Last Post

Well we have come to the end of another Red Elephant Tour.  It is both sad and happy.  Although for this one it has not gone smoothly and we have mostly had bad weather, we have still made the most of  where ever we are at the time.  The Red Elephants stuck it out as a family and have built some wonderful family memories.  We have visited places we have never been to before and seen some vast changes in the landscape through the car window as we travel along.

Although the weather has been bad I think to myself how lucky we are to see the country at its best after so much rain.  Last time  we took our extended trip through Queensland the country was gripped by drought.  The view  out the car  window was of baking earth, dry and dusty, bony starving cattle and sheep.  This time its so so green with  all the animals looking lovely and healthy.  The dams are so full they are bursting, some have fences running though them,that makes us think it maybe just be a flooded paddock.

As we travel and meet people and get chatting more often that not when they tell us where they are from we can say, oh yes we went there.  I remember.......  And if we haven't been then its a place to  add to the the must go see  list.

It was definitly time to be headed for  home, the Vegemite had run out, the jam  had run out and the space on the camera's memory card had run out.

This is the last Post of this Red Elephant Tour, I hope you have enjoyed the tour along with us and join us on the next one.

Track leading back to Gundagai

After a not so quick stop at the SPC factory outlet and stocking up on baked beans for Mr Red Elephants.  We headed of with a rain cloud constantly over our head all the way down the highway.

We had planned to stop the night at either Holbrook, home of the inland Submarine or Gundagai home of the Dog on the Tucker Box or Tackle Box as Soccer Boy likes to call it.  We got to Holbrook with heavy rain and the caravan Park right next to the highway and decided to drive on.  Most people use Gundagai as a toilet/petril stop, they may visit the dog on the Tackle box and have an Icecream.  We like it here, its a nice little country  town always clean with shops to poke around in, a golf course, the Murrumbidgee River and some beautiful old wooden railway bridges.

Last time we stayed at the Riverside Park that is, you guessed on the Murrumbidgee River with the Golf Course bordering it.   This time we decided to give the other park a go.  As we pulled into our site we couldn't help but laugh.  The sites are drive through and all under cover.  Imagine a extra long carport going sideways housing a row of caravans.  Next to each site is an ensuit that you can choose to pay extra to use or not.  Sheer luxarary if a little weird.  No wet feet tonight going to the toilet block.

As is Red Elephant tradition we celebrated the end of our Holiday with a meal out.  Its always a special thing as for the whole holiday we always make our own dinner.  It just makes our dollars go further and keeps us on the road longer.  So of to the local Gundagai pub we went, the Junior Red Elephants  first Pub Meal.  Mr Red Elelphant had a steak, the Juniors had Lasagne (not as good as Rob's) and I had Roast Pork with gravy and apple sauce and crackling it was yum.  The Juniors then followed up with icecream and caramel topping.  Soccer Boy had to keep a hold on his as a hungry man who had ridden his motorbike from Singleton was threatening to steal it.  The man was part of a Bikie group who where from Maryborough QLD and where on their way to Phillip Island.

I hope it blows up a storm tonight so we can stay safe in our undercover caravan site.







click here for info on Gundagai

Fun at Shepparton

So it would seem that our journey out of the Great Ocean Road has turned out how it begaun 5 weeks ago, with road closures and detours.  With all the rain yesterday the mountain has become unstable and the road through to Lorne and beyond is closed due to potential landslides.  We have had a nice detour up and over the Otways through Forest to Winchelsea and on the freeway to detour around Geelong and Melbourne and arrive in Shepparton.  The Otways are truely beautiful, The mountains and valleys are steep and lush and green.  It really is a lovely part of the world to travel in.  For those reading this back at school.  The town Forest has a tiny little school with 36 students.  Thirty six students from different grades kindy through to year12.  Can you imagine that?  Probably one or two teachers , teaching to all age groups.

Shepparton is a inland city.  We have found  the SPC Kidstown playground.  A big playground with mazes, giant slides and metres and metres of monkey bars.  After a day spent in the car it was just what the junior Red Elephants needed.  We took some snags , bread and a salad and had a barbie down at teh playground.  The Junior Red Elelphants liked the slides the best and the big swing.  They rated it a 9/10.

Afterwards we relocated to park in the middle of a crossroad.  Enjoying the park was a herd of crazy cows.  What a fun way to brighten up a crossroads!

Our park here is on the Goulburn River.  Kids looked up the Goulburn River. We are squashed between the river and the train tracks.  It would seem it is a busy line, with trains rumbling past at all hours. honking their horns to let us know they are coming through.  We can feel the trains rumble coming up through our beds.  Quite peaceful really!

Lorne and Erskine Falls

Not much sleep was had last night as it became warm and muggy .  We had a mozzie battle on our hands not sure who won but the mozzies suffered severe fatalities.

Today we set of in the direction of Lorne , although a short trip it took us some time as there where many road works due to all the landslides this area of the Great Ocean Road suffered 5 weeks ago when we where first due to travel it.  Today we where racing the rain as we wanted to look at some of the waterfalls that the Otway Ranges are famous for.  We called into Lorne, that seems to be a trendy seaside town  that would suit the young cafe latte types.  It had a lovely bay area  with green parklands and playgrounds including a trampolining area.

 Up the hill we went in search of Erskine Falls, the road surprisingly took as on a steep decent of the mountain.  We found Erskine falls without to much trouble, donned our wet weather gear and checked them out first from the look out, then we decended the steps  down to the bottom.  It was all very beautiful and rainforestie especially with the rain.  Once down the bottom, the junior Red Elephants hopped and leaped from rock to rock and back again crossing the river.  At  one stage Soccer Boy skidded from view behind an mossy rock only to pop up again before he slid from view again  holding Mr Red Elephants phone high in the air.  He popped again to be covered in mud but the phone was safe.  The falls drop from a cliff top way above our heads.  Up the steps we went again , The juniors Red Elephants counted 128 steps, I thought wouldn't you add another 2 to make an even 130!!

Back to the van we returned the rain had well and truly set in by the this stage.  The afternoon was spent catching up on journals and Blog pages.  Sporty Elephant bankrupted her parents in a game of monopoly before we settled in to watch one of our favourite movies Hairspray.

Cape Otway

Cape Otway

Today we drove out to Cape Otway.  We passed by tall eucalyptus forests and some flat farmland.   The back seat entertainment in this area is koala Bear spotting.  Sporty Elephant is the best spotter.  As we drive along all we can hear from the back seat is “there’s one,”  “there’s another one,”  “Mummy that one had a baby!” 

Our friend the wind meet us back at Cape Otway, to say it was a bit blustery was an understatement.  At Cape Otway the Red Elephants explored the Telegraph Station Masters House, The light House Keepers House and we climbed 78 steps up to the top of the lighthouse.    The last 10 or so steps being very narrow and steep.  Once at the top we hopped out to the viewing platform and waved to Mr Red Elephant below.  Making sure to hold onto our hats in fear they would blow out to sea.  Coming back down the steps and out the lighthouse door we realised that the walls of the Lighthouse where as thick as Sporty Red Elephants, double arm reach.

We then had a short stroll up to an old fort where once again we were unsuccessful in our search for whales. 

The Red Elephants then came across an Aboriginal talking hut where we got talking to a local aboriginal who informed us about such things as possum skins and the stories that are written on the non fur side and about family dynamics.  He was a very nice chap and was great with the junior Red Elephants.

 click here for Cape Otway

Leaving Cape Otway we indulged in more Koala Bear spotting and called into a place called Maits Rest.  Our caravan park neighbours had been here the day before and recommended it.  It was a lovely walk through the rainforest.  Amongst tall trees and big old ferns.  Some tree trunks where as thick as the lighthouse.  It was all very green and mossy and the walk only took about 30 minutes, just as well as I was dying for a cup of tea.

This evening we caught up with one of Mr Red Elephants old mates and his lovely partner.   . They had not seen each other for nearly 10 years.  So there was a lot of catching up to do.  We had a lovely meal at their house and lots of laughs.

 You will never guess what we saw on the way, NO not a whale, a Koala sitting on the guard rail by the side of the road.  I had to give him a severe talking to about the safety issues of this type of shenanigans

Kennet River - Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road has been on our bucket list for some time now.  In fact I think it was the first thing to go on the bucket list.  Tonight I can tick it of as well and truly done and dusted.  Today on a bright sunny CALM cloudless day we toured up and down the Great Ocean Road calling into all its nooks and  crannies and did every single look out there is to do.  Some look outs we share with just  three other cars , some we had to ourselves and others we shared with busloads of Asian Tourists  all colourfully dressed armed with their phones , camera’s and selfie sticks.  In fact at the Twelve Apostles we found ourselves ducking  and weaving in amongst all the camera gear and selfie sticks.  It is a bit hard to appreciate an Iconic Australia natural wonder with so many people.   I would much rather it be just us Red Elephants.  We took a packed lunch but to my amazement no picnic tables where supplied on route.  We sat and had our lunch at a park bench on a viewing platform in Princetown overlooking a wetland.

The coastline is absolutely amazing, sheer rock faces dropping straight down into the ocean below.  The colours in the rock are something to see.  Sometimes we were able to walk down stairs to beaches below and walk along the beaches and sometimes we just took in the views from above.  It made us all realize what a big old ocean is out there going as far as the eye could see to the end of the horizon.  The colour of the water was a beautiful sparkling turquoise.  We all thought it was funny how the colour of the sea/ocean water is different where ever you are on the coastline.  Why is that so?  Do you know?

 I must tell you about the road.  It is single lane each way windy and hilly.  Sometimes it hugs the coastline and you find yourself looking out for whales and Shipping boats.  Sometimes it goes through temperate rainforest with the tall tall trees and lovely big ferns that I would never be able to grow.   Other times we pass the lushest greenest hilliest paddocks you ever did see.  With healthy looking cows and sheep sitting down taking in the view from their paddock as they have had their fill of tender grass.    I do not think they know how lucky they are.  Other times along the Great Ocean Road you find yourself looking with terror at a bus that has cut the corner and is intending to wipe out all Red Elephants at once and send Willow the Caravan hurtling over the precipice to swim with the whales.

WAIT.  I must tell you about our park we are staying in.  It is opposite the beach  the Red Elephants go to sleep and wake up to the sound of waves rolling in.  Much preferable to the wind.   We have wild King Parrots that swoop down to join us for every meal.  Eating outside is news in itself up till now it has been to cold and windy to eat outside.  Tonight I had one Parrot help me cook dinner he sat on my hand while I  turned the meatballs in the frypan.  At nightfall we have Jack the Kookaburra come to say goodnight.  His like Prime Possum.  That is not all!!  In the tree across from us is a Koala, soccer boy has named him Kevin!!  He pops up and down the tree between snoozes and contemplates changing trees.  He is not alone; Sporty Red Elephant has counted nine koalas in total including a baby Joey on his mothers back.  Is that not awesome?

click here for Kennett River Holida Park

Port Fairy

We like it here, we could move here.  Its a cute little seaside village with a lovely feel about it.  Lots of old cottage-ie houses with lovely gardens in full flower.  We even like Warnambool that is bigger and busier and had what looks like a new modern purpose built TAFE.  Watch out CIT you might loose one of your best teachers.  Although Sporty Elephant wants to stay in Canberra.

The Red Elephants all had a sleep in today and after waiting for the showers to clear we did not get out and about till after 11am.  WE walked around Griffith Island that is attached to the mainland by both a footbridge and a breakwall.  The walk around the island was 3km.  We passed by low lying beach shrubs and grasses and spotted holes under the grass.  The junior Red Elelphants recognised them as Fairy Penguin burrows.  But we later found out that they belong to Shear Water Birds who Fly from as far away as Japan and Alaska evry spring to arrive at Griffith Island.  They then meet up with their partners from last year, burrow up to 2 metres to mate.  The walk also crossed some dark grey/black rocks on the waters edge and along the beaches.  There was lots of lovely little coves that I imagine would be wonderful safe swimming spots in summer, with the sun warming the water.  We made it to the Griffiths lighthouse and explored all around its base.  I do like a lighthouse and the stories of the lighthouse keepers that go with them.  This one they would return to Port Fairy once a month to stock up and would get their wood for their fires once a year.  Sometimes the waves would be lapping the doors of the lighthouse and during high tides they would be cut of completely from the mainland.

We then returned to the mainland to explore the marina area and checked  out all the boats.  The junior Red Elephants rather like one with a sparkly blue deck and I liked the yellow and cream one.  We found out that they mostly fish for Lobsters here and Gummi Sharks.  It was all very seaside scenic and picture - skew!

By this time we had all got quite warm.  Yes warm we actually had to take of a layer  of clothing . Unbelievable!!  We returmed to the van for a quick bite of lunch before heading back in to explore the main street.  Port Fairy is a town of three bakeries and two looked like they make bonza vanilla slices.  Surprisingly the Junior Red Elephants voted for icecreams instead so my waistline was saved as although warmer still to cold for Mumma Red Elephant to have an icecream