Another new adventure...

After our couple of weeks in town it was time to hit the road again in search of new adventures.  While looking for somewhere new to go Bill had come across a Bird Sanctuary just out of Ballarat.  A phone call later and we were all booked in for the following weekend.

Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary is at Linton just 30 kms South West of Ballarat and has a small camping area where members can camp.  There is a small amenities block but no power so it was a good opportunity for us to test out our new additions to the Camper Trailer.

We arrived just after dark on Friday night and once set up were able to try out our new water tank and christen the Weber.  With the lights powered by battery and the fridge by gas we had everything we needed for a great weekend in the bush.

We woke the following morning to nothing but birds singing and though it was a chilly morning it was nice and sunny.  Bill went for a wander while I tested the shower and soon after breakfast we were exploring in earnest.  The sanctuary is 535 hectares of land donated by a former farmer, Gordon Clarke, to the then Bird Observers club and is surrounded by crown land in the Woady Yaloak catchment area.

We wandered through the various fields, each one with very different habitats.  We walked along bush tracks with a dam on one side and a river on the other.  With many species of native trees there were also many different birds flitting around making the areas we explored a real wonderland.  At the end of the weekend Bill has discovered that he now has pictures of 3 new birds that he has not seen before.

The other thing that enchanted me was the number of wildflowers around.  Of course it is springtime but I always think of wildflowers being a WA thing and was amazed at the variety we saw.  So many delicate little flowers covering the forest floor and the eucalyptus and wattle trees added to the colourful display.

After lunch on Saturday afternoon we left the sanctuary and drove a bit further out to an area called Devils Kitchen.  This is the name given to a natural amphitheatre of high basalt cliffs bordering the Woady Yaloak River at Piggoreet.  This spectacular area was created many years ago by the river flowing through a valley filled with lava from volcanoes.  The basalt cliffs contain evidence of a number of separate lava flows with some amazing hexagonal columns that developed during the cooling process.  

The alluvial deposits in the former stream-bed were mined from beneath the basalt, and the remains of these sites are still in evidence today though we did not go to find these.  We were there to see the Peregrine Falcons which we were told nested in the cliffs.  We found evidence of these nesting sites on arrival and not long after Bill found a Falcon on one nest.  It did fly off soon after but set up watch on a nearby cliff seemingly checking us out as carefully as were watching it.  After some time it flew off and though we waited for some time it did not return so we left and returned back to our camp site through the little town of Linton.

Today this is just a quiet little town where the Skipton - Ballarat Rail Trail passes through.  We saw some people on bikes taking a rest here and we did the same before heading back to camp for another walk in the late afternoon.  One quirky little sight we saw in Linton was the 'waiting room' beside the Rail Trail.  Looks very comfy for the mystery resident!

Back home we had a yummy dinner, a quiet night and another early morning filled with birdsong.  With no rush to be on the road we had time to wander through some new areas before packing up and heading for home.  Another wonderful little corner discovered and one we will certainly return to.  Lots more of those 535 hectares to explore yet.

And as we head back to work for another week we look forward to next weekends visitors.

until next time..........

Grand Final excitement...

After my week on safari I went back to work on Monday wondering what this week would bring.  My first surprise was later that day when I received an email from Bill with my Grand Final ticket attached.  It was a real surprise as we knew there was the possibility that he would go but I never expected I would get to go again.  Wow!  Now all I had to do was too pick a team to cheer for on the day.

But first we had another outing to enjoy before the big day.  The Napoleon exhibition, Revolution to Empire, had been showing at the National Gallery of Victoria for the last few months and we decided that we had better visit before they packed up and left the week after the grand final.  We knew that it would get very busy during the last week so we went along to the 'Art after Dark' viewing on Wednesday night.

The gallery opens until 9.00pm each Wednesday and it was a great adventure.  Of course there were many people there to see Napoleon and it was such a wonderful exhibition with artifacts from every stage of his life making it such an interesting evening.  There were many personal items and trinkets along with furniture, clothes, paintings and of course the stories of each stage of his life.

I had obviously forgotten my history lessons and was quite surprised to find out how close we had come to being a French colony instead of a British one.  Even though the French did not colonise us they did record and collect a number of plants and animals and to see some of the original drawings done by the early explorers was quite a treat.  Also seeing the large hand drawn atlas' with the 'Australie' coastline not quite finished was most interesting.

Another interesting fact was that Josephine kept Kangaroos, Emus and Black Swans in the grounds of their residences for many years.  And the grounds were planted with many Australian plants, our gum trees doing very well indeed.

Our day at the Grand Final was wonderful.  Bill and I together with two other work colleagues hosted six guests in the Yarra Room where we had a lovely lunch before taking our seats in the stands to watch what was to be an excellent and very close game of football.  Very fitting for a Grand Final.  And the best part was that the rain stayed away and we did not get wet at all this year.  Without a team to cheer for I was able to sit back and enjoy the spectacle for the great game that it was, though I must say I was quite happy when Sydney Swans won as we still think of them as South Melbourne. 

Our Sunday was spent taking life easy as we prepared for another week at work.  It's a real shame that we have to spend time on housework and washing but I suppose someone has to do it.  We did take a walk up to the markets for lunch and I bought a new flan dish to try out a newly discovered  Leek and Asparagus Tart recipe for dinner.  Who knew I could transform into a such a domestic goddess!

Luckily I honed those skills in time for the next weekend when Lorraine and Hans were coming to visit us from Perth.  We had a great weekend with them and I even managed to impress them with my Salmon served with Mango and Avocado Salsa followed by an Apple and Blueberry sponge pudding.  All home made of course - how domestic was that!  Needless to say I didn't perform two nights in a row and we had a great night out on Saturday with dinner at Sale a Pepe in Lygon St. 

We said goodbye to them on Sunday afternoon and went back to the shop for more ingredients for Sunday nights dinner.  Pumpkin pizza with fetta, pine nuts and baby spinach.  Yes, I am getting a touch concerned about this cooking spree but we are both enjoying the adventure as we go and so far have had no ill effects from my efforts.

The following Saturday we drove down to Pakenham to pick up the camper trailer which was in for some cosmetic procedures.  We have added an extra gas bottle and some tent flys over the beds.  We are now really ready to go bush!  We stopped at Mordialloc for a late lunch at Seed Cafe.  And on Saturday night we went to the Princess Theatre to see South Pacific.  It was a great production and we loved it.  After the show we dropped into Pelligrini's for a very late supper and soon after were on the tram heading home.  A busy but fun day.

Back on the tram early Sunday morning, we headed down to South Melbourne beach to meet Bryce and Susie for brunch.  It was a beautiful morning after a miserable week weather wise and the Melbourne Marathon was in full swing so lots to watch while we sat and ate and caught up with each others news. 

After that we walked along the beach to Port Melbourne where we caught the tram to Docklands then Smith St Collingwood in search of some much needed walking shoes for me.  With mission accomplished we made it home around 4.00pm and there we stayed with the television keeping us amused for the rest of the evening.

So with a busy few weeks coming to an end we are now in the planning stages for next weekend in the bush.  Stay tuned and see where we end up.

until next time..............

There are baby elephants in the city......

really there are, 50 of them all placed around Melbourne waiting to be discovered.  Why are they there - let me explain.  It is Melbourne Zoo's 150th birthday and as part of the celebration there was a free public art exhibition inspired by the zoos baby elephant, Mali.  The event was called Mali in the City and apart from celebrating the zoos birthday it hopes to raise funds for the breeding and conservation work done by the zoo.  The life size sculptures had all been decorated by a variety of artists making for a very colourful display.  One was even painted by Mali herself.

Before we left to visit Perth I had noticed a few of these sculptures in the city and managed to take some pictures of them.  On our arrival home I discovered that there were 50 of them to be found and so started my two week elephant hunt as I scoured the city looking for them.  The zoo made it very easy with an awesome phone app that showed them all and pinpointed their locations on a map.

So armed with this wonderful piece of technology I tracked them from Carlton, the Fitzroy and Botanic Gardens, Queen Victoria Markets, all around Melbourne city and Southbank finally finishing up at the zoo.  It was great fun.

Bill joined me on my safari on Saturday and we spent the afternoon in the Botanic Gardens on a lovely spring day.  Bill was happy with the birds while I went in search of the 3 Mali's that were hiding there.  We crossed the river and walked home through Birrarung Marr and Federation Square finding 6 more before we called it a day and went home to rest our weary feet.

The following day I left Bill at home and went in search of the 10 that were located around the Southbank area.  Another beautiful spring day and a quirky way to keep the excercise routine up.

 I had to return to work on Monday so I continued my safari each night following my map and choosing a different area each afternoon.  There were a couple of them that were a bit of a challenge, one in a hotel foyer and another on the 2nd level of Melbourne Central which had me scratching my head for a while but I got there in the end.

Almost at the end of my hunt when I got a bug that stopped me in my tracks and I was unable to get out and find the last 5 before they were all rounded up and returned to the zoo.  So I did what any self respecting hunter would do the following weekend.  Jumped on a tram with Bill to visit the Zoo and had a great afternoon in the sun and completed my mission with the final 5.

Of course there are lots of other things to see at the zoo and one of the highlights was seeing the 'real' Mali with the other elephants.  Also seeing the young male Ongard practicing his moves on the big bull elephant Bong Su.  It kept us amazed for ages watching and the old guy was so patient with the little kid.  Just like dad and the kids.

 The seals were great fun too and the new seal enclosure lets you watch some of their training procedures like a show.  The two seals training that afternoon were so entertaining and beautiful.  Both are seals that have been rescued and were not suitable to be released back so they have a pretty good life in their new home.  It was a fun day and with my hunting days over we returned home for a well earned rest.

The night before we had joined the family at The Sportsman Club Mordialloc for dinner where we celebrated Bill's birthday and said our farewells to Jarrod who is leaving for 2 months in Thailand.  His first trip overseas.  Have a great time and stay safe.  Can't wait to hear all about your adventures.

So with only one week to go til it's Grand Final time, Bill might be going but I'm not, I'll leave you now

until next time.......

Driving home....

We woke up to another glorious morning and sad as we were to be saying goodbye to Eden we had to pack up and hit the road for our journey home.  We stopped a a cute cafe in town for coffee and a final look at the Mary Mckillop Hall where Sister Mary, Australia's first saint canonized in 2010, established a school using the old church building.  She did this in appreciation for the care provided to her by the people of Eden when her mother drowned in the tragic shipwreck of the Ly-ee-moon in 1886.  Perched high above Twofold Bay this little old church building is just lovely.

Our next stop was off the beaten track with a drive through Ben Boyd National Park for a look at the little community of Wonboyn.  This is tucked 13 or so kms off the highway and is a tiny little beach just off Disaster Bay where there are a number of private jetties for the local fisher folk.  Amazing what you find when you leave the main road.

We drove on crossing back into Victoria stopping at Cann River for lunch and a look at this delightful little Church before continuing the drive on to Orbost.  Yes you guessed it, back to the bakery to pick up something for dinner.  No apricot pies this time so Bill had to make do with Apple and Blueberry but it was very yummy as well.

Back on the road we continued on to Stratford where we found a lovely little park right on the Avon River and yes it's name was Stratford on Avon - original, I know, and it was here we settled in for a quiet night after our big day on the road.  The weather had turned, no more blue sky and the rain was threatening.  We had company here with two of the friendliest magpies I have ever seen.  Each time the door opened they were there saying hello.  Obviously very used to people and being fed I suppose.  We chatted to them but did not feed then but they still stayed and played.

The next morning it was packing up time for real.  The threatening rain did not eventuate making it an easier job so with everything cleaned and mopped it was the final pack down for this trip.  Not happy Jan, we could happily travel for a while longer yet.  But we did both have to get back to work next week so it was home for us this time.  We stopped at our favourite little cafe in Stratford, Wa de lock, for a coffee before we started on the long drive back home.  As usual great coffee and the home made cake was good too.

We drove through to Sale and then decided to take the tourist route home via the South Gippsland Hwy but before we had gone very far we found a sign to the wetlands so we followed it and found Sale Common.  What an amazing area this is and we are going back to spend a weekend there so we can explore properly.  Today we just spent an hour in one small area and were blown away by the scope of the place.  We stopped at the Tourist office for some more info about the area and can't wait to check it out properly next time we visit.

Back on the road we followed the highway to Yarram where we had lunch before deciding that we really didn't want to see anymore this week and headed for home.  The drive home along the South Gippsland highway was very scenic and I look forward to doing it another day when I think we will appreciate it more.  For now we just wanted to be home and once we stored the camper we were soon back in the big smoke.

We had spent a wonderful week away discovering some really lovely little places along the way, many we would like to return to one day and spend more time.  But first we had to settle back in for a week at home.  The washing waited until the next week and we both took it very easy that night.

We were staying home for the next couple of weeks so stay tuned to see how we amused ourselves there.

until next time......

A little further up the Sapphire Coast.....

The next morning we were on our way soon after breakfast and our first stop was to see 'The Pinnacles' in the other end of the Ben Boyd National Park.  This smaller part of the park runs between Eden and Pambula Beach and the rock formation is a must see.  The bright red cliffs contrast with the white sandstone cliffs making it a magnet for anyone with a camera.  We did take a picture or two ourselves.

 Our next stop was the little town of Pambula where we checked out their bakery before driving down for a quick look at Pambula Beach and Pambula Lake where we saw the oyster farms.

Very nice but we soon came back to stop and have a walk through Panboola, a beautiful wetlands & conservation project on land donated to the people by Alexandra Seddon, a long time Pambula resident.  This is a work in progress and will eventually include the old racecourse as well but for now the area that is open is just magnificent.

We spent a couple of hours here before moving on to have a look at Merimbula stopping along the way at Sandy Beach where they were doing prescribed burns in the forrest over the river.  This was such a tranquil little area with a lovely little beach and the National Park coming right down to the waters edge, a common sight right along this coast.

Driving into Merimbula past Top Lake and crossing the bridge to pass Merimbula Lake you can see why this is such a popular area for people to live and holiday in.  We stopped here and ate our sandwiches beside the lake with the ever hopeful seagulls for company.  They missed out again.  We drove around to have a look at Spencer Park, Rotary Park and Bar Beach.  The views from here back across the sandbar were great.

It was about now that we decided we had done enough sightseeing for one day and turned the car around for the drive back to Eden.  Passing through Pambula soon after we stopped for a coffee but discovered that no one sold coffee after 4.30 in this town.  After coming from Melbourne where we can get coffee at any time of the day or night this was a real shock to our system but we were only a half hour from home so we continued on and made our own soon after.

Back in Eden we had a look at the Nationl Timber Workers Memorial we had seen in the local park.  This is a memorial opened in 2008 to honour all those people who have lost their lives while working in the timber industry to build our region, state and nation.  The names and ages of so many young people was truly heart wrenching.  As we drove back to the c'van park we passed the Eden Historic Cemetry on what must be one of the most prime positions in the town.  Spectacular!

After we had our coffee we walked along the shores of Lake Curalo where there is a boardwalk allowing walkers to get closer to the birdlife living on and around the lake.  Currently 3kms long it will eventually encircle the lake but for tonight we just walked for about 1 km and then headed back to our cozy camper for a well earned sausage sizzle.  Bill was cooking up a storm in the camp kitchen tonight.

It wasn't long after that we climbed into bed for the last time in Eden.  The wind continued to blow and rattle the camper but had never been as bad again as the first night.  We had gotten so used to it I think it rocked us to sleep each night.  And our days on the Sapphire coast had been clear and sunny ones so all in all we hadn't done too bad in the weather dept.  

We were leaving Eden in the morning for our journey home so will fill you in on that tomorrow.

until then......

Exploring Eden....

After having made it through the windy night we were ready to get out and explore so our first stop was Aslings Beach which was just across the road from the park.  Yes, we were on a spit of land between the sea and the lake.  An absolutely beautiful location but it might have accounted for such a rough night in the wind.  The beach was deserted early in the morning though lots of footprints showed there had been some early morning visitors other than us.

Leaving the beach we wandered along Eden's Maritime Heritage walk with pictures in the path depicting various highlights of the area.  From here we crossed over into Apex Park and walked back along the Lake to pick up the car to explore further afield.  Our first stop was at the Tourist information office where we picked up some guide books and maps of the local area.  One of the ladies gave us an idea of a couple of drives to do so after a coffee at the bakery (a real disappointment after Orbost) we left on a voyage of discovery.

Snug Cove was our first stop and this is home to Eden's commercial fishing fleet.  All the boats were in as it was late morning and we walked along the pier watching fisherman doing some general maintenance work before heading out that night.

Next stop was just up the hill at Rotary Park where we walked to the lookout and spent some time watching the gannets fishing in Calle Calle bay.  They kept us entertained for a while but as we walked further around we found a group of seals playing in the waves so stopped and watched them for a while as well.  The views from here were lovely and you can see why the area is called Twofold Bay.

It was here that we found the Seaman's Memorial Wall which commemorates all the seamen who have sailed from the Port of Eden and never returned.  It was erected after the loss of the fishing trawler 'Shiralee' in 1978.  It was so sad to see so many names here and some so young.  Leaving here we returned to Snug Cove where we succumbed to a lunch of fish and chips and ate them watching the very boats that had brought them in that morning.  Very yummy and the seagulls didn't get one little bit.

That afternoon we drove out to the other side of Twofold bay and visited Ben Boyd National Park where we found Boyd Tower, Davidson's Whaling Station and The Seahorse Inn.  These three icons of Eden are all connected to entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd who had a grand plan of building an empire here between 1843 to 1849.  He built the tower in 1847 to serve as a lighthouse but after a dispute with the local govt of the time it was never commisioned and was used as a lookout tower for whales instead.  Just a little further along from here is the Red Point Lookout where you can see the dramatic folded rocks of this amazing coastline.

The whaling station was built on the shores of Kiah Inlet in 1857 and operated until 1929 with men in open boats helped by a pack of killer whales hunting various species of whales.  It was the longest operating shorebased whaling station in Australia.  There are now relics of the past there to give us an idea of what life was like there during that era.

Eden is now well known as the ideal place for whale watching with many different species of whales travelling close to shore as they migrate south.  No longer are they threatened by killer whales or hunters.  We were a little bit early in the season so did not see any but we did keep an eye out whenever we were near the coast.

The Seahorse Inn was our last stop for the day and it was here that Boyd tried to create Boydtown complete with brick cottages, salting down works and a church which was never finished or blessed.  Seemed to be the story of his life eh!  Not much is left now other than the magnificent Inn which is now a luxury hotel right on the shores of Twofold Bay.

We called it a day then and drove home for a quiet night in with a glass of red, dinner and a movie as we recharged the batteries for more exploring tomorrow.

until then......