Nov 2018, Deep Lake, Derrinallum, Vic

Only a few kilometres from Derrinallum in Victoria’s Western District you’ll find a large crater lake called Deep Lake. On the lake shore there is a neat reserve with mown lawns, shady trees and a new BBQ pavilion overlooking the jetty and boat ramp. There are flushing toilets but we are told that the showers don’t work. The BBQ’s too are on the blink and we report the problem at the general store. Grassed camp sites with fire pits are marked and one is urged not to camp on the lawns by the lake, although each night caravans and motorhomes come in and do just that, one wonders about their driving vision if they can’t read a large sign beside their van door. Or perhaps they are so short sighted that they must camp beside the lake to be able to see it.

It is a warm evening and we light the fire and relax, perhaps a little too much as poor old Toothless Johnno forgets to turn off his generator until the wee hours but I might add that we didn’t even hear it, such was our slumber.

Next morning Woody is clomping about the van mumbling that the toaster must have died. He’s plugging it into each power point in turn as I remind him that we are free camping and don’t have power. Our neighbours, two brothers, have invited family for lunch and because the BBQ’s are out of order end up using one of ours. In the evening they repay us with a little music from their vinyl collection. As the sun casts a golden glow over the lake we sway by the fire to Hot August Night, yep that’s one of those special moments.