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Published: February 2nd 2008
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After breakfast we departed first of all for a walk in part of the rain forest called Maits Rest, a lovely 30 minute stroll through cool temperate rain forest - myrtle beech, tree ferns lots of birds and carnivorous black snails the latter sadly we did not manage to see! We then drove down to the Otway light station looking out all the way down the 12 k road for koala’s, which we were assured we would see but did’nt. We parked and hiked 500 m to the loo’s and lo and behold there were a couple of koala’s asleep very precariously across the branches of some gum trees.
Then we zoomed along to the Otway fly tree top walk.The walk was 2.5 K rising up to 47 m off the forest floor on steel walk ways and a cantilever bit that can take the weight of 7 2 ton elephants; fortunately there were only 6 on when we got there so we were ok It was fab looking down on the tree ferns and the different levels of the canopy as we went up and down.
Then we motored on to see the 12
apostles and they are as everyone says amazing. We then moved on to the Loch Ard stack formations , the razor back, blow hole and thunder bay awesome, just as beautiful if not more so than the 12 A. Then there was the London bridge and other wonderful stacks and rock formations all the way down the coast to Warrnambool were we then turned inland to Woolsthorpe and our lodging for the night at Quamby home stead a beautiful Victorian villa, wooden verandas, high ceilings, picture rails, a roaring fire in the morning when we had breakfast. We were in the converted stable type buildings at the back, very pretty and a comfy bed and boy did we sleep well after a very busy but enjoyable day.
Thursday 30th
Awoke to the sound of heavy rain got suitably attired for the walk to the main house for breakfast, felt quite chilly Julie was lovely and served us a fab cooked breakfast. It had stopped raining by the time we had finished and we had a look round the gardens as ever there
were lots of agapanthus and beautiful roses. Drove down to Port Fairy and the sun was out and getting hot so off with the jeans and on with the shorts! Very pretty little town with river and sea on 2 sides. We walked over onto Griffith Island and did the circular walk round. It was so lovely, wonderful sea views, waves, golden sand, clear varying shades of blue sea.
We found a cafe that had internet connection and checked our emails and sent an email off to the off spring and down loaded the diary onto the blog. Sorry for all the writing it’s usually censured but we were running out of time and it was easier just to dump the lot - unfortunately we were unable to upload any photos - will be trying later.
Then into the car for the trip up to the Grampians. Lots of pleasant but very long country roads, at times reminiscent of England especially going through places called Kirkstall and Skipton, but the flocks of parakeets, swooping big owls and strange road kill, made us rethink that idea. The flat landscape gave way to two pert hills in the distance which announced the Grampians were approaching. As was a very wide caravan that as it grew nearer we realised was a very large water tank on wheels being towed by an ordinary station wagon, we gave way as it occupied the whole road!!
The foothills and then the interior of the Grampians were very beautiful and densely forested but much of them has been obviously badly damaged or recovering from the terrible forest fire 2 years ago; amazing to see the new growth. The tourist industry has been badly affected but is recovering, the area is still very beautiful. Found our way to Welches on Wildflower in Pomeral just outside Halls Gap and after a lovely tea ready for our walking and exploring day. We have seen mobs of roos all around and some beautiful wild deer hoping to see wild emu by the lake tomorrow.
Friday 31st January
Our last night in Oz: it has gone so fast but we have done so much. Pauline provided a lovely breakfast here at the Welches and we were up and away by 9:20 to try to fit in as much as we could. The first stop was the aboriginal centre called Brambuk to see if they had any didgeridoo classes for Steve! (Don’t ask). Apparently 1pm looked promising so we went off to the “disappearing falls” . The walk there was lovely, through the eucalyptus trees the air full of lovely orange butterflies and red parrots. When we arrived at the falls we saw why they got their name; there is no pool of water as the waterfall disappears into the rocks and pebbles and emerges further down the valley.
Going back towards Hals Gap we went down to Lake Belfield to have a look for Emu’s one of the locals told us he goes fishing there and you always see them and he was right! So we have photographic proof that the grey smudges in the distance are emu’s!
We just had time before the didgeridoo! To do a circular walk around Fynans creek just by Brambuk, the mountains looked fantastic against the brilliant blue sky and we saw heaps of kangaroos dozing in the shade. One was very close to us, a big female with a Joey in her pouch who kept sticking out a leg. Every where you look in Halls Gap and Pomonal there are mobs of kangaroos following all the devestation following the fires the roo have come in closer to the towns to feed as they lost all their grass lands higher up, the locals seem very tolerant of them. It does make driving a little scary cause come tea timish they are on the move! So we have been keeping the speed down and staying as near the centre of the road as poss when there are no cars coming the other way!
The usual didgeridoo guy was not there but a very nice young man called Michael gave us our own personal tutorial on this wonderful instrument and then Steve had a go! To begin with raspberries come to mind but he did improve, I think he would quite like one but you need a big one to do it correctly - so maybe when we get home we can get one sent to us. The rest of the centre is interesting charting the aboriginal heritage and the terrible times they had especially during the stolen children times. The centre is run and administered by the local aboriginal people it is a beautiful building harnessing the elements into the fabric of the building.
In the afternoon we visited the balconies which gave you fabulous views over the Victoria valley we then went onto McKenzie falls which was another lovely walk and lots of nice photographic opportunities. Back to Wildflowers to recoup and get packed for our journey back to Melbourne and our flight onto NZ. We went out for supper and the roos were out in force, we saw a field of sheep followed by a field of roos followed by a field of parakeets! On the way home lots more roos one hopped in front of us into the garden were we are staying. We stayed in the garden a while looking at the stars and watched a shooting star go past a lovely ending to another glorious day.
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