A Day at Sea – Day 28

Having survived Moreton Island we are now sailing to the Whit Sunday Islands, which form part of the Great Barrier Reef. Today has been spent at sea so I will take this opportunity to describe what was a typical day on board.

I woke around seven and after reading the Guardian headlines showered, dressed and walked down to Seabourn Square. Here there is a coffee bar, where there is a great innovation, they have a coffee roaster so there is always the lovely aroma of freshly roasted beans. I got take away coffees taking Marion’s back to the cabin. While she came to I read on the balcony, it was delightful being in the early eighties. 

We then took a late and leisurely breakfast, after which we sat reading at the back of the ship. Mid-morning saw us get into our swimming costumes; we then entered into the pool and attempted some exercises. The water was lovely although it was necessary to keep your shoulders under, as the sun by now was very hot.

We had a great forty-five minutes of exercise but had to be out and showered for midday. On sea days this is the time for the team quiz session in which ten teams of ten take part. Is light-hearted fun with deadly serious undertones.

Today we had lunch outside by the pool, a freshly cooked hamburger patty with a Caesar salad followed by ice cream. After lunch there was a lecture about the Great Barrier Reef by a local pilot. I had high hopes, but this turned out to be very boring, I think that Marion closed her eyes at one point. By now it was late afternoon so it was time for a quick turn around the deck before we had to dress for dinner. Tonight was the one of two formal nights, though this only means a jacket and tie for men and evening dresses for the ladies.

We had pre-dinner drinks, a Sidecar for Marion and a Gibson for me, in the Observation Bar on the eleventh deck watching the sun go down over the Whit Sunday Islands. At dinner we were on a table with a couple from California whom we had met previously and another couple form Pittsburgh. The talk flowed easily and we were amongst the last to leave after three hours. I had come caviar, followed by a cheese soufflé, beef wellington and cheese tasting plate.

Finally we retired to the bar for a nightcap. So ended another busy day on the Seabourn Encore.

I am the entertainment, or how I cheated Davy Jones Locker – Day 28

Today we anchored off Moreton Island, the second largest sand island in the world. It was grey and squally, but I had booked on an early kayaking trip. So I left a sleeping Marion and headed for my briefing at 8am. We were instructed in the use of the lifejackets and other safety procedures before heading to a zodiac for the mile or so trip to shore. I suppose I should have read the runes when the zodiac driver said that they were a little unsure about the conditions but had decided to it was worth starting. 

We were completely wet before reaching the beach from the spray coming over the zodiac, however the water and the air were very warm so it was not an issue. But undaunted we had a demonstration of paddling and launched our kayaks from the beach. There was little chance of seeing the promised marine life, as the sea was too rough. I also did not realise that my co-kayaker was a volunteer with the Australian coastguard, so he knew his port form his starboard. It was a lovely paddle in amongst wrecks parallel to the beach. There was quite a swell but after a bit I became use to the motion and more adept at pointing the kayak into the waves.

After about an hour the three kayaks (there were originally four but one couple dropped out) were called together and told that ship to shore operations had been called off. I suppose we should have noticed that the tenders ferrying people to the shore had stopped operating. So the first challenge was transferring from the kayaks to the zodiacs in the open sea with a considerable swell. Not easy, one person had to be literally dragged from one to the other. We then bumped our way back to the ship, and got thoroughly wet, completely soaked. It then became obvious that it would become quite a challenge coming alongside the ship in a heavy swell. Indeed on the first two attempts the swell was too great and we had to abort. By now quite a crowd had gathered on the ship to watch us poor saps try to disembark. I am not sure whether Marion was waving or reviewing the travel insurance policy.

Eventually thanks to the professionalism of the crew we made it back on board, after a rather interesting thirty mines bobbing around in the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately for the rest of the day the weather deteriorated so there was not possibility to go ashore. Instead after a lovely hot shower we had a quiet day on board. 

So I was one of only six passengers to make it ashore and make it back again, truly a good adventure that became more exaggerated in the telling. Did I mention the six sharks that surrounded the kayaks! 

Brisbane – Day 27

This morning we woke up as we sailed up the Brisbane River to the city of that name. I must admit that first impressions were a little underwhelming, it was not unlike sailing up the Humber to Hull, only much, much hotter. I suppose most river ports are the same though with cargo and oil terminals along their banks.

Marion looked at the weather and decided that it would be better to have a restful day on board, a good decision as I have already walked over 15,000 steps. The area where we docked was a little bit like Docklands, new flats, cafes and bars, some prior research was to my advantage. While most people made for the shuttle bus into town, a few others and I found the CityCat quay. This is a fast catamaran service that runs the length of the Brisbane River. A really efficient way to travel, with the added bonus of being able to stand in the open air and admire the riverside properties of the Brisbane skyline as we approached.

I alighted in the new South Bank area, there I walked through tropical rainforest and saw the impressive public infrastructure that the city has built. There was a public swimming lagoon complete with artificial beach, water features and fountains. This was very popular with young children and mothers in the eighty-degree heat. It was a delightful green lung right in the centre of the city. Otherwise the planners appeared to be modern day disciples of Robert Moses, building urban expressways along the north bank of the river.

The town has the feel of a sub-tropical city, sure there is the usual mish-mash of modern skyscrapers, but interspersed amongst these are buildings from the turn of the Twentieth Century. In the centre there is a lovely botanical garden, which in reality is a big park, with bougainvillaea and enormous trees. I particularly liked the old wool warehouses along the banks of the river that reflected what drove the areas prosperity. I did see a new business concept, a boutique barber with craft beer, now that is a thought.

So it was back on the catamaran to the calm and cool of the Seabourn Encore, and a well deserved cold beer, Grolsch I am afraid, but needs must but a great accompaniment to hamburger steak with a Caesar salad. We are in port until this evening when we sail the short distance to Morton Island for some kayaking.

Resting at Sea – Day 26

After over three weeks of touring and living out of suitcases it has been great to unpack properly, get all the washing up to date, and relax. We sailed out of Sydney last night and are headed for Brisbane tomorrow. So today was spent adjusting to the rhythms of the sea. Firstly I had an unfortunate incident with women’s knickers.

It started innocently as woke early and decided to do the washing. Now the laundry is the only place on the ship that is very busy and requires patience. I found a machine and set it going while I had breakfast. After a delay I also found a dryer, however I wanted to attend a lecture so I arranged that Marion fetch the dried washing. I then changed my mind and before the lecture decided to see if the washing was dried. At this point I found some knickers on the side of the room, but not all the washing. Indignantly I thought that somebody had gathered up my washing. I met Marion after the lecture and she said she had collected the washing; it then occurred to me that I had hijacked somebody else’s knickers, cue panic. This laundry lark really has etiquette of its own.

Other than that excitement we attended our first trivia session, ate and drank well. Despite being full the ship seems very quiet, there is no bustle around the pool, and for much of the time we had the back of the ship to ourselves. I can only conclude that everybody hibernates between meals. I will investigate further.

Leaving Sydney – Day 25

I am writing this from the Seabourn Encore as we sail from Sydney to Brisbane, which we will reach on Friday morning. It was a relaxed morning; Marion had a hair appointment so I took the opportunity to walk round the Domain. One of the lovely things about Sydney is the plethora of open space that gives it a very open feel.

It was then time to get ready for the cruise. The transfer was very smooth and we were on board on in our suite within twenty minutes of arriving at the cruise terminal.

Having finally unpacked after three and a half weeks travelling we settled down on deck to watch the departure from Sydney. It was truly wonderful; although we had previously sailed round the harbour at night on the ferries the view from the ship was amazing. I think I have some great photos, which hopefully I will get the opportunity to post later in the holiday. The Harbour Bridge and the Opera House were beautifully illuminated and were framed by the modern city skyline. It was stunning, a memorable end to our stay in Sydney. 

It was also a sad farewell as we have enjoyed our time in Sydney; it was a very welcoming city, dominated by the spectacular harbour.

West Side Story – Day 24

This maybe a briefer blog than usual as it is well past 11pm in Sydney. We have just returned to our hotel having attended a performance of West Side Story. This was performed by the Sydney Opera House, but was held on an outdoor stage situated at Mrs Macquarie’s Steps. To put this in context this is directly across the harbour from the Opera house, so that when you look back at the Opera House the Harbour Bridge behind frames it. This was to the right of the stage as we looked at it; to the left was the towering skyline of modern Sydney. These were all illuminated.

 

A huge stage had been constructed on the water, the actual design being modelled on graffiti daubed New York Subway cars. Firstly the evening was very kind to us, it was clear and warm. As neither the stage nor the auditorium has any cover this very beneficial.

The massive stage area meant that the musical’s huge cast had plenty of room to show off their dance skills. To my untutored eye the choreography and standard of dance was brilliant. Marian assures me that the singing was great. So this combined with the evocative setting and the strength of the original musical meant that it was a fabulous evening’s entertainment. Many of the songs are classics, and to hear them performed by top artists was a privilege. The setting of the stage within an iconic city skyline complimented the performance perfectly. A really great evening’s entertainment.

 

Earlier today we had ventured out on the ferries again, visiting Watson’s Bay, which is the site of the first settlement of Australia. It is also stunningly situated between the harbour and the Pacific Ocean.

The blog maybe restricted in future days as tomorrow we are boarding the cruise ship to explore the East Coast of Australia, and the internet connection will not be as good.

The Harbour, Manley and a Great Meal – Day 23

Today dawned very wet in Sydney, so it was a relaxed start while the weather cleared. The hotel we are staying in has a great location in the Rocks, just above the Harbour, and we found cooks a mean breakfast, so it was no hardship to linger. I received a telling off from Marion, she noticed that Asian women are constantly either taking selfies or having their picture taken by their partners. She felt that I was not caring enough. So at the end of this blog I will chart Marion’s poses during the day.

So we headed to the Opera House so that we could walk along the Central Quay to the ferries.

It is a lively spot with tourists and locals jostling, as the ferries are an important part of the Sydney inter-urban transport system. Today we took the famous Manley ferry, which does was it says on the tin and sails to Manley, a seaside resort at the mouth of Sydney Harbour about thirty minutes from downtown. It is a lovely trip from the views of the Harbour and the Opera House through the outer reaches of the harbour. We were able to sit outside, the breezes relieving the humidity of the morning.

Manley is a brash seaside resort, full of discount shops, and bars, but it does have a famous beach. This was the venue for a week’s surfing competition last week, however when we there the surf was little tame, this did not stop around fifty people in the water waiting to try their luck with the waves.

This afternoon I walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge, not the walk across the top but on the road deck, that gives spectacular views of Sydney’s Harbour. The only snag is the noise of the six lanes of traffic and commuter rail trains that cross along side you. However the panoramic view of the harbour activity more than compensates.

When Laura was in Sydney at the beginning of the month she recommended a restaurant, Ester, so we gave it a try. The cooking is based around using the extreme heat of a wood fired oven, which gives most things a smoky taste. We moved smoothly from roasted oysters, through blood sausage, potato pasta with scallops to hanger steak to finish with a lemon pudding accompanied by left over sour dough ice cream that was truly outstanding. The meal was paired with Australian wines, all in all a great recommendation by Laura and a really enjoyable evening out.

Finally to recompense Marion I include a few photos of her being a typical tourist.

Some Missing Pictures

Great sign in village where we purchased fortified wine from Chambers Winery

Marion in Snow Mountains

Charlottes Pass and Highest Mountain in Australia

Senate in Canberra

Service of Remembrance - Australian War Memorial

Early Morning in Blue Mountains

Three Sisters - Blue Mountains

Blue Mountains

To Sydney – Day 22

The touring part of our holiday has come to an end. This morning we left the Blue Mountains for Sydney. Our arrival was iconic as our route took us over the Sydney Harbour Bridge; our hotel is just underneath it. So I dropped off Marion and the luggage and went in search of the Avis office. With our two hire cars we have travelled around 5,500 kilometres in three weeks from Perth in the West to Sydney in the East via the Great Ocean Road in the south. We have travelled through five Australian states, seen many kangaroos and absolutely no koalas.

The trip back from the Avis office was slightly difficult as there was a demonstration blocking Central Sydney, so I had a crash course on the Sydney transport system. Fortunately it operates a cashless system using a credit card juts like London, and after a change of trains

I reached Circular Quay, which is a short walk from our hotel. Of course at Circular Quay on either side there are the two signature Sydney sites, the Opera House and the Bridge.

The bridge is of course a homage to Teesside, being built from iron and steel from the now defunct Dorman Long works in Middlesbrough. It is of course a copy of the bridge across the Tyne in Newcastle.

We had time this afternoon to explore the Rocks Market, which took place a stones through from our hotel. This is a lively market selling all sorts of Australian goods. After purchasing several interesting items, look out Tomas and Alison, although I did veto the boomerang, we had Japanese pancakes and made friends with a Chelsea supporting Malaysian couple on their honeymoon. As it was hot and humid we felt we deserved the excellent pint of IPA from the brewpub around the corner, one of the best Australian beers that I have sampled.

A sharp shower of rain did not dampen our spirits; rather we had a pub dinner and then took a scheduled ferryboat around the harbour.

For less than £1 each we had a spectacular round trip viewing one of the most spectacular cityscapes in the world.There were even some fireworks over the Opera House just for us. This rounded off a really great introductory day in Sydney.

Still lots to do and see tomorrow.

The Spectacular Blue Mountains – Day 21

The Blue Mountains are a little bit of a curates egg, there are areas of outstanding beauty and there are honeypots of tourist concentration. It is inevitable that such a beautiful area easily accessible Sydney will attract sightseers. Indeed I should not be hypocritical, why should I enjoy the area and deny it to others. What we did find is that it is easy to find areas of great natural beauty, which can be experienced a short distance from the crowds.

We started this morning with a visit to the most famous site, The Three Sisters at Echo Point, because it was only five minutes from the hotel. The early morning sun had created a spectacular effect as the valleys were covered with cloud that we looked down on. The white fluffy cloud meandered through the valley floors with a bright blue sky above. To contrast I returned this evening when the cloud had gone, but now the threatening black of the late afternoon thunderstorms silhouetted the mountains. I am hopeful of some faster Internet in Sydney that will allow me to upload my photos, as my words do not do justice to the beauty of the two scenes.

We then meandered round the Scenic Mountains Drive stopping at the numerous viewpoints. The busy Great Western Highway intersects the area and it is almost impossible to travel any where locally without using it. So we left the town of Katoomba where we are staying and drove west along the highway turning off in the town of Blackheath, to the National Park Visitors Centre and Govatts Leap. This was situated on the other side of the ridge, and allows views of waterfalls tumbling over the cliff edge, and also allowed us to appreciate how dense the canopy of the temperate rain forest is. There is no break in it and there must be very little light on the forest floor. I took a short walk to Bridal Falls; here I shared the spectacular look out with only a couple of others. This whole area was lovely. I returned to collect a patient Marion who had been sitting on a bench taking in the view, and I think people watching.

Then by way of contrast we drove down onto the valley floor so that we appreciated the escarpment from below. There was a lovely shady outdoor café where we had a lovely light lunch. There was time to visit Hargreaves Lookout before we ventured back to the hotel. While Marion had a little rest I walked into town to buy ferrules for her walking poles. Stopping in a bookshop, what a surprise, the cover of a book about the history of the area showed the station platform crowded with Edwardian ladies and gentlemen taking a day trip to the mountains. So the local tourism is not a new phenomenon, tourists like us just come from further afield.

So a lovely days sightseeing and walking, when the weather was equally glorious. This is the final day of the touring element of our holiday as tomorrow we head for Sydney.   

To the Blue Mountains – Day 20

This is just about the half waypoint of our Australian adventure, and it has flown by. Today was low-key following on from the packed schedule that we had in Canberra, we left after breakfast initially on the motorway to Goulburn, reputedly the first inland city in New South Wales. The sat-nav took us through the back streets, really interesting as it displayed something that we have seen throughout the country. The houses, mostly bungalows are so close together, which seems strange in such a vast country where apart from in the major cities space is not at a premium. Few seem to have much garden.

We then took a rural road on the eastern side of the Snowy Mountains across the Great Divide. It was predominantly above 1,000 metres, through hilly country that was much greener than we have been used to. For the first time the road kill was wombats rather than kangaroos. We stopped at the village of Taralga for coffee, and there got a lesson in rural NSW politics by reading a local paper. There is an election in NSW this weekend, and in this constituency there is a hard fought battle between the incumbent Liberals (conservative) and Labour (left wing but oddly in favour of more liberal gun laws). The opinion polls show that this traditionally Liberal seat is on a knife edge, but it reflects politics everywhere, the government have suddenly found money for local projects, while the opposition say that they will stand up for rural people rather than throwing money at big city (Sydney) vanity projects. I shall look at the outcome on Monday with interest.

We purchased a picnic lunch and stopped in a park in the town of Oberon to eat it. Oberon takes every opportunity to stress its tenuous links with a Mid Summer’s Night Dream including a Titania Motel. No mention of Tom Sheppard’s Bottom though!

As we approached the Blue Mountains the heavens opened and there was a thunderstorm. Also the traffic grew heavier, so it was relief that we reached out hotel just after four. The hotel is old fashioned and really could be situated in any English Spa town. However it is very comfortable, the service excellent, and had a great indoor swimming pool in which we exercised this afternoon. Unfortunately it has very a slow Internet connection so you will have to wait for some more pictures until we arrive in Sydney on Sunday.

Canberra – Day 19

The day started with a short drive from the Snowy Mountains to Canberra, the capital of Australia, a city that was only created in the early Twentieth Century. Our hotel is one of the original buildings in the city, built to house the administrators who were moving to the new city from Melbourne and Sydney. The city is comparatively small for a capital at fewer than half a million inhabitants. An American husband and wife team, from Chicago, who were devotees of Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie style of architecture, planned it.

In order to maximise the short time we had in the city we had a personal tour for the afternoon. After a general orientation the first stop was at the new parliament building, opened in the early 1980’s. This was a hugely impressive structure, which had a completely integrated design, from the flagpole to the chairs. The colours and thought that had been put into the structure were amazing. At one point we looked at the wall of the Kings Hall at a stunning painting representing the Australian country, on closer inspection it was a beautifully made tapestry. There were very few visitors while we were there, the atmosphere was relaxed and we were able to wander freely.

Much was very recognisable from the UK, form of government, the speaker’s chair, the mace, and the method of division, while some resembled more the model of the US, for instance the horseshoe assembly and the bi-cameral system. From the roof of the parliament, which is grassed it is easy to see the similarities with Washington DC, there is a long mall leading to the old parliament building, then the Avenue of Remembrance with at the end the Australian War Memorial. In a triangle in front of the parliament are the main government buildings, while to one side is the embassy quarter. The roof is grassed to symbolise that people can walk on top of the parliament, rather than the parliament dominating the people.

Throughout the tour there are interesting artefacts and portraits of past Australian leaders. I did not know that one of the copies of the Magna Carta was on display. There was the desk on which Queen Victoria signed Australia into being, together with the signed proclamation.

After our tour of the parliament we drove through the embassy quarter, there because the embassies were all purpose built rather than taking over existing buildings it was interesting to see how each building reflected the nation. It was possible to guess the country simply by looking at the building’s style.

 From the summit of Mount Ainslie it was possible to get an overview of the city and appreciate its planned nature, and in particular the broad avenues. From there we visited the Australian War Memorial, which is also a museum. Our visit to the museum was all too brief as it was a fascinating display of the conflicts that Australia had been involved in. Of particular note was one of the original landing boats used in the Gallipoli campaign, the only life raft found after HMAS Sydney had been sunk in World War Two, and the Japanese mini submarine that had penetrated Sydney Harbour during that war.

At 5pm we watched the daily Ceremony of Remembrance. At this short but moving ceremony the last post is sounded, wreaths are laid, and poignantly the life of one of the 62,000 Australians killed in war is remembered, today in the presence of some of his surviving relatives. Also at the ceremony were schoolchildren who are brought to Canberra as part of their civics course. 

So we saw learnt all about Canberra in a short space of time, in doing so I think that it helped explain Australia a little more to us.

This evening we met our great friends Barbara and Iain who are also touring Australia. It was good to meet friends and catch up with their adventures, particularly their trip to Tasmania and the region around Melbourne. Iain also made an excellent choice of restaurant!

The Snowy Mountains – Day 18

Apologies as again there will be no pictures, as we have no Internet. I am able to tether my mobile to upload the blog, but to do anything else is beyond my bandwidth. Hopefully we will have a good Internet connection in Canberra tomorrow.

Well the Snowy Mountains have surpassed our expectations, mainly due to the unexpectedly good weather. We have been looking at the mountain forecast for the last week, thinking we would have rain today. In fact it has been very sunny and has only just started to cloud over. As a result we have been able to see the Snowy Mountains at their best. Once again we were mainly within the boundary of the Kosciuszko National Park. The infrastructure here is obviously geared for crowds of people, the attendant at the park tollbooth stated that during the winter season tens of thousands are on the slopes. It was so quiet today that we were able to sit in the car talking to her for ten minutes before another vehicle appeared.

The road’s primary purpose is to provide access to the ski resorts. Why is it that ski resorts the world over outside of the winter season look so ugly? We drove to the head of the road at Charlottes Pass from where there is a lookout over the highest peaks in Australia, the tallest being Mount Kosciuszko at 2228 metres. It was certainly very clear today looking across one of Australia’s very few alpine environments. Even at this height there are still eucalyptus trees, it is the only tree that grows everywhere in Australia. 

We then found a secluded shady picnic site for a sandwich lunch. From the site there was a six-kilometre hike to a waterfall through the eucalyptus woods. The trees here had all been burnt in a natural fire in 2003, but had already regenerated. Indeed this is the natural way the eucalyptus tree grows, shedding its bark to create flammable material on the forest floor that will catch light during lightening storms. 

We then meandered back down the valley to the area’s centre Jindabyne where we had found an excellent café for coffee and to watch the world go by. Tonight we did some shopping, as having our own apartment it is good to eat in for a change. The prices were interesting, I thought that they compared favourably with the UK, and some things were cheaper. $15 for a kilo of coffee beans was music to my ears; well obviously the fresh fruit was plentiful and reasonable.

Now I omitted something from yesterday’s blog. We drove through the town of Corryong, which was the last place in Victoria. There they made great play of a Jack Higgins who was the model for a poem by Banjo Patterson. It was only today that we realised that Banjo, why wasn’t I christened with a great name like that, was the author of Waltzing Matilda. I should have stood in the town street and sung at the top of my voice.

Into the Mountains – Day 17

We do not have a dedicated internet connection so there will be no photos for a couple of days.

For the first time we did have breakfast provided at our hotel, so we found a bakery about 500 metres away and had excellent coffee with fresh croissants sitting outside. We gave the Milawa cheese factory a miss, we had tried their cheddar and blue cheeses at dinner last night, and both were excellent, however cheese is not something that travels in a hot climate. Instead we headed for the small town of Rutherglen for something that does travel, wine. 

Rutherglen is a gold rush town established in the mid-nineteenth century. At the same time vines were planted and the area contains some of the oldest wineries in Australia. It is also renowned for its fortified wines. Indeed the sign at the entry into the town makes great play on that. The maitre’d at the Lake House Hotel recommended a particular vineyard, Chambers. We found it easily and were well rewarded. It was one of the best cellar door experiences that we have had. The winery was founded in 1858 and is now run by the sixth generation of the family. Their specialities are Muscat, Port, and Sherry, although of course they are not allowed to call in sherry. 

Some of the barrels that they are aging the wine in are over one hundred years old, including one that originated from Germany for exhibiting at the Great Exposition in Melbourne in the 1880’s, was taken as payment for a bad debt and emblazoned with the Australian coat of arms. The maturing process did not seem to suffer from the very hot summers that this area had experienced. We tried several of the Muscats and Sherries, they all had a rich marmaladey type complex taste. Marion fell in love, particularly with the one that was $200 for half a bottle. So we are bringing home to three bottles, just right to drink with a dessert, or served cold as an aperitif.

Before we left Rutherglen we bought some local flavoured olive oil, it is a good job that weight will not be a factor on our future flights.

We then headed towards the Snowy Mountains, Australia’s highest, bypassing the large town of Woodonga/Albury to drive beside Lake Hume. This is an artificial lake created by damming the upper reaches of the Murray River. It is a graphic illustration of the drought affecting this area of Australia. The lake has shrunk, trees that were under water are exposed, and a village that was moved fifty years ago to make way for the lake would now be on dry land.

Even though the railways in this area have been shut we found some interesting relics. The State of Victoria has been forward thinking in creating walking and bike tracks from its closed railways. We drove in parallel with the High Country Rail Tail for many miles. One interesting relic was an old trestle bridge, where the four support construction to enable the bridge to carry the heaviest weights could clearly be seen.

The Snowy Mountains are almost all in the Kosciuszko National Park, one of the few places that we have paid an entry fee for. The first part of the road passed the Murray River Power Scheme, described as one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world. After that the road climbed to over 1500 metres mostly through eucalyptus forests, which occasionally opened up into magnificent vistas across wooded valleys bathed in the late afternoon sun It was unspoilt and there was very little traffic, during the two hour drive. So we arrived at our stay for two nights after a rewarding and contrasting day.

In the footsteps of Ned Kelley – Day 16

Today saw us leave the spa town of Daylesford to travel northeast through the Victoria countryside; the picture shows how rolling it is, but everything is brown reflecting the prolonged period of drought that this part of the world has experienced. So just like Devon, but brown.

This part of Victoria could be dubbed Ned Kelley country; he was an infamous bushranger (highwayman) in the late nineteenth century. At the time the area was experiencing a gold rush boom, so there were rich pickings to be had. Apparently he is the most written about Australian of all time, and there is much debate as to whether he was a Robin Hood figure of just a desperado gangster.

The town of Beechworth was a centre of the Victorian gold rush and has well preserved government buildings, so it is possible to envisage what it might have been like in Kelly’s time. There is the treasury that handled all of the gold extracted from the surrounding area, the police station, and the courthouse. Even in the 1870’s this remote part of Victoria had a well-developed civic infrastructure, something that Kelley who had a sense of injustice as to the way his family were treated could rail against.

We stopped for lunch at the art gallery, beautifully situated overlooking a lake in the prosperous town of Benalla. The part that Kelley plays in the Australian psyche is captured in this large modern artwork. More graphically the town of Glenrowan, which was the scene of Kelly’s last stand and capture has installed a huge statue of him in his trademark armour.

Kelley is of course an iconic Australian figure, but following in his footsteps has allowed us to explore an interesting area of the countryside. We also discovered a good gallery and a more genuine more recent Australian hero. This was “Weary” Dunlop, so called not because of fatigue but because of his surname. He was an all round sportsman who became a surgeon and was captured by the Japanese in Java during Wold War Two. His leadership of prisoners in Thailand and in particular on the Death Railway ensured that the Australians suffered the lowest death rate. Later after the war he worked for reconciliation. He came from and is commemorated in Benalla, a poignant counterpoint to Ned Kelley.

Well Marion did not see a koala today, but she did have a near death experience with Australian wildlife when she spotted a snake slithering across the floor of the hotel dinning room. Both survived to fight another day, the snake being shovelled out into the grounds, and Marion by fortifying herself with Sauvignon Blanc!

Sunday in Victoria – Day 15

It was an early start today as we had a couple of objectives. First of all we saw this sign, we expected koalas to be bobbing all over the road for the next thirty-five kilometres, what did we see – absolutely nothing!

After climbing away from the coast our journey to Daylesford our drive was largely through the very rural back roads of Victoria. Every so often we would cross one of the roads radiating from Melbourne, but other than that saw very little traffic. Just before midday we rolled into Daylesford in time to catch the 12:15 departure on the Daylesford Spa Railway. Yes by now you will have guessed why we were the first into breakfast this morning.

This railway is a recreation of Victorian country railways in the 1950’s, essentially a one-carriage diesel railcar running through isolated countryside. . Being Victoria it was of course running on a broad gauge. One of the problems that Australian railways had was that originally all of the states constructed on a different gauge. The railcar was very comfortable, but the mechanics must have been a nightmare for the driver. The large diesel engine was situated completely exposed just behind the driver for whom it was deafening and hot. In service they would have driven these for two hundred or so miles.

The trip was not long terminating at Bullarto, which at 2520 feet is the highest railway station in Victoria. After a light lunch we checked into out hotel in Daylesford, which is probably the most luxurious of our trip. We were able to have lovely swim and then I walked the 2.5 kilometre perimeter of the lake that the hotel is situated on before we had the most delicious dinner of our holiday so far. It was certainly a culinary highlight complimented by excellent wines. The Cols Block Shiraz from Paradigm Hill on the Mornington Peninsular was the most rounded wine of the holiday so far, while the Pressing Matters Riesling from Tasmania was a great accompaniment to our desert.

While we were eating dinner these kookaburras appeared. They were very tame allowing me to ruffle its feathers. So we have seen a kookaburra but not a koala.

After two weeks of travelling and sightseeing the Lakeside Hotel at Daylesford has made an excellent recuperation stop. Tomorrow we head for Ned Kelley country!

What no Koalas? Day 14

We have already seen many kangaroos, but Marion is insistent that no trip to Australia will be complete with seeing koalas at first hand. Today looked promising, on our tourist map there are little koala logos indicating areas where these elusive animals can be viewed. So we diligently scan trees looking for the slightest movement. I went beyond the call of duty by walking some trails, and then success….. However this koala is a Canadian hoax, two tourists whose luck is the same as ours had decided to recreate the koala experience. We will continue our hunt, any tips gratefully received.

Today we drove the part of the Great Ocean Road that hugs the coast from Apollo Bay where we are staying to Lorne, about fifty kilometres away.

The road was built both as a memorial to the soldiers from Victoria who died in the First World War and as a job creation scheme. As it winds around the coast wonderful vistas open up, and as today’s weather was very clear these are framed in an aquamarine coloured sea. This was a very leisurely drive with an early stop for coffee at the small beach resort of Wye River. Here you can see Marion showing her age.

Lorne is a bustling seaside resort, but surrounded by wonderful country. The deep narrow valleys are dotted with waterfalls that tumble through wooded glades. The one in the photo is the Erskine Falls. From there we visited a place called QDOS, nothing to do with the Scarborough entertainment company, but an art gallery come sculpture park, with importantly for us a lovely café attached. It was beautifully set in the wooded hills above the town. A stones throw away was Teddy’s lookout high in the hills above Lorne looking over the Ocean Road and the Otway Hills. Today the view was breath taking. 

 The return trip along the Ocean Road allowed us to appreciate the scenery from the opposite direction. At one point you can still see the remnants of a wreck from 1891, tragically five men lost their lives, not the voyagers but those on three successive expeditions to salvage the wrecked ship.

Before Apollo Bay we turned off into the Otway Hills and took a tourist route through the temperate rain forest. It is difficult to convey the density of the vegetation and the immense height of the trees. This trip had an added bonus; in the isolated village of Beechwood Forest there were many railway artefacts from the part of the long closed Victoria narrow gauge system. This had opened up the area in the early 1900’s allowing the natural resources particularly the timber to be exploited. You can still make out the balloon formation, a loop on which trains were turned. These are very rare although we have actually travelled on one in Antonito in New Mexico.

Finally I took a stroll around Apollo Bay finding the brew house to buy a local beer to have with the homemade supper that we had tonight. Tomorrow we leave the coast after two weeks to strike inland north of Melbourne. 

Cape Otway - Day 13

It was a return to rain this morning. Whilst having breakfast overlooking the delightful harbour in Port Fairy, I noticed the heavy rain disturbing the tranquil waters of the harbour. The hotel was beautifully situated right on the inner harbour. It was an old ice store that has been converted to a hotel.

I wondered why it was called the Belfast Ice Store, but reading an old map found that Port Fairy had originally been called Belfast. I still have not found out the reason for the name change.

So we left in the rain and along the first part of the Great Ocean Road it was decidedly murky, so ever the pragmatists we stopped in the small village of Port Campbell for an excellent coffee. We were thankful that we had enjoyed the coastline yesterday in brilliant conditions. Further east the road transitions to being surrounded by giant eucalyptus trees, reputedly the home of koala bears, though we did not see any. Marion tells me that they are asocial and sleep a lot because of a poor diet. I asked her where they slept at which point her animal knowledge failed. 

This was a side road to Cape Otway at the end of which there is a heritage park themed round Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse. It was most interesting helped by an excellent interpretive guide. In the days of sailing ships coming from Europe they headed as far south as possible to catch the roaring forties to approach the coast of Victoria from the South West, in order to thread the channel between King Island off Tasmania and the mainland. This saved five days compared to sailing south of Tasmania but after a long voyage was navigationally challenging. A significant number did not make being blown directly onto the rock of the south coast.

Hence the reason for this isolated lighthouse. Originally it could only be supplied by sea twice a year, so had to be largely self-sufficient. Even in the 1930’s the new schoolmistress had to travel by horse and cart the thirty kilometres from the nearest railhead. During the war it was the site of secret radar station, secret not so much because of the technology but because the Australian government did not wish the populace to know of the threat from enemy submarines around its coast. There was also a plaque to an airman who disappeared of the coast, whose last radio transmission seemed to refer to a UFO, apparently Australia’s most creditable sighting.

 

We then drove the few miles to our next stop at Apollo Bay, a pleasant seaside town that acts as a gateway to the Great Ocean Road.

After our gourmet delights last night it was a simple, but good pub meal tonight. The odd thing about Australian pubs is that you order your food and pay at one counter, then order your drinks and pay at another counter. More coastal scenery tomorrow.

Twelve Apostles and The Great Ocean Road – Day 12

We have had a really fabulous day today. In order to pack everything in we had an early start well breakfast was at 8.15! We planned to drive as far as the iconic Twelve Apostles and then work our way back along the Great Ocean Road. One of the advantages we have is that Barbara and Iain are prospecting this trip for us as they completed a similar itinerary ten days ago. As usual everything in Australia is a little farther than you think, but even so we rolled into the visitor centre around 10.30. Although it was busy, it was not unbearably so as we were probably in advance of the coach tours.

We hoped that we were not going to be underwhelmed by today, as the Great Ocean Road is one of the most hyped scenic attractions in Australia. There was no danger the coastline is stunning, and the National Parks of Victoria have done a magnificent job of keeping it pristine and largely uncommercialised. At the Twelve Apostles there is an extensive car park and a ten-minute walk to several viewpoints. There you look over a series of yellowy orange stacks being pounded by an aquamarine ocean. You can visualise nature at work in the continual process of erosion. A parallel walk to Gibson Steps allows you to get the perspective from sea level. It is great just to stare and take in the beauty of what you are viewing.

Nearby is Loch Ard, which is more of a cove again surrounded by stacks. Again lovely walks to stunningly situated viewpoints.

Lunch was at the suggestion of Barbara and Iain, we diverted off the main tourist route to the small town of Timboon. There was a lovely ice cream parlour serving twenty-four flavours. I thought of granddaughter Martha when I saw a poster advertising Sundae School, just the type of education she would not mind attending on the weekend.

After lunch we returned to The Great Ocean Road, this time taking in three major sites. The first London Bridge is the site of a collapsed arch. There were originally two spans but one collapsed about twenty years ago leaving an isolated arch. This was doubly unfortunate for the couple stranded on the isolated arch; although they were rescued the publicity revealed that they were on an illicit trip to the area unbeknown to their partners. On a serious note it does illustrate the dynamic process of the erosion taking place along the coast and how the landscape is continually changing.

Finally we visited the Bays of Islands and Martyrs. Here I was able again to walk down to beach level and get a different perspective of the coast. As you can see the weather was magnificent, around twenty-two degrees with a cooling breeze. The first part of our trip to the Great Ocean Road more than exceeded our expectations.

Then it was back to Port Fairy to observe the surfers before retiring to the hotel for coffee and biscuits on the balcony. This evening we were recommended to eat at the oldest inn in the State of Victoria, Merrijig where we had the best meal of the holiday so far, and the bar has been set very high. We both had a lovely smoked port loin chop, and because we could walk we shared a bottle of the local Riesling, every bit as good as the ones we buy from Alsace. One of our discoveries is that every area has excellent local wines that have small productions and are not exported to Britain. We will sleep well tonight in preparation for the second part of The Great Ocean Road.