Saturday, 1st February 2014 - Ramco, near Waikeire in SA
Day 255 of our trip round Oz
A warm night so the two fans were on full bore all night which helped a bit.
We have a very pleasant spot overlooking the river and the paddleboat ‘Hebe’. Geoff modified the fridge canvas shade, yet again. The fridge is really struggling in this heat, but what do you expect.
Geoff helped Mick by blowing leaves off his barge and then they both went to help his neighbour install glass balustrades at Paul’s place next door.
I did poke my head out of the door about midday … wow … it was so hot (around 44º) so it was back in the van where I stayed for the rest of the day until it cooled down a bit. I have even been heating water in the microwave to help the van stay cool. Thank goodness for air conditioning, is all I can say!
Sunday, 2nd February 2014 - Ramco/Waikerie
A very warm night with Geoff turning the A/Con on periodically when it got too oppressive. When it cooled down enough, in the early morning, I was able to open a few windows.
After bacon and eggs, Geoff went off to the Waikerie Gliding Club to have a look and also in the hope that there may be joy flights on offer. I declined his offer to accompany him as I didn’t want to be sitting out at an airfield in this heat whilst he had a look around and, maybe, went up for a flight. He was soon back saying that it was too hot and there was only one glider going up so he stayed to watch it take off.
We then went up to chat to Mick and Kerry and get some information on an article I was thinking of writing. Well two actually. The first article would just be a lightweight article for Caravan
Then three fire trucks went by, and due to our experience down on the Yorke Peninsular, we guessed that a power pole was down and had started a bush fire and this turned out to be true. So the rest of the evening was spent out under the veranda until the power eventually came back on just after 9.30. On with the A/C to cool the van off a bit before we could go to bed.
Then three fire trucks went by, and due to our experience down on the Yorke Peninsular, we guessed that a power pole was down and had started a bush fire and this turned out to be true. So the rest of the evening was spent out under the veranda until the power eventually came back on just after 9.30. On with the A/C to cool the van off a bit before we could go to bed.
Monday, 3rd February 2014 - Plush’s Bend Reserve, Murray River, Renmark SA
A cool change and windy this morning with cloud cover but still warmish.
We packed up and thanked Kerry for their hospitality and headed out of town. As we got to the outskirts we saw the Honda dealership and remembered it was owned by Ian, who we met in the river yesterday. We did a U-turn and went in to discuss generators and he lent us the workshop’s Honda 2KVA generator to see if it would run the generator. Wonders of wonder … yes it did. We knew then that we should have stuck to a Honda in the first place! Ian offered us a good price for a ‘non bulk’ dealer of $1700. He also said he would take our Hyundai generator on consignment which meant we wouldn’t have to tote two generators around with us. So, we ‘bit the bullet’ and are now the owners of a brand new 2KVA Honda generator that also comes with a four year warranty and has service agents all over Oz.
We continued on towards Renmark stopping to have lunch and to buy some wine at Banrock Station. Banrock Station café was situated over a vast wetlands that the winery has restored from degraded sheep pastures. They also donate to other wetlands around the world and do a lot for the environment.
We eventually ended up for the night at a lovely camping area at Plush’s Bend Reserve down on the Murray River. Geoff then started up the genny and ran the A/C on it to give it a large load to bed the rings in, as per Ian’s instructions. The genny started the A/C straight away and it makes you wonder if the Hyundai specifications are a little ‘stretched’.
Tuesday, 4th February 2014 - Kings Billabong Reserve, Mildura, Vic
It got quite cool overnight which was lovely. You can always rug up and get warm but it is hard to get cool!
Put our watches forward 30 minutes and then we were soon on our way to Mildura and dumped our ‘forbidden’ fruit before the border … what good little campers we are! After a quick stop in Mildura we drove out to Kings Billabong Reserve/Psyche Bend. Psyche Bend??? What a funny name … can any of you PV staff out there tell me why it was named that? Can’t find anything on the web. We found a lovely spot down by the river and there was a lovely breeze blowing which made the heat bearable although it was only 34º today and not the 44º we have been experiencing.
We are still having trouble with either the inverter, the microwave or the batteries so Geoff will have to have a look at them all soon. He thinks it is either the inverter or the batteries.
Wednesday, 5th February 2014 - Kings Billabong Reserve, Mildura, Vic
Geoff spotted the power was low this morning and thinks the batteries may be failing so will have to test them with the battery tester etc. We think this is why the microwave won’t work sometimes.
We decided to stay another night down at this lovely spot on the Murray. It is very tranquil here with the early sun shining across the still water. We even spent some time chatting to a local, Donna, who was out walking her dog.
After some brekky Geoff then spent a little time cleaning up some garbage that had been left from previous campers but this site was pretty good. I expect Parks Victoria ensure it is kept clean as well. But if campers leave it clean then these spots may remain free for others. Donna said that it was not the campers but the day trippers that come down to the river, which I quite believe. Then it was out with the battery tester and Geoff was soon looking at the batteries, solar controller and the like and found that one of the batteries negative wire was loose and he had an issue re-setting the solar controller. He’s not sure if he has fixed it so time will tell.
I spent the time finishing the draft of the article about Kerry and Mick and sent it off to Kerry to be checked.
By late afternoon it was quite warm so on with the generator to put the A/Con on and into the river for a cool dip. By 8.45 pm it was still light and it is strange getting used to the daylight saving as it would be dark by 6.30 in Qld.
Thursday, 6th February 2014 - Torney’s Tank Reserve area
It was very hot overnight but we managed to get some sleep. I ended up with a wet hand towel across my chest and a wet face towel across my throat which really helped. It was already very hot as we packed up and headed off. We had only gone a few metres when Geoff came to a screaming halt as he ran over a snake about one metre long. He didn’t see it come out the sides or the back so now we are wondering if it has gone up under the motor home so we will have to tread with care when we stop again.
We stopped for lunch overlooking a salt lake whose name seemed very familiar and we were 99.9% sure we had been there before. Not a very nice rest stop and full of flies so we continued on. We stopped at Sea Lake and had a wander around the town. It looked like Sea Lake had fallen on hard times as a lot of shops were closed and shuttered and there was an air of seedy decay about it. Sad, as we have a soft spot for Sea Lake as Sea Lake Primary School used to come to Noonameena Lodge (our old school camp) every year when we ran it.
We eventually stopped for the night just north of Wycheproof. The camp spot was close to the road but had some huge shade trees so we soon had the generator and A/C going. No chance of sitting outside as we were driven inside by the hordes of flies again. Once it cooled d0wn a bit we turned the A/C off to conserve some fuel. The generator sure eats the fuel when it is going flat out with the genny on but we are happy as it does a good job. Of course, it would be too noisy to have on if we had camping neighbours and then we would probably have to spend the money on a caravan park with power.
Once the sun started to set and the flies had minimised a tad we went out to clean up the rest area a bit. Mostly KFC boxes, soft drink bottles and, once again, lots of toilet paper (dirty buggers) which we didn’t touch.
Thursday, 7th February 2014 - Bendigo at Norma and Wayne’s
We were joined by a truck for a couple of hours as he had a sleep but it was a quiet night and bearable. We were soon on the road and passing Wedderburn and then stopping at Charlton for a quick wander around. It was an RV Friendly Town and had free camping for self contained vehicles or powered sites with en-suite for a fee. It was well done and appealing and right in the centre of town.
As we wandered through town we came upon a bronze bust of John Curtin which included an audio recording of his time spent in the town as a boy when his family ran the local hotel until the depression when the family lost everything. He was Australia’s 14th Prime Minister from 1941 to 1945. As we wandered around the town we came across quite a few motor bikes and when we got back to the van we were invited to attend a motor bike rally due to the fact we had the scooter on the back. What a nice gesture but we headed on.
As we drove into Bendigo we were reminded how nice the city was. There were many beautiful old and well preserved buildings wherever you looked. We found Norma and Wayne’s place and parked in their driveway and were soon sipping a cuppa. Norma doesn’t look any different after all these years. Other friends, Carol and Robert, popped by for a cuppa as well with Wayne coming in the door soon after and then we all went into reminiscing mode whilst sipping a wine or two.
Saturday, 8th February 2014 - Bendigo
I was very hot during the night even though it was cool outside. I soon found out that the gas hot water switch had been knocked on and that unit is right under my side of the bed. No wonder I was hot!
After brekky we all went out in Wayne’s old Chevrolet to the Scottish Festival and market. There was plenty of Scottish dancing and pipe bands and the market to wander around. It was all held in Bendigo’s beautiful main gardens and it was an interesting morning out.
After we had some lunch we then went on a tour of the district looking at Norma and Wayne’s previous property, visiting Lake Eppalock etc. In the evening we all went out to the local Mexican Restaurant which was on Wayne. Thanks guys! And very nice it was too!
Sunday, 9th February 2014 - Bendigo
Another 40º day.
We just fiddled around today. Geoff looked at Wayne’s computer and we popped out later with Wayne in his hot rod, a 1939 Ford Tudor. Norma had to work. Wayne is right into hot rods and has quite a few waiting to be done up.
And that was it for the day.
Monday 10th February 2014 - Bendigo
Norma was working this morning but we went off with her in the afternoon to the local shopping centre where I bought some soft sided shoes. I had been wearing Norma’s to see how I fared in them and they were good so at least I have another pair I can now wear.
Wayne came home later after giving plasma which he does every fortnight as he has a blood group that is very much in demand. Good on him!
In the evening we all went in for a spa which triggered fond memories of when we used to go in our spa in Research. We used to go in naked but that was before everything went ‘saggy baggy’. The good old days.
Tuesday, 11th February 2014 - Bendigo
Today Geoff washed the van and the bikes and I gave the motorhome interior a good clean.
Later we went into Aldi to get our ‘Aldi Fix’. The first Aldi since leaving Bundaberg. We had forgotten how cheap they were.
After lunch it was back to the shopping centre on the scooter as Geoff needed to get the arm on his glasses fixed which OPSM did for free after Spec Savers tried to get him to buy a new pair.
Geoff cooked Chilli Beef for dinner which seemed to go down well.
Wednesday, 12th February 2014 - Bendigo
A forecast of 39º today. Norma bought a couple of ‘cheat’ flan cases and I made a couple of Lemon Meringue Pies and then the three of us (Wayne was at work … Poor B) went into town for lunch at Nandos which we all enjoyed.
Back to the house where Norma and I fiddled around in the kitchen and making very filling pizza’s for tea.
Thursday, 13th February 2014 - Bendigo
Oh so slack … didn’t get up till after 9 am.
After brekky we hopped onto the scooter and headed into town for a look around and to have a coffee and a free doughnut and watch the world go by.
Later, as we watched the local news, we saw that the Nando’s Restaurant that we went to yesterday had been robbed at gunpoint that same night. Our first time at Nando’s and this happens … we must be a jinx!
Friday, 14th February 2014 - St Andrews
A very leisurely start to the day. Wayne had decided to take the day off so was able to hold the tree branches away from the motorhome so we could back out of his driveway. We said our fond farewells and we were off.
Our first stop was the Bendigo Showgrounds to dump our black water and to have a look at where the RV’s can stay cheaply so we could make a mental note for another time.
It was an uneventful trip apart from passing through the burnt out areas of Gisborne and seeing the destruction from the very recent bush fires.
We continued on until Matilda (our GPS voice) decided to take us on a strange route that took us out to South Morang which used to be right out in the ‘bush’. Not now, it was a fully developed outer suburb of Melbourne now … Wow.
Saturday, 15th February 2014 - St Andrews
Today Joan went off to the market and Nick took us to Diamond Creek and onto Laurimar to visit Andrew and Kate where we had a quick coffee.
Joan was busy getting ready for Nick’s party that night when we got back … that woman never stops!
Geoff and Nick spent the afternoon working on Nick’s bent jockey wheel on their off road camper and watching their photos on the laptop of their Vietnam trip. I cleaned up the motorhome a tad as I knew everyone would probably like a ‘sticky beak’ when they arrived.
Around 5pm Kirsten, Alan and their three girls Ella, Charlotte and Sarsci arrived quickly followed by Andrew and Kate with their two boys Tommy and Jack. It was strange to see both Kirsten and Andrew with children around the same age as when we first met them. Time goes by relentlessly!
It was a great night as Joan is a fantastic cook and host and goes out of her way to prepare great food and it shows. They were all on their way by 9.30 and it was then bed for us oldies
Sunday, 16th February 2014 - St Andrews … Day 270 of our ‘Around Oz’ trip
Joan cooked bacon and eggs for us this morning which was great. She was then going to have a big cleaning day so Geoff and I went off with Nick to Northlands to pick up a new Anderson plug for his camper trailer. On the way back he took us in to see the new LIMS building (La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science) which he had applied for and received a $70 million plus grant to build. He headed a working committee to design the building and to also work out just what they wanted for the working interior. What a fantastic vision resulting in an architectural delight with a really advanced technical and research facility inside. No wonder he is finding it hard to leave. The auditorium (unbeknown to Nick and Joan) was named in his honour so it just shows you how highly regarded he is at La Trobe and elsewhere. This will be the highlight of our visit, methinks! For more information click on the following link http://www.latrobe.edu.au/lims/about/lims-complex.
On the way back to St Andrews Nick showed us where he used to live as a boy in Rosanna when there were only a couple of houses and the rest was just paddocks. Now it is wall to wall houses. He then took us past our old house in Research (which we built) and it now has a top story on it. It doesn’t look so good as the top story needs painting and it was hard to see the original house due to bushes and trees. Then it was up to the old scout hall for a bit more reminiscing when Geoff and Nick were scout leaders there. Such a nice trip down Memory Lane!
Monday, 17th February 2014 - St Andrews
I had a bad night as my legs ached … what a pain!
We didn’t do much today … well I suppose we did but it was mostly stuff on the laptops. Whilst I had our washing on I finished off the first two weeks of the February journal, selected the photos for my ‘Earn While you Travel’ article, added titles and put them into ‘dropbox’ for the editor of Caravan and Motorhome on Tour. Geoff spent the time working on Part One of a short movie about our trip so far with it ending, roughly, at Kakadu and it looks like it will come out quite well.
Nick and Joan were working today but she still cooked a great Mexican Meal when she got home.
Tuesday, 18th February 2014 - St Andrews
I took a couple of disprin before I went to bed last night but I still had achy legs in the early hour of the morning when they wore off.
Geoff put some finishing touches to his short movie and I prepared a Lemon Meringue Pie (yes, another one Norma). We then headed off to Eltham as Nick had left us his ute to use and we needed to buy some bits as we were cooking dinner tonight.
We stopped off at Research to take some photos of our old house and we wondered if Carol still lived across the road. Geoff then heard someone talking and said “Does Carol still live here” and when she turned round it turned out to be Carol herself. So in we went for a cuppa and to reminisce, yet again. Her daughter Tammy, who used to ride horses with us when she was a kid, is now 44, unmarried and still living at home. Andrew, the son, is married with kids, one of which is a teenager. It is not till you see people again after 30 odd years that you realise you are aging.
Onto Eltham to pick up our grocery needs, pop into Bunnings and then back to St Andrews where Geoff finally burnt his small movie to disc and it plays well. I checked the emails and there was on from the editor of Caravan and Motorhome on Tour saying she had received the photos and that the article would be published in issue 202 in May and for me to submit an invoice. Another $400 to go towards our insurance which is due in February. I then sent her the synopsis for the next article on Mick and Kerry and then it was time to prepare the Pansit Bihon for dinner which I think Nick and Joan enjoyed.
Wednesday, 19th February 2014 - St Andrews
Up late and quite heavy rain on and off all day.
Checked my emails and we had a request to house sit for a friends sister in Wallaroo, near Canberra so we spent most of the morning trying to fit it into our itinerary. We rang Wyn and Ann to see what their plans were but the house sit is really a month too late so we emailed back with shorter dates and see what they think. We have applied for another farm sit just before that as well. Apart from that I did a little washing and took stuff back to the motorhome but it was mostly working and playing on the laptop. Too wet to go outside much so we basically fiddled around.
Thursday, 20th February 2014 - Camp site, Loch … Victoria
Nick and Joan went off to work late this morning so they could say goodbye. Nice! Once they headed off we continued packing up the motorhome and left around 10am. We made our way to the Jayco RV repairer in Bayswater and they took photos to send to Apia for approval. He said that quotes were taking around three to four weeks to get approved at present which would be no good for us. I rang Apia to try to hurry up the approval but they can’t do anything until they receive the quote so I will ring again on Monday.
We started to head out of town but soon changed our minds and drove to St Kilda where the Johnny Appleseed (GPS) store was located as we wanted to upgrade our old GPS to a new and better RV/Truck GPS. It was expensive but we are hoping we will get better instructions from it in the RV mode.
We were then headed for Port Albert but it seemed to take a really long time to get out of outer Melbourne and Geoff had to concentrate hard so was feeling a little fatigued. When we saw an overnight rest stop 7 kms off the highway near Loch we turned off. We expected to be the only one there but there were about another 10 RV’s there but plenty of space for us. After we were settled we wandered over to another Jayco Optimum, shorter version than ours, and had a chat for about an hour. It was too cold to stay out much longer as it was only about 20º so it was an early night.
We were on the road by 8.30 so we could meet up with Chris and Wade at Port Albert at 10am. All good plans of mice and men! We had plotted the route into the new GPS and had been travelling about 20 minutes when we realised the GPS was taking us further way from Port Albert and not closer. By the time we had found somewhere to turn around and get back on track we had lost an hour so I sent Chris a text saying what had happened.
We got in at 11am and Chris came over in the tender to pick us up. We threw some bits and pieces into a couple of bags, ensured everything was secured and put away, locked the motorhome and we were on our way to their catamaran, ‘Take it Easy’. I was a bit cumbersome getting on as it was hard to get my legs to react in a fast and timely manner but I didn’t fall in. ‘Take it Easy’ is Peter Snell’s (boat designer/builder) very first ‘Easy’ cat. Chris and Wade have had it for around a couple of years and have just come back from Lord Howe Island. She is 11.6 metres long and is well appointed and spacious inside. I think they are very happy with her!
After a coffee it was decided to head off before we lost the westerly wind. It was not really a good sailing day as it was cold and raining but was forecast to improve over the weekend. Both Geoff and I were very cold as we are not used to these 20º days. Alas, the wind changed and it was almost on the nose so we were motoring at a very slow pace so the decision was made to anchor for the night and continue on to Refuge Cove in the morning.
Saturday, 22nd February 2014 - Refuge Cove
Chris and Wade were up early and we were on our way by 7am. We got in a tad of sailing but not much and we motored sailed most of the way. Soon we were passing Sealers Cove on Wilsons Promontory and memories came flooding in when we hiked the whole of the Prom 30 odd years ago. I had also visited the Prom many times when I worked for Parks Victoria (National Parks). We turned into Refuge Cove and motored in and there were about four other boats already anchored there with one being a large-ish catamaran. As we got closer I was able to read the name of the cat which was ‘Outahia’. I couldn’t believe my eyes as this was the name of the catamaran that our friend Tony had recently purchased. Tony was a friend from Bundy who had lost two boats during the 2013 Burnett River floods, the same time we had lost 2AB. Tony, we yelled, and he popped up an he, also, couldn’t believe his eyes. What a small world! We had said goodbye to him in early 2013 and wondered when, if ever, we would catch up with him again. He came over and we introduced him to Chris and Wade and had a coffee and a chat. He said he had a lady friend on board so we said we would pop by later.
After lunch we went ashore and the campsite was as we remembered it. We walked, slowly for us, up to a large rock slab overlooking the bay. Chris and Wade, being younger and fitter, were up there way ahead of us. My legs were starting to act up by the time we got to the top but at least I made it and it was good for me. It was a great view of the anchorage below with the boats gently swinging on anchor. The weather had turned and it was a beautiful sunny day and it was lovely sitting there soaking up the sun and taking in the view. Back down at the bottom we looked at the area where Parks Vic had erected palings for boats to hang there shingles, presumable to stop the graffiti on the rocks.
We went back via ‘Outahia’ and had a look around Tony’s cat. It was a nice sturdy, sea worthy cat and easily manageable for a single person but even Tony says the interior is a little strange. He says the people he bought it from were not sailors.
Back to ‘Take it Easy’ and Tony and Linda came over for sundowners. Tony was very interested in picking Wade and Chris’ brains as he was off to Tassie the next day. Wade and Chris had done these Bass Strait islands many times and had heaps of information they were willing to impart so Tony was listening attentively. It is always handy when you can get the information ‘first hand’. By the time they left it was a very late dinner, at least for Geoff and myself, and then it was off to bed.
No early start today. Tony left about 9am and we waved him goodbye. We weren’t far behind him, leaving about 10am. Alas, the winds were very light and just off the nose so Wade was unable to get her sailing. Well, that’s not really true, we were sailing but at the slow rate of 1.8 knots which just didn’t make the grade, as far as Wade is concerned. The sea was like a mill pond so, if you can’t sail then these are the conditions to be enjoyed. The weather had turned really nice with a temperate of 25º so Chris made the most of it on her favourite perch leaning against the mast and soaking up the sun. Geoff and I were in and out but, for us, it is the destination and not the sailing. I think it must be because we have lived on a boat full time for the last eight years and the novelty of the passage has worn off.
We got back into Port Albert around 3.30 pm and Wade picked up the buoy with not a hassle. We got all of our junk together and Wade took us back to the motorhome. It was a relief to see she was just where we had left her and all intact as it was the first time we had left her. When we left on that cold and rainy Friday she was the only vehicle in the car park. Now she was surrounded by caravans, motorhomes, cars and boat trailers. It just shows you what a bit of sun can do.
Chris and Wade arrived and we gave them a quick look around and then they were off back to Melbourne. Once we were settled we wandered along the foreshore to get fish’n chips for tea,
A very enjoyable weekend away with Chris and Wade on ‘Take it Easy’ …. Thanks guys.
Monday, 24th February 2014 - Paynesville
A slow start, as usual. We arrived at Wyn and Ann’s at lunch time … good timing!
Anita, Ari and Laura came round for dinner which was yummy roast Lamb.
The day was spent just chatting and catching up on each other’s news. Oh … we also went with Wyn when he walked Christie, the dog.
Tuesday, 25th February 2014 - Paynesville
Nobody was up early. Later we popped into Bairnsdale with Wyn and Geoff bought a new door closure for the motorhome door as the one we bought in Bayswater was the wrong size. Wyn bought a battery/rechargeable fan but when he tried it out when we got back it was quite noisy. Geoff fitted the new door closure and it now works as it is supposed to do.
Late afternoon we headed off to a BBQ with old friends, Brian and Claire. Brian is a friend from our teenage years in the UK and is the brother and bro in law of our other great friends Denny and Terry in Wangaratta.
It was very strange but it felt like it was only yesterday we had last met but really it was over 25 years ago. Good friends are like that and should be cherished, which they are!
Wednesday, 26th February 2014 - Paynesville
I went into Bairnsdale with Ann for a bit of window shopping and retail therapy but didn’t buy much.
When I arrived back I started work on the article on the ‘Hebe’ paddle boat .
Geoff and Wyn worked on the metal box on the front of Wyn’s caravan that holds his generator. Wyn wanted a neat, hinged flap so that he could run the genny in the box and vent the exhaust to the outside. Geoff used his multi purpose tool to cut a neat square.
Ann cooked a beautiful prawn linguini for dinner so I got her to give me the recipe. Yum!
Thursday, 27th & Friday 28th February 2014 - Paynesville
Much of the same. Walked the dog, went to Bairnsdale and then Geoff cooked Chilli Beef & Bacon.
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