Cobram - Lake Cargelligo

After hitching up the van in light drizzle at Beechworth, it wasn't too far down the hwy before we drove out of the crappy weather and we're once again enjoying a warm autumn day.

We stopped at Rutherglen to enjoy an award winning Parker pie for lunch then travelling further onto Cobram. It was lovely to get our chairs out and sit in the warm sunshine, we had to make the most of it as the weather forecast was not very promising for the next couple of days.

While we were in Cobram we caught up with our friends Bridget and Don enjoying a lovely lunch and dinner at their house. we also had a visit to the bone cruncher (chiropractor) as before leaving home Baz was suffering with a stiff neck and I have had sciatic pain in the butt. It was a new experience for us, Baz is feeling a lot better but I am still a pain in the bum!

Yesterday we left Cobram and travelled to Griffith via the Kidman Hwy where we stopped to have lunch before proceeding on another 130klm on a secondary road rather than travelling the Newell Hwy stopping at a lovely free camp spot beside Lake Cargelligo. We arrived with plans of an overnight stop but have ended up stopping for two, as the weather was going to be kind, giving us a 26 degree day to sit beside the picturesque lake. We took the bikes off the car this morning and went for a leisurely ride part way round the lake and into town, being a Sunday the Main Street was deserted, I think all the locals were gathered at the football ground watching the local team play. This is a place we could quiet happily settle into for a few more days, only we had a I call from some friends from Qheanbeyan who are further north and we would like to meet up with them. Lake Cargelligo will certainly be on our list of places to  revisit.

Lake Cargelligo our 1st night

Lake Cargelligo Main St

Lake Cargelligo 2nd night

Beechworth

The last two days we have spent at the historic gold - mining town of Beechworth.

 Yesterday after only a short journey from Bright which was in light drizzle, we arrived here at the Lake Sambell Caravan Park. Once we had unhitched we set out to explore the town. After stopping in at the Information Centre we were armed with plenty of brochures about the town and the surrounding areas. First off the list was a visit to the Old Court House, you are able to stand in the dock where Ned Kelly stood during his committal hearing. Next it was off to the Beechworth Bakery for a coffee (hot chocolate) and a Beesting. We finished off our day with a short drive out to the Woolshed Falls.

This morning the sun was shining and we thought we would take the bikes off the back of the car and ride around Lake Sambell. It was an enjoyable ride through avenues of Oak Trees in their Autumn glory. Next it was off to the Beechworth Gaol where we joined in a very informative tour and saw the very harsh conditions that the prisoners had to endure.

After all this activity we had worked up an appetite so we thought we would visit the Bridge Road Brewers a craft beer producer. Thought we would sample some of their handcrafted beers with our lunch, but that was a big mistake, Baz and I didn't enjoy any of them, yuk should have had a glass of wine instead!

The last couple of things on our to do list was a visit to Beechworth Honey then we headed off to Yackandanda a pretty little village stepping back in time. The village is home to many artists with galleries and shops brimming with arts, crafts and antiques.On the return trip we stopped at the cemetery where we viewed the Chinese Burning Towers. Many Chinese came to the Beechworth Goldfields and they built these towers to be used in their burial ceremonies.

Have decided that I need to take Baz to SpecSavers as when we were in Bright he found himself in the ladies amenities, wondering why there was no urinal. Only for me to catch him emerging from the ladies amenities here at Beechworth again confused that there was nowhere to hang out!

We also met Bette, an 85 year old lady that is traveling by herself and towing a small pop top. She lives south of Melbourne and is on her way to Wonga Beach which is located north of Cairns, she does this trip every year and will spend 3 months there. What an inspiration to all of us that someone of her age is out there doing what she loves and even talking about buying herself another van a small Jurgens Caravan.

Beechworth

Woolshed Falls

Bike track

Beechworth Gaol 

Beer tasting

Chinese Burning Towers

Bette getting ready to hit the road

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Bright

After a good night's sleep we had a leisurely get away and on the road at 9am, our first stop was at Glenrowan which is the home of the "Big Ned Kelly" statue. The small village of Glenrowan was the scene of the Kelly Gang's last stand against police. Ned was shot and captured here in June 1880, so of course there is a very good Museum with plenty of memorabilia from the Kelly family.

Arriving in Blight we booked into the Top Tourist Caravan Park then decided we would make the journey along the Great Alpine Hwy up to Mr Hotham. Leaving Harrietville we then had a steady slow climb up the mountain for 32klms on a very winding road with a very steep drop and no guard rails. Unfortunately we only managed 22klms as the higher we climbed the weather was deteriorating with rain and low cloud so we made a joint decision to turn around negotiating the road much better on the return trip. Bright and the surrounding countryside is very picturesque with the red and yellow Autumn colours of the trees.

Autumn colours Bright

View of Bright from Huggins Lookout

Views from Mt Hothman

Hobart - Shepparton

How the time has flown since our last trip to the Big Island, we returned home at the end of September to be welcomed by our newest grandson Archer who was eight weeks early. Now it is already May again and we are are packed and ready to start another journey.

Yesterday 17th May we said a teary farewell to Tan, Greg and our four grandsons and must not forget our beloved dog Doug,  just hope there are no mishaps with the chickens this year! We had an uneventful trip north stopping for morning tea at Ross then of course we cannot pass the Raspberry Farm where we enjoyed a very nice lunch. Having time up our sleeve before we need to board the boat we had time to pop over to Ulverstone and catch up with Dennis & Lynne.

Today we arrived in Melbourne with a forecast for 21degs and had disembarked by 6.30am it was then onto the Citilink making our way to the Hume Highway stopping at Seymour to enjoy a good old cuppa and our breakfast. Next stop was in Shepparton where we called to see Jan & Martin before heading 53kl east of Shep to a free camp at Casey's Weir. There are three other campers stopping here for the night it feels quiet a safe environment, hopefully we will not be bothered by passing traffic and get a good nights sleep. (All very quiet so far!)

Cobram - Melbourne

After our over indulgence week at Echuca we traveled a little further along the Murray to Cobram. Our main reason for going to Cobram was to catch up with our friends Bridget and Don who only live just up the road from the Willows Caravan park where we base ourselves. We were very spoilt while we were there for the couple of days with Bridget cooking for us both nights, more food and drinks to round those tummies. Tuesday Don and Bridget picked us up and took us out for the day stopping along the way at an olive grove where they sold an array of olive oil products, so of course I just had to buy a supply of goodies after the samples we were given. Our next stop was at the chocolate factory in Corowa and once again the credit card had a work out, before heading back across the border this time stopping at Rutherglen for an award winning Parker Pie. We had a leisurely stroll along the main street of Rutherglen hoping that was enough exercise for the day to work off the calories as our next stop was going to be at the Boosey Creek Cheese Factory, of course you can guess what append next! On arrival back at the van it was trying to find space for all these extra goodies. Have had an awful smell in the caravan, finally worked out that it was the smelly socks cheese that we had bought, have now locked it in an air tight container.

Wednesday we traveled down to Frankston via Yea, the countryside was a lush green and a few hills to make the trip a bit more interesting rather than traveling down the Freeway and unable to appreciate the countryside. The weather was overcast but ok for traveling, we arrived at the Big 4 Frankston mid afternoon to surprise Pauline & Les as we had previously told them we would not be there until Friday. Thursday the weather was atrocious with rain, and gale force winds around the 50klms and gusting to 80klms, it was a good thing that we were not towing it was bad enough just going out in the Pajero.  On Friday we had to take the van to the Jurgens Factory to get a window replaced and after leaving it there for a couple of hours we ventured to the Westfield Shopping Centre at Fountain Lake for some retail therapy. We were a little disappointed that Kel was not at the butchers shop. Of course Saturday was Grand Final Day, Baz had been to the AFL shop to get himself some brown & yellow and we were able to set ourselves up in the recreational room at the caravan park in front of the big screen.

Today is Sunday our last day after 20 weeks on the road, we are now parked along Beaconsfield Pde in Port Melbourne waiting to board the Spirit and looking forward to catching up with family and friends when we get home.

Until next year!

Watching the Grand Final

Lovely day at Melb waterfront waiting for the ferry

Echuca

We have spent a week here at Echuca and can't believe how fast the week has past. Echuca is one of our favorite towns we stay at the Top Tourist Caravan Park at the top end of the Port which is walking distance to the Port and specialty shops It is lovely to sit outside the van and listen to the Paddle Steamer whistles as they motor up and down the Murray River. The Kookaburra's are also quiet vocal, with their chatter, except at 4.15am, I love listening to them but not at that time of the morning.The weather at the beginning of the week was a bit miserable but after a couple of days it improved and we were able to walk to to the Port and visit the Beechworth Bakery daily, to enjoy a shared Beesting.

We certainly needed a bit of exercise to work off some of the extra calories that we had consumed either at the Bakery of going out for meals and enjoying the Parma's at the Bridge Hotel and we also found a nice little Indian Restaurant that we frequented. We managed to go to the Echuca Bowls Club a couple of times for a roll up, their greens were certainly running very well, it was a bit of an effort to bend over and pick up the bowls after all that we had been consuming.

Our last couple of days there was at the beginning of the school holidays and the park certainly came alive. Echuca is a very popular destination for families. The grandparents would arrive and then their offsprings and grandchildren would rock up in either camper trailers or older style vans, out would come the bikes, scooters, totem tennis and balls. The poor ducks had to find another duck pond as the children took ownership of the pool.

Port Lincoln - Port Augusta - Morgan - Mildura - Nyah

Last Monday we headed off towards Port Lincoln which is at the tip of the Eyre Peninsular, stopping on the way to look at Murphys Haystacks, which are large granite structures in the middle of a field. It was a pleasant tip, the day was sunny with patchy cloud we passed acres of florescent paddocks of Canola and many rocky paddocks with fences made from the limestone rocks.We arrived at Port Lincoln before lunch and made our way to the Port Lincoln Tourist Park, which had uninterrupted water views from most sites, leaving the van we headed into town where we had a very enjoyable Chinese meal. After lunch we explored the town and was amazed at the size and number of fishing boats that were moored in the marina. We also ferreted out a fresh fish outlet where again we indulged in the fresh oysters from Coffin Bay, and could not go past the flat head fillets which we enjoyed that night.

We had a nice early start the next morning due to my error in the time zones, I had been watching Sunrise and it was being broadcast 30 minutes ahead of the SA time. Thinking I was getting up at 7.30am when it was really only 7am, thought there was something wrong with my watch! The scenery heading north towards Port Augusta was beautiful green paddocks, and again acres of Canola. We were about 70klms south of Cowell, when Baz and I heard a loud gush of escaping air, thinking it was a blown tyre we quickly pulled into the side of the road only to find that all the tyres were fine. Baz next checked the air pressure in the air bags, again no problems there, back in the car was another matter as when starting the engine we had a loud fan noise coming from the drivers. Baz next checked under the bonnet and found that a hose had come off the turbo, so lucky, he was able to connect the hose back on and tighten the clamp, it would have been a long wait for RAC. We stopped at Cowell for lunch before continuing on and the landscape changed from lush futile paddocks to baron saltbush plains.We spent the night at the caravan and motorhome park at the cricket/football club only $7 for the night. We went for a walk to the local bowls club where we were talked into have a roll up with a couple of the locals. It was the first time we have had the bowls out of the car since leaving home four months ago, it was good feeling to be back on the green,  hopefully we will get another couple of chances before getting home and the start of pennant. That evening we went to the cricket/football club and enjoyed a nice meal along with another two Tasmanian couples.

The next day we were on the road early again heading towards Victoria, we stopped for lunch at the Historic Riverside town of Morgan, when Baz was checking the wheels on the van he found that one was quiet a bit warmer than the other three. We thought it best to book into the caravan park there and chase up a mechanic who said he would come to us the next morning. We waited patiently all morning trying his mobile to no avail, so Baz decided he would check things out himself. The bearings all seemed fine so after some tender loving care he put the wheel back on and took the van for a test run, without any problems. Thinking now that it must have been a sticking brake shoe.

After stopping another night at Morgan we set off to cross the SA/Vic border taking us to Mildura. Stopping along the way to eat a punnet of strawberries and our last apple as we were coming into a fruit fly free zone. Upon arrival at Mildura we crossed the bridge into NSW and booked into the Buronga Riverside Caravan Park, a very nice park right on the river. As we pulled into our site we were greeted by Alan a fellow Jurgens Caravan owner, who we had met on the road last year at Charters Towers and also in Cairns. It solved the problem of whom we were going to spend happy hour with.

After bidding farewell to Alan & June this morning we crossed back into Mildura and stopped at the shopping centre to get our live longer pills, a top up of our grog supplies and replenish our fruit and veg. Then it was off towards Swan Hill  needing to use the window wipers occasionally and stopping for the night at Nyah where there is a free camp right beside the river about 25klms from Swan Hill. Also camped here are the two Tasmanian motorhome travellers that we had met in Port Augusta.

Murphys Haystacks

Port Lincoln

Fishing Fleet at the Marina Port Lincoln

The Whyalla Mine Sweeper

Canola crop & wheat silos

Murray River at Morgan
flood level gauge

Barge crossing the Murray River at Morgan

Murray River at Mildura