Well - only 11 days since my last entry and SO MUCH has happened. Been to so many beautiful places. Tassie IS what everyone says it is. So unspoilt (mostly) and rugged and ridiculously beautiful. Driving can get a little testy - continuously uphill and downhill. The whole state is mountainous - well, I haven't reached any L_O_N_G plains yet. After Ulverstone we headed west along the north coast to Burnie - where paper mills used to be the mainstay of employment. However with the cessation of logging to a large degree, tourism is probably now the major employer. In fact, I would say tourism is Tassies major industry. Then timber plantations, salmon farming, lobsters and cool climate fruits (berries of all sorts and grapes, also stone fruits). From Burnie to Somerset to Wynyard to Table ... read more

Well - it's been a few weeks!!! After leaving Echuca we headed north (back into NSW) to Deniliquin, then east to Finlay, south to Tocumwal (Vic) and on to Cobram. Spent 3 nights 'on The River' at Cobram then back over The River to Barooga. There we met up with Patrick (Sharon's workmate from Ray White). He was recently engaged and has 'come home' to celebrate with his family. It was also his Mum & Dad's 60th Wedding Anniversary and we were all cordially invited to attend the celebrations on Sunday afternoon. At least Sharon KNOWS Patrick - but we were feeling almost like gatecrashers!!! But, 'county folk' being how they are, we were made to feel very welcome and we had a nice afternoon. From there we went east to Albury/Wodonga and I met up ... read more

Hello all - we've covered a few miles since Canberra. We decided to go to the South Coast after all, since we still have plenty of time. So zipped down the range to Bateman's Bay for a couple of nights, then further south to Merimbula for a few nights. All that area down there is SOOOOO very pretty (even if still a little chilly and the rain is STILL following us!). Anyway, from Bateman's Bay we did a day-trip south to Moruya and a day-trip north to Pebbly Beach and inspected several beaches all around. At Pebbly Beach we encountered some very tame rosellas and king parrots that ate bread from your hand! and the locals told us that it is the only place in Australia where the kangaroos actually go into the sea - swimming ... read more

Hello all After Goulburn we HAD planned to slip down to the South Coast of NSW and spend a week or so (between Nowra & Batemans Bay) and hopefully a little more pleasant weather, put the boat in the water, do a spot of fishing, eat oysters/seafood and veg out. But when there was late snowfalls at The Snowy, we decided we should bite the bullet, grit our teeth and bear the cold and head there instead, since the other 3 have never seen snow. So we headed off to Jindabyne and did a day-trip to Thredbo. Not much snow left there now - some very minor stuff, 2 days old, high up in the peaks. We took the chairlift at Thredbo and 'did' the trek to the Mt Kosciuszko Lookout (about 6km/return from the top ... read more

Crossed the border from Cunnumulla to Bourke. As I said on a previous Blog - all the towns as far as Inverell have been prety 'hick places' not inviting at all. Being up on the New England Tableland, Inverell was the start of interesting, inviting places - even if cold...... coldest thus far was in Glen Innes - 0.2deg minimum overnight!!! The scenery as you drive along looks just like The Atherton Tablelands - rolling hills of green and trees and very picturesque vistas open up before you periodically. The cooler prevailing weather has made way for beautiful plants and trees - cool climate plants such as daffodils, magnolias, camelias, maples, may, roses, cherry blossom, crab-apple, etc etc and exquisite parrots that you'd swear had been hand-painted, such is the exact lines of their colour changes. ... read more