Tuesday 30 April 2013

Walking day

After cake making yesterday we went a 5km walk today, walked across the bridge into NSW and wandered as far as we could down the banks of the Murray, I checked my pedometer when we got back and we had done 5 ks, good walk easy, had to climb over a few trees, Bentley loved it of course, running wild, sniffing at everything, he does worry me that he will get hurt, pick up something he shouldn't but I let him enjoy himself. Later back at camp we cut into the iced coffee cake for morning tea and then had a drive to a weir and lock, unfortunately they were working on improvements so didn't get any photos, but there will be other locks further up river.
We plan to move on towards Mildura tomorrow, this has been a great campsite and we finished the evening with a glass of wine by the river.
Tea tonight is a pasta chicken bake which isn't baked just put together but will taste great I am sure, it will have vegies with it of course
Photos
Looking at our Caravan park from NSW side with houseboat which is for hire, sleeps 12
This is where we turned around on our walk as it got muddy and wet further on
Catching the red in the trees as the sun goes down
Looking towards the bridge as the sun sets








Monday 29 April 2013

Cake making

We had rain today, first time for a while, it gave the van and car a bit of a wash. So I had a lay in and listened to the rain with my cup of tea, later we drove into town had a seniors special, cup of coffee with scone, jam and cream $4.50 at the local coffee shop and they use real cream, yum. I have been wanting a home made cake for a while, just missing baking a cake etc so today I bought a packet cake mix, tin foil loaf tin and made a cake in the little stove in the camp oven, haven't iced yet that is for tomorrow.
Nice campsite here so we will stay a couple of days.
Tea tonight, fish and roast vegies.
All about food today
Photos.
Cake making and our lovely tea







Sunday 28 April 2013

Relaxing weekend

Well we had a quiet relaxed time over the weekend, Saturday we took a small walk and a small drive to look at other sites along the river, some good sites but no toilets, we do prefer toilets. Sunday, today we had our bacon and egg breakfast and then I walked to the shop for a Sunday paper, 2500 steps return, I bought a pedometer a week ago and have been recording my steps, very hard to get above 6000 a day, I have to make a real effort some days. We sat at our camp and read the Sunday paper, haven't sat and read a paper for ages, caught up on all the news and then had a light, quick lunch and decided we would move on, Bentley has really enjoyed it here as we have let him wander and not kept him on the lead, when the van was packed up ready to go he wouldn't get in the car, I had to pick him up and put him in.
We drove to Robinvale about 100 k up the Murray and found a lovely caravan park by the river $28 @ night and we have a lovely green grass site. Had a lovely shower xxxx
Tea tonight is something my resident chef is putting together and involves left over cooked veg and eggs, so I think it's a frittata.
We have got the TV going tonight, we don't worry to much about TV, sometime reception is to good
Photos
Campfire we had before leaving this morning
Our camp at Robinvale



Friday 26 April 2013

Time out at the Murray

Today we took a trip to Swan Hill for a look see and supplies, got what we needed and headed back to camp, lunch at camp by the river, weather is so mild and warm I feel we should just sit and enjoy, so spent the afternoon reading and gazing into the reflection of the river, I did get my camera out but was happy to just enjoy my surroundings, we let Bentley wander which he enjoyed, sat outside until after 6pm when mozzies and darkness got the better of us, Brian cooking steak for him, salmon for me and vegies we picked up on a roadside stall.
Photos
Brian with his first catch on the Murray, not a cod but a carp.
Close up of carp
Reflections on the river
4 ducks on the other side of the river, they flew away just after this shot







Wednesday 24 April 2013

Swan Hill & Murray River

Packed up today and drove to Swan Hill, found a lovely spot on the river for our morning tea, town was busy as the Anzac parade had just finished, caravan park on the river looked busy and $36 @ night and no river sites available so we drove on to Nyah a little town about 20ks away, free camping here on the river behind the sports ground, toilets, but no showers, happy with that as we are right by the river, we have been told that sports club do a meal tonight for $10 so we will pop up later to check that out.
Brian has thrown a line in the river but not much happening, seems you can catch carp easily here but it's not a good fish to eat, now a nice Murray cod would be good.
A very easy travelling day and hopefully a good meal and no washing up tonight.
Photos
Paddling on the river, looks so easy
Lovely stop at Swan Hill
Our camp on the Murray





Drive time

Today we took a drive and picnic lunch towards Lake Charm, Kangaroo Lake and then through to Murrabit, over the river to NSW and back to Barham, Lake Charm is quite a big lake with 2 caravan parks around and the lake is used for water sports, Kangaroo lake is similar but with more trees around, we didn't find many photo ideas today, we had lunch by the river at Murrabit before heading back to camp, so a quiet day which we often have before moving on. Tomorrow is Anzac Day and we will be moving towards Swan Hill, not sure where we will camp. We have really enjoyed this caravan park and would stay here again.
Tea tonight is easy carbonara which is a Thelma dish, and one of our favourites.
Photos
Our camp at Barham Lakes C/park
Lunch at Murrabit
Murray River at Murrabit





Tuesday 23 April 2013

A pleasant day

Today we drove towards Kerang and found the free campsite we were looking for, but the tracks in were so deeply rutted we decided we wouldn't want to tow the van on these tracks, so maybe we will find some better free camps further up the Murray. We are actually finding this c/park which is on the Murray at $26 @night very good. We dropped Bentley at the vets for his hair cut and we went to the pub for lunch, burger, salad and chips $10 for mine $12 for Brian, very enjoyable, Bentley was very pleased to see us when we picked him up and I feel he looks a lot better.
Back at camp we went a walk around Barham Lakes which is right next to the park. We met a bus of nursing home oldies out for the day, Bentley jumped on the bus to say hello, they were all delighted, sometimes he can be so cute. I then decided on a creative time so my resident chef/handyman carried all my boxes of stuff over to the camp kitchen and I had a great time making cards, I made my vintage style with not to much embellishments as I have to post them overseas, meanwhile the lock needed attention again and Brian took another trip to the hardware store, spent $3 and the lock is working again.
I'm not hungry for tea so it's leftovers for Brian and a snack for me
Photos
Lunch
Bentley, cute eh
Cards
Barham Lake







Monday 22 April 2013

Over to NSW

Had a slow start to our day, flat battery, left keys in the ignition and also we had a cuppa with some fellow avanners before we left. Stopped at the bakery in Kerang , small apple pie to share,and then headed about 25ks to Koondrook, which is on the Victoria side of the Murray and after morning tea there we crossed the bridge to Barham which is NSW, staying a caravan park on the Murray river, good place, we tried looking for free camps but ended up getting a bit lost. The bridge over the river is only one vehicle wide in the middle so you have stop and wait until its clear, the middle of the bridge lifts up to let boats through. It's a lot greener here in northern Vic and NSW because the river water is used to water gardens etc and we passed lots of irrigation channels as we came up. Caravan park has lovely green grass.
We had trouble with the lock on the van door, it stopped working so my handyman took it apart and got new springs for inside, it's working now, but we have to be gentle with it.
Tomorrow is haircut day for Bentley, he is looking a mess, made an appointment in Kerang at the vet clinic.
Thelma is cooking tonight, spicy chicken and sweet potato but I'm using pumpkin not sweet potato and a few different spices.
Photos
Bridge across Murray River
Barham, notice the green grass
Bentley looking very fluffy





Saturday 20 April 2013

Travel Day

After a lovely day yesterday, visiting Stawell, pronounced Stall we had a campfire with lovely friends we have met. Today after lots of goodbyes, hugs and exchanging of emails we left and drove towards the Murray River, stopped at Charlton for our picnic lunch and then arrived here in Kerang about 2ish, have camped at the caravan park and we plan to move closer to the river and camp at one of the free campsites tomorrow, lovely area and lots to visit around about
Photos
Two sleepy heads
Sulphur crested Cockatoo
Luca feeding cockatoo





Friday 19 April 2013

Still enjoying Halls Gap

Woke to clear sky's but very cold, so I had a lay in till it warmed up! We drove to another lookout and then a walk to the Balcony lookout from there we drove to Mckenzie Falls, there is actually a little cafe here, Brian walked down the 200 steps to the falls and I walked 900 metres to the lookout over the falls so we each got different photos, after that we drove back into town for our picnic lunch and on the way down we saw a helicopter with a line attached hovering over a valley, of course we stopped to take a photo, we thought it might have been a rescue but were told no they were bringing in the supplies to build a bridge in the valley that had been washed away in floods a couple of years back.
We had a campfire tonight with our camping neighbours and Brian showed the kids how to toast marshmallows and then place them between to chocolate biscuits to make a chocmallow sandwich, that went down well, they shared a tim tam recipe where they bit off opposite corners of a tim tam and dipped it in coffee and drank the coffee through the tim tam until it melted, haven't tried it yet, sounds good but messy.
We will stay another day here and probably move towards the Murray River on Sunday
Photos
Balcony lookout, I think this looks like a lizards jaw
McKenzie Falls
McKenzie Falls
Helicopter hovering over the valley







Thursday 18 April 2013

Halls Gap

Had a drive and an explore around Halls Gap today, lovely area, lots of hikers around and backpack accommodation drove to Boroka Lookout which over looks Halls Gap and then a coffee and scone in Halls Gap, also drove to the Brambuk cultural centre which has a Bush Tucker cafe which looked interesting but we went back to camp for lunch. Poor Bentley had to spend most of the day in the car so we took him a walk in the afternoon, ready to relax tonight, tea is chicken, salad and roast potatoes, using what we have in the fridge.
Photos
Emu passing our camp having a look at Bentleys breakfast, we shooed him off.
Looking down on Halls Gap
Shops at Halls Gap
Rock formation







Wednesday 17 April 2013

Leaving Ballarat and towards The Grampians

Yesterday we spent around Ballarat, Brian going to Sovereign Hill and me browsing around the shops and having a haircut.
Today we travelled to Halls Gap in the Grampians, we stopped at Ararat for coffee at McDonalds and then headed towards Halls Gap, as we got closer it reminded us of driving towards the Stirling Ranges near Albany, Halls Gap looks nice small place and lots to see in Grampians, we are at a caravan park just outside and nice place very friendly, we walked down the road to the hotel to see if Internet was any better, a bit weak in the park, but it wasn't so had a drink and a walk back, spent time around the campfire and now time for tea
Photos
Emu in nearby paddock
Our campsite
Lovely bird
Brian enjoying a beer at hotel







Monday 15 April 2013

Ballarat

Well after a nice night at Robyn's property and a cuppa by her fire we left in the rain, but before we left she gave us lots of veggies fresh from her garden. It rained all the way into Ballarat, we decided we would stop at caravan park and have a look around town. Went to Big W and got a fleece each as it feels cold and going down to 5 tonight, enjoyed a coffee and choc brownie at a local coffee shop. My resident chef cooked a lovely frittata with the fresh veggies which we had with salad, we will see what the weather does tomorrow but it would be good to look around the area
Photos
Very fresh vegies
Sorry ate frittata before had chance to take photo.

Raining again but very snug in our van, heater on, lovely

Sunday 14 April 2013

We are ??????

Well not sure where we are, travelled through Melbourne over the West Gate bridge, traffic good as Sunday drivers only, no trucks. We stopped at Bacchus Marsh on the road to Ballarat, looked nice town, lots of fruit and veg stalls, we were not sure where we wanted to camp, but Brian had been in contact with an Explore Oz forum member who lived out of Ballarat and had offered camping on her property so we contacted her (Robyn) and she directed us to her property outside of Ballarat, it turned out to be 35ks out and in bush, amazingly we only got lost once, but her drive way was steep and rocky and a nightmare to get up, lovely place, Bentley saw two roos and dashed through the bush after them, we will only stay one night. We don't have power but access to her toilet, no phone coverage but Robyn has let me have Internet access, sorry no photos tonight.

Saturday 13 April 2013

Train ride

We took the train today, no problem with Bentley, in fact he enjoyed the ride, but we couldn't go on to Melbourne after Frankston because they were working on the line and would ferry people on buses into Melbourne, but no dogs on buses. So we got off at Frankston, busy town and lots of shops, after coffee at Coffee Club we walked Bentleys feet off around the shops, quite a few op shops and discount stores, didn't find Frankston very appealing a bit seedy in places, I am sure it had a few hidden gems but we didn't find them, we returned to camp on 2pm train, so no photos of Frankston.
Tomorrow we are moving on, it's Sunday so hoping the freeway through Melbourne will be kind to us, not sure where we will camp, but heading to the Ballarat area
Photos
Pelican at Stony Point
Black Swan
Our campsite at Stony Point





Friday 12 April 2013

Touring around

Weather cleared today and we had an explore, drove back to Sorrento via some lovely country rds, we had coffee and vanilla slice from a shop famous for its vanilla slice and lovely too, but Thelma could make the custard as good, I miss doing a bit of baking, we drove back via a place called Rosebud, what a nice name, good town but busy with shops, Target, Kmart etc, we did some food shopping and a new pillow for Brian as he has had a sore neck and of course an Op shop
There is a train station here at Stony Point, end of the line for the Frankston train, spoke to the driver and no problem taking dogs on the train, they are supposed to be contained, but someone as cute as Bentley would be no problem, it's 40mins to Frankston, which is the other side of the peninsula and then we can change trains to go to Melbourne, we are thinking about it !!
Strange to think that yesterday we had trouble finding a caravan park that would allow dogs but we can get on a train with him, weird as Scott would say
Photos
Sorrento
Sorrento, ducks having a sleep
Sorrento water bird looking for a feed
Train at Stony Point Station, dogs allowed