Tasmania's Westcoast

What a lovely green and protected camp spot it is, feels almost too good to leave, but, alas its time to move on as there is nowhere to go anyway, only wilderness to the south of Arthur River.  I need to drive back the way I came in, passing by Stanley, then through Wynyard, from there south again to Rosebery where I spend the night and give my rig a good wash.  On my way south I made a brief side trip to the town of Waratah, but that is just another mining town, the mine still a going concern. 

 

Waterfall at Waratah

It came as a real surprise to me when I saw so many mines on my route through this part of Tasmania.  Little did I know that Silver has been mined here since the 19th century.  Now of course its Copper, Tin, Zinc, Lead, also Silver and some Gold and I have been told that only Western Australia produces more base metals.  Naturally, a lot of the mining activity has left some real scars in the landscape, quite shocking to see in such pristine landscape.

 

Yellow borders of flowers along my path

To check out Cradle Mountain I need to turn left from my north / south highway and head east to visit this popular and also tourist laden sight.  Its really cold, everyone wearing jackets and many have knitted caps to keep warm.  I also take a walk along the lake front but am glad to return to the shelter where I can catch the bus back to my parked vehicle.  Its a nice place - if only there were less tourists.

 

Its cold and windy near Cradle Mountain

From Rosebery I drive on the coastal tourist town of Strahan (pronounced Strawn) where I spend the night by the local Golf Course, quite a nice location, away from all the activity around the foreshores.  Fishing and Crayfish is a large industry here and I witnessed about a ton of live crayfish and giant crab being loaded on a refrigerated truck.  The lady writing up the weight schedule said it was all destined for China, to be shipped by air the same day.  The crayfish she tells me go into suspended animation once they are packed with ice, to arrive at their destination still alive and fresh.

 

Some of the local produce of Cray

 

The foreshore at Strahan

The forecast for today is early 30s for this part of the island, with Hobart to go to 33 degrees C.  Definitely a day for a powered site so I can keep cool for the day, so decide to leave my spot at the Golf Club and drive on to Queenstown, yet another old mining community located at the bottom of a valley with a great view up the mountains across the valley.  I follow the road over Mt. Jukes to take me to Lake Burbury.  Its steep inclines and declines all the way, winding, winding, winding.  Unfortunately, due to the weather change there is quite a lot of smoke from some bush fires that is obstructing my views, much of the beauty visible only through a haze of smoke.

 

This is the "flatter" part of the road up

 

This gives an idea of the smoke in the air over the lake

Its also a very gusty wind that has blown even my chair right against the fence in front of my Motorhome.  I am plugged into power, aircon running, so I am feeling quite comfortable writing my blog.

Tasmania Here I Come!

I did end upstaying 2 nights at that lovely rest area, having many talks with the neighbors.  On Tuesday (Australia Day) I take to the road again, pick up a few bits at Aldi that I won't be able to get in Tasmania before driving into Melbourne.  I drive down to Port Melbourne to check lay-of-the-land and find out about procedures for my check in that evening.

Flinders Street Station at Melbourne

Its still early, so I park my vehicle and take the tram back into the city where I have a bit of a wander around, also see the tail end of the Australia Day Parade that seems to have attracted quite a crowd of people lining the street.  Melbourne, contrary to Sydney, has retained its Trams, now having quite a modern fleet of tram cars that take you all over town.  Even though there are many modern buildings, many of the old buildings are still in use today, giving the city a more conservative note.  I enjoy walking around and because I am starting to feel hungry, decide to have my-once-a-year Big Mac at McDonalds, with Fries and a white coffee which is actually pretty good.

I take the tram back to my car and drive around to the loading dock for the ferry.  On the ramp I am checked for fresh vegetables which I hand in, but decide to keep my fruits which I will have to eat before I leave the ferry again at Devonport.  Its a smooth ride across Bass Straight.  My cabin co-passengers, Steve and Peter, both passionate bikeies who tell me just how beautiful it is to be riding a large motorbike.

I self-serve a small plate of food at the bistro, then share a couple of beers with a group of 4 young French people, 3 girls and one boy, who are traveling to Tassie to earn some money, picking vegetables and fruit.  It turns out a lively evening where I get to practice some of my rudimentary French "skills".  My cabin friends and I yak on till after midnight before lights-out, but even though I am tired its a long time before I find any deep sleep, even though we are having a fairly smooth ride.  I guess I am just too excited about what Tasmania is going to be about for me.

We arrive right on-time at 6.00 am, I have some of my fruit for pre-breakfast ands share the rest of the bananas and oranges with my cabin friends.  By 7.00 am I am off the ship, driving out of Devonport, find a parking spot and finally make myself some real breakfast, coofee and all.

In front of Wynyard Info Centre

The plan is to drive along the north coast, westward.  Its a lovely drive, everything so clean, no litter by the roadside, all buildings looking especially clean and tidy.  I get the impression that people on this island actually care about what the place the live in looks and feels like.
The saying goes: "...There is only ONE chance to make a FIRST impression."  How true, I am very impressed with what I have seen so far.  I stop at Burnie, collect some information at the Tourist info centre, then later again at Wynyard to pick up some bread at Woolworth, then on to see the local Tourist Office.  Wherever I go, whoever I talk to, I find people extraordinarily friendly, welcoming and helpful.  Wow, I am even more impressed!!

I drive on to Stanley (short distances on the island) where I spend the night.  I fill up my water tank in the morning, then climb the "Knob" via the narrow path that zig-zags its way steeply up the mountain at the edge of town that provides great views across the various bays and inlets.  From Stanley the road takes me to Arthur River, (via Marrawah) probably the westernmost point of Tasmania, (check it out on the link below) where I find a great campground surrounded by trees and shrubs which provide an ideal windbreak from the strong winds coming off the ocean.  There are several other campers on the site, another chance to exchange stories around yet another camp fire.

The Knob as viewed from the camp ground

The town of Stanley view from The Knob.

Some more info about Stanley...

Back to Melbourne, then on to South Gippsland

I need to get the air-intake pipe replaced on my engine as it is blowing more and more smoke at the exhaust pipe.  I called the Ford Dealer in Melbourne who has the part in stock, says he can do the job first thing Friday morning.

I had driven back to the campground at Princetown, to stay one night and take a few more photos of The Apostles at first light the next morning.  It is freezing with a cold wind blowing right through my 3 layers of clothing.  Even the battery in my camera keeps giving me the red light.  Don't like the cold either, so putting the camera in y pocket to keep it warm solves that little problem.  I take a series of quite nice shots, then back to the campground for breakfast and good byes to my new friends from Hamburg, Sabine, Frank and Son Ben. They need to go back to Sydney and from there to New Zealand. 

Apostles at first light

I leave the coast again, at Port Campbell, driving north to Camperdown, then north-west towards the Hamilton Highway.  The backroad I am traveling on takes me right between two lakes shown on my map, the smaller one, Lake Gnarpurt looks like completely dried up, just lots of salt around the edges, where water used to be.  Lake Corangamite, shown as a large lake on my map, being at least 30km long, is also virtually dried up.

I do enjoy the look of the countryside, lots of shining golden grass covered hills rising either side of the road.  On to the city of Geelong and from there, follow the Freeway toward Melbourne.  At Werribee I head for the coast again, book into a caravan park and am back on the Freeway to Melbourne by 7.30 the following morning.  At 10am the job is done, I'm back on the road to South Gippsland.

Its Australia Day Long Weekend so expect lots of holiday makers as many people will take Monday off as Australia Day is on the 26th, which is Tuesday.  After some advice I abandon my initial target The Wilsons Promontory, simply called in classic Australian abbreviation "The Prom". 

Rolling hills of grass

The Prom is a large peninsula jutting out from the south coast of Victoria.  The advice was that it will be totally overrun with holiday makers that usually pre-book space a year ahead. (Looks like I will have to explore that after I return from Tasmania.)  Instead I drive to Inverloch and from there to Walkerville North with a campsite right by the beach.  Its agreat location, people telling me that they have come there for about 30 years.  Unfortunately the weather turns cold and very windy, putting a bit of a dampener on things.  I stay 2 nights anyway. 

The Prom on the horizon

This morning I drive out to Wonthaggi for a bit of shopping and then on to Poowong where I discover a lovely Rest place to stay for the night.

Tonight's view from my window

Back on The Great Ocean Road

After quite a cold night, I take my vehicle in for a Service and as they finish early I decide to drive to (hopefully) more pleasant temperatures on the coast, particularly the parts of The Great Ocean Road I had not seen when I drove in the opposite direction last week.


I drive south via Geelong and from there to Torquay, buzzing with holiday makers, from there I continue to Anglesea, a somewhat smaller Holiday Haven on that coast.   I check one of the local Caravan Parks ("Top Tourist Park") for their rates, a "powered site", am told to my surprise, the highest of any prices ever quoted: $65 per night.  All that entitles me to is a few square metres of dirt to park, a power plug-in and the use of the showers.  This is where GREED is taking us.  She did offer a better price, namely $55, which I obviously declined, drove a nother 7-8 km along the coast, drove down to a beach, with toilets and all.  I payed $0.00, along with a few other fellow travelers.
More about Anglesea..

The view from my back window.  Not bad for a Freebee!

Yes, its a cloudy day, but still great.

The views along the coastline pretty good too.

To Castlemaine and beyond

I have left it fairly late by the time I leave Ballarat ( More on Ballarat...) but this is certainly not a problem as I only intend to travel as far as Castlemaine, yet another that has played a part in the years of the Goldrush, back in the 1850s.  Cattle and Sheep country all the way.  Lots of hay and straw bales on many properties along the road.

 

Along a country back road near Castlemaine

It has been quite warm again so I am looking for a powered site so I can turn on my aircon to keep cool.  I find the place at the end of town near the local swimming pool.  Castlemaine is much smaller than Ballarat, just a country town, really, but offers a few walks around the vicinity.  ( More about Castlemaine..)

I plug in and turn on my aircon but a couple of hours later the temperature drops significantly, so its time to open the windows instead, chat with my neighbors and later a hot shower.

In the morning, its now Sunday, I drive on to a campsite by the Lanecoorie River, that is located about 50km north west of Castlemaine.  It turns out very nice indeed, a few caravans in situ already, mostly people that have been there already for quite some time as I find out later.  There is also a lot of beer drinking going on that I do not want to take part in, so I return to my Motorhome and cook a nice Pasta Sauce to have for dinner instead.  Beautiful by the river, however, later on a strong wind kicks up a lot of dust, covering my vehicle, even though I have all windows closed.  I decide to move my vehicle upwind, of the area where the dust is being picked up.  Problem solved.

Camping by the Lanecoorie River

I leave early next morning to return to Ballarat, as I have booked in my vehicle at the Ford Service for an oil change and Filter replacement for Tuesday 8.00am.

Up the coast highway, then back in-land.

When I leave my campground at Princetown I follow the coast highway to Apollo Bay, and Lorne.  Very good views along the way, the highway winding its way east along a rugged sharp rise on my left, the ocean on my right.  Constant U-bends force a slow speed, the road straightening only through the townships of Apollo Bay and Lorne.  Both towns quite obviously favourite places to spend your holidays if you live in Melbourne.

When I check the local caravan parks I can see that tents and caravans are stacked tightly side by side, testimony to a good holiday season.  Lorne is also full of holidy makers, many sitting in Cafe's by the waterfront along the highway.  After Lorne I turn left, away from the coast, once again, a steep and winding road that will take me up the mountain range and beyond.

Lake Colac at sunset

When I come out of the hill country, its grasslands again, all dry and yellow, many of the fenced properties have either cattle or sheep grazing.  I keep on that highway north to Colac and from there another 10km further where my roadmap tells me, is a rest area wher I will spend the night.  Only about 10 other caravans there, located on the shore of Lake Colac, which is only about half full so we are quite a distance from the shore.  Its quiet and during the night turns quite cold, as I have to get another blanket.  In the morning, a lovely sunrise paints the sky for me once more.

Sunrise at Lake Colac

I drive on to Ballarat, a large town further north, explore the town, pick up mail and also go to see Sovereign Hill, the old Gold mining site that offers tours into the old Mines, with quite a few of the historic old buildings still intact.  I take about 3 hours to discover the 19th century Gold Mining Town of Ballarat.

A Mine worker's 'Home'

This is what it looked like inside

Street scene with a Cobb & Co. coach

Lincoln inaugurated as President of the US...

The local class room

The Twelve Apostles

Very impressive that scenery, unfortunately it seems that most of the tourists in the area seem to think so too, as all have congregated in the area.  There were easily about a hundred people walking the cliff walks to take in the view.

Yesterday, like I said in my last entry, was not a good day to take in the views, due to rain, wind and poor visibility.  By this morning the sky was beginning to clear so it looked like a better opportunity to see the much talked about Twelve Apostles on the south coast of Victoria, just west of Princetown, a small village on the coast, which I have chosen to spend a couple of nights at.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say...

Its still quite windy and cool today, nice after the intense heat at Warrnambool two days ago, also just great for all the walks along the various locations to take in the views of the coast.  All pictures I have taken in the 12km stretch of coastline between Princetown and Port Campbell.

 

 

Here some of the places I saw

Warrnambool and east to The Twelve Apostles

I spent two and a half days at Warrnambool, quite a large town right by the sea.  Not surprising, because of the holiday time the prices at Caravan Parks are outrageous, virtually identical prices all along this coast.  At Portland it was around $35 a night and at Warrnambool we have already arrived at $45 a night.  I guess, its a question of "...making hay while the sun shines...", or, as I would prefer to call it, GREED.  I refuse to pay that kind of money.  At Warrnambool I found that I could stay at the Sportsground for just $10.  Yes, just saved $70 for the two nights I spent there.
More about Warrnambool..
Anyway, my bike wheel had two broken spokes on the rear wheel and therefore had to have that rear wheel replaced at the local bike shop who had ordered that wheel which arrived this morning.  By 11.00am I was ready to leave town.

Yesterday I experienced soaring temperatures in the mid 40s, glad to be able to run my aircon to keep cool during the day.  By around 6pm the wind had started to drift around toward coming off the ocean again, rather than the nor-wester that had been blowing HOT all day.  As it got dark the temperature had arrived at a comfortable 30 degrees and this morning its mid 20s with rain on the horizon, coming in from the ocean.

Even though I don't like driving in the rain, I decide to head further along the coast toward the Twelve Apostles.  There is also a blustery wind that requires constant attention as I drive east again.  I drive through the townships of Peterborough and Port Campbell, stop briefly at the London Bridge in the (by now) driving rain, the wind nearly blowing me over with my umbrella.

 

London Bridge

 Some location map information..

A few kms on I also find the campsite I had intended to stay at, about 17km east of Port Campbell, where I am writing this blog.

Back to the Victorian Coast

The temperatures are riseing, according to the Weather Bureau into the 40s, so I think its probably cooler down by the ocean. 

When I leave Halls Gap I drive south along the Grampian mountain range, a high escarpement of rocks that accompany my trip all the way to the township of Dunkeld which stands at the southern end of The Grampians.  I really enjoyed my stay there.  I also tried a few of the beautiful Sorbets from the icecream factory, most satisfying, really good!

From Dunkeld I drive west to Hamilton where I need to re-stock my fridge, have a haircut at the local barbershop and also re-fuel.  From Hamilton I drive south-west again to the coastel town of Portland, a large port catering to the Aluminium smelter but also very popular as a beach resort for holiday makers at this time of the year.  Campgrounds mostly full and if any spaces available, at top-dollar rates.  I drive east along the coast and find a very reasonable campground just across the road from the beach.  It is hot, even on the coast so I am glad to be able to keep cool, using my aircon.  In the evening it cools down, the following day being rather more cool than hot, good because I spend a large part of the afternoon chatting with my neighbors.

This morning I leave early, driving east along the coast to the city of Warrnambool, also a very nice place with many friendly people.

The Grampians

In the past its been mentioned to me (by Victorians) that The Grampians are magnificent, so having seen a part of that mountain range, I do agree, its really beautiful!
More info on Halls Gap and The Grampians

View of part of The Grampians in the morning light

Yesterday in the wee hours (about 6.30am) on a cold morning I left to walk up to The Pnnacle, which is right at the top of the montain range right behind my caravan park at Halls Gap.  Its about 4km each way and its virtually uphill all the way with great views along the way.  Leaving this early in the morning, means that I am the only person on that trail, a further advantage being the cool temperatures this early in the morning.  During the day it gets to be well into the 30s.

Rockface viewed from The Pinnacle

As always, the return walk (downhill) was a lot harder on the legs than going up but I really enjoyed it, the round-trip taking close to 4 hours.

View over Halls Gap from The Pinnacle

This morning I decide to take it somewhat easier, drive about 20km to check out McKenzie Falls.  There are some lookouts along my way, one of them called (rather grandly "Grand Canyon".  Well, of course its nothing like THE Grand Canyon, but impressive just the same to be climbing up this small and narrow rock gorge with very interesting rock formations along the way.  There is also a somewhat shorter trail up to the Pinnacle (2.1km) where I have been yesterday.

Inside Grand Canyon

I stop at another lookout across the mountain range before driving on to McKenzie Falls.  Its quite a long and steep walk down into the gorge to get to the foot of the waterfall, but really worth doing!

 

Views of McKenzie Falls from both sides

Heading for Service to Shepparton then on to The Grampians

All this driving on extremely winding and steep roadways my brakes have been getting quite a lot of exercise, from time to time my brake warning light on my dashboard keeps coming on and off.  Naturally I am concerned and want Ford to take a look at my brakes.  The nearest large town is Shepparton so the following morning when I leave Jamieson I retrace my steps, back through Mansfield and from there, west toward Seymour, where I spend the night.
More on Seymour...
Most of the countryside is grassland with lots of herds of dairy cows, the landscape slowly flattening as I drive north to Shepparton this Sunday morning.  Not a lot of traffic, the road really good.  A little shopping when I get there, then find the Ford Dealer, which happens to be not far from my campground.

There are also more and more sheep now to be seen.

This morning at 7.30 I am at the gate to the Ford Dealership to have my brakes checked.  The man is very helpful as I explain that the brakes had been checked in Cairns back in October, that I seem to have lost brake fluid but the dealership in Cairns could not find a leak.  Today my fluid level is down again and my brake pads still in good shape.  After only checking for two minutes the leak is found and fixed, the brakefluid replaced and I am back on my way, heading west for The Grampians.  Its back roads all the way to Avoca through flat country, without even the slightest rise anywhere.  This changes as I get closer to Avoca, with the Pyrenees Mountains in the background.  More on Avoca...

From Myrtleford to Albury along Lake Hume and back south to Lake Eildon

I must say, I like driving along backroads, away from the main traffiic.  The pace is usually a lot more leisurely, there is also less traffic, if any, so there is more to be seen as a driver.  Myrtleford has a nice and quiet campground where I got a lovely and shady spot in the shade of some big trees.  Yes, a powered site and glad to have it as its hot and humid (mid 30s) so my aircon goes on to keep me nice and cool into the evening when the temperature drops a bit.  While I am there, with no water restrictions, I give my Motorhome a good wash, surprising how nice she looks once all that dust is removed.

In the morning I want to check out the town of Mount Beauty.  To get there I need to take highway 534, just south of Myrtleford, that connects up with the Kiewa Valley Highway.  From there I drive south again, but discover that Mount Beauty is a town that is geared to winter sports, so this time of year it has little to offer.  About 85km north of the town is Lake Hume that I want to see, even though I am told that the water level is very low for lack of rain.  To get there I will need to drive back part of the way I came in, but then turn off onto a backroad that follows the main road in parrallel fashion.  

When I get to Tallangatta I decide to follow around the lake and then into Albury, which is just across the border, back in NSW.  I encounter friendly and helpful people at Albury, do a little grocery shopping and then spend the night at the local caravan park.

Its New Years Eve, apart from watching "the Glenn Miller Story" on TV, there is nothing elso to do.  I go to bed well before midnight to sleep into the New Year 2010.  It has also been raining all night so the campground is good and wet in the morning.

From Albury I follow the Freeway south to Wangaratta where I get off to follow one of the backroads to Whitfield, nice straight roads without traffis on this first day of 2010.  It is cloudy but not raining the mountains ahead are covered in clouds, their tops invisible.  

 

Views from around Lake Eildon

To get to Lake Eildon I need to cross the montain range again to the town of Mansfield.  The higher the road takes me, the more I begin to enter the clouds I saw earlier.  There is virtually no other traffic but visibility is reduced in places to less than 20 meters but I need to driveslowly anyway as the road is made up of hairpin bends, winding, winding, winding, first uphill, then back down again.  Driving in the clouds also means that there is constant rain as well.  Once I get to the lower levels the view opens up again and when I drive along what is meant to be the lake, all I see are black skeletons of trees that stand on dry land, the water level so low, looking more like a river or creek instead of a lake.  This area is very much in need of rain.

By the time I drive into Mansfield there are patches of blue sky again.  

The view out my rear window at the campsite.

From Mansfield I follow yet another backroad south to Jamieson a lovely small town with a roadside rest area where I put down for the rest of the day.  More about the Jamieson Valley... Its a lovely quiet spot by the Goulbourne River, only two other campers there with their tents.  We share an hour by the camp fire and I turn in for the night around 10pm.  I wake again around midnight with the sound of rain and hail hammering on my roof and that continues for the rest of the night.  Just what this country needs!!

The morning after the big rain