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

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

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

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

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.

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

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