Possibly one of the country’s prettiest bridges, the Ross Bridge spans the Macquarie River in the historic town of Ross in Tasmania. It was built in 1836, by convict labour. The two convict stonemasons were James Colbeck and Daniel Herbert. … Continue reading Ross Bridge
July 2014 Sat – At 6:00pm we pick up our ‘still working’ mates from Cairns airport, they’ve come to join us for a few days in the sun. On the return drive to Port Douglas the car’s battery light keeps blinking on and off, on and off, we’re all a little nervous as there is nowhere to pull over on the coast road. Mon – Woody takes the car to a local mechanic for assessment and it is found that the alternator has failed. Another one will have to be shipped up from Melbourne. ‘Bill’ the mechanic can’t do the … Continue reading Alternating
Heathcote in Victoria is best known for the Cambrian soils that nourish its vines to produce fine reds. Lesser known now is the gold mining operations of the nineteenth century that caused the unusual erosion called The Pink Cliffs. You’ll … Continue reading The Pink Cliffs
Bravely we decide to do the self drive tour of Kingaroy, we came undone doing this in Charters Towers when Woody threatened to fling the talking CD out the car window. Anyway we do our best to follow the weird instructions which are as cryptic as a car trial. Out past ex Queensland Premier Joe Bjelke Peterson’s Bethany property then back across town to the Mt Wooroolin lookout with its 360 degree view of the area. More intriguing than the view is the lookout structure itself. It is almost as though someone was trying to avoid building steps and instead … Continue reading It’s a matter of how you look at it
I can feel eyes watching me as I pour my cereal, there is a King Parrot hanging from the awning arm and peering in the door. Before I know it he is sitting on my hand eating raw oats and nuts, my breakfast, and chatting away happily. When breakfast is over he drops a calling card on my brand new camp chair and flies off. That’s gratitude for you. Continue reading Sharing Breakfast
In darkness and driving rain we find the single storey Railway Hotel 1875 in Gingell Street on the ‘other side of the tracks’ in Castlemaine. The bar is welcoming but our fellas have found a cosy corner in the dimly lit dining room near the fire. Low timber ceilings enhance the ambience. The menu is inspired yet still includes the ‘usual suspects’, fish and chips and of course parma. This is just the kind of pub that you dream of finding on a cold Victorian winter’s night. Continue reading Railway Hotel, Castlemaine
Port Phillip Bay is large with a very narrow entrance called ‘The Rip’. It is the largest bay in the Southern Hemisphere. The City of Melbourne is situated on the Yarra River which feeds into the northern end of the … Continue reading The Essence of Summer
A New Year’s Resolution I had originally intended to only include stories of our travels around Australia in our caravan but one state is missing out on all of the publicity and that is Tasmania. Not that we haven’t seen Tassie, in fact having had family there we know it very well. We just haven’t seen it from the door of a caravan or camped under the stars. In the New Year I intend to showcase some of the beauty of our southernmost state. My sincerest thanks go to all of you for following my blog and may your 2017 … Continue reading 2016 The Year That Was
Thistle Cove in the Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance in WA, was named by Matthew Flinders in honour of his ship’s master John Thistle of the HMS Investigator. Thistle Cove has a tall granite rock that is so shaped as to amplify the sounds of the sea. It is known as Whistling Rock and yes, it is like a giant sea shell held to your ear. Continue reading Whistling Rock
The woman in the van beside us sings. She sings in the toilet, she sings in the van, she sings in the park. Her husband says that she sings in her sleep. I shouldn’t complain, she has a beautiful voice and she’s deliriously happy. …and with this view is it any wonder that she’s singing: Continue reading The Singer
itchingforhitching 