Heading for Home

Since we have been here at Cowes, Phillip Island the weather has not been very kind. Yesterday we filled part of our day by going to the Panny's Chocolate Factory at Newhaven where they produce Belgium style chocolate. They offered us one measly sample as we entered the shop, just enough to wet our taste buds, so hence we left with quiet a large amount to sample later. We then returned to Cowes for a fish and chip fix and went down to the foreshore to eat. After lunch we went back to the van and watched a DVD from Caravan and Motor Home on Phillip Island to Wilson Promontory which helped us in deciding where to go today, which was to the Coal Creek Village at Korumburra. The village consists of old buildings, that have been replicated or relocated from around the district to give a small town atmosphere. The village is run by volunteers and the entry is free which is a big change, everything in the village has been donated and well worth a visit. The trip took us past some spectacular coastal scenery and the return trip through some beautiful farming land with very hilly county side.

Tomorrow it is our last pack up before our return journey back to Melbourne, where we will catch the Spirit of Tasmanian to take us home until our adventures next year.

Melbourne - Phillip Island

Before we left Echuca on Tuesday we went down to check out the height of the Murray again, to find a large gum tree had fallen into the river right across a jetty where they usually tie up a paddle steamer, lucky it was further down the river. The river was up a few feet on what it had been the day before, they were only expecting it to flood a couple of local farms and that the town would be ok when it reached it's peak on Wednesday.
We arrived at Craigiburn after an uneventful trip and settled in for a couple of days. Wednesday Bazza had my breakfast ready by 6.30am in anticipation of our trip across the outer Melbourne suburbs to Box Hill, where I was to see the specialist. We did not have to leave until 8.30am to get there well and truly by my appointment time of 10am. Looks like I will be having my op in Hobart as Mr Bedi was of the same opinion as the Hobart guy and that is to fuse the joint, as the alignment of my ankle bones are not straight enough for an ankle replacement to last. It was worth getting the second opinion as he made me feel more confident of having it fused sometime in the future.
Today we left Craigiburn and travelled further south to Phillip Island, the day was blustery with a few heavy showers of rain and cold ! After setting up at the caravan park we went out to the Nobbies where you can view the seals on a good day, it was so windy that I had trouble standing still to take the photo, and looking out to Bass Straight made our stomachs churn thinking it maybe a rough trip across Sunday night ! Before heading back to the van we set off to find the Grand Prix Circuit and check it out, as the V8's had been racing there last weekend. We will stay here until Sunday then it's just a couple hours back to Melbourne to catch the ferry.


 

Echuca

Today we had an easy drive from Narrandera to Echuca travelling through lush grazing land, it has certainly changed from our trip four months ago when the gum trees were dying from lack of water and the paddocks were very dry with very little feed.
We arrived in Echuca to find a lot of interest in the rising waters of the Murray River, it is due to peak on Wednesday after the recent rains further north. Due to strong currents and debris being washed down the river the river has been closed to any river traffic, so all the Paddle Steamers are tied up along the river and all the operators are disgruntled at not being able to get and make a dollar.
I have posted some comparison photos of the Murray when we were here in May, to the photos that I have taken today after the river has risen around 23 feet.

Jetty in May

Jetty in Sept

Foreshore in May

Foreshore in Sept

Foreshore in Sept

Tonight we had a visit from a mother and baby possum in the gum tree beside the van, they were very cute !

Newell Hwy

After a four day gastronomical visit to Alison & David on the Gold Coast, where we wined and dined either out and about or at their unit at Emerald Lakes, we are now on our quick trip down the New England and Newell Highways to Melbourne.

We left Southport bright and early Friday heading West through Beaudesert to Warwick, where we connected onto the New England Highway and travelled through Stanthorpe, Tenterfield and arriving at Glen Innes. When we left the Gold Coast the day was warm and overcast, but once we had travelled inland we had rain and wind so it was unnerving travelling in such inclement conditions as we negotiated the windy mountainous terrain before reaching the New England Highway. There were quiet heavy rain falls and when we arrived at Glen Innes we heard that they had 61mls before 9am, so all the rivers and creeks were swollen and overflowing.

After a very chilly night at Glen Innes we awoke to frost on our car ! The weather Saturday was totally different to the previous day, lovely sun shine and blue skies NO RAIN ! We travelled via Armidale, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Coonabarabran then onto the Newell Highway to Dubbo. The New England Highway was scenic travelling through countryside & farm lands not unlike Tasmania in places.

Our night at Dubbo was not as chilly, so it was back on the road today to get as many kilometers behind us as we could. During the journey today we travelled through thousands of acres of canola crops where you would see the occasional tree ankle deep. Today we had to pull over and clean the windscreen after hitting a swarm of bees at 100klm per hour, it was had to see through the windscreen and I was given good advise not to use the wipers as I would have a bigger problem. We stopped for lunch at West Wyalong after passing through Parkes, Forbes and finally stopping at Narrandera for the night.

We have heard that there has been flooding further south as the rivers peek, so we are hopeful we can get through to Echuca tomorrow.