Day 1 Sunday 15/10/2023 Home to Maffra, overcast 14˚

We’ve had a few days of cold snap which hasn’t been conducive to caravanning so we haven’t been in any rush to get away.

We normally pick up the M1 at Berwick after traipsing through the rapidly growing suburb of Cranbourne and its own satellite suburbs. Today we take the Westernport Highway and then swap to the M1 at Narre Warrren which proves to be much easier and quicker.

It’s a pleasant run down through Gippsland and we turn off just past Traralgon to take the back road up through Toongabbie and Cowarr, the town with many colourful metal cows. This area is always green and lush but last week it copped an absolute dowsing. With all that heavy rain Glenmaggie Weir had to release some water causing downstream flooding.

We meet Toothless and his Missus in Maffra, grab a pie and some groceries and drive out to the Golf Course. Just a few kms behind the town the Maffra golf course is an attractive spot to camp. With thick green lawns, I guess they know how to grow good grass, power and water, divine toilets and showers, and a small camp kitchen / BBQ area. Woody knocks on the caretaker’s caravan door and naked head and shoulders appear. “Just park anywhere, I’m having a shower.” Says Denise. Before long, her partner Tom pops over to say g’day, discuss the weather, and take our payments.

Toothless and his Missus have got themselves a new Toyota Landcruiser and they are still trying to find out how things work. We’ve got a new Aldi espresso machine (our old one had a few continence issues) and we’re also trying to familiarise ourselves with electronic instructions.

The afternoon warms and we make the decision to stay a second night. Just as we start stripping off the winter woollies a cold wind sends us scurrying to the camp kitchen for some shelter. Outside golfers don’t seem to notice the weather and are making the most of daylight savings.

Dinner is Air Fryer chicken and vegetables.

We can’t get any TV channels, though our neighbours brag that they have more than enough.

Rain starts.

Accom: $30.00

Fuel: $29.91

Towing Kms: 213Kms