Thursday, 29 January 2015
24th, 25th, 26th, January Franklin River Rest Area
After leaving Port Albert we arrived to a pleasant surprise when we stopped at the free camp beside the road and the Franklin River.
It was a huge grassy area with lots of different types of trees, although there was already several dozen campers and caravans no one was on top of each other and there was room for dozens more, there wasn't any drinking water we had enough and the nearest town was only 4kms away, it was possible to get water for washing out of the river if it was needed, there was also good clean stainless steel flushing toilets.
We stayed 3 nights as it was the long weekend and it was a bit hard to get into most places besides this was free and very nice.
When we setup we went into Foster which was 11kms away, we needed a few necessary groceries, and a bottle of whisky. We walked around the little town which had 2 bakeries but we never bought anything, we went into the information centre to get as much information as possible of the area. On the way back we saw a dead wombat on the side of the road, Merv had never seen one so I was hoping to see one in the paddock, one of the locals said if we went up the road after dark we would see one but we hadn't taken the camper off so we couldn't be bothered. We then went along to Toora which was 4km the other direction, this is a tiny town almost looks like a ghost town but it does have plenty of services, there is a big factory in town it made me curious if it still operated and what it was, does it give employment to the locals, I was talking to a local who told me it wad a milk processing plant that was bought by the Chinese which they make baby formula in, they hire approx 6 locals bring in the rest on 457 visas and buy the powered milk from New Zealand, they just package and add vitamins at the plant, all this and our government is always giving them money, they have just been given another 1 1/2 million dollars, go figure. We did check the boat ramp which was good but we didn't intend going out.
25th, 2nd day we woke to rain, wind and freezing cold so we stayed in bed and read all day, I only got up when I had to and to make food and drinks.
26th, Australia day the rain has stopped but it is still pretty cold but we still decide to head to some of the national park areas, the first one was Agnus waterfall, a small waterfall but quite pretty, next Tarra national park, this was very green and lovely, the one thing about being cool with frequent rain is everything is green with gorgeous plants and trees. The road going up was windy and narrow but worth it, we stopped at one of the picnic areas and made a coffee and lunch then went for a walk. On the way back we stopped into Port Welshpool there were quite a lot of people fishing on the jetty with a couple of nice flathead caught. We lit the fire pot at night, it was a very quiet night.
Saturday, 24 January 2015
22nd, 23rd, January 2015 Port Albert
After a great nights sleep we are on our way to Port Albert this is just a small town off the track but we thought it may be worth a look.
When we drove onto town we saw the all the basics for a town to survive and noticed a big boat ramp with lots of parking and that a lot of people had taken their boats out.
We then went back to the caravan park that was a bit out of town and booked in for 2 nights, the boat ramp at the park wasn't any good for a boat our size so Merv spent most of the afternoon replacing the rollers on the trailer then later we went for a bit of a walk down along the river.
The first night was lovely and quiet but we have never stayed in a dirtier place, it doesn't matter about gardens but the amenities were never cleaned, 1 shower had tiles off and was green with slime, there was a sign on the doors not to wash dogs in the showers, I don't know if it was dog hair or human hair and rubbish blocking the drain hole but when you used the shower all the water banked up around your feet, the toilets were never cleaned, I went in saw one was occupied several times, worried someone may have collapsed I peeked under the door only to see the floor covered in dead beetles and dirty toilet paper, it would appear that it was blocked so they locked the door and left it, I did shower there but I cleaned my teeth in camp.
2nd day there we had planned to take the canoes out but the wind wad much too strong and we couldn't be bothered taking the boat out so we went for another really long walk down a trail and back up along the foreshore watching the birds, there are huge amounts of black swan with a wide variety of other species including some that migrate from Siberia.
That night was the Friday night of the long weekend, a lot of people arrived some of them have onsite vans, there are a lot of permanent sites in the park most are run down it looks like a hovel.
The night was very noisy till early hours of the morning with drinking and music we were glad we hadn't booked any more days
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
20th January 2015 Lakes Entrance
On the way to Lakes Entrance we stopped at Cann River for lunch, the road was very hilly with deep valleys full of lush vegetation, we followed the coast road which flattened out to a lot of farmed paddocks, following this took us to the mouth of the Snowy River, we were both disappointed with the mighty Snowy I know there has been a lot of controversy over the amount of water that is taken from it after seeing what used to be a huge river I agree, it is a small muddy looking river now. We didn't stay long around there but made our way to Lakes Entrance, it was a bit hard to get a site for the night as it is still school holidays.
After booking in we went for a walk along the foreshore, I was astounded by the amount of little putt putt boats for hire, they can be used in the lake system but can't be taken out, which really doesn't matter as the lakes area is huge.
We had dinner at the bowls club then went for another walk the other direction towards the entrance.
It was quite a walk and we were surprised at how many people were down along the banks and jetty trying to catch crabs, fish and prawns.
Lakes Entrance is a very pretty place which rely on holiday makers but they also run big fishing fleets out of the harbour.
21st January 2015 Yarram
We don't have a particular destination in mind today so when we get packed up we decided to go and have 9 holes of golf, the golf course wasa nice little hilly one with very fast greens, we had a lot of fun.
It was nearly lunch time when we left but we thought we may have a picnic on way, we stopped off at the providence ponds nature reserve then made our way to a free camp by the side ofthe river just outside Yarram.
People who had stopped there before had complained on wikki camps of the road noise on the bridge, it didn't worry us at all, in fact we probably had one of the best sleeps in a long time, no people carrying on or bright lights shining in all night.
The stars were beautiful and there was dozens of frogs.
We went for a walk after dinner up into Yarram which surprised us at how big the town was.
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Sunday, 18 January 2015
10th, 11th, 12th, 13th,14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, January 2015 Eden
10th,On the road again making our way to Eden unfortunatly this trip was not incident free, as we were travelling south at approx 85km a car going north doing approx 95kms lost its large plastic kayak, this came careening at us, luckily missed the drivers door and the car but hit the camper on the jack then spun and hit the boat. The damage to the camper is quite a lot it has bent the jack right out, to travel it has to be taken off the vehicle otherwise it is too wide, the boat has some marks that will polish off but it bent the u bolts that held the horns at the back of the trailer, Merv wad able to take them off and straighten them. When we saw the force it hit we were so glad it missed us otherwise we may not be alive today. The young couple stopped and I had to feel a little sorry for them they were both in the air force and had been deployed, it was their first holiday together with the children in three years. The insurance company has agreed to wait until we return home before completing the claim.
11th, The night we arrived at the camp we left the camper on the car as it started to rain and we hadn't really accessed the safety aspect of where the damage was, it rained all night and most of the next day, we did take the camper off the vehicle between showers then went off to check out the surrounding areas, the boat ramps are very good, the whole area looks a bit magical with the beautiful beaches, bays and lush bush with the constant sound of bell birds.
12th We took the boat out but because all the bad weather we had been getting was easterly there was quite a large swell running into the bay, no wind in the morning. We fished several different spots but didn't go right out past the point and reef. We got a lot of bites, some may have been whiting but we were fishing with big hooks, we did end up with nice flathead, when we came in most everyone only had flathead or leather jackets some had gone out but had done no better than us, while we were travelling we came off the top of a swell when I was back on and unfortunately hurt my back so no more in the boat for a couple of days. Rained again tonight.
13th, Today is a good time to explore the Ben Boyd national park, we were out in the bush and not another sole anywhere, when we came to a huge surf beach Merv wanted to try for a fish, it was a bit of a slow walk for me but so wonderful, the waves were gigantic due to the weather and just sitting on the beach watching them run up the cliffs was about the most relaxing thing I could think of, it certainly was not cold, we didn't catch anything but I really didn't expect to. Late in the afternoon it started to rain, surprise surprise, time for camp.
14th, The following day my back was still not so great do I sat on the wharf while Merv took the canoe around the area, he came back with a tailor while all I caught was a big octopus that wouldn't let go of the pylon till it broke me off.
15th, There is a Lake Wonboyn not far from here we deciced to go to on the following morning, they grow a lot of oysters in it there is also a nice little swim beach, great protected place from the ocean, it is fed by the ocean and has large flathead in it. On the way back we went out through the southern end of Ben Boyd national park, no matter how you look at it there is beauty, the coastline is rugged with quiet little bays, we did see a lyre bird on the side of the road but I never got a photo it went into the bush before I could get out with the camera, at least Merv saw this one which I believe to have been a male as the tail was much longer. Eden was a whaling area and the historic site is on the road back so we visited, it is hard to stand and imagine that they would spot the whale from shore and row out for the chase.
16th, Next morning was nice so we went up to Bega for a look then to follow the road down the coast, all of the areas were great, Tura beach a big surf beach, Merimbula has an airstrip and the spot people on the coast leave from it is also an excellent place for water activities, there are surf beaches, sheltered beaches and river for swimming or canoes. 17th,The next day the weather had turned to the south west so we left to take the boat out there was next to no swell. After we launched I was parking the car and Merv had brought the boat to the jetty to pick me up and the helm broke, we were glad it happened there so we got it back on the trailer a local told us of a shop, we went around they had a second hand one Merv fitted, by lunch time we were back out on the water, we came back with eight big flathead we threw a lot back, the steering tested out good.
18th, Fishing with the boat early next day, we went out of the bay down the coast a little trying to get in the lee of the cliffs ad the wind was blowing quite hard, we had tried fishing the reef on the point but the wind was too strong for drifting. We stayed out till approx 2pm the wind in the afternoon was too strong, we came back with a nice pink snapper and some moari wrasse, they look like blue bone to me so I thought I would give them a try.
19th,Next morning a bit windy so we thought we would have a sleep in and go out into the national park later and fish from the beach.
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
5th, 6th. 7th, 8th, 9th, January 2015 Moruya
Moruya is just South of Batemans Bay and turned out to be a very pleasant place, on the way down we went off the main highway in through a lot of small country towns it was a much more interesting trip, the countyside is green and lush, the cattle looked very happy.
The word Moruya is aboriginal for black swan and there certainly a lot of them there, it is only a small town sitting on a river.
The night we arrived we had another big thunder storm I really am starting to believe that they are following us.
The first day there we did the normal things and explored the area to see where everthing was and the condition of the boat ramps and the bar at the mouth of the river, good weathet it didn't look too bad.
Second day we headed out in the boat, easy going no wind but a nice size swell and guess who didn't have any qwells. We were having the best fishing fun we had in a long time we caught a lot of wrass, leather jackets, gurnard and some nice flathead. We were out for approx 4 hrs with me trying to keep my stomach down but in the end it got too much so we went in and fished the river without any success, they had been getting a lot of rain approx 16 inches in 2 weeks so apparently there wad too much freshwater in the river. Later we found a chemist to buy qwells. We plan on going out again tomorrow.
When we woke at 5 the next morning the fog was so thick it would have been impossible to see the bar to get out safely, it didn't start to clear till after 8 o'clock so we went to the beach and had a swim and went for a walk on some of the larger beaches.
Next day we were up early the day was clear, we headed off, as we were going to the boat ramp there was several boats headed back to town, at the ramp I asked a guy who was about to launch his larger boat, did those others know something we didn't, he said he had checked the bar was ok but it wasn't do good out.
We launched on the way out we met 2 more boats coming back the guys in the boats gave us the thumbs down, when we got to the bar it was good but as soon as we got around the corner Merv just said hang on and he done a big uturn and back in, it was pretty nasty. We drifted back up the river trying for a fish, while we sat there numerous boats went up past to go out only to be back 5 minutes later.
When we got the boat back to camp it was explore time again up along the coast between Batemans Bay and Moruya. One of the beautiful beaches we found was closed ad there had been a dead whale with sharks feeding, they towed the whale out it sunk and they couldn't see the sharks as the water was too deep, they had their jet skis out and in the end the helicopter, it was a bit of a nuisance as there was a great snorkeling area but unfortunately it was were the whale was the life guards said it wouldn't be safe for at least another week.
We continued down the road a little and came across Tamokin Cove a beautiful swim beach, waves not too big, rocky outcrops for snorkeling everything you need at the beach, we decided we would go back there the following day with the canoes.
The next day when we got to the cove we took the canoes out, this was a little different as there was reef around the cove in places with not a lot of spots to go through, when we got out there was a sizable swell with the odd wave breaking, I thought hell no this is crap I am going in, as I started in Merv called out that I had a big breaking wave bearing down on me, I have never paddled so fast as I didn't want to be thrown onto the rocks. I was pretty hot by the time I pulled the canoe up on the beach so I went for a swim, the water was crisp and fresh but very nice, when Merv came in he joined me, then picnic time and another swim.
The last two nights we had huge thunderstorms, one had the best lightning I tried to get some photos with no luck.
Sunday, 11 January 2015
4th January 2015 Golburn
We wanted to stay in Canberra tonight but couldn't get a place to stay, oh well just another city probably never missed much.
We stayed the night at the Golburn big4 a small park and not really big4 standard but it was somewhere to stop.
Guess what another storm tonight approx 1 inch of rain with some really good thunder and lightning.
30th, 31st December 1st, 2nd, 3rd January 2014 Katoomba Blue Mountains
Off to the mountains, no fishing there. The highway up the mountain was a surprise, a really good road and not as windy as one might think as you are going 3000 feet.
Katoomba is a very busy town without all the essentials and shops that are needed, we noticed approx 4 antique shops.
There were tourist everywhere and mad bus drivers taking the tourist about going like cut cats, when we first arrived there was a bus that had cut the corner too much on a down hill and bellied out on the bank, stuck blocking the road it looked rather funny.
We had a very small area at the park there wasn't enough room to take the camper off and we had to park the boat up the back under some trees, luckily most of the thinks were within walking distance, the camp was opposite to the walks down the mountain and around the cliff edge.
There are three cable cars that run, one goes back and fourth across a valley the other goes down into the gulley, the other is called the steepest train in the world, it is just a car that is lowered down the cliff by cable and winched up again we went and checked these, they are all a bit of a yawn, $35 for the lot but with so many tourist up to 1 1/2 wait in a que after queuing for ages for the ticket.
We decided to do the walks as it is better to see things up and personnel, plants and waterfalls always look better when you are amoung them.
The walks were relatively steep to start with on trails and some stairs but after passing some beautiful areas with waterfalls approx 2/3 down the stairs got very steep that were uneven cut from the rock in the cliff, the veiw was also straight off the side into the gully, at this point I couldn't go any further but I told Merv to go on if he wanted to as I didn't want him to miss out, he continued on down through the gully and climbed up the side of one of the three sisters, there are steps that have been cut into the cliff 900 of them very uneven and steep.
When Merv got back some hours later very wet with perspiration he said that the steps were not only steep but the adrenaline from the risk involved gets the heart pumping.
While we were there we went for many walks along the trails, on the way back from down the cliff when I was by myself I saw a lyre bird and stood and watched it for approx 10 minutes I didn't have my phone or camera with me as I had given them to Merv to take with him, so we walked hoping to see one again.
We walked to Echo Point at night as the 3 sisters are floodlit, they look better in daylight. I am glad we went up there but it is nothing we haven't seen before, there is some rock outcrops that is given a name and everybody goes to see it but there are much better spots just not made a place to get the tourist dollars.
I did expect to see a lot of birdlife but it wasn't there, a fleeting glimpse of an odd parrot some pink and greys and wattle birds.
We took a road trip one day out to Mt Tomah where the Blue Mountains botanical gardens are, they are the highest altitude botanical gardens in Australia, they were very lovely but unfortunately we were probably a month too late for the spectacular show as they have large amounts of rhododendron and azaleas that had just finished blooming, the trip around we saw the most spectacular escarpment but there wasn't anywhere to pull over for a photo.
Another day trip was catch the the train to Sydney, the stations up the mountains all have waiting rooms with gas heaters, I guess it gets pretty cold up in the mountains. The train ride was so smooth and quiet it took approx 2 hrs each way but beats driving in any day, when we got to central station we caught another train for circular quey, all the trains are double deck and the rail system is so easy to use to get around on.
When we arrived at circular quey we walked along and up the opera house steps checked the prices of food at the cafes along the foreshore $20 for a chicken burger, we gave eating there a miss, we then went on a half hour cruise out onto the river to the North Shore round trip a good way to see the bridge and opers house.
We then caught a bus up into the city went to Myers and bought another ipod so we could have our music, our other one was stolen, after shopping we walked down to Darling Harbour which took us under the bridge, different looking at it from that direction. Darling Harbour has lots of entertainment and eating places with many large boats to cruise on the river for special events or everday treat.
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