We took of mid morning on the friday and had no problem at all getting through Melbourne and out the other side heading towards Geelong. We had discussed getting the ferry across the bay and they offered earlybird discounts for the 7 and 8am ferry but that meant we had to be up in darkness to get there in time, so bugga that !
The highway to geelong was very different than the last time I was on it and we had a clear non-stop run all the way to Geelong.
We drove through Geelong and headed down the coast to Torquay. Great choice and decision we soon found out as Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula was packed and where we stayed at Torquay only about a dozen came in for the weekend.
The park was quiet and we toured the coast. We did a daytrip to Geelong and the Bellarine coast and throroughly enjoyed it, its a great place, fantastic fishing and peaceful off season.
The crowds of people along the bellarine was amazing, the shops and eateries were just packed as were the jetties.
Torquay was busy but quiet and pleasant !
The Day We Left
Hindmarsh Island in Background
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Great City Of Melbourne
Here we stayed at Sandra's sisters which was nice and central for where we wanted to go and gave Sandy the chance to catch up with her sister as well.
We spent a couple of days looking at caravan yards at new caravans and confirmed without a doubt that Melbourne offered more brands, more layouts for known brands that we see in Adelaide and all the pricing is much cheaper.
By that I mean what we priced in melbourne was $49,900 and the identical van in same brand and layout in Adelaide is just over $60,000. It was exactly the same everywhere in Melbourne we looked. We found numerous layouts we had never seen before, ideas we handt seen and products. At the same time I think Adelaide is 12 months behind Melbourne is us seeing new products.
It was an interesting time looking at the van and we were able to choose the one we wanted, only problem was we were short a few dollars so we left with our van again.
We spent a couple of days looking at caravan yards at new caravans and confirmed without a doubt that Melbourne offered more brands, more layouts for known brands that we see in Adelaide and all the pricing is much cheaper.
By that I mean what we priced in melbourne was $49,900 and the identical van in same brand and layout in Adelaide is just over $60,000. It was exactly the same everywhere in Melbourne we looked. We found numerous layouts we had never seen before, ideas we handt seen and products. At the same time I think Adelaide is 12 months behind Melbourne is us seeing new products.
It was an interesting time looking at the van and we were able to choose the one we wanted, only problem was we were short a few dollars so we left with our van again.
Our Overseas Trip To Phillip Island
Venus Bay to Phillip Island wasn't that far but the weather had again turned sunny for a while at least.
We stayed here overnight as we wanted to go to see the penguin parades, had a drive around the whole island in the afternoon so we could do the penguin visit that night on sunset.
The penguin parade is well worth going to The penguin centre is just huge with displays and shops, no meals under $13.50 and for everything they slug you.
There are 3 seating pavillions, one holds 3,000 people, the second 2,000 people and the last one 180. Tickets for the first 2 are $20 per adult. For the third they are $40. The big difference is the $40 ticket, you only are seated with 180 people and the penguins walk from the water and up through the sandhills and their paths to their nests right infront of you. We had front row seats here and were as close as 3 feet from hundreds of the penguins as they walked past, stopped and preened themselves and stared at us. The other two big seating areas, all they can see is penguins coming out of the water about 150-300 metres away.
You aren't allowed to take photos or video or even take a camera in as the eyesight of the penguins is damaged easily by the flashes, which was a big disappointment. You have to arrive an hour before opening to que up ready and when they open the gates everyone rushes like mad to get a good seat. If you fell over you are in a stampede.
Being a week night and freezing cold, everyone was really well rugged up and we found that they were expecting some 1,000 people to attend, something quite normal for a freezing weeknight. While we waited in the que for the gates to open we played "Pick the aussie" ! You could count them on one hand because they were all foreigners and japanese.
Having the more expensive tickets was definitely worth the money as you saw everything close up and right infront of you.
The next morning it was raining when we packed to leave.
Phillip Island, or Cowes being a big holiday destination I fail to understand. There are so many great places to go and the island really doesnt offer that much except huge caravan parks. One we saw had 1800 sites and they were building more with the total to hit 2,500. Now that is one park I wouldn't want to be in in peak season !
Time to go and head for Melbourne
We stayed here overnight as we wanted to go to see the penguin parades, had a drive around the whole island in the afternoon so we could do the penguin visit that night on sunset.
The penguin parade is well worth going to The penguin centre is just huge with displays and shops, no meals under $13.50 and for everything they slug you.
There are 3 seating pavillions, one holds 3,000 people, the second 2,000 people and the last one 180. Tickets for the first 2 are $20 per adult. For the third they are $40. The big difference is the $40 ticket, you only are seated with 180 people and the penguins walk from the water and up through the sandhills and their paths to their nests right infront of you. We had front row seats here and were as close as 3 feet from hundreds of the penguins as they walked past, stopped and preened themselves and stared at us. The other two big seating areas, all they can see is penguins coming out of the water about 150-300 metres away.
You aren't allowed to take photos or video or even take a camera in as the eyesight of the penguins is damaged easily by the flashes, which was a big disappointment. You have to arrive an hour before opening to que up ready and when they open the gates everyone rushes like mad to get a good seat. If you fell over you are in a stampede.
Being a week night and freezing cold, everyone was really well rugged up and we found that they were expecting some 1,000 people to attend, something quite normal for a freezing weeknight. While we waited in the que for the gates to open we played "Pick the aussie" ! You could count them on one hand because they were all foreigners and japanese.
Having the more expensive tickets was definitely worth the money as you saw everything close up and right infront of you.
The next morning it was raining when we packed to leave.
Phillip Island, or Cowes being a big holiday destination I fail to understand. There are so many great places to go and the island really doesnt offer that much except huge caravan parks. One we saw had 1800 sites and they were building more with the total to hit 2,500. Now that is one park I wouldn't want to be in in peak season !
Time to go and head for Melbourne
Heading Closer To Melbourne
From Lakes Entrance we followed the coast having a look, lots of little towns, very pictureque and scenic along the 90 mile beach section. Then we went cross country to Venus Bay about 30klms south east of Wanthaggi.
Its a very narrow coastal strip and the bay is quite nice, the caravan park gave us a ensuite site at no extra cost and we asked about a fire and they brought round a fire box and even gave us enough wood for almost 2 days which was totally unexpected. We we viryually the only ones there.
From here we went down to Wilson Promonotory. We didnt really know what to expect other than its national park and we had seen photos. You drive for miles inside the park before you get to stop anywhere. At the main area there was cabins, camp sites, visitor centre and general store. Its cost us $10 to enter the park and we soon found that staying there was just incredible. Around $45 per night per site in OFF PEAK season. Powered sites are dearer, they almost charge you to sneeze in there. Unless you can walk long distances then there no point being there as everything there is a long walk away. All the pics of the lighthouse and coast are great but when you arrive you find out that you have to walk 19klms to get there.
Lovely place but you need to be hyperactive !
The general store had all food stuffs in grocery lines and I wont say anything about their prices. The takeaway food part, well a hamburger which consists of a bread roll out the freezer, cut in half and a deep fried hamburger pattie out of a box is $8.50. Salad and sauce are extra. $5 for a small cup of chips the same size as small at McDonalds. $6 for a pie which they take out of the freezer. Need I shock you with more ? Piece of fish - $9 and there no chips with that, a order of fish and chips is $13.50.
Good old Vic Parks know how to slug and make big profits !
We enjoyed the picnic lunch we took with us (thank god we did) and found plenty of birds that came to visit and wanted to share lunch. I will load some of the pics.
Leaving Venus Bay we headed for Phillip Island
Its a very narrow coastal strip and the bay is quite nice, the caravan park gave us a ensuite site at no extra cost and we asked about a fire and they brought round a fire box and even gave us enough wood for almost 2 days which was totally unexpected. We we viryually the only ones there.
From here we went down to Wilson Promonotory. We didnt really know what to expect other than its national park and we had seen photos. You drive for miles inside the park before you get to stop anywhere. At the main area there was cabins, camp sites, visitor centre and general store. Its cost us $10 to enter the park and we soon found that staying there was just incredible. Around $45 per night per site in OFF PEAK season. Powered sites are dearer, they almost charge you to sneeze in there. Unless you can walk long distances then there no point being there as everything there is a long walk away. All the pics of the lighthouse and coast are great but when you arrive you find out that you have to walk 19klms to get there.
Lovely place but you need to be hyperactive !
The general store had all food stuffs in grocery lines and I wont say anything about their prices. The takeaway food part, well a hamburger which consists of a bread roll out the freezer, cut in half and a deep fried hamburger pattie out of a box is $8.50. Salad and sauce are extra. $5 for a small cup of chips the same size as small at McDonalds. $6 for a pie which they take out of the freezer. Need I shock you with more ? Piece of fish - $9 and there no chips with that, a order of fish and chips is $13.50.
Good old Vic Parks know how to slug and make big profits !
We enjoyed the picnic lunch we took with us (thank god we did) and found plenty of birds that came to visit and wanted to share lunch. I will load some of the pics.
Leaving Venus Bay we headed for Phillip Island
Friday, June 4, 2010
What I forgot to tell you !
We did go back to Orbost and lucky for many the river did not flood so we needn't have moved but it rose in level considerably and was still like liquid mud but the flow was much slower.
On the way from Orbost to Lakes Entrance we went 3klms bush of the main highway and here in a state forest is a historic tresle bridge made all of wood. I will post some pics so you can get an idea of the size of the structure.
We also found a single storey paddlesteamer on the river at Marlo, south of Orbost, that does river tours. Something we were expecting to see down here.
What we call cockles, they call pippies here, bloody strange name and they dont know what a cockle is. But they charge you $8.80 for a 400gram bag that at home we pay $3.
The power transformer for the laptop gave up the ghost whilst we were at Eden and we have been trying until Bairnsdale before we could get another one ! $129 later !!!! You would think the bloody things are made of gold.
In addition the computer mouse gave up as well.
What else can happen ????????????????????????
On the way from Orbost to Lakes Entrance we went 3klms bush of the main highway and here in a state forest is a historic tresle bridge made all of wood. I will post some pics so you can get an idea of the size of the structure.
We also found a single storey paddlesteamer on the river at Marlo, south of Orbost, that does river tours. Something we were expecting to see down here.
What we call cockles, they call pippies here, bloody strange name and they dont know what a cockle is. But they charge you $8.80 for a 400gram bag that at home we pay $3.
The power transformer for the laptop gave up the ghost whilst we were at Eden and we have been trying until Bairnsdale before we could get another one ! $129 later !!!! You would think the bloody things are made of gold.
In addition the computer mouse gave up as well.
What else can happen ????????????????????????
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Onto Orbost, the floods and moving !
We left Mallacoota on high spirits and really looking forward to getting down around Lakes Entrance. The drive to Orbost was pleasant, the highway in great condition. We headed straight away for our campground which was to be on the rabout 8klms south of town. The site we chose was great, overlooking the riverbank, fireplace there, outdoor seats and table, concrete fishing ledge below us, lawn and shade, it was just a bit too close to the road but you cant have everything. The road went to Marlo which is a seaside holiday town so traffic on the road was minimal.
We had an open fire, enjoyed the outlook and intended on going fishing the next day and site seeing later.
Next morning, the water was full of rubbish floating down and lots of tree branches etc coming down stream and the water was the colour of liquid mud. By morning tea time we noticed that the water level was slowly rising and we started to keep an eye on the water height. At lunch time we could see that the water level had risen about 9inches and was still rising at the rate of about 2"/hour. A local couple stopped and had a look at the river and started talking to us and said that a floodwatch alert had just been issued for the river. Unbeknown to us it was the Snowy River ! With all the rian and storms, water had started coming down the river quickly.
We packed up and left and headed for Lakes Entrance as the caravan park in Orbost would have to be evacuated if the river went over the bank, so Lakes Entrance was easier. Here we checked into a lovely little park on the north arm with the lake across the road and as it was a backstreet it shouldnt be busy. The park only caters for about 30 caravans and has a few cabins so it was small but was well cared for and laid out.
Lakes Entrance just has to be seen and experienced as no photos really do it justice. The lake system is huge, picturesque, very calm and the water frontages are so easily accessible for the general public.
The one thing that stood out in this town was the huge number of caravan parks, motels and holiday accommodation. I've never seen so many or much holiday accommodation, its to the point you have to go looking for residential streets just to make sure there are permanent residents here.
The main street waterfrontage is just beautiful, serene, picturesque and has lawns and gardens everywhere accessible to everyone.
WE have travelled all around the town, been to the lookouts, walked over the lake bridge to the sandhills and onto the 90 mile beach. The whole area and town is just magnificent and anyone coming here for a holiday or to live is assurred that its a great place. It is so good its just so hard to put into words just how good it is.
The shopping is extensive, plenty of parking, so many fishing spots to choose from, so many places to walk. Anyone who loves the water will just fall in love with this area.
We also travelled over to Bairnsdale, what a shock to the system that was. The town is now a city and its huge with a lengthy bustling main street, big industrial area and suburbs of housing. The day here was quite enough but you could easily spend days here looking at everything.
From Lakes Entrance we will be travelling through Bairnsdale and onto Sale.
We had an open fire, enjoyed the outlook and intended on going fishing the next day and site seeing later.
Next morning, the water was full of rubbish floating down and lots of tree branches etc coming down stream and the water was the colour of liquid mud. By morning tea time we noticed that the water level was slowly rising and we started to keep an eye on the water height. At lunch time we could see that the water level had risen about 9inches and was still rising at the rate of about 2"/hour. A local couple stopped and had a look at the river and started talking to us and said that a floodwatch alert had just been issued for the river. Unbeknown to us it was the Snowy River ! With all the rian and storms, water had started coming down the river quickly.
We packed up and left and headed for Lakes Entrance as the caravan park in Orbost would have to be evacuated if the river went over the bank, so Lakes Entrance was easier. Here we checked into a lovely little park on the north arm with the lake across the road and as it was a backstreet it shouldnt be busy. The park only caters for about 30 caravans and has a few cabins so it was small but was well cared for and laid out.
Lakes Entrance just has to be seen and experienced as no photos really do it justice. The lake system is huge, picturesque, very calm and the water frontages are so easily accessible for the general public.
The one thing that stood out in this town was the huge number of caravan parks, motels and holiday accommodation. I've never seen so many or much holiday accommodation, its to the point you have to go looking for residential streets just to make sure there are permanent residents here.
The main street waterfrontage is just beautiful, serene, picturesque and has lawns and gardens everywhere accessible to everyone.
WE have travelled all around the town, been to the lookouts, walked over the lake bridge to the sandhills and onto the 90 mile beach. The whole area and town is just magnificent and anyone coming here for a holiday or to live is assurred that its a great place. It is so good its just so hard to put into words just how good it is.
The shopping is extensive, plenty of parking, so many fishing spots to choose from, so many places to walk. Anyone who loves the water will just fall in love with this area.
We also travelled over to Bairnsdale, what a shock to the system that was. The town is now a city and its huge with a lengthy bustling main street, big industrial area and suburbs of housing. The day here was quite enough but you could easily spend days here looking at everything.
From Lakes Entrance we will be travelling through Bairnsdale and onto Sale.
Over the border into Victoria
We left Eden with it overcast, wet and dismal and the day soon fined up quickly the further south we headed. The highway from Eden onwards is like a new road so driving was easy.
We arrived at Mallacoota in time for morning tea which we had at one end of the waterfront caravan park. We just sat in sheer amazement at the size of the waterfront park with it having over 500 powered sites and over 250 unpowered tent sites, 5 toilet blocks and all are tourist sites as there are no permanents on long term caravans here. The dam thing is just massive and just follows the waterfront around from the edge of the town and along the wharf. Wouldn't want to be there during xmas holidays when its full but we found only about 20 caravanners there at the time so getting a waterfront site was no problem.
The lake system here, the waterfront is just absolutely amazing and the council certainly has put in a huge amount of work to make it so wonderful and so easily accessible to the public. There is also access to the sea via the lakes.
The town is just full of holiday accommodation and obvioulsy just dies out of holiday season, needless to say thats the ideal time to come.
In hindsight we wish we had of stayed here a few days. A beautiful waterfont site where you can sit almost under your awning and fish of the bank with outstanding views and very few people. The only thing against the town is that is so far from anywhere else.
We arrived at Mallacoota in time for morning tea which we had at one end of the waterfront caravan park. We just sat in sheer amazement at the size of the waterfront park with it having over 500 powered sites and over 250 unpowered tent sites, 5 toilet blocks and all are tourist sites as there are no permanents on long term caravans here. The dam thing is just massive and just follows the waterfront around from the edge of the town and along the wharf. Wouldn't want to be there during xmas holidays when its full but we found only about 20 caravanners there at the time so getting a waterfront site was no problem.
The lake system here, the waterfront is just absolutely amazing and the council certainly has put in a huge amount of work to make it so wonderful and so easily accessible to the public. There is also access to the sea via the lakes.
The town is just full of holiday accommodation and obvioulsy just dies out of holiday season, needless to say thats the ideal time to come.
In hindsight we wish we had of stayed here a few days. A beautiful waterfont site where you can sit almost under your awning and fish of the bank with outstanding views and very few people. The only thing against the town is that is so far from anywhere else.
Merrimbula - Eden
We arrived safe with it pouring with rain and blowing and on arrival at the caravan park the rain stopped and the wind did also, so that made it easy to setup for a few days. The caravan park lawns were sludgey with water laying everywhere, mainly because they had a months rain overnight.
We did a bit of touring around Eden and had a good look at the port area, wharfs and so called beaches, got a few things at the shops and went back to the van.
Our 3 days here was rainy, windy and pretty unpleasant.
We also toured the local area but I have to say I wasn't that impressed with either town and couldn't see the attraction as such big seaside resort or holiday towns. Mirrimbula was probably better with its extensively lawned public areas and gardens along the waterfront but overall its just another nice seaside town to me.
All weather reports were pretty lousy and then we heard that the day we left Bega it absolutely poured, creeks & waterways overflowed and the highway was closed for most of the day in 3 places, so we left at just the right time.
From here we go over the border into Victoria and onto Mallacoota then Orbost, Lakes Entrance etc.
It is now really feeling as though the travels are towards their end as we get into Victoria and see signs saying how far away Melbourne is, something that neither of us are that happy about.
We did a bit of touring around Eden and had a good look at the port area, wharfs and so called beaches, got a few things at the shops and went back to the van.
Our 3 days here was rainy, windy and pretty unpleasant.
We also toured the local area but I have to say I wasn't that impressed with either town and couldn't see the attraction as such big seaside resort or holiday towns. Mirrimbula was probably better with its extensively lawned public areas and gardens along the waterfront but overall its just another nice seaside town to me.
All weather reports were pretty lousy and then we heard that the day we left Bega it absolutely poured, creeks & waterways overflowed and the highway was closed for most of the day in 3 places, so we left at just the right time.
From here we go over the border into Victoria and onto Mallacoota then Orbost, Lakes Entrance etc.
It is now really feeling as though the travels are towards their end as we get into Victoria and see signs saying how far away Melbourne is, something that neither of us are that happy about.
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