Walking on the Seabed

Each evening holidaymakers pick their way over the rippled sand flats sucked dry by the retreating tide. Heads down, people and ibis poke about on what was an hour ago the seabed. Soldier crabs toss and sift the sand searching for food. Gulls puff their feathers against the cool breeze while the setting sun bathes the whole scene a delicate gold. Me, all that I see is music to the soul and music written in the sand. Today’s post was inspired by this morning’s discussion with fellow blogger Miriam of OutanAbout. https://outanabout.wordpress.com/2016/02/10/wednesday-wondering/ Continue reading Walking on the Seabed

Moments in Time

Up early to catch the autumn sunrise on the beach at Marengo, near Apollo Bay, Vic. It’s chilly and invigorating and certainly long pants weather. The rock shelf is tessellated and very flat. I find a family’s names carved in the rock and dated 1913 and what looks like a return visit of the same family in 1936. I can’t stop thinking about them. Who are they? Continue reading Moments in Time

Worth More Than Gold, Walhalla

Australia’s Great Dividing Range is the spine of eastern Australia. Stretching for 3,500 kms down the full length of the east coast before turning westwards and dividing most of Victoria as well as influencing the climate. “Ah the weather will improve once we’re over “The Divide.” As we often say, because it is much drier inland of ‘The Divide’. There’s a tiny town called Walhalla nestled in a steep valley in the southern slopes of the Great Divide in Gippsland in Victoria. There are only a handful of permanent residents, less than twenty according to Wikipedia. Yet in its gold … Continue reading Worth More Than Gold, Walhalla

Never Look a Gift Pub in the Mouth

The wee town of Port Albert is a fisherman’s paradise. The free camp is actually a parking area for cars, boat trailers and RV’s right on the sea front adjoining the boat ramp. There is supposedly parking space for six RV’s. So a bunch of us new arrivals all stand around debating how and where we are supposed to park. We later find the parking instructions and yes we have parked our vans incorrectly, but it isn’t busy and we aren’t blocking anyone. We should have parked the van on the lawn with the car on the asphalt. The town … Continue reading Never Look a Gift Pub in the Mouth

Wanna give it a go? Why not hire?

Have I piqued your interest yet? Would you like to try caravanning but don’t want to outlay your hard earned cash on a rig when you’re still unsure? Don’t be disheartened there are options available to help you make a decision. You could do what we did. We hired a Britz Motorhome and toured the North Island of New Zealand. It was a reasonably inexpensive holiday as for the price of a hire vehicle there were low accommodation costs and most of our meals were prepared onboard. New Zealand’s motor camps are reasonably priced and of an exceptionally high standard, … Continue reading Wanna give it a go? Why not hire?

Genealogy on the Road

This post has been inspired by a story that I read that was written by a gentleman by the name of Leland who writes a blog called My Mixed Blog https://lghoelson.wordpress.com. Leland’s particular story that inspired me was ‘Family Dinner Out’ in which a long departed Great Grandfather appears at a family dinner. I too wonder what my ancestors would think of how we lead our lives today. Ancestors who arrived in this country with little more than the clothes on their backs and walked hundreds of miles to the goldfields in search of gold, just enough gold to ensure … Continue reading Genealogy on the Road

Girgarre Moosic Muster

The tiny town of Girgarre in Victoria is situated in an area known for its dairying. Many years ago its Girgarre Butter was a household name in Victoria. But times change and ten years ago Victorian primary industry was crippled by the worst drought in living memory. The residents of Girgarre gathered together to brainstorm a solution to save their town from ruin. Someone suggested a Farmer’s Market and music was also suggested. The market went ahead and some musicians came to perform on hay bales in the park. Turning the clock forward, last weekend 1500 people converged on Girgarre. … Continue reading Girgarre Moosic Muster

A True Comfort Station

Warracknabeal in Victoria is quite a large country town in the barley belt. There are impressive hotels and the shops are busy. The intersections are adorned with statues of dogs and sheep and bags of grain. I stumble across a Ladies Rest Room that has once been a shop and now provides a haven from the hustle and bustle. There are sitting rooms furnished with inviting antique armchairs and couches. There are mirrors and sideboards and flowers in vases. For the mums there are full baby change facilities and a sink and a basic kitchen to boil a jug or … Continue reading A True Comfort Station

What Seniors Get Up To In Cars These Days

We’re heading to Mildura in Victoria’s northwest. By lunchtime we leave the Sunraysia Highway at Ouyen, because we want to try the Mallee Bakery’s famous award winning vanilla slices. The pies are excellent but the “snot blocks” are pillows of ecstasy and gooilly delicious but bloody difficult to eat whilst driving. Brian has large globs of soft white icing dripping from his fingers and a mouth filled with crunchy pastry as he asks me to mop up the custard that has landed in big dollops in his lap. All too soon I realise that I’m tickling his unmentionables while wiping … Continue reading What Seniors Get Up To In Cars These Days