05.01.12

Happy New Year everyone. It was with the best of intentions that I started to do a final blog before Christmas. Sadly, it didn’t eventuate as I was so busy socialising as I travelled through the Gippsland area as far east as Orbost and then back to Sale. I had a lovely weekend with the Sippy family (only those acquainted with Elaine will know who I mean.) It was so nice to meet Elaine’s family.

At Wilsons Promontory National Park I had a good walk to the Tidal Overlook which is the vantage point between Norman and Leonard Bays. There are lots of walks to do at the Prom but I decided that one was enough for the day. From there I decided to travel mainly around the coastline of Victoria, visiting places like Port Albert, which is Gippsland’s oldest port. Established in 1841 this delightful coastal hamlet has historic buildings and is truly a lovely unspoilt place with fishing boats tied up in the port. It has remained relatively untouched until recent times.

I’ve enjoyed some lovely campsites such as Marlo where the Snowy River ends its journey at Bass Strait and Marlay Point on the edge of Lake Wellington, where I again had the place to myself. 

At Lakes entrance I booked in for 2 nights at a park on the Backwater or North Arm of the lake. I decided that I’d do a lake cruise. Lakes Entrance is a beach and lakeside holiday destination. The Gippsland Lakes’ Cunninghame Arm takes you to the expansive 90 Mile Beach to Lakes Entrance. On the foreshore of Lakes Entrance unique carved statues in the stumps of cypress trees stand as a memorial to World War One soldiers. John Brady, chainsaw artist, was commissioned to sculpt these figures, to preserve the ageing butts. The trees were actually planted in 1924.

What a lovely relaxing afternoon it was as we sailed down the waterways and with a fairly comprehensive commentary by the boatman too. It was a 35 km scenic cruise through Reeves Channel, Bancroft Bay into Boxes and Chinaman’s Creeks, around the shores of picturesque Metung with a run into Lake Victoria and as far as Paynesville.  We then took a cruise up some of the canals to see the rather grand housing development. It reminded me of the Gold Coast. By this stage we had almost circumnavigated Raymond Island and into parts of Lake King. And then we returned to Lakes Entrance some 2 and half hours later. It was a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon especially as the weather was so lovely.

Near the town of Traralgon I took time out to visit Tarra Bulga National Park. Some historical facts about the area include the Polish explorer Strzelecki and his party, who in 1840 explored the ranges that now bear his name. The Aboriginal guide was Charlie Tarra and together the party cut through thick scrub and tall timber to reach Western Port.

I then set off for Walhalla, via Tyers. The drive itself took me through some of Victoria’s most spectacular scenery. Walhalla was once one of Australia’s richest gold towns and in its golden hey days had over 3000 people, 10 hotels, 7 churches, schools and shops. It still retains its historic charm, as I discovered when I took a walk after dinner.

The next day was so interesting wandering around Walhalla. It’s a great place to leave the car and take in the wonderful story of the old town – the hillside cemetery, the picturesque miners’ cottages, the narrow gauge railway and the once prosperous Long Tunnel Mine, from which more than 50 tonnes of gold was removed.   I began my self guided walking tour at about 10am. The buildings have mostly been recreated in the fashion of the time and many blocks have not been rebuilt after fire destroyed them. Many are now guest houses. Today the tiny town’s population is less than 20 permanent residents, a far cry from its population of 3500 in the 19^th century when Walhalla was a booming gold town.

From there I travelled towards the Mornington Peninsular, via Morwell, Leongatha and Cranbourne. I had an extremely busy time meeting up with friends and family over the Christmas and New Year break. The reunion at Merricks Beach at Ian and Jo-Anne’s was great as we (all 8 of us) reminisced about our Cape York trip. Then it was on to see Kevin and Jean at Mornington (friends met at the Birdsville Cup) for some more reminiscing. At Mt Eliza I met up with Kay and John Carrol for some – you guessed it – more reminiscing about our Caningeraba days. By this time it was Christmas Eve and I just had enough time to do some last minute shopping before joining Aileen, Imelda and Colin and their littl’uns for Christmas at Portsea. I can’t thank everyone enough for the wonderful times I’ve had due to everyone’s kindness. The weather, too, has been most kind, making visits to the occasional winery, beach or restaurant very pleasant indeed.

All too soon it was time to leave the Mornington Peninsular and head for the western part of Port Phillip. The ferry ride across the Bay from Sorrento to Queenscliff takes a mere 45 minutes and is very smooth indeed. Again the holiday crowd was out in force and this was probably due to the mild weather. It was nice to be part of the happy holiday makers.

After a drive around the Bellarine Peninsular and Portarlington I stayed at a little caravan park just to the east of Geelong and had a rather quiet New Year’s Eve. But I did manage to see in the New Year and watched the televised fireworks display in Melbourne.

My last few days were in Geelong meeting some of Jenny’s family. They showed me the Geelong Waterfront, which is a fascinating place, as it has a beautiful bay and a harbour that features great restaurants and cafes and stunning views. During the 1990s the council, along with a public appeal, funded a multi- million- dollar rejuvenation program to improve the whole foreshore area. It really is a beautiful place to visit with lawns, rotundas, playgrounds and pavilions. Geelong’s most photographed and talked about icons are the bollards which tell of Geelong’s history. There are over 100 colourful wooden bollards created by local artist Jan Mitchell. So activities such as walking, swimming and bike-riding were the order of the day for me whilst visiting the Geelong area. Just as well we got our bike ride in early in the morning, as Monday turned out to be a ‘stinker’ of a day with the temperature soaring to 42 degrees. That hot northerly wind never let up all day.

But it’s been delightful meeting Maureen and Margaret, Jenny’s aunts, along with some cousins too. So, as I put the finishing touches to this very long blog, I’m sitting at a very crowded caravan park in Port Fairy. Everyone is certainly making the most of the holiday season and the good weather. And for those of you fortunate to still be on holiday, ENJOY!