Barwon Heads (Sea Change)

Diver Dans Shack at Pearl Bay (Barwon Heads)
Pier at Point Lonsdale
Rock pools at Queenscliff
Rock formations and rock pools at Queenscliff
Rock formation and deep rock pool at Queenscliff
Erosion and weathering at Queenscliff
Rock formations below Queenscliff Lighthouse
Rock ledge below Queenscliff Lighthouse
Queenscliff ‘White’ Lighthouse
Fort Queenscliff
Pier at Queenscliff
The SeaRoad Ferry approaching Queenscliff
Looking back at Barwon Heads from the bluff
View from the bluff to Barwon Heads
Looking back towards Barwon Heads
Curious erosion features at Barwon Heads bluff
Basalt boulders at the bluff in Barwon Heads
Curious purple ‘thingy’ in a rock pool at Barwon Heads
Rock pools at Barwon Heads
The bluff at Barwon Heads
Rock pools at Barwon Heads
Rock pools at Barwon Heads
The iconic Pearl Bay Bridge (Barwon Heads)
Looking back from the SeaRoad Ferry
The Sorrento Pier from the SeaRoad Ferry
On the SeaRoad Ferry at Sorrento
Waiting to board the SeaRoad Ferry
Diver Dan’s Shack (today)
Pearl Bay Bridge from Diver Dan’s Shack

After our stay at Mornington Peninsula our next stop was Barwon Heads, which is either:

  • 194km driving around Port Philip Bay; or
  • 80km driving plus a 45 minute ferry ride across Port Phillip Bay.
On the SeaRoad Ferry at Sorrento

SeaRoad Ferries operate an hourly ferry service between Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula side and Queenscliff on the western side. The voyage takes around 45 minutes with a 15 minute drive-on/drive-off turnaround. It was pricey at $184 for us but that was easily offset by the time, convenience and fuel saving. Not to mention the added stress of towing through parts of Melbourne.

Waiting to board the SeaRoad Ferry

We booked on the 11:00am ferry to give us plenty of time to hitch up and drive to the ferry terminal. We actually arrived at 9:45 and were pleased to be offered a spot on the 10:00am ferry, which was just docking as we got there. Driving on and off the ferry was a breeze, like a smaller version of the Spirit of Tasmania. After parking the cruiser and van, it was up two flights of stairs to the very spacious and clean passenger cabin area. We settled into some comfortable window seats to enjoy the crossing, which was very smooth. Now you expect ferry services like this to offer hugely over-priced coffee that tastes like the heated up dregs of a vegemite jar that’s been swished out with swamp water. We were utterly surpised to receive two really good coffees at normal prices. We really can’t fault the SeaRoad Ferry service.

Pearl Bay (Barwon Heads)

Ironically… we never watched the ABC tv series Sea Change back in the late 1990’s. We did however binge it a couple of months before we headed off on this trip… So when we were looking for place to stay after the Mornington Peninsula it was a simple choice to stop in at Pearl Bay, known in the real word as Barwon Heads. Primarily we chose it because it was only a short drive from the Sorrento/Queenscliff SeaRoad Ferry that we used to avoid having to drive all the way up and around Melbourne and Geelong.

Diver Dan’s Shack (today)

The town has obviously moved on a bit since the tv series but the icons are still there. Divers Dans Shack is now a trendy cafe/kiosk, the caravan park is much larger than it looks on the tv series, and you can still see the bar from the Pearl Bay hotel although it has been refurbished.

Barwon Heads is still seems to be relatively sleepy although the main street, which is back a bit from the bridge does have a number of trendy shops including a ‘provedore’ and some of those ‘exclusive’ boutiques; the type that sell cheescloth shirts for $200+. Aside from that it’s still a beachy village where you can fish from Diver Dan’s wharf or wobble around on a stand-up paddle board beneath the bridge…

We drove through Queenscliff after disemabarking the ferry and driving to Barwon Heads. It looked quite nice so decided to go back for a better look since the weather wasn’t brilliant while we were at Barwon Heads.

Fort Queenscliff

Larger than Barwon Heads, Queenscliff is is the Entrance to Port Phillip bay and has a Victorian feel about it. The most noticeable feature is Fort Queenscliff, now a museum and active Defense site that operates as the Army’s Soldier Career Management Agency. It’s quite an impressive piece of history in blocky miltary compound sort of way.

Queenscliff ‘White’ Lighthouse

Queenscliff also has its ubiquitous Lighthouse, in fact two. A smaller green one as part of Fort Queenscliff and the white Lighthouse, which is quite close to the fort as well. The lighthouse also provided an opportunity to walk a coastal track and enjoy the natural cliff faces and rock ledges where the land meets Bass Strait.

Erosion and weathering at Queenscliff

The coast around the lighthouse consists of the cliff face down to beaches and rock ledges that are that pock-marked with rock pools and naturally sculpted erosion features. The rock pools are fascinating but, as usual, we didn’t come across and exotic or charismatic sea critters; just the usual limpets, snails and periwinkles…

Rock formation and deep rock pool at Queenscliff

One of the lesser know facts about Queenscliff is that this is where the escaped convict William Buckley (of the saying “Buckley’s and none”) settled after he escaped from the penal colony. He lived, while on the run, with indigenous aboriginals in a cave at Point Lonsdale where the lighthouse stands.

Stony Point (Mornington Peninsula)

Cape Schank Lighthouse
Cape Schank
Cape Schank Lighthouse
Cape Schank Lighthouse Boardwalk
Cape Schank beach
Cape Schank coastline
Cape Schank coastline
Cape Schank cliff walk
Cape Schank cliff walk
Cape Schank cliff walk
Cape Schank Lighthouse
F;inders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders coastline
Flinders Pier
Arthurs Seat view
Matthew Flinders Cairn at Arthurs Seat
Family catchup at Seaford
The Esplanade – Flinders
Flinders coastline
Arthurs Seat gondolas
Arthurs Seat gondolas
Brisket Rolls at the Jetty Road Brewery – Dromana
The grounds of Hickinbotham Winery - Dromana
The grounds at Hickinbotham Winery – Dromana
Happy hour at the Heritage in Balnarring
Coolart Wetlands and Homestead
Bird blind view at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead
Stony Point Pier

So… from The Prom’ we had a fairly easy drive up around Western Port Bay and onto the Mornington Peninsula via Hastings to Stoney Point Caravan Park which is also a part of Crib Point.

Apart from spending some time on the Mornington Peninsula, our stay here coincided with the 2022 Federal Election and Hastings was our closest inter-state polling place. More on the election later.

Stony Point Pier

The Stoney Point Caravan Park is a cosy campground with a mixture of sites, cabins and permanents/weekenders. It is situated behind a large carpark on the waters edge with a very busy public boat ramp and ferry pier. We were lucky enough to be allocated a double-site due to it being a quiet period that looked out to the water.

The park also backed onto the Crib Point train station, which is the end-of-the-line on that part of the peninsula. It was quite a nice location to stay given that it was tucked away on the point and also had in-built entertainment with the boat ramp.

Coolart Wetlands & Homestead

Coolart Wetlands and Homestead

Having arrived fairly early we took a drive to the Coolart Wetlands & Homestead, We didn’t really know what to expect but it provided the opportunity for a bit of a walk and a sticky-beak at the homestead and gardens.

Bird blind view at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead

After entering the reserve you wander past fairly ornate homestead, that wouldn’t look out of place in a horror movie, and then through the out-buildings, gardens and a brick stable. From there you can follow walking tracks past a small lagoon and meander through the grounds that have been setup as a wetland reserve for bird-watchers with a series of sizable viewing blinds. We weren’t fortunate enough to see much in the way of wildlife but I suspect that that was due to the weather and the season. Still a nice way to wind down after the mornings drive and setup.

Election Day

Election day dawned bright and clear and we headed into Hastings to the polls. We got the address slightly wrong and were re-directed from a local polling site back up the street a couple of hundred metres to an AEC inter-state polling place. This was good as we didn’t have to line-up and went straight in to vote.

Arthurs Seat gondolas

The task done we took a drive up to Arthurs Seat to take in the views from the cable car terminus. The drive up was quite steep and windy compared to the cable car that slowly and silenty glides to the top.

Matthew Flinders Cairn at Arthurs Seat

We once again took the opportunity to get some exercise and walk around the tracks weaving underneath the arriving and departing cable cars. The track took us down to the Flinders Cairn. A monument dedicated to Matthew Flinders who climbed up to Arthurs Seat in 1802. Despite being three times higher… it reminded me of the cairn that we built back home in Royalla out of all the rock I had dug up around our property over the years….

After a pleasant time at Arthurs Seat we headed back to the van to watch the election results and the drama unfold that evening. Tuning into the ABC election coverage, the inital results were looking a bit dicey for the ALP and then at a certain point things started warming up and, contrary to expectations, the ALP started to pull away and keep pulling away.

From my perspective… Australia was in desperate need of a change of government and it was extremely pleasing to watch the ALP, Independents and Greens wipe out what has been the worst Australian government in my memory. The only downside of the election coverage was the appallingly biased and disingenuous coverage by an increasingly pro-LNP ABC…

But with that said… the ensuing days of the Albanese government have shown how good and refreshing it is to have the adults back in charge of the country. One can only hope that the ALP, Independents and Greens remember that their power is granted by the people and that it is the people that they serve not billionaires, corporations and religious institutions.

Family catchup at Seaford

Enough soap-boxing… The day after the election we had the opportunity to catch up with Rob’s niece and her family who had moved back to Melbourne for a second time. We don’t get to see them very often because they’ve mostly lived in Adelaide. We had a very pleasant lunch with Katie, Paul, Layla and Louis at Seaford Beach after which we had a drove through Frankston and the western side of the peninsula.

No trip to the Mornington Peninsula is complete without visiting some of the plethora of wineries to choose from there. To be honest… it wasn’t really winery weather being a bit on the cool and overcast side of Autumn. Never the less we did make a token effort.

Our first stop was Dromana Estate Winery. It was set on lovely garden estate amongst the vinetard in a weatherboard building that housed the restaurant as well as a tasting area. We tasted a decent proportion of their range and left with one white and one red but sad to say that nothing really grabbed us. In hindsight, Dromana Estate felt a little pretentious and underwhelming. Perhaps we had been spoilt by the wineries we visited along the Murray on a previous trip.

The grounds at Hickinbotham Winery – Dromana

We forged on and pulled in at the HickinBotham winery; not too far from Dromana. This winery seemed a bit more inviting and the grounds were a little more interesting with some old drays and wine-making machinery scattered around the carpark.

The grounds of Hickinbotham Winery - Dromana

We wandered into the tasting room and were met by a fairly enthusiastic host who asked us what we would like to taste but insisted that we start with their Sparkling Taminga (a little known Australian grape variety). We were both gob-smacked by this little cracker that was crisp and fruity with a slight fizz. What surprised us most is that we tried the still version of the Taminga and didn’t find it terribly appealing. In the end we left with a couple of bottles of the Sparkling Taminga and one of their reds as well.

Brisket Rolls at the Jetty Road Brewery – Dromana

At this point we decided to abandon any further wineries as we didn’t really have the storage space for any more. Instead we headed for lunch at the Jetty Road Brewery, also in Dromana. It proved to be a good choice because it was definitely more like beer and cider weather than wine weather. We both had a brisket roll, which were as good as a brisket roll gets. The only issue wasc hoosing a beer given that the vast majority of their range is Pale Ale, IPA, XPA… Ugh! I’ll never understand the current love affair with ‘pale ales’; like munching on a bunch of flowers… In the end I chose a wheat beer. Stupid me… it still had overtones of pale ale. Should have just had the lager. Jo enjoyed her cider.

That was it for Mornington Peninsula wineries. For this trip anyway. With no space to carry more wine and the weather not being condusive to winery hopping we decided that sight-seeing was the better option at this time.

Flinders Pier

Having decided to bypass anymore wineries we spent a morning in the Flinders area of Mornington Peninsula. First stop was the Flinders Pier, which has recently been subject of a ‘save the Flinders Pier’ campaign to retain this piece of Victorian heritage.

Flinders coastline

We didn’t spend much time in the Flinders township; again opting to head to the coastline and spend some time hiking on the trails and boardwalks along the beaches and bluffs. The bluffs are he typical mix of sandstone and black basaltic rock that provide nooks and crannies for the hardy coastal trees, bushes and mosses that eke out a living against the harsh ocean winds and salt spray.

F;inders coastline

The rocky ledges at the water level provide the perfect place for the ocean to carve out a labrynth of rock pools, each with their own distinctive shape, depth and inhabitants. Despite the crystal clarity of the rock pools I’m sad to say that we didn’t encounter any exotic critters like crabs, blue-ringed octopus or anything of that nature. Still there were plenty of snails, limpets and peri-winkles clinging onto the walls and squeezing into the cracks.

You could spend an entire day just browsing each little rockpool universe but there were other places to see… like Cape Schank.

Cape Schank Lighthouse

We’re both suckers for a lighthouse… Lighthouses always promise the image of rugged wind-swept coastlines with magnificent panoramic views and a solid, reassuring beacon standing against the elements. Cape Schank Lighthouse doesn’t disappoint.

Cape Schank

Starting operation in 1859, it still operates and you can see the light slowly revolving even during the day when the light is off. There’s a few kilometres of walking tracks around the area that take you from the lighthouse down to the beach below via boardwalks and steps. The walk takes in tree lined paths, cliff views and rocky beaches bordering Bass Strait.

Cape Schank cliff walk

Once again the cool overcast weather provided the perfect backdrop and enhanced the scenery which a hint of drama as you contemplated the vast number of shipwrecks littered along the coastline.

Very possibly our favourite part of our time on the Mornington Peninsula

Yanakie (Wilsons Promontory)

Yanakie van site
Yanakie van site
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Wilsons Promontory
Goal!!!
Moon over the inlet at Yanakie Caravan Park
Moon rise at Yanakie Caravan Park
Yanakie Caravan Park
Wilsons Promontory coastline
Tidal River inlet – Wilsons Promontory
The beach at Tidal River
Tidal River inlet
Tidal River Commando Regiment Monument
Squeaky Beach
Track to Squeaky Beach
Beautiful banksia at Tidal River
Lookout at Tidal River
Tidal River Commando Regiment Monument
Squeaky Beach
Wilsons Promontory coastline
Wilsons Promontory coastline
Wilsons Promontory coastline
Coastal flower on Wilsons Promontory
One side of the fish sculpture at Fish Creek
Other side of the fish sculpture at Fish Creek
Cape Liptrap Lighthouse
Blowy day at Cape Liptrap Lighthouse
Cape Liptrap Lighthouse
Cape Liptrap
Winter surfing at Walkerville South
Agnes Falls
Agnes Falls
Agnes Falls
Agnes Falls
Agnes Falls
Sandy Point Pier
Sandy Point panorama
Sandy Point Pier
Old winch on the Sandy Point Pier
Diving Bell on the Sandy Point Pier
Looking back along the Sandy Point Pier
End of the Sandy Point Pier
River flowing into Agnes Falls

A much more comfortable and enjoyable drive from Sale to Yanakie, especially with full batteries. Apollo 13 was back on course and the oxygen scrubbers were fully functional. Big sigh of relief.

Yanakie van site

Our destination was Yanakie Caravan Park, which is about a third of the way down Wilsons Promontry, the southernmost point of the mainland. The caravan park is a couple of kilometres from the township of Yanakie, where there is a Petrol Station, General Store, part-time Cafe and some houses. We were expecting to gasp at the prices in Yanakie but much to our surprise they were barely different to anywhere else.

Yanakie Caravan Park

The caravan park is on the waters edge at Duck Point and looks out over the Corner Inlet Marine & Coastal Park. It feels slightly isolated without actually being isolated. Driving down the neck of the promontory you pass a number of lush green dairy farms, which all display the company they supply to, eg. Bega or Devondale.

We settled in for a five night stay with the kowledge that the weather was going to gradually deteriorate whilst we were there and then hopefully become more pleasant on the day we were to leave. That’s pretty much what occurred.

Moon rise at Yanakie Caravan Park

On our first night we were treated to mild temperatures and a magnificent moon rise over the water that more than made up for the drizzly, rainy, windy, mini-gales, blue sky, more rain that was to follow.

Yanakie Caravan Park

We had the park, which was quite large, almost completely to ourselves during our stay with the exception of abundant wildlife including rosellas, rabbits, swans, gulls and a chunky wombat that made an appearance around dusk. We were also pleasantly surprised to find that our site was also one of the handful in the park that had a water hookup with drinkable water. High luxury indeed as we were expecting to have to ration out our onboard tank water for five days.

Tidal River inlet

Tidal River is about two-thirds of the way down Wilsons Promontory and is as far as you can go by car. It terminates with a very large campground that includes a shop/cafe and an outdoor picture theatre.

Tidal River Commando Regiment Monument

Another point of interest at the campground is a monument to the Australian Commandos who used the area as a training ground during the two World Wars. It was chosen for its wilderness and remoteness.

Tidal River is also the primary point for hikers who want to make the 17km trek down to the very bottom of The Prom’. It can be done in a day but probably best done as a two or three night camping trek. The weather was deteriorating whilst we were there so little chance of us even contemplating such a venture. Besides which, there are plenty other spots for walking and viewing.

The beach at Tidal River

The beach/inlet at Tidal River, while small is quite picturesque and had that rugged ‘winter is coming’ feel to it. The wind was picking up and the surf was rolling in hard from the Southern Ocean. Some places look better when the weather is turning for the worse.

One of the weird things about the beach at Tidal River was the area where the freshwater river meets the sea. We noticed a number of bubbles gurgling away, which we firt thought was some sort of critter beneath the sand. We dismissed this idea because the bubbles were too regular and strong. We then noticed a number of small mounds in the sand just above the water line. When you stood on these mounds they would depress as if there was a partially filled balloon below the surface. It felt quite strange and we can only surmise that there is some for of trapped gas slowly bubling up from below. The short videos below show this strange phenomenon…

Lookout at Tidal River

Nearby to Tidal River is a lookout beside Mt Oberon. Only a short drive but worth the effort to get an idea of the interior of The Prom’ and the National Park wilderness area that covers it.

The Prom’ really is one of those places that looks its best when the weather is a bit wild and cantankerous. No doubt it is a great spot for summer camping but we thoroughly enjoyed seeing it as a wild place with minimal people.

So as the weather turned greyer and wetter we turned our heads to other areas around The Prom’ and our first stop was the village of Fish Creek. It’s one of those quiet little ‘out of the way’ communities that punches above its weight when you look into it a bit.

Other side of the fish sculpture at Fish Creek
One side of the fish sculpture at Fish Creek

The first thing you notice as you drive into town is the large fish sculpture thats sits, and spins, atop a pole. I couldn’t find any information about it but I believe it is meant to represent a blackfish and had something to do with the 2000 Olympics. As far as ‘big things’ go… it’s actually quite pleasing as it slowly turns as the wind changes.

It is the home of Alison Lester, the Australia children’s author and illustrator. She has a shop in Fish Creek full of childrens books. As a point of interest, we couldn’t quite figure out why we knew the name and then it dawned on Jo that both our boys were taught in the ‘Alison Lester Unit’ building at their primary school.

Another notable at Fish Creek is the Celia Rosser Gallery. Celia Rosser is a botannical illustrator and some of her work is in Parliament House. Unfortunately the gallery was closed on the day we were there.

Cape Liptrap Lighthouse

After a wander around Fish Creek we drove back down towards the coast and had a short walk to see the Cape Liptrap Lighthouse. It was at its best sitting atop a rugged coastal cliff with the wind howling up the cliff face and whipping the foliage around. It was the first fully automatic Commonwealth funded lighthouse.

Agnes Falls

Our last full day in The Prom’ region was centered around the Foster area. Foster is one of the larger towns near The Prom’ but not our destination for the day. We headed straight for Agnes Falls, the largest waterfall in Victoria at 59m. To get to the falls you drive up into the hills where you get up close an personal with a series of wind turbines that tower above the road spinning lazily in the wind.

River flowing into Agnes Falls

The falls are set in a well maintained park area and fed by the Agnes River that winds its way through some lush green dairy land. It is a very tranquil and serene setting and would make a perfect picnic setting on summer’s day. As it was, we were there on a cool, overcast day with the whole place to ourselves so that was also a little pleasure that we could enjoy.

Looking back along the Port Welshpool Jetty

From Agnes Falls we drove back via Port Welshpool. This was primarily to take a look at the Port Welshpool Jetty, which is the third longest wooden jetty still standing in Australia. It curves out into the water for nearly 800m and was shortened after refurbishment in the early 2000’s.

Diving Bell on the Sandy Point Pier

The jetty has a number of purpose built fishing shelters at the end that provide welcome relief from the biting wind. There is also a shed that houses a historic winch with a diving bell on display outside it. It was a pleasant walk out to the end of the jetty and back despite the cold wind blowing directly off the water. A number of hardy fishers were holed up at the end of the jetty and you can imagine that it would be quite pleasant dropping in a line (and catching nothing) on a warm summer’s evening.

That pretty much marked the end of our time on The Prom’. It’s worth noting though that we were expecting prices to be somewhat inflated down this way given that it’s a little bit out of the way… We were pleasantly surprised to see that fuel and groceries at the Yanakie store weren’t really any different to anywhere else we had been since leaving home. It’s nice to be surprised like that.

Anyway… it’s off to the Mornington Peninsula…

Sale

Autumn leaves in the Botanic Gardens in Sale
Wollemi Pine at the Botanic Gardens in Sale
Wooden turtle in the Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Wood carvings in the Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale – Waltzing Matilda sculpture
Lightening tree scar in the Botanic Gardens at Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Botanic Gardens in Sale
Swans in an brown algae billabong
Swans in an brown algae billabong
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Historic swing bridge and bark canoe sculpture near Sale
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Historic swing bridge near Sale
Coffee at Bairnsdale on the way to Sale

So we set forth from Orbost to Sale with flat caravan batteries; starting to feel like we were travelling in Apollo 13 and searching for a solution to the shattered oxygen scrubbers. More on this in the Battery Saga Concludes section…

Coffee at Bairnsdale on the way to Sale

The drive was pleasant enough apart from a memorably bad coffee in an otherwise excellently decorated cafe in Bairnsdale. We stopped in Bairnsdale for a break and to do a quick battery check, noting that the combination of driving and some sun had put some charge back in… wry smile.

We only planned on two nights in Sale and pulled in at the Sale Showground, which also doubles as a caravan park and campground. The Showground is very well kept and has dozens of big grassy sites with power and water at very reasonable prices.

By now Jo’s head cold was a thing but Rob was in full recovery mode with just the lingering effects when waking up each morning. The battery saga continued to be the all pervasive issue occupying our minds as we wrestled with causes, effects and whether or not we were going to have cancel forward bookings and head for a repair centre. More on this in the Battery Saga Concludes section…

Aside from the battery saga… Sale surprised us both in terms of its size and bustle. It’s an attractive, well kept town with a range of cafes, businesses, pubs and clubs that belie its population of around fifteen thousand. The main CBD is a little weird with a very narrow street that’s barely wide enough for two lanes and not quite a pedestrian mall either… quirky design probably describes it best.

With the conclusion of the battery saga in Sale and Jo starting to get past her head cold we celebrated our last night in Sale with dinner at Jack Ryan’s Irish Bar. Jack Ryan’s is your typical Irish themed pub with a quality bistro attached. The ‘beef and guinness pie’ was top notch and washed down with a couple of Kilkenny’s (on tap)…

Although we only had two days in Sale they were full-on for more than one reason and it’s a place that we wouldn’t mind returning to in the future. We continually find, much to our surprise, that we really like Victoria…

So… the batteries!!! On the afternoon of our arrival in Sale we ducked into town to get some groceries and noticed an automotive battery shop (Triple M Repair Centre / Sale Battery Centre & Oils). Rob pulled in in the off chance that we might be able to get some advice and/or help.

The owner, Mitch, listened patiently to our story and suggested that the problem was most likely that our batteries were on the way out even though they were only two years old (you should expect about five years from these batteries). He did, very graciously, say that he would be in his shop on Sunday morning, when we were leaving, and that he would be happy for us to pull by and he would test our batteries for us. That was thankfully noted by us as something to cling on to.

We spent another night in the van watching the batteries slowly drain down from 12.2V to 10.0V using as little electricity as possible and converting all cooking, fridge and hot water to gas operation. Thankfully the night was not cold again so the heater wasn’t required even if we could have run it.

The next morning we stopped by an Auto Electrician just to see if they could provide any help or advice. In a nutshell… No was the answer. They didn’t know anything about caravan battery systems… but Rob did mention that we were carrying a battery charger and whether it would be worth pulling the batteries out and charging them from a separate power point (caravan power points are different to household power points). ‘Tracker’ the auto-electrician suggested that I could simply connect the charger to the caravan outlet and then to the battery (without removing them). Rob was skeptical because the mains power didn’t seem to be getting into the caravan in the first place.

In any case we returned to the van and plugged said charger into the vans outlet and connected it to the battery… Good new!!! the battery was taking charge. Not a final solution but probably good enough that we could keep doing this until we got somewhere where we could get it looked at properly.

The Battery Charger…

With some weight off our shoulders Rob continued to ponder the problem trying to determine whether the batteries were at fault, the battery management system or the wiring. With one last desperate thought Rob opened up the tunnel boot and took one last look at the battery management box… There was a little blurb about a ‘red’ and a ‘green’ LED and what they meant… What red and green LED was this??? Where were they? I can’t see any red or green LED!!!

The Battery Charger Switch

So getting my head down as flat on the floor as possible I noticed in the small gap under the unit… not an LED but a small black piece of plastic protruding from the metal case… Putting my phone camera in ‘selfie’ mode and carefully sliding it under the bottom of the case… Oh look!!! An On/Off switch… shit, shit, shit, shit… shit!!!

I disconnected the external battery charger and flicked on the battery management switch and… VOILA!!! Problem solved. Batteries immediately sucking in the mains power and all electrics back online… Shit, shit, shit, shit… shit!!!

It would seem that the portable gas stove box was just slim enough to slide under the battery management box and probably bounced up after hitting a bump on the way to Orbost flicking the battery management switch off…

With our sphincters collectively relaxed Rob re-organised the tunnel boot to prevent this from happening again and we celebrated with a cup of tea made on the electric hot-plate and enjoyed a spot of electrically heated air that night…

Historic swing bridge and bark canoe sculpture near Sale

Having solved the battery saga we were able to relax enough to do some afternoon sight-seeing around Sale. First stop… the historic Sale Swing Bridge

Built in the 1880’s it is a very elegant piece of engineering thats opens horizontally around a set of central support pillars that allows boats to pass around either side. It is now closed to traffic but is still opened a few times a week after having been restored and repaired from vandalism a number of years ago.

The bridge is surrounded by a well kept park area that includes a sculpture, in metal, of an aboriginal bark canoe. There are also well kept wharves a short distance upstream and downstream from the bridge,

Swans in a brown algae billabong

Across the road from the bridge is a decent sized billabong set amongst the gums. It is notable for the brown algae (?) layer covering the entire surface making it look a little surreal as a flock of swans glide along what looks like a solid brown surface producing no ripples or wake.

The swing bridge area is a really peaceful place and would be ideal for lazy afternoon picnic with wine and cheese…

Botanic Gardens in Sale

Returning from the Sale Swing Bridge we stopped in at the Sale Botannic Gardens. These tranquil gardens are beautifully laid out and we were welcomed by a pair of very tame peacocks at the entrance. The gardens are surrounded by a broader wetland area and pack quite a bit into a relatively compact area.

The gardens themselves are very well maintained and present a wide variety of plants and trees. The weather was a bit overcast and slightly dismal during our visit but this actually seemed to enhance the gardens in full autumn hue with displays ranging from evergreens through to fiery oranges and auburns of the deciduous trees.

Botanic Gardens in Sale

The gardens are laid out in a series of areas interconnected by gravel paths with lush green grass areas, pergola style structures and mini-forests that have a functional aesthetic containing a number of bright orange sun lounges.

Wollemi Pine at the Botanic Gardens in Sale

The star of the Sale Botanic Gardens is a fair-dinkum Wollemi Pine; the famous living fossil, thought be extinct until a small number were found outside Sydney in 1994. The location of these relics is kept secret but it’s comforting to know that they can still been seen in places like this having been cultivated as part of a re-generation program.

Lightening tree scar in the Botanic Gardens at Sale

Another (literally) striking tree in the Sale Botanic Gardens is the lightening tree, which bears a massive open scar down the length of its trunk having been struck by lightening. The tree itself looks perfectly healthy despite the trauma of the strike.

Wood carvings in the Botanic Gardens in Sale

Another pleasant aspect of the gardens are the scattered wooden sculptures found in some areas that provide a bit of extra visual interest. They’re skilfully executed and serve to draw your eye into areas that are otherwise a bit plain and less visually exciting.

We highly recommend a visit to the Sale Botanic Gardens as a soothing way to pass an hour or so… especially if you’re recovering from the trauma of… say… travelling in a caravan with non-functionaing batteries…

Orbost

Van site – Orbost Caravan Park
Looking back over the Orbost region
Looking back towards Orbost
Abandoned railway trestle bridge near Orbost
Abandoned steam engine at Youngs Creek
Rotted out tree near Youngs Creek
Possible yowie sighting at Youngs Creek near Orbost
Youngs Creek Falls near Orbost
Mossy logs at Youngs Creeks
Above Youngs Creek Falls
Mossy rocks at Youngs Creek Falls
Nature study on the track to Youngs Creek Falls
Snowy River at Orbost
Snowy River near Orbost
Snowy River near Orbost
Metal sculptures in Orbost
Slab hut – The Information Center in Orbost

So… we left the cold winter air of the Bombala for the slightly less cold winter air of Orbost. Once again we crossed into Victoria as we headed towards the bottom end of the mainland.

We didn’t leave NSW completely behind because on our first morning in Orbost Rob woke up with a head cold that laid him flat for pretty much the whole of the first day. Not a great start and we took the early decision to extend Orbost by another two days just in case it turned worse. Thankfully it was nothing more than a cold and only resulted in minor symptoms.

Van site – Orbost Caravan Park

The van park in Orbost was very comfortable with lush green grass and reasonably spacious sites and spotless amenities. The managers were friendly and helpful and we had nice neighbours although the park was relatively empty during our stay.

Snowy River at Orbost

The van park sits beside the Snowy River in it’s fanal stages before it meets the sea in nearby Marlo and is only a short walk into town from the caravan park. Orbost itself was a little quiet and, like Bombala, seemed to be surviving more than thriving with a number of empty shops.

Our first few days were low key with Jo doing a bit of van re-packing and organising and Rob trying to throw off the head cold; and whilst the temperature was a bit warmer than Bombala we tended to get a bit of rain at night, which meant that spending time outside wasn’t all that appealing…

That said… an issue was brewing that we’ll come to later in the post…

Youngs Creek Falls near Orbost

With some improved weather and Rob’s head cold settling down we took the opportunity to take a drive out to Youngs Creek Falls. Not what you’d call a picture postcard waterfall but a nice bushwalk along an easy, well made track to the falls themselves. You can view the falls from above and below, which cascade through a fissure in a massive rock wall surrounded by atypical Victorian bushy scrub.

Above Youngs Creek Falls

The falls start at the top as a number of rock pools and finish, also, in a series of rock pools continuing into a tree lined gully. You get to the walking track by following what looks like a series of forestry roads that are well-marked and were in good condition.

Abandoned steam engine at Youngs Creek

At the start of the walking track there is an abandoned steam engine that provides another point of interest as it quietly rusts into the bush-scape. As you walk along the track you are treated to some beautiful natural bush art in the form of mossy rocks, mossy fallen trees and hollowed out tree trunks providing a natural bowl for fungi, plants and yet more moss.

Youngs Creek Falls was a very pleaseant side trip and not too taxing if you’re recovering from a head cold…

So our trip was going well… the weather wasn’t being kind with cold temperatures and on/off rain following us from Bombala to Orbost.

Issue 1 – With the cooler temperatures at night we tried to crank up the diesel heater, which decided that it wasn’t going to crank up… Some furious googling suggested that I should have been starting it up once a month and that the diesel in the fuel line has probably gone a bit off… My fault for not reading the manual and we’ll get this sorted at a later date.

However, this gave us a chance to try the heating side of the van’s reverse cycle air-conditioner. It worked beautifully and we were comfortably warm inside our mobile box. Given that we’ll be on powered sites all the way through to Adelaide this is not a problem….UNTIL…

We checked the energy management panel and the batteries were reading 10.8 Volts. Seriously NOT good. They should be reading around 12.5 V and higher when connected to mains and charging.

Issue 2 – On our last night in Orbost we noticed a bright red warning notification on the van’s fridge and that it had automatically swapped from mains electricity to gas operation. Hmmmmm…

First thoughts… dud batteries! We quickly turned off all electrics in the hopes that it was a simple as having too much running at once. Thankfully it was a milder night and the heater wasn’t required.

Batteries continued to drop… I checked that the mains was connected and that power was coming into the van, no fuses had blown (in the van or at the mains connection point). Nothing apparent… Rob spent a very sleepless night trying to figure out the problem whilst Jo was beginning to show signs of her own head cold.

After getting up the next day and stressing a bit more over the batteries we hitched up for the drive to Sale, our next stop. We had a hasty phone call with Supreme, who couldn’t tell us what was wrong but gave us some comfort that the batteries would, at the least, get some charge into them as we drove and from the solar panels as well.

<To be continued in Sale…>

Bombala

Bombala Caravan Park
Half-way between at Bombala
Bombala River Walk
Bombala River Walk
Shearer sculpture – Bombala River Walk
Bombala River Walk
Bombala River Walk
Bombala River Walk
Bombala River
The last of our Andrew Peace wine
Bombala is known for its platypus population
Burger with the lot – Cosmo Cafe, Bombala

First stop… Bombala! An easy two hour drive from Royalla with a short stop in Bredbo at the Bredbo Pie Shop. It’s a quiet little town that time forgot with a main street dominated by historic hotels (not all open) and the Bombala RSL club.

The caravan park is beside the Bombala River on the opposite side of the town. There’s a very nice river walk that loops over both sides of the river for about a kilometre on either side, with footbridges at either end. The traffic bridge pierces the centre of the walk and it’s a easy stroll over into the town.

Bombala River Walk

We originally intended to stay only two nights but ended up opting for a third to just wind down a bit after the whirlwind of packing the house. The caravan park was cosy but thevery clean with spacious and easy drive-through sites nestled amongst a beautiful display of autumn leaves. Despite day-time temperatures ranging bewtween 10°C and 12°C, the air was coming straight off the Antarctic and felt more like 2° (or less).

Since we were on a powered site we tried out the van’s reverse cycle heating and found it more than adequate to keep us comfortably warm as the temperatures dropped. Between the electric heater and the diesel heater we can be pretty sure that we’ll be warm whether we we on a powered or unpowered camp site.

Burger with the lot – Cosmo Cafe, Bombala

There’s a number of Cafes and a bakery in Bombala, which ironically had less bakery goods than the cafes… Like a lot of small towns there are a number empty shops, presumably casualties of COVID, but there are signs of life. To single one out… we had lunch at the Cosmo Cafe. A very friendly eatery that still does genuine a Aussie Hamburger With The Lot, including beetroot, egg, bacon, pineapple, cheese on a oversize bun that slowly disintegrates as you eat it leaving you with a full stomach and juices smeared all over your face and hands…

Although Bombala claims one of the largest platypus populations in the country we didn’t see any (although we weren’t looking too hard). There is a dedicated reserve area on the edge of town where you can often see them in the early morning or late afternoon. Given the cold temperatures and our desire to stay warm we opted not to visit given that we had seen a platypus at Tumut on a different trip.

The last of our Andrew Peace wine

During our stay in Bombala we learnt that our Property Managers (Blackshaw Queanbeyan) had secured a tenant (professional couple) for our House. So that was a load off our shoulders as well knowing that the house will be occupied and we’ll be receiving some nice income from it as we travel. We celebrated this with our last bottle of Andrew Peace wine from our Mungo National Park trip. It was his Unexpected Shiraz, which is preservative free (no sulphur) and opens with a slight pop and release of gas. It’s a very pleasant drop that is not quite as full as your typical shiraz but still has that shiraz body and depth. It was easily robust enough to stand up to Spag’ Bol’ without overpowering it…

Anniversary Parmi’s…

After a couple of relaxing days doing ‘not much’ we celebrated our 34th wedding anniversay on the last day with our traditional pub/club dinner at the Club Bombala, which is (or was) the RSL Club. Typical small town club serving the usual club style meals. We both had parmi’s and I opted for the Pepperoni Parmi, which was pretty decent. Paired really well with a good ol’ Tooheys Old too!

We did intend our next stop to be Cann River but opted instead to book for Orbost given that Cann River was only an hour away. So after a pleasant few days in Bombala we packed up for the first time (of many to come) and pointed the cruiser towards Orbost

We’re Away…

At long last… the 5th of May, 2022 has arrived, the borders are open, we’re doubled vaxxed and boosted, the car and van are ready, the house is packed and we’re off.

Leaving Day Sunrise

The BoM said it would be raining this morning but instead we were treated to a glorious Royalla morning with fog enveloping the hills and the sun beginning to climb over the saddle under grey puffy clouds… A beautiful way to remember our home as we prepared to leave.

We still had a few hours of final packing and cleaning to go as well as a final check of tire pressures on the car and van, van packing and a last shower in the house before hitting the road to go.

Hands free apple schnapps toast
And we’re away…

Showered, packed, checked and aching from head-to-toe after a week of lifting, toting, pushing, pulling, scrubbing, sweeping and vacuuming it was time to close up the house for the last time and become nomads. But not before a quick toast. We had two miniature bottles of apple schnapps that have been with us since we were in Austria in 1991… In true Austrian fashion we upended them hands free in a final toast to our house and a nod to the start of our Australian odyssey. To be honest though… the schnapps had not improved with age.

Horseshoe pear sculpture – Bredbo Pie Shop

All fueled up and provisioned, another quick selfie in front of the cruiser and it was farewell to Royalla at 1:00pm on Thursday, 5th May 2022. First stop Bombala, south of Cooma. It was a fairly uneventful drive with a brief stop at the Bredbo Pie Shop for a late lunch. Not the best pie and sausage roll we’ve ever had but filled the hole and provided an opportunity to pause and realise that we were finally starting the Big Trip of the Grand Tour…

Bombala beckons…

Day Minus One

Almost time!!!

Our last full day at home was whirlwind blur of dropping keys to the rental agent, packing the house and scurryfunging (yes… it’s a word; slightly out of context). It didn’t help that I discovered that the post holding up the electrical conduit for one of the pumps had rotted and snapped causing me to make a hasty repair with a treated pine sleeper offcut (digging tools out of the shed that were neatly packed away)…

We had moved into the van the day before after dismantling our bed in the house and were living in the van in the driveway as we gradually moved the last of the furniture upstairs and into the container.

Those last few days can be be described as:

Shed Jigsaw
  • Shipping container Tetris;
  • Shed Jigsaw;
  • Attic Furniture Suduko; and
  • Aching arms, legs and backs.

Nothing is quite as much fun as trying to figure out where all the house keys you have accumulated over the years go into which locks and why there is a separate pile of keys that don’t seem to have any purpose in life…

Team Alaska

Our last night was spent at a farewell Trivia Night with our Team Alaska friends plus two other trivia team members. We finished equal second and then moved into outright second after a magnificent tie-breaker where Fookie gave the closest answer to a question about the world record for the furthest distance a fresh egg has been successfully thrown and caught. Second was a PB for Team Alaska.

Hugs all round and a quick dump of our spare pantry goods and alcohol onto our friends and then back to our empty house for a last night in Royalla for one or more years…