Day 1 Monday 31/1/2022, Home to Castlemaine, overcast humid 34

We get away at 12:30pm after a bit of maintenance; a car service and a mammogram. We had planned to all meet up in the crater of Mt Franklin but it is a bit too hot. Not the volcano, the weather. In other words, we’re a bunch of wooses and prefer power for some air conditioned comfort. Thus Toothless’ Missus, Madam Secretary has booked us and The Prado’s into a caravan park in Castlemaine. We have no set plans for this trip it’s just nice to get away again now that schools are back, and there are less people on the roads. Grey nomads and school holidays don’t mix.

It’s a little over 2 hours up Eastlink onto the Monash to the tunnel, under the city and onto the Calder freeway up to the Goldfields area. Leaving the freeway, the tiny village of Chewton blends into Castlemaine.

Our sites at Castlemaine Gardens Big 4 back onto the creek and gardens. The heart of town is a short drive or longer walk away. We get ourselves set up and relish in the fact that the air con finally works. Yes, after throwing good money after bad with the last repairer we finally found someone who quickly fixed the problem. Outside there’s a whisper of breeze and we sit under the shade of a tree, is that the one that Woody reversed into earlier? Oh well, the tree wasn’t harmed. Anyway, it’s nice to sit about and catch up on all that has happened since before Xmas.

Toothless cooks dinner on the barbie and we fall into bed in the cool of the air conditioner, what a luxury and better than sitting around with ice blocks in your bra.

Accom: $49.00

Fuel: $94.68

Towing Kms: 185kms