Sunday 9th January and we packed up the van, hooked up, made our farewells and headed back along the Newell Highway to fuel up and the turn off to Swan Hill. We left about 9:00am.
From the Swan Hill turn off we headed south towards Piang, Koraleigh, Nyah West and along the way stopped at a road stop rest place and made breakfast.
After our stop we then drove to Swan Hill where we stopped and re-stocked our diminishing supplies from Aldi and then headed further south to Moama.
We passed through some lovely little towns on the trip including Lake Boga, Mystic Park, Lake Charm, Kerang, Letchville, Gunbower and through Echuca, most of which were to be effected by the Victorian floods within the following weeks.
Our initial plan was to drive to Castlemaine but we changed our plans at the last minute which as it turned out was a fairly good decision as we missed a lot of the rain that fell in Victoria.
Later on in the week Castlemaine was flooded as well as Kerang which is a nice town on the route that we took and at the time of writing it is touch and go whether it will go under in floods. Unfortunately it did go under floods on the 20th January and mass evacuations occurred.
We stopped for a lunch break between Swan Hill and Moama and although it is only a about 350kms from Balranald to Moama it took us about 6 hours to drive it as we are slow drivers now and generally don't go over 90kph.
Reached Moama around 3:00pm and booked into the caravan park and was allocated a spot in the middle of the park which was jammed in a corner spot in a narrow street and it turned out a real test of backing skills.
With the aid of about three observers plus Maree guiding me into the spot - it was hilarious trying to look at four people all with arms flying in different directions informing me how to get in. Anyway we made it!!!
It was a shock to the system getting out at the park as the humidity immediately hit us in the face which is something that we had not experienced for some time.
Barraba is hot and has a dry heat even though at times it gets humid it is not as intense as it is in the major cities and closer to the coast.
After we set up the van and showered it was a walk to the local watering hole at the bowling club for dinner and a few light refreshments prior to a walk back after dinner and an early night ready for our trip to Victoria.
Next morning, Monday 10th, we packed up and it was time to start the Victorian leg of our trip. We left Moama and drove along the Northern Highway and after few zigs and zags turned onto the Midland Highway and after about 50 km turned onto the Hume Highway and destination Victoria.
We drove for a couple of hours and stopped at Heathcote for a quick breakfast at a small licensed cafe on the highway at about 11:00am.
A quick call from Ken to ascertain where we were so that they could have lunch waiting for us when we arrived and we informed them that we should be there around 1:00pm.
"Great" we said to each other as we have had mixed weather since we left Sydney and moved to Barraba and indeed on the trip so far.
We were very excited about heading into the sunshine.
Ken being Ken and a very organised person rang me on Friday as he was returning from his trip to Sydney to inform me of some speed traps on the Hume Highway so that I could be wary of them.
He also mentioned that he would draw a mud map of how to get to his place after we reached the turn off point to the Western Distributor. He emailed it to me on Saturday and below are copies of the maps.
It was just as well we had them as we would have found it difficult to get to their place using "where is". So we were very appreciative of them.
Didn't stop us from taking a wrong turn at the Western Distributor and ending up at the Bloody Essendon airport which was in the direct opposite direction that we needed to be going.
Anyway when the navigator got the bearings and after earlier letting Ken know that we would be at their place around 1:00pm for lunch we arrived around 2:00pm. Lucky it was a cold lunch!!!
Anyway we got here finally.
The driveway that we needed enter was impossible to navigate with the caravan in tow so during the weeks previous to our arrival Ken and Brenda had excavated a new driveway and approach to their home.
They cut down trees made a new path, (see below "grassy unofficial driveway"), cleared out a complete turnaround area for the car and the van, (see below "turning bays") - (entry through the left bay 180 degree turn around and exit and turn left out of right bay and then reverse into "Caravan parking".
It allowed us to drive in through a newly formed road, turn the car and van on a 360 degree loop and reverse into the parking bay for our stay.
Map 4 shows the effort that they went to to ensure that we could get into their place and we are extremely appreciative of the things that they went through to make us comfortable.
Here is a blow up of map 4!!!
So here we are parked and all settled in and ready for all the beautiful sunshine that Victoria has been experiencing. However it was overcast, fine rain and humid. Ok there is always tomorrow.
Below is a photo of their lovely hideaway in their treehouse which is just absolutely stunning to look at no matter from which direction it is viewed from.
After parking the van we headed upstairs for the late lunch which we enjoyed very much and then sat down, relaxed and chewed the fat.
Next morning fairly early I went to the bathroom which of course was in the house and as I stepped out of the van and opened the bleary eyes I noticed a couple of Kangaroos grazing on the front lawn.
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| As you can see they came up really close |
However I don't know what spooked them but all of a sudden they took off down the front and back into the bush. I know I am not my best in the morning but I don't think I was that bad!!
Oh really????????? (comments from Maree)
So the start of another nice sunny day - Ho Ho!!
It had rained most of the night and it was still overcast and a little cooler. We shall check again tomorrow.
Tuesday 11th and it was off to see Mount Dandenong to look at the views and have a coffee and a nice day out. Along the way we drove the back roads through the hills around Ken and Brenda's place and it turned out to be a very scenic route with a number of stops for photos etc.
These photos are from a stretch of road called "skyline" which show beautiful shots of the Yarra Valley from up high.
The photo on the left is a photo of a golf course in the Yarra Valley and on the right is part of the Yarra river which winds around the valley - it was an absolutely brilliant setting with a nice cool breeze.
Had to get a couple of shots of the stars from the same spot for posterity - so here we are!! Maree and I are on the left and Ken and Brenda on the right!!!
We continued our journey and headed off to the Dandenongs for morning tea and to get higher up in the world in case we could get a view of the sun from that height.
The photos do not lie!!!
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| View from Mount Dandenong of the sun. |
So we decided to have a cup of coffee at the coffee shop after a short walk around the beautiful english gardens.
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| Us in the English Gardens |
So after a nice morning in the Dandenongs it was time to head back for lunch. Back down the winding road through Sassafras and into Lilydale.
A quick walk through the shops and off to a nice restaurant for lunch which we did at a very nice Cafe at the end of town. Time to go home and we started our trip back to Kangaroo ground.
However on the way back Ken had to pick up his mail at the local Post Office. We arrived at the PO and Ken said that we should all go in and meet the people who run it as they were friends with them.
So into the PO we go and was introduced to them and as we turned around the owner came out from the back room with a glass of red wine and asked us if we wanted to do a wine taste.
Of course we could not refuse the offer as it would have been rude and besides Ken was driving so we had nothing to lose. It turned out that the PO was a part of one of the wineries in the area and it was an extremely great way to collect the mail.
I think I will speak to the Post Mistress in Barraba as it sounds like a great idea to me.
Anyway after emptying the wallets off home for a home cooked meal compliments of an excellent Chef - Brenda. It rained most of the night - Always tomorrow I suppose.
Wednesday 12th January and Maree and I did a day trip around the Yarra Valley and ended up in Healesville which is a favourite spot of ours.
A walk around the shops, a haircut for both of us, picked up some great steaks for the evening meal (BBQ), lunch and a scenic drive around the valley and we headed back to Kangaroo Ground for a snort before dinner. It gets better but for now please read below.
4th February 2011 - Queensland
I have stopped writing this blog about three weeks ago and the blog and the trip has been cut short. I will complete it over the next couple of weeks and explain why it is incomplete.
In short - obviously the trip is over and it was cut short as I am now in Queensland doing Insurance Claims Assessing for Insurance Companies for the Queensland floods.
In a previous life I was trained to be a building assessor and so here I am. I will explain more over the coming weeks. Maree and I have been up here for two weeks and we are here for another two weeks.
The despair people are feeling is highly emotional and at times very difficult to deal with, however most people are happy to see us so that they can start re-building their lives.
We are working seven days a week 10 hours per day and it is hot humid and very messy. More in about 2 - 3 weeks
See ya soon
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