The Road to Townsville

Well the York Peninsula was the last place on our journey, so to Townsville we  then headed.  The first place we stopped was Brokenhill.  It was nice to feel some hot days again and enjoy a swim in the pool without feeling cold. We could see some weather up north affecting the roads so we decided to push on and not hang around.  We did some bush camping on our way to Bourke where we had planned to stay for a few nights and have a look around.  But it was absolutely bucketing down and everything was closed or not operating due to the rain so we pushed on to Charleville for basically a hot shower and kept moving as the roads were open but we were not sure for how much longer.  So from there we headed straight for Longreach.  We stayed for a few days and had a look around the town but the main reason we stopped here was to take Haydan to the Qantas museum.  He was too young to go on the Boeing Tour where you could do a wing walk on the plane but he loved going through the museum and seeing all the old and new planes.  From Longreach we then headed to Winton where just outside of town the kids played in the musical park.  It is a park that has instruments made of 'junk'  but they are real instruments (and if you have a musical bone in your body you can actually make them sound good) but the park just sounded like a heap of noise while we were there.  We then pressed on to Hughenden and saw the dinosaurs at the Museum.  The highlight for the kids was getting to dress up as dinosaurs.  They made very scary and loud dinosaurs!!!  It was then off to our last bush camp before we reached Townsville.  On the last morning for old time sake we lit a fire and toasted all the marshmallows we had left for breakfast.  It will be a long time before the kids get that much sugar for breakfast again!!!!!  Then it was on to Townsville. 

We have loved every moment of our trip and we have many wonderful memories and have shared a very special 12 months together as a family.  We will always cherish this very special time we had together, but unfortunately reality has to kick in again!!!! Never fear though, we have been badly bitten by the travel bug and I am sure it is something we will do again in the future.  But for now it is time to start a new and exciting life in Townsville!!!!

Haydan at the Qantas Museum

Haydan sitting on a Jet Turbine in the Qantas Museum

Haydan playing drums at the Musical Park

Emmalisa has a bash at the Musical Park

The kids dressed up as Dinosaurs in Hughenden

The last morning of our trip

The Journey's End . . . seems there is a bit we missed . . .we'll get that next time!!!!

Yorke Peninsula

The First stop on the Yorke Peninsula was a little town called Ardrossen.  It is here that many a Blue Manna crab is caught. Sadly for us it was blowing a gale and it did not inspire us to have a go ourselves. It was a quaint little town to visit and bread up the trip to Edithburgh. At Edithburgh we stayed with friends on their farm and the kids loved the space and freedome. Emmalisa was impressed with the farm dog but Haydan was impressed with all the machines, tractors and a ride on lawn mower but what really took the cake was the plane. Rob has his own little plane and an airstrip on the farm so Haydan was itching to go for a fly, and fly he did. He was so excited about the flight and when he was in the air he sat in the plane going "Oh Wow!, Oh Wow!" When they landed he told us all about how he looked at a cloud up close and how the bumps made his tummy tickel. He also said everything looks small from the plane. He was keen for another flight but we managed to keep him grounded for the rest of our stay. Glen also went up in the plane and got a birdseye view of the coast, farming land and all the saltpans that are at the bottom of the Yorke Peninsula. There were a few good beaches around Edithburgh so the kids enjoyed some great afternoons at the beach as well. It was a very enjoyable stay and one Haydan will be talking about for some time yet.

It is from here that we turn the car around and start heading in land back to Townsville.

The Journey So Far

Haydan getting ready for his flight

Glen's turn to go up, up and away

Sunrise over the farm at Edithburgh

Kids have fun at the beach

Haydan flying like a plane at the beach.

Hello South Australia!!!

From Hamilton we crossed the boarder into South Australia and our first stop was Mt Gambier.  This was another town that we have found along the way that turned out to be a little gem.  Mt Gambier is on the Limestone Coast and as the name would suggest it is rich in Limestone.  This has created some very fascinating attractions around the city, mainly the sinkholes.  The sinkholes start out as underground caves formed by the limestone dissolving in tunnels, the top of the chamber then falls to the floor of the cave leaving behind a huge hole in the ground, a sinkhole.  The first sinkhole we visited was Umpherston Sinkhole, this sinkhole was named after James Umpherston who owned the land it was on and turned it into a beautiful garden for the public to enjoy around 1886.  In more recent times the garden has been returned to it's former glory and again can be enjoyed by the public.  Right in the middle of the city is the Cave Garden.  This sinkhole originally supplied water the the town when it was first settled.  Now in the winter months storm water is directed into it and the water rejoins the underground caves systems under the city.  A garden has also been created around it and it makes a great little oasis in the middle of the city.  As we were leaving this attraction there was a great big fire truck parked near our car so we asked if the kids could have a look at the truck.  The next thing we know the kids have helmets on and are talking on the radio.  They then got out some gadgets and went on a search to find electricity but the real winner was when they got out the hose and let the kids play with the fire hose.  It was hard to tell who was having more fun, the kids or the adults!!!!  Loaded up with stickers and colouring in books we then headed back to the caravan with 2 very hyped up kids!!!!!  A definite highlight of the trip and one the kids wont forget!!!!  Around Mt Gambier there has also been a lot of volcanic activity and Mt Schank is one of them.  It rises very steeply to 158 metres above sea level.  We climbed up the outside of the mountain to have a look inside a volcano crater.  A dog called Hirdy met us in the carpark and came for the walk with us, the kids were most impressed.  Always up for a challenge we then thought we would do the walk to the crater floor.  Which meant climbing down into the cater.  All started out fine, with our new adopted dog in toe, until we got to the sign that said the track was not maintained from that point on.  However to be able to say we stood in a volcano was just too tempting so we pushed on.  It was quite hard going but we made it to the bottom and again we are sure our super trooper Haydan is the youngest to have made it unassisted to the bottom.  Hirdy followed us all the way down too but was rather tired when she got there.  Unfortunately if you get down there you have to get back up too so we hiked out but lost Hirdy somewhere along the way when she went bush.  Back up on top of the crater we were a bit worried about Hirdy, then out of nowhere she turned up again and stuck close by all the way back down the mountain to the carpark.  After a big drink she went back home and I'm sure she slept the rest of the day.  The last attraction we visited in Mt Gambier was certainly a case of save the best for last.  It is called Blue Lake and as the name would suggest it is a blue lake but the colour is like nothing we have ever seen before.  We saw it in the summer when it is an amazing bright turquoise blue but in the winter it changes to a dull steel blue.  There are many theories as to why this happens an we could have absorbed more about the science but we just admired it's beauty.  If you have a bucket list I would put to see Blue Lake in the summer on it.

From Mt Gambier we then headed to Victor Harbour.  Here we did a walk over to Granite Island and walked around it.  We then visited the Penguin Centre where they rehabilitate injured penguins.  We got to see them being fed and swimming around in their little pond.  There were also some reptiles there which the kids wanted to hold and pat.  They are really enjoying the wildlife that we see.  We also did a walk up The Bluff to get some great views of the town.  We then spent the rest of the time catching up with friends that live there.  It was then on to Adelaide but here we just did a bit of shopping and just relaxed.  The weather has been great (everyone here is complaining about the heat) so the kids have just been swimming and loving it.  We now head to the Yorke Peninsula to see what we can find down there. 

Umpherston Sinkhole

Walking inside the Umpherston Sinkhole

Haydan on the radio in the Fire Truck

Fireman Haydan on the hose

Firegirl Emmalisa has a turn on the hose

Looking down into the crater of Mt Schank

We made it to the bottom of the crater with Hirdy and marked it with Haydan initials

Blue Lake - The picture doesn't do the colour justice

Glen and Haydan on Granite Island

The Penguins at the Rehab Centre

Emmalisa pats the Bearded Dragon

Family Photo at The Bluff - Victor Harbour

The Grampians

Well it was off to the Grampians and back to the bush.   We stayed at a bush camp just out of Halls Gap and it was from here we explored some of what the Grampians has to offer.  While we were there we went for a hike up to The Pinnacle and enjoyed the views over Lake Bellfield and Halls Gap.  We went for a walk to The Balconies where Glen went and stood out on one of them.  The photos don't do it justice but they are rocks that hang out over the cliff like a balcony with nothing below them.  The final feature we visited was Mackenzie Falls.  We did the walk down the big staircase to the bottom of the falls and they were quite impressive.  At the top of the falls we went a little further upstream to Broken Falls that feed into Mackenzie Falls.  The next day we had a quiet morning at our campsite and cooked up a damper for morning tea.  We then went into Halls Gap where the annual Jazz Festival was happening.  The kids enjoyed the parade where the musicians marched up the street playing their instruments.  We then walked around and listened to the music and the kids played in the park with the sounds of Jazz in the back ground.  As we were walking around we came across some young buskers, the kids had a good old dance to their music and then gave them some money.  The buskers said they felt they should pay the kids for dancing so well.  We then left The Grampians with some very fond memories and headed to Hamilton.  We enjoyed our first hot shower in days and had a look around the Botanical Gardens and Lake Hamilton.  We now say good-bye to Victoria and head over to South Australia.

Family Photo at the Pinnacle

Laura, Haydan and Emmalisa at The Pinnacle

Glen out on one of the Balconies

Glen, Haydan and Emmalisa at the Balconies Lookout

Mackenzie Falls

Broken Falls

Haydan and Emmalisa enjoy a rest in The Grampians

Great Ocean Road - Part 2

Lorne to Warrnambool

We left Lorne and headed for Apollo Bay.  When driving around the town on the first day we made our way down to the wharf area and saw a seal resting on the beach.  It was being monitored so we were unable to get to close but it was the first seal we have seen in the 'wild'.  From Apollo Bay we did a day trip down to Cape Otway and toured around the light station.  Here we walked around the house of the old telegraph exchange.  It is from Cape Otway that the telegraph cable runs to Stanley in Tasmania (where Grandma and Poppy live!!!) We also got to go up the top of the Lighthouse and see how it was built.  The mason work that was done was amazing and they pointed out how each mason had a different signature he left on the bricks.  We saw the lighthouse museum and here we met the lighthouse keepers wife that lived there for 30 years. (it was really and actor) She told of stories of years gone by and how the lighthouse worked and how important it was to the region known as The Shipwreck Coast.  On the way home we were lucky enough to see the Koala colony that lives there.  We saw one up a tree so we got out of the car to see it and the next thing we know we have spotted about a dozen of them.  Emmalisa was very impressed to see the Koalas as she loves them.  It was a great day.  The next day we took the kids to the Otway Dinosaur Exhibition.  Haydan loved seeing the dinosaur bones and skeletons and Glen and I got a private tour with the curator who explained the finds and where they found things in the local region.  Meanwhile his wife drew pictures and read stories with the kids  It was a great way to spend the afternoon.  When we left Apollo Bay the first stop was The Twelve Apostles.  Sadly the weather was not the best here so the photos don't do it justice but to see the power of the ocean there was incredible.  The next stop was Loch Ard Gorge.  This was named after the shipwreck, Loch Ard, where only 2 people survived.  As you walked around it was hard to believe anyone could survive being washed up among the rocks here.  We then stayed in Port Campbell that night and rested up so we were refreshed to see the rest of the sites the next day.  The rest of the Great Ocean Road was fantastic to see, the weather again was not the best but we were glad we got to see the power of the ocean and it helped us see how a lot of the attractions were formed or destroyed.  We saw The Arch, The London Bridge (part of which collapsed in 1990) and the Grotto.  This was one of our favourites it was just beautiful as you walked down the stairs into a cave that opened out into the ocean.  We continued on and saw the Bay of Martyrs and the Bay of Islands and then made our way to Warrnambool.  This completed the Great Ocean Road.  We have had a relaxing few days in Warrnambool and have voted their Adventure Playground the best park we have been to in Australia.  It is set around what sounds like a man made lake and it has a flying fox (for big and little kids - Glen quite liked the flying fox), a maze, slides, swings, merry-go-rounds and the list goes on. We went there twice and there is still stuff the kids didn't get to play on. 

We are now going to leave the coast and head inland to The Grampians.  

The Seal on the beach at Apollo Bay

Cape Otway Lighthouse

Laura and Haydan at the top of the Lighthouse

Glen and Emmalisa at the top of the Lighthouse

One of the Koalas we saw

At the Dinosaur Exhibition

The Twelve Apostles

London Bridge - It used to be all joined but the middle section collapsed in 1990

Haydan and Emmalisa at the Grotto

     

Great Ocean Road - Part 1

Geelong to Lorne

Well our Journey along the Great Ocean Road was such a great time and we saw so many sites that we have to write two blogs for it!!!! After leaving Geelong we headed for Lorne.  The first stop was at the Arch that pays tribute to the World War 1 Diggers that lost their lives at war.  The road was built by the returned soldiers as a works project to keep them employed on their return from war and they dedicated the road to their fallen comrades.  We then continued on to Lorne and were blown away by the fact that we were literally driving around the edge of Australia.  We stayed at a caravan park on the edge of the of the Cumberland River and that is where we started our hike to see the Cumberland Falls.  It was a great walk in and we had to cross the river 4 times, which Haydan loved, but the falls were more a trickle given it is getting towards the end of summer.  We also went to the Erskine Falls and these were more impressive as were the Sheoak Falls.  We got a good view of The Great Ocean Road from Jimmy's Lookout where you can see it twist and turn along the coast line.  We spent time exploring the town and the kids loved walking along the swinging bridge and playing on the boat at the park.  It was then time to hit the road again and continue on to Apollo Bay.

The Arch over The Great Ocean Road

Erskine Falls

Kid as Cumberland Falls

Sheoak Falls

The Great Ocean Road follows the coast

Jimmy's Lookout - Yes it was windy!!!

On the beach at the site of one of many shipwrecks

Emmalisa - Just too cool      

Ballarat and Geelong

Once off the boat we headed straight for Ballarat to make our fortunes on the Goldfields!!!  We went to Sovereign Hill which is a Working Museum of life back in the Gold Rush.  It is known as a  Working Museum because it has wheelwrights, blacksmiths, confectioners, candle makers and a battery house (processes gold in the original way) and other such occupations that were important to running a Gold Rush town in it's day.  For it to be classified a museum it has to be authentic so you really got a sense of what it was like in the 1850's.  Naturally the first place we went was the creek to do some panning for gold and it is finders keepers.  Glen got a bit of "gold fever" when he came across a few flecks.  We managed to get a bit of gold in little jars for the kids so they were pretty happy.  However we will have to look for work when we finish the trip as the 20 cents worth of gold we found is just not going to go far!!!!  It was fun finding it though.  We went on a self guided underground tour where they showed to a replica of 'The Welcome' which is the second largest gold nugget found in Australia.  It weighed 69kg and was found near where we were.  The kids enjoyed the demonstration of making boiled sweets and were most impressed with the sample at the end.  Haydan had fun playing old fashioned ten pin bowling with a wooden ball on old timber runs.  We saw the redcoat soldiers do a firing which was very loud as we were standing right next to them!!!    It was also very impressive to see a gold pour where they made a gold bullion worth over $160,000 AU.  One lucky lady in the audience even got to hold it!!!  The most fun part of the day was when we dressed up in period costume and had our photo taken.  The kids looked so cute and Glen was a very dashing gentleman.  It was a great day, just a shame we didnt find a huge gold nugget.  We went for a drive to Castlemaine and caught up with a friend of Glen's who took us on a tour to show us some old gold digs and the remains of an old battery house as well as an old mine shaft, it was amazing to think it was all dug by hand - no explosives back then.  For Australia day we went to a festival around Lake Wendouree  we were all excited as they were to have Fireworks at 9:30pm - weather permitting as it was blowing a gale.  It had been doing this all day so when they said they were not going to do them at 9:30 and they would see what the wind was like at 10pm we went home as the kids were getting cold and tired and we couldn't see the wind dying down.  We got home and it was still blowing as hard as ever and we felt we made the right decision.  The next morning we found out they still had the Fireworks around 10pm - buggar!!!!! While in Ballarat we did parts of the Eureka Trail and saw where they held the Eureka Stockade.  We went to the Art Gallery that has The Flag of The Southern Cross - Eureka Flag -  that was flown during the Eureka Stockade.  We went for a walk up Sturt Street that has monuments that mark significant events in history and enjoyed looking at the old buildings around the city.  It was then off to Geelong. The first day in Geelong we went down to the Waterfront and there was a regatta and a Sails Festival.  There was a lot happening from a side show to market stalls to beach volley ball.  The kids enjoyed a play at the park and would have liked a swim in the toddler pool but it was standing room only in there so we opted not to have a swim.  The next day we went for a drive around The Bellarine Peninsula.  We went to the markets at Portarlington and Queenscliff.  At Queenscliff we scaled the tower to get 360 degree views of the Peninsula and Port Phillip Bay.  We also saw the Fought that protected the Bay back in the day.  At Point Lonsdale we had a look at Rip Lookout where Port Phillip Bay meets Bass Straight.  We then made our way around to Barwon Heads where we found a great beach to spend the rest of the day.  While in Geelong we had a little look around the city and a few shops.  Geelong was quite a surprise to us as it is so close to Melbourne yet it is surrounded by so many sleepy beachside towns.  

We hit the road again now and start heading along The Great Ocean Road.  

Panning for Gold at Sovereign Hill

Haydan and Laura over looking Sovereign Hill

Haydan with the Police Officer at Sovereign Hill

The King Family in the 1850's

Glen and Emmalisa relax at Barwon Heads

Building a sandcastle at Barwon Heads

Haydan's Sandcastle

Emmalisa playing at Barwon Heads