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

Flagstaff Hill - Warnambool

Today the Red Elephants rugged up and visited Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool.  A few people had recommended we visit Flagstaff Hill.  We started by watching a short movie that put us in the picture or the boat in this case.   We board a clipper ship in old London Town in the late 1800.  There is great excitment that soon turns to the reality of life on the high seas with cramped quarters and rough seas.  We then hit the hot droldrums of the tropics before finally spotting land and disembarking in Warrnambool.  The Red Elephants then entered the old time Village of Flagtstaff.  We walked along cobbled streets to find the Lady Bay Lighthouse and climbed up the 35 steps.  We then had a look at the lighthouse keepers cottage that had been preserved in time, furniture included.   The Lighthouse Keepers wife had made some nice scrappy patchwork pillows that decorated their 3 rooms and a hexagon quilt that was drapped over their bed. You will be pleased to know that the junior Red Elephants kept the invaders at bay by shooting the canons.

Flagtstaff

Hauling in the sails

Oddball and his friends

We visted the Dr's Surgery and house, Dressmakers residence, leadlightmaker, the sailmakers, the printer to name just a few.  But the highlight was seeing the Dogs from Oddball , Eduy and Toula.  They asked us very nicely to keep away from their sheep.  When I asked if I could have their wool to crochet, Eduy and Toula got very vocal , I think they where asking me to make them a jumper.

Although we enjoyed our visit to Flagstaff Hill but compared to our visit to the Pioneer Village in Swan Hill we thought Flagstaff Hill was a bit run down.  Pioneer Village at Swan Hill was more interactive for the Junior Red Elephants.
click here for Flagstaff Hill
Having finshed our visit to Flagstaff Hill we then drove on down to the breakwater and viewed over to Middle Island where ordinarily Oddball and his friends reside protecting the Fairy Penguins.  There was no crossing for the Red Elephants due to rough seas.  But on low tide on a good day you woud be able to walk across.  The seas where so rough today that as the Junior Red Elephants leant on the breakwall watching the waves a random wave drenched the Junior Red Elephants and sent me running for cover.

Middle Island

The Red Elephants then explored the foreshore of Warrnambool where we found lots of most excellant playgrounds in very green parklands and the best flying fox ever.  The Junior Red Elephants scored these playgrounds 9/10.

click here for Warrnambool Foreshore
Along the foreshore where 3 or 4 Caravan parks that left us wishing we had stayed here instead of Port Fairy as all the parks where a stones through from the beach and all looked very nice.  But to be fair we have not explored Port Fairy probably yet, that is for tomorrow , so my friends stay turned for Port Fairy tomorrow.

The Wind and Mount Gambier

Hello  I have mentioned the wind a few times in various posts and I know your thinking wind , big deal.  Wind has played such a big part on our trip that I would like to somehow with words give you the experience we have had with wind.    It seems that the wind has blown since we left home 4 weeks ago.  It is no ordinary wind it is  feirce, agressive and menacing.  It is persistant.  The wind you can hear whooshing along tearing through the trees and threatening to rip those big strong trees apart limb by limb. It swirls around WHOOSH. Its hits the caravan with an almighty thump, rocking it from side to side or one end to the other.  That wind sucks our canvas bed ends  in  then violently spits them back out again.  The wind gets  in your head via your ears and plays with your mentle state.  It alters they way we see what should be beautiful views.  IF the wind had a face it would  be dark gray with a deep menacing frown lines an angry mouth and evil dark dead eyes.  The wind it is bitterly cold and does not give up, it will not let you sleep.  The wind it blows at what seems full strength all night long.

Beachport

Beachport

Sink Hole Mount Gambier

Onto happier thoughts and experiences.  We left Robe today and called into the small town of Beachport just down the road.  It also was a lovely little seaside town, not as trendy and touristy as Robe.  The Red Elephants took the tourist drive around Beachport enjoying the views of the cliffs overlooking rock islands.  If it was a nicer day we would have had a dip in the salt lake.

Onwards we drove to Mount Gambier listening to Jimmy Barnes and singing along and then the stories of Specky McGee.  The Red Elephants travelled past low lying land at the end of the Limestone coast.  Many parts of the land was under water I am guessing this is not normal but part of the recent rains.  We passed by sheep farms and moo cows and one paddock that had a the baby cows huddled with their mothers.  Then there where pine plantations or as the junior Red Elephants call them Christmas tree farms.

Mount Gambier is a big inland  town.  We checked out the sink hole  in the middle of town.   It was not as gardeny as I had remembered seeing it on Better Homes and Gardens.  I mentioned this to a local lady who told me that was another sink hole and it had been vandalised the night before. She recommended not taking the Junior Red Elelphants there.  Who does this type of sensless things??  The Red Elephants  then  treated ourselves to a nice warm lunch in one of the cafes.  It is our anniversary after all.  We then visited the Blue Lake, it was blue and much bigger than I thought.  Actually there are a few Lakes around Mount Gambier all close together and easy to get to.  You can walk around the Blue Lake , but we chose to drive due to.....?  You guessed it the wind!!  Mount Gambier did not seem to be Caravan Friendly , we found it quite hard finding a place to park the Caravan while we had a look around.  By luck we found a carpark big  enough for the car and caravan  in the local Spotlight!!


click here for Blue Lake

Restful at Robe

We have had a few restful days here in Robe.   Restful for the Red Elephants equals, Jumping Pillow fun, Playing soccer and cricket with the other kids in the park and making new friends. Swimming in the indoor heated pool and playing a bit of tennis.  It also means long beach walks and a walk along the bluff looking for Whales and Dolphins, sadly we did not spot either.  The Red Elephants finished the Bluf walk with Hot Chips with a view of the Great Southern Ocean.  Actually besides the Hot chips that dosn't sound restful at all.

We bought ourselves a Lobster and tartare sauce and sat around the table with great excitement to try our fresh Robe Lobster.  We all agreed we would prefer to have snags and tom or BBQ sauce.

Last night the park treated us to an outdoor movie night.  It was right next to our site and we sat watching the movie in our campchairs, wrapped up in our blankets eating our Tornado's (Cornetto's) as Soccer boy likes to call them.

The weather has turned again today and we have said good bye to the sun as the Antarctic Winds are doing their thing gusting in over the ocean again, mixed with showers of rain

Today we visted Robes  Sea Life Centre.  Although not big we where personnaly taken around by a lovely lady who passed on her extensive knowledge of the sea life contained in this small museum.  We got to feed and pat Port Jackson and Banjo Sharks.  Mr Red Elephants feed a Barramundi, I'm sure he would have preferred to catch one, but thats another trip altogether.  The Junior Red Elephants where most impressed by a big King Crab and I liked the dainty little Sea Horses.  As we left the lovely lady drew as a mud map of places to see in her little town of Beachport.  Its people like this who make a trip like this.

Click here for  Robe Sea life Centre