Nov 2019, Lakes Entrance, Vic Lakes Entrance was originally called Cunninghame, before a permanent entrance was cut in 1889 to open the expansive Gippsland Lakes and river system to the ocean. In those early days a tree high on the … Continue reading Lakes Entrance
Winter 2018, Warwick, Qld At Warwick the sky is blue and clear but there’s a wintry chill wind, even the statues are wearing woollen scarves. Parked outside someone’s house we dash into the van and do a quick change from T shirts and shorts into warm winter clothes and go off in search of a bakery pie. (Gosh it’s handy towing your wardrobe behind you). Instead of a forgettable bakery pie, we find a snippet of 1950’s Italian Australian history. The Belle Vue cafe, pressed metal ceilings, Laminex tables and matching vinyl chairs and a pretty damned good lasagne. Oooh, … Continue reading Lunchtime time travelling
Gayndah, Qld Found near the footpath in Gayndah, this memorial would bring back so many memories for the local community. After all a large piece of a town’s history is held in the pub. The good times, the bad, the memories and the memorabilia. The footy wins and lossses. The births, the deaths and the wakes. So much beer and so many raspberry lemonades for the kiddies. Continue reading When a pub burns down
25th Nov 2019, Gippsland Lakes, Vic The experts say that the intensity of bushfires these days causes the fire to create its own weather. In this image a fire burning in Bruthen 25kms away can be seen billowing in the sky above Metung. The same fire creates a hellish sunset at Lakes Entrance. Continue reading Bushfire skies at Lakes
Nov 2019, Lakes Entrance Caravanning has many similarities with yachting. Anyone who has ever sailed will know that, all plans are weather dependant. We recently went on a Caravan Club muster to Heyfield and Lakes Entrance in Victoria’s Gippsland region. … Continue reading Four seasons in one week
You may wonder why many of my stories refer to the Goldfields region of Victoria but according to the RACV magazine ‘Royalauto’ 90 percent of the world’s largest nugget finds come from Victoria. It’s hard to imagine the wealth that … Continue reading The Goldfields of Victoria
Sep 2019, Yeppoon, Qld Jeepers it rained overnight! It was hot and I got up and opened the bathroom roof hatch. Yet by the time that I’d gotten back into bed (about 10 feet away) it had started raining. Bloody hell. Up I got again walked all the way back to the bathroom, closed the hatch, getting quite wet in the process and returned to bed, what? The rain had stopped! Just like that stopped. Is it any wonder caravanners are a fit bunch. Continue reading What do you think this is, the tropics?
July 2018, Riverview near Bundaberg, Qld We explore Riverview on the Elliott River. Not far from Bundaberg and surrounded by strawberry and vegetable farms this is a charming backwater with some holiday homes and a few moored yachts. A pelican paddles lazily upriver and a group of fruit pickers fish from the wharf. Small oysters are wedged in the runnels of the concrete boat ramp. Continue reading Sunday Arvo at Riverview
Sep 2019, Maryborough, Qld As I toddle off to the loo I notice a woman packing up her motorhome. She has two cute little bouncing dogs. Another woman walks over for a chat and sounding perplexed says “I can’t pat you darlings, I’ve got Deep Heat on my hands.” She probably can’t bend over either. Oh, the trials and tribulations of getting older. Continue reading Aching joints
Winter 2018, Nanango, Qld Tearing southwards down the Bruce Highway we are seduced by a warning sign at Tiaro for a roadside stall. Yep, there she is, off to the left and a good one too. We buy a few fresh vegies and a lovely pumpkin. No one grows pumpkins like Queenslanders do, especially around here. Of course, we stop at Kilkivan for a walk in the sun and to buy a lamb roast and their wonderful home smoked smallgoods. While the butcher cuts the rack of lamb for us, I sit out front in the sun, eyes closed almost … Continue reading Let’s go to Nanango
