Halls Gap, Dartmoor

 Have booked my spot at the Lakeside  cp for the jazz festival in Halls Gap next February 8^th -9^th.  Just missed this year. They are looking for volunteers to make coffees etc and have a session at the park as well as at the town hall. Population about 280 people at Halls Gap so plenty of help needed I guess.

The Brambuk local abo centre is an amazing building = supposed to look like a bird with wings spread out. Interesting display and I must admit I came away feeling very sad after reading the history of the local tribes. What an arrogant ignorant lot the early colonists were – both governments and church!  But I guess there are no more ‘untouched’ tribes in the world where ‘conquerors’ could take a different approach these days and get it right for once. Had a delicious lunch at the info centre of bread fingers and dips– bush tucker ones with lemon myrtle dukka , native mint etc. Also do croc, emu, roo meals but had all those before.

The fire is now 25,000ha and has crossed the main highway from Horsham to Cavendish so won't be going that way when I leave here. Still moving west though so that is good. No smoke here at all.

Fri 22^nd  
Drove to Ararat via back road. Groceries, photos from lookout hill, fuel, then back to Grampians Winery. Bottle of port (Sheepyard) and coffee & muffin.

Got left tyres sorted at Stawell, $30. Same job in Werribee was going to be $50! Nice blokes. One wanted to know the secret to make scones. Checked tyre pressures also. Now have warped rim on spare underneath.

Fire now 35,000ha.

Lovely quiet drive down the valley to Dartmoor today via Dunkeld between these amazing peaks and in pretty bush. The small black boys are thick under the trees that have had a fire through down the southern end – maybe with in the last year. The roads into the park and camp areas seem to be blocked off - signs or red tape across them. Not sure why - the fire is no where near this area. 

Masses of smoke haze north to south from Dunkeld until almost Hamilton then it cleared. Went via back road from there to Digby and Dartmoor. Driving through large areas of gum plantations and some pine. Very much a forestry area. Quite hilly from Digby to Dartmoor but not too windy. Road is ok – just not very wide.  Nice free camp area beside the river on 2 levels, but yuk toilets – long drop with lots of spiders, flies etc.  Quite a  few here. Chatting to young Germans for a while – then they and another couple sat outside and talked until 1.30! AND kept banging their ‘whizz bang’ van doors …. So not a lot of sleep.  Very warm also.  
Amazing figures carved out of old tree stumps all along the drive down to here.

Having a quiet Sunday - eating fruit and cucumbers before I cross the border into SA tomorrow! Already been offered onions and cucumbers by others. What a pain. Almost need a charity box in Dartmoor for 'people like us' who dont want to waste food.

Halls Gap, Roses Gap

 Lovely drive today up into the Grampians. No wonder I feel at home - 2,300' at Reids Lookout. Pity about the smoke haze but stunning scenery. Glad I didn't try to take the Caravan up there  - a narrow winding road all the way  until past Zumstein (which has been washed out and is now fenced off). Lots of tourists in every car park. Some seriously dedicated walkers also.
Went to Mackenzie Falls - Kiosk was closed which was a shame as many thirsty people around. Would be better to see the falls after rain.
On up to Wartook. Delicious lunch at the Wander Inn then back to Halls Gap via Roses Gap. A good road, easy drive and sealed all the way - just no centre marking but room to move over. Quiet also - maybe the 'tourists' havent discovered it - I only saw one car.
Troopers Creek camp looks rather sad and neglected - 544 in camp 6. Has had heavy rain through there and the driveway is scoured. Supposed to have entertainment etc according to the sign but looks very deserted.
There is a big parking area further in but dont think it was a camping place.
Will check the lake again tomorrow - I am told you can see the old Halls Gap township that has been flooded by it -  if the water is low enough.
Then  -  after research  - found it was the Bellfield guest house that was flooded. The CP owners saw it 13 years ago when the lake was dry.

Lake Bolac, Grampians

Off to Lake Bolac via Heywood and Hamilton. Really hot. Much fatter gum trees around here – not the tall skinny ones but very attractive scattered over the farm land. Big fire north of Dunkeld – got out of control overnight. Not sure about visiting the Grampians now. They look amazing though – really stand out above the flat grain farms around here. Found the ‘free’ camp at East Beach. Drove to the end but really old loos there and very small area so came back to the first spot. A couple of waterless loos that need the rooms to be cleaned but ok. No one else turned up so a bit nervous for a while. Big grass area with a couple of tables and fire pits. Stinking hot so had to run the gen for a while – computer flat also. Watched TV and finally got to sleep – a very warm night and so still. Glad to have a bit of shade.

Mon 18^th

Very pleasant morning – so peaceful. Woke at 7 then back to sleep for a couple of hours. A cool breeze also but they are saying high 30s again today so drove to Stawell (pronounced stall!). Mmmm - not much of a caravan park here on the outskirts of town. Dirt, all uneven sloping sites, road needs to be graded - but only $2 to do the washing. Seniors discount so $23.75. They have 70ha of bush we can go walking in but have to wear good shoes because of the snakes - I dont think I will bother thanks! Way to hot anyway.

Now I have had time to look should have carried on to Halls gap. Top Tourist park there. Very warm but actually tried to rain about 11pm!

Tues 19^th

Off to Halls Gap – only 20km away and gorgeous! Get Top tourist discount and a singles discount!  Booked for 3 nights. Grass, new ablutions etc. What a lovely spot this villages is in tucked under massive cliffs. Roos and cockatiels around. The Dunkeld fire is still burning but no smoke here. And it is cool! Will go exploring tomorrow.

Portland

Back into a Caravan Park - but needed to get a new bulb in a headlight, and decided to do the light houses today and a trip towards Mt Gambier without the van tomorrow. There are fires around the Grampians where I planned on going today as well. Started with the storms yesterday up there.

 Enjoyed the drive today - down to the port then Nelson Light house and Brightwater.  Love this 'stitch' photo program as you can no doubt tell! The lava flow face on the side of the hill was amazing. Reminded me of the Undara Tubes. There are also old lava flows ending at at the blowholes.

There are many large stock trucks on the roads around here - taking stock to the port I guess. There must be a holding farm as they all seemed to be heading out in the same direction towards the light houses.

Huge piles of chips, and logs at the port. Looks a bit like Tauranga.

Heaps of wind farms along this coast. First time I have been up close to them and I do wonder why people object to the 'noise' - just a pleasant swooshing I found. 

Visually I would have a turbine any day over a pylon!

And NO - I do not know why this program will not import my pictures the right way round. Have given up trying to sort it. 

Saw a bloke trying to paraglide off the cliff near the port in town - jumped off then floated for a few minutes and landed back on the edge in the scrub. Seems odd to be doing it in a park over the road from houses  - and the wind blowing him back that way..... maybe he was a learner and that is a safe way to start? Just wobble around for a bit then land.

Warrnambool, Fitzroy river

 Went to the only caravan repairer in Colac for a new door handle. Nice couple. Half hour job - $125. Handle was $92. 

Spent 2 days at a Caravan park in Warrnambool, and did the trip back to Port Campbell. Had a yummy birthday lunch there. The coast is certainly spectacular but so many Tourists now - reminds me of Rotorua! The rivers are much prettier here but some dont flow out to the sea at the moment - sand bar. Saw the same in WA.

Warrnambool certainly seems to be a town on the move - big new shopping centres and suburbs. Hopkins River has the lovely old boat sheds - now a restaurant.

Off towards Portland. Didnt get to stop in Port Fairy - missed the turn in to the rest area then too hard to turn around. Some lovely little cottages there. Long and very tidy dry stone fences all over many of the farms  and the big ugly old Macaracapa hedges for wind breaks.

Decided to stay at Sawpit camp, but then felt I didnt want to be there. Had lunch and spent ages trying to work out where I could park so that I would be fairly level - and where I could actually drive without wiping off the top of the van! Heaps of big trees but quite close together. A very peaceful spot no doubt but.... Maybe it is the thought of bush fires at the moment! Several people there but finally headed back to Fitzroy River mouth.

So - once again beside the water and on lush green grass! Still in dairy country but they have had a bit of rain. A fishermans spot I think - some look as they are here for a while but at $20 a week or $5 a night and room to tie up the tinnies..... Went for a walk along the river almost out to the sea. Another one blocked by sand but a camper tells me that the tide has been coming in to the river for a couple of days. I can see where the 'wall' has been breached (right end of photo).

Saved myself $300 for a wide angle lens. Tried the Canon 'Stitch' program - and stitched 4 photos into the one below! As good as I could do with Photoshop I think and so much faster!