Family holiday for 6 months around Australia. Switching off for a while to remind ourselves of why we are doing what we do. Enjoying time with our little family that we have created. Creating some great memories and taking some awesome photographs as well.
We only stayed a couple of days in port Augusta. It was more a rest time for us and preparation time to head up the middle of Australia. While we stayed here we permanently fixed our solar panel to the roof of the van as it was becoming increasingly difficult being placed in our bathroom every day.. this way it can function all day as its supposed to. The batteries are of a super size and can easily last all day without a direct sun positioning. We went for a boat cruise up the inland water way. Watched dolphins playing and shot some photos through the uppermost part of the inland sea.
Outback River Cruise
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We headed off without the license (as it was left in Victor Harbour) after a quick stop at the outback information center.
Ice creams for the girls
The Old bridge ferry
This old ferry carried parts up and down the waterway for building supplies. After finishing the bridge they realised that is was on the wrong side of the bridge so could not be taken back to the open ocean. they just left it to decay.
The new Shopping village at sunset
The outback centre snake
Drove on to lunchtime stop for some red dirt pictures and a family shot...
arrived at heart lake to see the sunset and get a shot in. Camp fire night with Merrilyn and Brian.
Pouring with rain this morning as I packed up the van. Not the best fun I've ever had. I placed my warmest jumper and Collorado Boots on and then the wet weather poncho. I was slightly happy though to be leaving the crappy van park in Frankston. Notice how there is no post for Frankston as there was nothing to record or photograph...
So we head off toward the tip of Port Phillip Bay, a beautiful town called Sorrento and the departure point for one of the most interesting ferry rides we have had. The whole unit with 4WD and caravan will be on board the ferry to make the crossing.
This was the best option to get around the city of Melbourne instead of having to head North through it. Can you imagine the traffic and roads going through the city? the ferry was a much better idea. $150 was as much as we would of spent on the long drive around anyway. The video capture was fun as the girls weren't sure of what to expect. After boarding the huge vessel with our big rig we popped upstairs for coffee and nibbles and enjoyed the 45 minute cruise across the bay. Roly poly ride during the middle made the girls laugh while trying to play in the children provided play area
Plenty of room for the whole rig.
bitterly cold up on deck.
Fun little egg chairs for the girls on the way
Off the other side we were the main attraction to the on lookers as we hauled the 13metre + rig off onto the dock. Toot Toot! off we go again.
The crossing video
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On our way to a Anglesea Beachfront Family Caravan Park, a Top Tourist park ( which we now members of) and we new that Bells Beach was only a 2 kilometer detour to have a peak at.
Bells Beach
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Holy Moly the wind was intense. In the video i couldn't hold the camera steady due to the strong gusts of wind along the well known stretch of beach.
Spot the crazy wind surfer.
Me & Lily Braving the windy conditions.
A quick cup of coffee and on the road again. rain rain rain non stop but a much better stay with all amenities and a "park where you like' approach to the whole park... I did promise the girls some family bike fun on the tour bikes available but the rain keeps us away, at least for tonight anyway. if there is a break tomorrow then i will take them for a spin around the beach front and surrounding areas.
At least i will have some catch up time for the blog and Internet posting.
Today we pack up our mobile home and head closer to the Great Ocean Rd. About and hour and a half drive sees us at a little place called Sale.
Sale Catholic Church - Very Impressive
We pull by the River that runs all the way from Lake wellington in lakes Entrance to have a bite to eat and throw in a fishing line during lunch. A picturesque little park by the water was a lovely break. No fish were caught though. We head off again to our destination Yarrum and the roads are bumpy as ever.
We reach Yarrum by mid afternoon and there is not a caravan park in site. With no Internet connection at all OR phone coverage we stop for a play in the local park which was totally cool with little mushrooms everywhere for the girls to play with and wooden play castles as well.
I walked up to get some info from the "information center" but this is no Information centre. It is just a post office/art gallery with some pamphlets on the local area and not much at that. We feel kinda stranded with no where to stay. So we both made an executive decision to head to the coastal area nearby called Port Albert. We hear the fish and chips here are the best around and if we are going to be stranded it may as well be with a full belly of yummy fish & Chips.
14 kms further and WOW! what a gorgeous little bay with fishing boats and jetty's everywhere. And Not many people at all. There are no van parks and so we check our maps to find there is a FREE overnight stay area right next to the waters edge for 6 RV's (recreational vehicles). I had to take some video to show where we are staying.. a look out the door is directly 20 feet away from perfection. I throw out a fishing line and watch it from the lounge in the van.. hahaha what a life...
View from our door. Port Albert
We have to 12 volt power here tonight but we have over 20 channels of TV and full amenities thanks to the hard work of my mate Kevin and the 12 volt system checks that he did for us..
Then comes the storm.
We wondered down the street and the girls rode their bikes to the fish and chip shop.
Anchorage type posts line the footpaths.
We sat by the waters edge and watched a far away storm over the ocean brewing. There were 2 storms that night. One over the ocean and one from the west which was headed our way. We made it just in time to shower and settle. a gust of strong wind and POW! Check the short video for this intense view from the van door..
hard to believe that this little paradise could change to this. hell of a good fun 30 minutes though. Then it was all over and we settled back to a night of TV and cuddles in the warm van.
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View from the jetty to our van
Hire boats available
Night shot of the Boats before the storm came
Lightening Shots just after the storm had past. See it in the distance
This day is the day to catch a fish with my girls. Just across from us we chat to Charlie the hire boat owner. this man works in Mallacoota for 6 months and then goes to live in thailand for the other 6 months. 'what a life'
The rates are cheap and so for $60 we have a 2 hour run in a little motor boat. The distance we need to cover to catch our fish is too far for our little inflatable to handle so its just better off to hire the boat here.
Charlie tells us where to go for some taylor and thats just what we go for. In the first 10 minutes we hook up a couple of littlies and one good size form My Rod. Then we let the girls real in their forst ever fish on their own fishing rods that poppy bought fort them at Christmas. The video camera was running out of battery but we managed to capture it all.. See the video...
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We head back in with our little catch and intend to go for a drive to the Double Creek rainforest boardwalk just up the road. However the rain sets in and a quick storm puts and end to those plans. This day sees our first rain since we started our trip and i guess 1 storm out of 17 days travel is pretty good.
Good photo Mia
can't fish without popcorn
lily ready go reel one in
Watch closely girls
Mum in the sun!
More south travel tomorrow will hopefully put us at Lakes Entrance area.
The eastern most point of Victoria is 1.5 hours away. We stop for a picture at the border crossing ( see below) and then after we turn off the main road to head into Mallacoota itself it is about 23kms of extremely winding roads which slows us down considerably, but after a while we make it.
Robertson's hit Victoria
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Mallacoota Fishing Village
Jetty
Mallacoota foreshore caravan park is based on the ocean inlet and has van positioned right along the lakes edge. Fishing is the main activity here and there are pelicans everywhere.
Pelican on a pole
The ocean smell is pretty cool and definately is better than the rotting sheep bodies around the shearing quarters that where at Aunty Beths place at Cooma. After a quick set up we pop up to the local shop ( all 10 of them) to stock up on some supplies for the next 2 days. We sit down to a lovely lamb chop BBQ and settle in.
This is our first un-powered site stay and Heather is a bit unsure. Vodaphone does not exist all around here so NO phones or internet what so ever. We will survive i'm sure.
