Anzac Day in Linton

Just three days back at work this week and then it was time to hook up the camper and head bush for another long weekend. This time we going back to spend the weekend at the Clarkesdale Bird Sanctuary just out of Linton.  We have taken quite a shine to this small town just 40 mins from Ballarat and were looking forward to another quiet weekend surrounded by birds and bush.

We arrived on Thursday night after work and set up quickly as the clear sky promised a very chilly night ahead.  Camped in the grounds of the sanctuary with no lights anywhere nearby the night sky is an amazing sight.  The stars are so bright and the Milky Way never ceases to amaze us as to how clear it is.  One day we will perfect the night sky pictures and we can show you but until then you will just have to take our word for how wonderful it looks. 

Of course, as mentioned, the more clear the sky in winter the colder it is and this night in Linton lived up to that promise.  We found out the next morning that it had been below zero so I guess that answered the question as to why we had felt a little chilly during the night.  We had our little gas heater on until bedtime but had felt a bit cool during the early hours of the morning.

Anzac Day dawned very chilly and Bill stayed in bed for an extra hour instead of visiting the dam to see what birds were around.  I don't think he missed much as we hardly heard a peep out of any of them until much later that morning.  The sun struggled to shine as well and we stayed inside with the heater on until the gas ran out.  We ventured outside then to be greeted by a couple of pretty little yellow robins who kept us entertained for a little while.

The weather decided our next move and we hopped back in the car and drove into Linton to watch the Anzac Day game, Essendon vs Collingwood, at the pub.  We had a fabulous afternoon with a group of friendly locals and even though our team lost again we went home smiling.  Heater on, dinner and an early night with extra blankets were the order of the evening and the clouds in the sky kept the temp at a slightly more acceptable number.

Saturday morning was cold and wet with a miserable drizzle that seemed to have set in, so Bill got another hour in bed again. Our mission that morning was to head back to a camping shop and buy more gas canisters as the forecast was for another cold night.  We drove to the shopping plaza at Wendouree where we had a coffee, picked up some soup bowls (for dinner that night), ingredients for the soup and more gas canisters.  Driving around Lake Wendouree as we left we came across a Farmers Market so stopped for a look and left with lots of yummy produce, cakes and chutney.

With our mission accomplished we drove back to camp via Devils Kitchen to see how the Peregrine Falcons were going.  With no sign of either of them we didn't stay and were soon back looking for a patch of sun to have our lunch in.

We spent the afternoon taking it easy and later on I made our Chicken and vegetable soup for dinner and Bill got the heater going and we settled down for a quiet night in.  

Sunday morning was very cold again, it really did seem that winter has arrived with a vengeance, and even though the sun was shining there was no warmth at all in it.  We spent the morning enjoying the antics of many little wrens and robins before it was time to pack up again and head for home.  With no cafes open in Linton we stopped for coffee on the way home in Smythesdale.

Our next stop was for our picnic lunch at Cape Clear.  This is a tiny dot on the map, right in the middle of the Golden Plains Shire and I imagine one of the only places in the country to have a lighthouse in the middle of town.  (Town being a very loose term as there is only a Pub and a CFA).   Located about 100 Kms from the coast the working Model Lighthouse was erected in 2008 to create a local landmark.  It certainly has done that!

We continued on and our next stop was at Turtle Bend, Teesdale.  A lovely park on the banks of Native Hut Creek made all the more interesting by the addition of its iconic Turtle Pavilion.  A nice place to take a break just out of Bannockburn.  

From here we drove straight on, parked the camper and headed home to get ready for another week at work.  Not sure how were were going to survive a full week or what we will do next but watch this space for our next adventures.

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