping.  There was a winery and horse stables.  Following the Navigators instructions, RL drove through Maffra a further 9kms, past a dairy which bore the brand name Devondale, to the Newry RV rest area which was in the Newry sporting reserve.  It was 5:00pm and both R & R were tired, but pleased to have stopped and be setting the camper up.  They had travelled about 200kms for the day.  No sooner were R & R seated with a cup than their daughter, S, rang.  After that, R & R had dinner of fried rice and read and wrote until bed time.  RA was amused and thrilled … the spikey little creature was safe to live another day!

1/11/2018 Thursday R & R slept very well and were woken to galahs screeching at 6:30am.  It was a pleasant 9*C with a mild breeze and a promise of a warm day.  After breakfast, R & R read through a draft and RL shaved while RA tidied up.  R & R gathered the washing and headed back into Maffra about 9kms to be at St Mary’s for a 9:30am Mass for All Saints Day.  It was a lovely old church with an ornate ceiling and decorative walls, featuring angels.  The readings and the sermon were around the Beatitudes which, whether or not a person believes in a God, are a beaut set of attitudes to live by.  After chatting with the locals and taking some photos of their church, R & R wandered up and down the main street via some back streets where gardens were in bloom and delightful with perfume.  The main street had lovely trees and gardens along with a rotunda and some grand old buildings.  R & R went into the two op shops before heading to SpinCity.  Once the washing was in the machine, R & R had coffee and a gingernut.  A 23-minute cycle later, they were folding it up to take back to the camper to hang out to dry.  By 12:30pm, with the washing on the line, R & R had lunch followed by a cat nap.  The day had really warmed up and it was not particularly comfortable trying to rest under the canvas with no shade over it.  About 2:00pm, R & R brought the dry washing in and, setting the Navigator as their guide, headed for Briagolong 20 kms north east via Boisdale.  Along the way, there was irrigation fed by a number of rivers, creeks and water channels.  Not far to the north west was Lake Glenmaggie with its weir, supporting irrigation to the Macalister district for dairying, agricultural, pastoral and a developing vegetable growing industry.   There were horses and stables, as well as the cattle and some sheep.  Where the land was irrigated, there was green but, in some sections, pastures appeared quite dry.  An indicator of a dry winter is when farmers clean out near empty dams or to dig new ones.  R & R saw machines working near dams.  To the north the mountains of the Great Dividing Range could be seen in different shades of grey, green and blue.  RL spotted an echidna but by the time they had turned around, it had well and truly dug itself in, leaving only a bundle of spikes in a similarly coloured bundle of leaf and twig litter.  At Boisdale, RA noticed that it had a Consolidated School where seven smaller schools had combined to make one, and she wondered about how the area would have, at one point, supported seven schools.  R & R walked around Briagolong, which was a very small settlement with a pub, café and a Post Office come General Store.  None of the art galleries or antique shops were open.  RL headed to Blue Pool about 8 kms north, driving in and out of Red Gum or Quarry Reserve on the way.  The road followed Freestone Creek very closely with a narrow seal and a drop of about 20-30m to the pebbly creek line below.  Shortly after leaving Briagolong, the road entered forested parks at the southern end of the Alpine Park.  At 3:15pm, R & R arrived at Blue Pool campground and picnic area.  They spent about half an hour wandering around and taking photos of the pool.  Though it was not blue, it was a lovely spot, suitable for even children to play and swim (under supervision).  In one direction a stream trickled southward and to the northern end of the pool, there was a tunnel created by large granite boulders covered in lichen.  The Freestone Creek was once a haven for gold fossickers in the hope that they might strike it rich.  RA noticed that the soils there were pink, very dark, in some sections.  The highlight of the return journey was when RL spotted an echidna with enough time to stop and catch him in a photo before he was able to bury himself.  It was 4:00pm as RL was driving back when he commented, “Milking’s underway!” on seeing cows exiting the nearby dairy.  Shortly after, R & R were back at the camper.  It was still 28*C with a forecast low for the night being 20*C.  The forecast also indicated another warm day coming up with the possibility of strong winds and storms in the afternoon.  After a cup and snack, R & R downloaded RL’s photos on to the laptop and looked through them, cropping one, especially, of the echidna.  RA published the post and wrote the diary while RL read.  RL rang his sister, E for an update on her husband, J.  After dinner, in the cooler time of the evening, R & R walked a few times round the oval before 8:00pm.  RA made up the new ipad charts for the coming month’s places and expenses while RL read.  They rang their Perth friend, J, to see how she was going and retired after another eventful day.  R & R had not only seen echidnas crossing the road … but they had managed to snap one before it dug itself in.

2/10/2018 Friday Despite the warmer night, R & R slept well, getting out of bed about 6:30am to a temperature of 21*C and the forecast of stronger winds, rain and possibly storms during the day.  As they were in no hurry, R & R read a while before packing down.  It was already 26*C by 8:15am and they were much too early for 10:00am Mass at Maffra, so RL parked the Ute in the shade and he read while RA checked some draft on the laptop.  R & R changed into better clothes before returning to St Mary’s in Maffra for the whole school All Soul’s Day Mass.  The aging population of about 20 parishioners all sat down the back while classes filed in and filled about two thirds of the church.  It was interesting to see such a large group of children in church and observe their behaviours.  When everyone emerged from the service, the ground outside was wet and bins had been blown over, looking like there had been quite a sharp burst though RA had heard nothing.  R & R chatted again with the friendly congregation and their very young priest before coffee and cake.  It was after 11:00am when R & R headed for Hayfield 20kms away.  They saw more dairy, green paddocks, willows, poplars and cattle.  It was very pretty in the cool grey day having just been dampened.  R & R stopped at the park in Hayfield which had a massive timber yard and changed into their “play clothes” (much more comfortable) before continuing to Traralgon.  They passed through the smaller settlements of Cowarr, Toongabbie and Glengarry with the hills always to the north in different shades of grey and green.  The wind was strong at 34kms/hr and incessant.  On and off, RL used his wipers to clear light rain from the windscreen.  Several vintage cars passed heading east to Sale for the rally on the coming weekend.  RL was lucky to find a parking spot on Princes Drive (the highway) just metres beyond the information centre where R & R sought maps on the Mornington Peninsula, where they were headed.  As there was plenty of time, R & R wandered to the four nearest op shops before having lunch and moving on to Morwell.  The power stations with their chimneys and smoke featured on the landscape and everywhere there were huge power lines spreading out, to feed power in every direction.  In Morwell, still with plenty of daylight, R & R stopped downtown and went to the nearest four op shops.  RA was amused to find, in one of them, a chair which had a sign on it. “Husbands Waiting Chair (Not For Sale) Please Take A Seat” The ladies there commented that R & R would be surprised at how often it was used, tucked there between baskets of socks and undies and a rack of children’s clothes. RL would not be one to use it, as, he usually can be found scouring the bookshelves or just looking around to see what there might be, like a set of lights for the Ute in a box marked $5.  R & R were bound for Longwarry North rest area about 34kms west again on Princes Highway/Freeway.  The wind continued to blast strongly from the north north-west and it rained heavily, as a sun shower, for a few kilometres but RL was behind a Ute and truck at a comfortable speed and keeping an eye out for the exit lane.  R & R arrived at the rest area shortly after 3:30pm and had coffee before doing anything else.  They rang their daughter, H, and then their son, J and chatted a while.  A short, but sharp, hail storm passed over followed by some more rain.  R & R sat.  When it looked like it had passed, R & R set up the camper and were seated inside about 5:30pm.  Fortunately, the bad weather had passed and it was dry and still most of the evening.  After dinner, S, their daughter rang and then R & R rang their son, S, to see how his week had gone.  R & R both read a little while before bed.  Though the forecast was for some rain around midnight … it looked like the next day would be dry if somewhat cloudy.

3/11/2018 Saturday Being disturbed by trucks pulling in and out, rain and several episodes of wind buffeting the camper had no ill effects on R & R’s sleep.  They were out of bed about 6:30am again to 10*C and a 19km/hr wind.  They breakfasted and RL encouraged RA to write the diary from the day before that she had not been able to do it.  It was 8:30am before R & R were having a coffee and thinking about getting going.  Thank goodness for a massive semi that had parked next to them in the night, as it protected the dwarfed camper from the wind.  R & R had no trouble with the canvas blowing inside out while packing down, which often happens when it is windy.  It was 9:15am as RL pulled west out onto Princes Highway for a couple of kilometres before taking the first exit south to Longwarry.  The plan was to head south west to Tooradin and then across the peninsula to Mornington and then down to Dromana.  CT, RA’s brother and his wife, CA, and possibly CA’s son D, and his family, were spending the long weekend at Dromana on the west coast of the Mornington Peninsula.  CT & CA had a beach house down there and had agreed that R & R would be welcome to join them.  R & R saw dairies, green pastures, vineyards, sheep and irrigation.  Alongside the good sealed road an irrigation channel ran for quite a long way with the Navigator indicating numerous canals.  The road ran through a couple of small communities Modela and Bayles and on the outskirts of both there were many small properties with horses and ponies.  RL spotted a second-hand store at Bayles and thought it was a good time for a break.  It was only a total of 36kms to Koo-Wee-Rup so R & R arrived there at 10:00am ready to pop into an op shop and a second-hand yard.  They took a comfort stop and had coffee and a biscuit.  About three quarters of an hour later, R & R set off for Tooradin where they hoped to buy RA a solar power torch like RL’s.  He bought his there when they passed through months earlier and it worked a treat so RA thought she needed one.  Tooradin sits on the coast so the landscape became more swampy the closer they got to Tooradin’s inlet and the delightful little mangrove islands in its river.  RA was lucky and got her torch.  R & R set the Navigator for Mornington as they wanted to shop there at Coles.  They did not wat to arrive for a weekend, at CT & CA’s, empty handed.  The 12km route took them through Pearcedale and then Baxter and along the way they saw market gardens, acres and acres of sprinkler irrigation, horse stables, cold stores, a plant nursery and covered domes for growing seedlings.  The wind blew incessantly, though the day had cleared and warmed somewhat.  There were roundabouts, too many to count!  Just on noon, R & R arrived in Mornington and it being lunchtime on a Saturday in a coastal tourist centre, it was extremely busy and quite difficult to find a parking spot.  When they did, they rushed to Coles to shop and return to the Ute and have a quick cup of coffee within the hour of the bay limit.  They rang and chatted with RL’s brother, G.  RL was just about to pull out when an Ambulance pulled into the bay in front, which was marked Police, and the two officers headed into the café for a cup of coffee.  They were gone so long RL rang his brother, S, as well.  Again, RA set the Navigator, but this time for Dromana about 15kms south, arriving, eventually at CT & CA’s place about 2:00pm.  Everyone chatted for quite a while over a cup before driving to the Church fete to find it had just finish.  A little disappointed, they decided to take a walk downtown and pick up a few groceries.  They walked up and down the foreshore and main shopping strip before popping in to shop.  Back at the house by 4:00pm, R & R set the camper up in the drive way.  Everyone was hungry early so CA prepared a delicious vegetable soup served with garlic bread followed by apple pie.  They all watched 6:00pm news.  While C & C watched Back Roads, R & R had showers.  After that CT showed his photos of their Canada holiday.  D, CA’s son and his family arrived about 8:30pm.  It was lovely to see them all again, especially the children … since R & R had been missing their own grandchildren.

Coastal Wilderness

25/10/2018 Thursday Despite the silence, RA did not sleep well; all that talking with teachers, about teaching, led to RA dreaming both she and RL were getting the sack from the Dept!  Anyway, R & R woke to a cooler morning about 7:00am, breakfasted and packed the camper down with the intention of investigating three trestle bridges between the rest area and Orbost about 30kms east. (Orbost was 60kms from Lakes Entrance with the Burned Bridge rest area about half way.)  The road was quite winding and steep with the Lake Tyre State Forest on both sides, with the exception of a few small farmlets on the north side of the road. Stoney Creek Trestle Bridge was first and almost immediately from the rest area.  RL had to drive a couple of kilometres on unsealed road, with many small dark grey wallabies feeding in the early morning, to get to the carpark.  The sheer size of the bridge at 20m high and just under 250m long was awesome!  An engineering masterpiece, built in 1916, it was no wonder that it was Heritage listed, being the largest wooden bridge still standing in the state of Victoria.  The stony creek below was very pretty and, very dangerous, as R & R found they needed to beware of two red bellied snakes sunning themselves on rocks just inches from their feet on the path.  The second bridge called Wairewa, just a kilometre on sealed road from the Princes Highway, was much shorter but in excellent condition.  In between the forests like Ewing Morass State Game Reserve, there were farms with sheep and cattle grazing up the hills and some cropping for feed and hay where the land was flatter.  The road was quite good and had over taking lanes, while tall trees lined the verge and could be seen in shelter belts.  A couple of kilometres just west of Orbost, the third structure was called a viaduct rather than a bridge because it traversed the Snowy River floodplain rather than a river.  It could be seen from the highway and, while it was not tall like the other two, it was the longest wooden bridge in VIC.  RL took the turn off the highway to look more closely at it and to be able to take a couple of photos.  That done, RL crossed the bridge over the Snowy River and arrived in Orbost to park at the information centre.  It was housed in a slab hut which was surrounded by a garden, vegetable patch, piles of fire wood and an outhouse, all looking quite authentic.  The man from Snowy River featured in sculpture as a greeting.   It was 10:30am.  They sought information, walked up and down the main street, bought 15 mini paperback westerns for $5 from an op shop and took in the statues, flood marker and public art.  R & R had coffee in the Ute and rang their daughter, S about noon.  RA chatted with her all the way to Marlo, about 15kms south.  The road followed the Snowy River to the estuary at Marlo where the mouth of the river came to the sea.  Along the way R & R saw dairy farming being carried out.  RL stopped to take a photo of the river and was treated to a water dragon in the grass who, being aware of being followed, threw himself into the river.  Apparently, they are tree dwellers but quite capable of surviving underwater for about an hour.  R & R stopped several times along the Marlo foreshore and Marine Parade to look out towards the mouth of the river and, although it was all photo worthy, they could not actually see a clear mouth or channel to the sea behind the dunes on the other side of the estuary.  They chatted with a local who had had an enjoyable morning fishing, despite having caught nothing, and he explained how the opening was nearly closed, allowing only smaller vessels through, and it had not been dredged.  On their walks R & R saw two different lizards on the paths.  Truly a reptilian day!  R & R ate lunch as it was about 1:30pm before taking the coastal drive towards Conran’s east and west capes about 18kms.  The road followed the coast closely and was in the strip of reserve called Cape Conran Coastal Reserve.  The vegetation was so that that RL exclaimed, “Bit like Marine Drive (Albany) – can’t see the ocean for the trees – only glimpses of it!”  The dunes and cliffs to the south of the road were about 20-30m above sea level with ti tree in bloom and banksias.  R & R saw lots of kookaburras, and having stopped at the East Cape Conran beach, enjoyed watching the tiny sand crabs digging themselves out of sight.  RL did not waste too much time there as he was keen to follow the unsealed track to Cabbage Tree Creek and the reserve with Cabbage Fan Palm.  The reserve is a remnant of early plants from equatorial regions and the stand within the reserve is the largest of a scattered population of only about 100 plants with about 200kms from its nearest relatives.  The Hum, with Ute in 4WD and camper on behind managed the good single lane track with no difficulty as it was not steep and only a little wet near the creek.  When R & R opened the door of the Ute, they were greeted by millions of mossies so they did not dilly dally on the 15 minute walking path to look at the palms.  They were a treat, standing tall up into the sky, as was the lyre bird that did not dash across the grass and disappear before RL caught it on camera. The last 5km or so of the track took only 10 minutes and RL was back at Princes Highway with the Murrungowar rest area just a few kilometres west along the highway.  R & R had a cup of coffee before even setting up.  By 4:00pm, RA was working on the laptop and RL was reading his ipad hot spotted to the phone with excellent reception.  After a while, RL swapped his electronic read for a cowboy novel and RA wrote her diary.  After dinner R & R read some diary, drafting for a post, before reading their novels.  It had been a day full of interest … bridges and reptiles.

26/10/2018 Friday R & R woke about 6:30am to a cloudy 9*C morning so when they drove to Mt Raymond lookout two kilometres back along Princes Highway, it was cool and windy and the view somewhat obscured.  The steep drive up the unsealed track to the top gave a lovely view back over the coastal area R & R had driven the afternoon before from the height of 330m above sea level, showing Lake Curlip, the Snowy River Floodplain, the ocean to the south and west and all the hills nearby.  There and back as quickly as possible, R & R returned to the rest area to pick up the camper and head eastward on their ramblings through the coastal wilderness corner of Australia.  The area known as Coastal Wilderness consists of several National Parks stretching 300kms from Cape Conran and Croajingalong National Parks in Victoria to Ben Boyd and Mimosa National Parks in NSW.  The parks are a corridor along the coast and, flanked, inland, by vast areas of State Forest and other smaller national parks and nature reserves, comprised of eucalypt, dry rainforest and heathland.  McKenzie River Rainforest Walk was only a short drive of about 30kms east along Princes Highway.  The road was winding with sections of road works through mostly forested countryside.  There were little pockets of cleared land at settlements like Cabbage Tree Creek. R & R found the McKenzie walk a most delightful stroll of about half an hour (only one kilometre) with footbridges, swing bridges, stairs and signs that related very closely to the site where they were placed.  About 10:30am, R & R headed east again for the next 30kms towards Cann River.  RL drove through more rainforest country where there was more or less open sky through the canopy and only a few sections of cleared land with cattle in settled areas.  A couple of smaller national parks like Lind came to the road and where the road cut through the hills, about 250-300m, the soil was red and orange. R & R noticed several sections were the sound of cicadas was almost deafening and were astounded by the number of motor cycles they were seeing all heading west.  It was only later that R & R realised that they were all headed for Phillip Island for the weekend. It was about 11:00am when R & R popped into the information centre at Cann River which also housed the town’s op shop.  Two birds with one stone!  R & R had coffee and rang their daughter, H, before heading east again to the Drummer Rainforest Walk, which they found to be quite underwhelming considering they had just done the McKenzie which was delightful.  It too, was a short one kilometre walk which took less than half an hour.  When R & R returned to the Ute it was nearly 1:00pm so they had a quick lunch before driving the last 35kms for the day to the Genoa RV camping area.  RL drove past Alfred National Park which was surrounded by state forest and the road went up to 400m and down again with another pocket of cleared land at Karlo.  About half way, RA noticed trees with yellow blossom in the creek line near Wingan Swamp and River. It was just on 1:45pm when R & R crossed the bridge at Genoa and turned back down along it into the free camping area. They chose a spot, chatted briefly with a neighbour and set up before coffee and a cat nap.  R & R read through a couple of magazines they had picked up in the Cann River information centre before going for a walk over Genoa’s historic bridge and looking around the grounds.  There was a sculpture which celebrated the recent (1971) finding of Tetrapod footprints in the sandstone up the Genoa River Gorge.  The tetrapod is believed to have been one of the earliest forms of life similar to a salamander.  R & R were enchanted to see little blue wrens hopping about their camper and hear the sound of the Bell Miners.  R & R chatted with CT, RA’s brother and then emailed her cousins T & A to let them know that they were travelling in the same area and that catching up might be a possibility.  RL’s sister E rang and after dinner, R & R rang their son, S, and spoke with their daughter, S.  It had been lovely to have a quiet afternoon but RA had a feeling she would pay for it.  It was always difficult to catch up on diary writing … if you got behind a day.

  

27/10/2018 Saturday R & R slept well and woke shortly after 6:00am to a cool 7*C with a promise of a sunny day.  There was only a light breeze.  After breakfast RA copied and pasted her email to T and put it in a phone message to T just to make sure that they received it before it was too late.  That done, shortly after 8:00am, R & R left for Eden 61kms on Princes Highway along the eastern coast.  The route was flanked by State Forest (like Nadgee and Timbillica) on both sides and contained pockets of National Park (Ben Boyd and Mt Imlay) with their protected wilderness, walk trails and paths.  There were just a few cleared sections with paddocks of grass and cattle grazing or settlements around Timbillica and Kiah.  The forests were dominated by tall gums and sheoak which dropped away or stood tall depending on the road and where it ran, sometimes in the valleys and others cut away through the hillsides, and still others at the top.  The road was in good condition though very winding with suggested speeds of 75km/hr.  It took R & R the best part of an hour not because of the speed restrictions but because they stopped a few times; first at the NSW/VIC border and then to check out the suitability of a couple of rest areas in case they chose to go back that way again.  The last 10kms or so were mostly a series of downhills and uphills and winding as the road followed the coastal shape of Lake Curalo, then Nullica and Calle Calle Bays which create Twofold Bay.  Eden is a Port with a history steeped in whale hunting and in the timber industry.  Today there is no whale industry but the port is used for fishing and is big enough to have cruise ships calling in.  R & R popped into the information centre before walking up and down the main street popping into an op shop and picking up groceries at both IGA and Coles.  When they returned to the Ute they had coffee and RL rang two of his brothers for a chat.  About 11:30am R & R went to one of the whale watching lookouts at Rotary Park.  There was a spectacular view from the top of the ocean and coast and back down to the busy wharf.  Way out to the north east, R & R could see a couple of whales splashing in the water but by the time RL had fetched his other lens, they could no longer be seen.  A couple of minutes away R & R stopped at the wharf on Snug Cove.  It was a hive of activity with coffee shops and restaurants doing a fine trade, tourists walking up and down the jetty, fishing boats returning with a catch for unloading, a cruise ship at anchor while its passengers spent time ashore and, far out, a massive redevelopment project with cranes and workers busying themselves with the tasks at hand.  R & R had showers at the toilet block and felt refreshed.  R & R refuelled on their way south.  They detoured, only a kilometre or so, into Boydtown, which in whaling days would have been thriving with the activities of Ben Boyd and the whaling industry.  There was a museum which was not open, a caravan park and a boutique hotel called the Seahorse Inn.  The building was very attractive on the beach front and replica of Boyd’s tower featured in the neatly kept gardens.  There R & R had lunch and chatted with RL’s other brother.  All three in one day!  The story goes that there was need for a lighthouse for ships in the early days, so, in 1846, Boyd built a tower as a lookout for whaling with the intention that it should have a light.  However, the powers that be, would not allow a private lighthouse, eventually, placing one some 30kms south along the rugged coastline at Green Cape in 1883.  Boyd’s tower never had a light!  R & R were keen to see the lighthouse and/or tower and took the Edrom sealed road for a few kilometres before turning onto the unsealed track toward Green Cape.  There, just off the highway RL exclaimed, “Denuded! Stripped!” The logging activities which support the industry and livelihoods of so many in the area, was laid bare for all to see.  The road was in good condition though very winding and steep.  What R & R did not realise was that the lighthouse was within the Ben Boyd National Park and incurred a $8 daily visitors fee per vehicle, which they had not been aware of and did not want to pay.  They turned around and headed for the tower at Edrom on its sealed road only to find it, too, was within the Park where fees applied.  Oh well!  Edrom was the home of the Chip Mill and wharf and it also had another multi-purpose and navy wharf.  On the way out, they drove past the Davidson Whaling Historic Site as they were keen to return to the rest area at Genoa where they knew T & A and friends would be waiting for them.  Arriving shortly after 4:00pm, R & R were greeted by the cousins and chatted for ages before doing anything else.  Suddenly, RA spotted a wombat toddling across the grass.  It was followed by its keeper as he walked to the river’s edge to collect grass for it and the other wombat that he was minding.  It was a real treat to be able to see them so close, for everyone to photograph them and get the low down on wombats from someone who knows and cares.  It was a real treat for RL to cuddle one and for RA to stroke its strong fur and look into its endearing face and eyes.  Eventually, it was agreed to let the cousins set up their tents and get organised.  R & R had coffee and chatted with their son, J.  R & R prepared dinner and left it to go back and chat, only fetching dinner later to join them to eat by the campfire T had made.  Everyone all sat round talking until well after 9:00pm when it was agreed to turn in for the night.  The wind had been wild and cold.  What a day … seeing live wombats and camping with friends!

28/10/2018 Sunday RA woke and got out of bed early at 6:30am to write the diary from the day before.  It was 8*C, cloudy and misting.  It had rained in the early hours of the morning though the strong wind had died much earlier in the night.  R & R had breakfast and tidied up so by 8:00am, they were on their way to Mallaccota for a day’s sightseeing of beaches with the intention of catching a 3:00pm Mass at St Peters.  The journey to Mallacoota was only 22kms.  The road was in good condition, and, while it was not steep, it was particularly winding with suggested speeds like 75km/hr and even one switch back at 25km/hr.  It was a lovely drive with tall trees and good coastal shrubbery featuring bracken, ferns, banksia and wattle in bloom with a delightful perfume. At first there was some farming land to the east of the road with cattle on open flat or hilly ground but, about a third of the way where RL turned east to the coast to the settlement of Gypsy Point 3kms, the road entered the Croajingolong National Park which is a long band of coastal wilderness about 70kms from north of Mallacoota south towards Bemm River.  At Gypsy Point, the Wallagaraugh River flows into the Genoa River which then flows downward to the sea through Top Lake and then Bottom Lake, with many little islands, to the Entrance at Mallacoota and the Tasman Sea.  The diversion was only 3kms on sealed road.  R & R enjoyed a little walk around its jetty before heading out and south again. A little further down RL turned up a tight single lane track to Sandy Point.  It was unsealed and, though tight, in quite good condition.  RL selected 4WD and enjoyed the 3km track.  “Nice!” he said.  There was a tiny secluded beach with a toilet and picnic facilities on the edge of Top Lake and it looked appealing despite the cool grey morning.  R & R enjoyed coffee there about 10:30am. Once back out again, it was not long before RL took the Karbeethong tourist drive along the coast.  It was quaint with well-kept houses and gardens backing on to the forest or cows in paddocks, overlooking the lakes and islands.  There were many pelicans at the Karbeethong Jetty and a pair of yellow faced black cockatoos sat on a log near the water’s edge.  It was swampy at Stringray Point, ideal for a family of ducks with at least a dozen ducklings trying to cross the road.  R & R parked at Buckland Jetty with a view out across Bottom Lake to the other side, over island of reeds and small shrubs, a haven for water birds, and southwards to the dunes of the Entrance where waves crashed wildly on the beaches on the southern side.  All along the foreshore there was a council run caravan park which could only be described as huge with no less than five toilet blocks and at least two large camp kitchen huts.  Another lovely feature of the area was the way kangaroos lived side by side with human activity.  They could be seen lying, resting and eating quite unconcerned about the human population.  There, does could be seen with the legs or a head of their joeys sticking out of their pouches while the bucks would peer curiously around and scratch their bellies.  It was still grey at 11:30am with a temperature of 11*C though the weather app said feels like 9*C as there was quite a strong breeze from the south whipping up the waves.  At Baston Point, waves crashed over the breakaway rocks with all its beacons at its ocean access and over the rocks and walls of the coast.  It was easy to see why the area was known for the shipwreck of the “Monumental City” in 1853 when 33 lives were lost.  Shortly after 1:00pm R & R headed along Betka Road, over Betka River, past Betka Family Beach and the airport, a few kilometres on seal before driving a couple more on unsealed surface, to Quarry Beach.  Both R & R had been keen to see the coloured rocks shown in the brochures and, though guarded against the possibility of disappointment, they found it well worth the time and effort.  There, against the shoreline were rock walls with waves of rainbow coloured rocks.  Every angle was a pretty shot!  R & R ate a late lunch there watching the seagulls fossicking in a shallow puddle of sea water on the beach.  RL was fascinated as he noticed that they were stamping their feet to disturb their catch.  It was a behaviour that neither he nor his wife had ever seen before.  It being 2:00pm, there was just a little time spare, so R & R popped in to see the WWII Bunker near the airport on the way back.  It was very impressive, being in good condition and in the process of having restoration and grounds works.  There was a great collection of interesting artefacts in the grounds including airplane weights (used as anchors) that were being used as bollards with rope to keep visitors from climbing over the bunker and RA was impressed by the size of a mine (bomb) as it was nearly as tall as her.  R & R headed quickly into town and changed to be ready for 3:00pm Mass.  Fr was unwell so the little group lead their own communion service and made R & R feel welcome.  The church itself was a community church and used by several denominations.  RA was particularly enchanted by two ideas in its construction.  Built in 1973, the front of the outside looked like a boat prow connecting to the town and its history and the main window faced out over the ocean reminding the faithful to connect their worship and learning to the world outside.  As R & R were leaving they were given enough sandwich to wrap and have for lunch another day.  By 4:00pm, R & R were heading back to Genoa, the camper and the cousins.  When they got back, R & R chatted a while, rang their daughter, S, prepared dinner and returned to chat with the cousins while eating, seated around T’s campfire.  Everyone chatted for a couple of hours except RL who left for a while to speak with K, his sister, when she rang.  It had been a long busy day with all those beaches and sand in the car.  R & R were determined to wander around the next day and see if they could find some of those lovely European Goldfinches … that the cousins had seen and managed to get on camera.

29/10/2018 Monday R & R slept well and woke to a cool morning about 6:30am.  RA got straight out as she was keen to catch up on her diary before the day got away from her.  After breakfast, R & R sat and chatted with T & A, the cousins, and their friends while they took down the tents and packed up.  They, too, had been on the road camping long enough for it to be done quickly and efficiently.  R & R were impressed.  R & R were sad to see them head off as it had been a wonderful and welcome interruption to their own plans.  It was about 10:00am, when R & R left the camper and drove east out of Genoa about 2kms to the unsealed Genoa Peak Track.  RL engaged 4WD and drove 7kms on a very good, winding but not steep or narrow, track to the car park.  On the way they saw again the yellow and black cockatoos.  In the car park, R & R sat and ate cake with coffee to fortify themselves for the hike.  Though the walk was only 1.5kms, they knew that it was steep, required scrambling over some rocks and included some climbing of steps nearer the top.  The sign indicated that 2 hours should be allowed for the climb.  It took R & R about 45 minutes to walk/climb to the top.  At 488m above sea level, they breathed the lovely fresh air and took in all the 360* views of Mallacoota Inlet with its lakes and the sea beyond, 20kms to the south, and all the mountains a little further away to the north.  R & R were delighted to find a native orchid with a creamy white blossom, growing only up on the highest of the rocks, with a delightful perfume in the air.  The only disappointment was that it was cloudy.  There was a feeling, almost, of being like Mr Miyagi (“Karate Kid”) and his bonsai in the misty mountains. There were other wildflowers near the top and along the way including a solitary spider orchid.  Though the climb up was quite steep, it was not slippery.  Not so coming down!  The path was covered in the needles of sheoak which were quite slippery. Add to that sheoak nuts, scattered like marbles, and there was a feeling like being in the “Home Alone” movie.  R & R saw only one goanna, but saw it twice, going up and going down, on the same rock.  They were also lucky enough to see another lyrebird.  While on the subject of lyrebirds, did you know that they are incredible mimics.  You only need to look up lyrebird calls and David Attenborough and you will be amazed!  Only when R & R got back to the carpark about 12:00pm did they see the sun breaking through the clouds.  As R & R were driving back out to Princes Highway, J, RL’s brother-in-law rang so they stopped and chatted for about 15 minutes.  Again, they saw the trees with pale yellow blossom in the creek lines but were not able to see close enough to guess if they were wattle, sheoak or melaleuca.  RL turned west on Princes Highway for a couple of kilometres and then right into an unmarked track (not Genoa Creek Track which is a little further) just before a set of power lines to drive about 100m to the Genoa Creek Waterfall carpark.  R & R sat in the Ute and ate delicious sandwiches thanks to the kind lady from St Peter’s in Mallacoota.  By 1:30pm, it was 16*C and pleasantly sunny.  Then, it was only about another 100m walk along a track and down stairs to the waterfall.  R & R had agreed that the waterfall may not be falling at this time, considering it had been such a dry winter, but were hopeful when they heard water running.  It was a lovely little spot; a gem in the crown of Genoa … so close and easy to achieve.  By 2:00pm, R & R were back at the camper and having a cup before a cat nap.  About an hour later, they were reading through a draft and selecting photos to suit the text.  R & R rang their daughter, H, as she had sent an image of a snake found in the neighbour’s garden and then set about doing some domestics, like sorting food in the box in the back of the Ute.  That done, they went for a walk over the bridge into the little community of Genoa to read all the signs on their heritage walk.  They were also hoping to find the finch, so they walked slowly and peered carefully in all the bushes as they meandered.  They saw many birds, mostly known to them, and RL was able to shoot an image of the bell miner and one of an eastern whipbird.  But … they never saw the finch.  Finally, they ducked through the bushes down to the creek line before it became too late.  As they were returning to the camper, a single blue wren was amongst a flock of other little birds feeding on the grass.  They were the European Goldfinch with their distinctive red markings on their beaks and a line back over their eyes and red on the side of their tails.  RA stood motionless while RL did the camera work.  RA posted the draft and prepared dinner while RL downloaded his photos and deleted some.  R & R rang their sister-in-law, L to catch up on her news and after dinner RL read while RA tried desperately to catch up with the diary.  Another delightful day … with wildflower wilderness, a waterfall, finches and friends.

30/10/2018 Tuesday R & R slept well, waking at 6:30am to a cool 9*C and not really inclined to be in a hurry to get going.  After breakfast they made a donation for their stay and wrote a Thank You to the Genoa Town Committee Inc.  That done, there was nothing left for it but to be away.  Anyway, both RL & RA were keen to go to Point Hicks to see the Lighthouse.  At 8:45am, RL set off west on Princes Highway to Cann River 46kms away.  About half way, near Mt Drummer and the Alfred National Park it was particularly steep and winding, going up and then down, with big trees and a drop to the valley floor quite sheer on one side.  Mostly. it was ground that R & R had covered going out the week before, so there was just more forest on winding hilly road where in sections cicadas were so noisy, it was almost deafening.  R & R both agreed that it would drive them crazy.  Even when they stopped in Cann River to dump the camper for the day, the cicadas were noisy in the open country, in and around the town.  Shortly before 10:00am, RL headed south on sealed road which was winding and noteworthy as the verge on the west of the road was cleared, leaving forest debris, and looked untidy.  The first 5kms were small farms before the Lower Cann Nature Reserve began and continued for the next ten.  When the seal ran out RL continued the next 30kms on towards Thurra River Camping grounds.  Generally speaking, the first section was not too bad but as soon as the Croajingalong National Park began it was more corrugated, rutted and potholed.  It was extremely winding and up and down so that it was a great relief to turn over the single lane Thurra River bridge with white dunes as its back drop and arrive at the camp grounds shortly before 11:00am.  It was only a couple of kilometres beyond that to the car park at the gate of the Lighthouse reserve, having first to cross water that was 20cm deep over the road.  Not a problem for the Hum and Ute!  Along the way there were several campers enjoying their wilderness adventure.  R & R had coffee and banana before tackling the 2.2km walk.  It was really the service road to the lighthouse so there was no way of getting lost.  It, like the track from the camp ground followed the coast very closely, with views of the ocean and the waves crashing through the trees and shrubbery, skirting Honeymoon Bay before becoming steep and veering round the point to the Lighthouse.  Built between 1888-90, Point Hicks Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on mainland Australia and is positioned where James Cook first sighted Australian land in 1770.  Over half a dozen vessels have been shipwrecked in the area since the late 1870s, some despite there being a lighthouse.  For RA, who likes lighthouses nearly as much as windmills, it was a treat to be able to see it and take some photos of it, in particular, and of the Cook monument.  Witnessing seals swimming and trying to clamber on rocks and whales rising and falling way out to sea was another treat.  RL was armed with the monocular for RA and both sets of lenses to cover all bases.  He walked far out on the rocks to get the best position.  R & R returned to the Ute for lunch about 12:45pm and were heading back to Cann River shortly after 1:00pm.  All in all, it took R & R just over an hour and a half to walk 2.2kms there, take photos and look around and walk back 2.2kms with the drive out and in from Cann River to the Point of 45kms (each way) taking about one hour twenty each way.  R & R saw only one car heading out, three cars and two motorcycles at the lighthouse carpark and three heading out as they were returning.  Of the road, come track, RL commented on separate occasions, “Not a nice road!” and “Not very pleasant!”  One section of the road near Granite Creek was particularly steep and winding with a deep valley dropping away to the east of the road. The countryside was eucalypt with dry rainforest and heathland.  R & R saw gums, banksia, casuarina, pittosporum, ti tree, sedges, reed, rushes, bracken, ferns, tree ferns, pockets of various shrubs in bloom of pink, white, blue, mauve and yellow and stands of blackboy growing on soils that were yellow to orange and dunes with white sand.  In terms of wildlife other than whales and seals, R & R saw many birds, mostly parrots and black cockatoos, a couple of very dark grey wallabies, a live snake on the road and a lace monitor.  It was 2:30pm when R & R returned to the camper on the main street in Cann River.  They had a cup of coffee and rang their daughter, H, to enquire about the snake that had been seen in the neighbour’s garden and were relieved to hear it had not returned.  Before leaving, R & R popped into the information centre just to see if there were any points of interest or maps that they had missed.  The drive from Cann River to the Murungowar rest area was back on Princes Highway which they had driven out along the week before.  Much of the roadworks sealing the shoulders had been completed but there was a hive of activity on one section where an extra lane was being created.  It was cool and grey when R & R arrived at the rest area just after 4:00pm, though for the most part it had been a beautiful sunny day.  R & R had a cup of coffee before setting the camper up and looking at maps.  RL read and RA wrote her diary before and after dinner.  E, RL’s sister rang to give an update on how J, her husband, was going so, after dinner, R & R rang RA’s brother CT to ask if R & R could stay with them at Dromana over the coming weekend.  That settled, RA could sleep well … knowing that there was a plan for the next week.