The weather is still mostly sunny and not all that cold.
Day 5 was supposed to be a free one with a planned trip to Dimboola and the Little Desert National Park. What do they say about the best plans? I had my credit card but no wallet, where's my wallet?
We came to the conclusion that I must have left it at the IGA store in Red Cliffs (Mildura), and so with a phone call that was confirmed, so what do we do now. We made the decision to go to Red Cliffs and get the wallet, it had my licence in it, but still do part of our planned trip to Rainbow for scones and cream, it would only be 100km's out of our way. We then phoned the Police Assistance Line to report that I was driving without a licence but we were on our way to pick it up, they said no worries and drive carefully.
Of cause, when we get to Rainbow the shop that has the scones is closed and we had to do with a cupcake. It's then off to Red Cliffs and IGA ................. yes they had the wallet, now back to Hopetoun.
They also say that every cloud has a silver lining, and so near the end of our little 531km circuit the silver, well in this case orange, lining was found at lake Tyrrell.
Click on photos to enlarge.
PbL) Photo by Lynn
The 2 videos, Day 8, can only be watched on this page.
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Day 5: 28th. Hopetoun to Hopetoun, via Rainbow, Red Cliffs and Lake Tyrrell. |
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| Early morning glow, Hopetoun Vic. |
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| Main street, Hopetoun. |
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| Like a lot of Australia's small rural towns, things aren't as prosperous as they were. |
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| Hopetoun Bowls Club. |
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| Lake Lascelles at Hopetoun. |
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Silo 1 & 2 Cabins at the Mallee Bush Retreat, Lake Lascelles.
They provide comfy mattresses, you supply bed linen and pillow. |
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The town of Rainbow, Vic.
We went there (100 k's round trip) especially for scones and cream, they were closed. |
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| Coffee and cup cakes had to do. |
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| Shadowy characters, Rainbow. |
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Down the middle of the main road, between each block,
was a different gated garden. This meant that to cross
the road you had to open and close, and go through, two gates. |
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| Business's that once were. |
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| Looks like 'State Savings Bank' on 2nd building from right. Rainbow, Vic. |
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| One of the many murals in Rainbow. |
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| The Eureka Hotel, and now Strauss is the local IGA (see previous mural). |
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| It would be a shame to lose these old buildings. Rainbow. |
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How many towns have a 'Royal Hotel'?
The motor bike in the corner shop window caught my eye. |
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| Mick Frazer constructs functioning electric guitars from Harley Davidson and other vehicle parts. |
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| St Paul's Anglican Church, foundation stone laid 1910. |
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| A stand out house in Rainbow. |
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| Rego Jelly Crystals and Self Raising Flour, could be from the 1950's. |
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Albacutya Silo Art tells a story of growing up in the country,
by artist Kitt Bennett. |
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When an opportunity comes up, grab it.
I saw this table by the roadside in the front of this farmhouse
in the middle of nowhere (Kiamal) so, it's coffee time. |
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We drove past the Silo Art at Lascelles again
and this time I photographed Merrilyn. |
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| The silver lining was Lake Tyrrell. |
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| The sky was looking better than the night before. |
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This is where I was the night before but I knew
there was another viewing spot, so back to the car. |
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There were a few lights, and a couple of cars coming from
a dark spot further along the road, let's go investigate. |
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| This looked a bit more promising. |
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| It was almost like being on another planet. |
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| Why did those other people drive away so early, look what they are missing out on. |
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| Serenity Now. |
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| It was getting cold but I didn't want to leave. |
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| I was grateful for those who stayed and added interest to the photos. |
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Day 6: 29th. Hopetoun to Halls Gap. |
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| Abandoned home, Goyura. |
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Melbourne based artist Kaff-eine shows a young strong female
farmer and a man sharing a tender moment with a very close friend.
Silo Art at Rosebery Vic. |
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Silo Art at Rosebery. The back of the sheep must be at the butchers.
(PbL) |
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The netting fence was erected in 1885 to stop dingoes and
rabbits from overrunning farmland to the south. Rosebery, Vic |
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| They didn't survive the harsh times, Rosebery. |
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These anonymous country Victorian farmers were painted by Guido Van Helten.
Silo Art at Brim, Vic. |
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| A rushed photo of a moment in Dimboola. |
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| Our morning tea spot by the Wimmera River at Dimboola. |
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| A Musk Lorikeet inspecting a possible nesting hollow in Dimboola. |
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| It wasn't the best sky at the Pink Lake near Dimboola. |
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I did bring gum-boots but I wasn't that desperate for a photo.
Looks a bit gloomy....................... |
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| ...................... but I can cheat a little. |
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| Seedling wheat made the countryside green. |
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| Not quite Bellevue Hills. Silo Art coming up at Sheep Hills, Vic. |
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Melbourne artist Adnate depicted local Wergaia and Wotjobaluk Elders
with two children on these silos at Sheep Hill. (PbL) |
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| Amazing work. |
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| Brown Falcons love to perch on these pegs on telegraph poles. |
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| We went past quite a few wind farms in Victoria, this was around Murra Warra. |
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Minyip Uniting Church, previously St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.
The rendered finish made it stand out. |
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| The Majestic Hotel Minyip. |
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| I think he's left it a bit late to plant his wheat seeds. Minyip Vic. |
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This was the St Saviour's Anglican Church, opened in 1932,
but now is privately owned. Minyip. |
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| Like a lot of country towns. Rupanyup has lost contact with the rail system. |
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The Silo Art in Rupanyup is the work of Russian mural artist, Julia Volchkova.
The faces are those of local sporting team members, Ebony Baker and Jordan Weideman |
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| This information and shelter shed in Rupanyup looked like the silo cabins in Moulamein. |
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| Post office and abandoned shop in Rupanyup. |
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This lady was painting her fence, in Rupanyup, to brighten up
her newly acquire cottage before the builders came in to renovate. |
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That same lady (painting the fence) was hoping to purchase
the town's old supermarket so it wouldn't be demolished. |
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| Sunset from Reed Lookout, north side, in the Grampians National Park. |
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Sunset from Reed Lookout in the Grampians National Park.
This was the last photo I took while at Halls Gap as the next
day it was cold, raining and the mountains were covered in cloud. |
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Day 7: 30th. Halls Gap to Port Campbell. |
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If the weather was fine, I had hoped to replicate this photo I
took in 1972, from Boroka Lookout of the Wartook Reservoir at Halls Gap.
It wasn't to be, as the weather was terrible |
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It was so different to see a Brolga down here, in the cold,
to where I've seen them before in warmer western Queensland. |
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In Victoria an Exempt Trailer Plate is a duplicate of the number plate of the towing vehicle.
Another single lane main road, Hexham Vic. |
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| Lunch at the Mortlake Parks and Gardens Reserve. |
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The white-backed race of the Australian Magpie looks a
little different to the one we get back home in Sydney. |
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| A small shearing shed near Mortlake South. |
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| The former St Joseph's Catholic Church, Noorat Vic. |
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Glenormiston butter and cheese factory at Noorat,
Built In 1924, with additions added in 1936, the factory ceased
operation in 1970.Mount Taken from the volcanic cone of Mount Noorat. |
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| Ornate building in Terang, Vic. |
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| The former National Bank of Australia building, Terang. |
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The former ANZ Bank (formerly Bank of Australia) building,
erected in 1901 replacing the original from 1897. |
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| The Thomson Memorial Presbyterian Church in Terang, built in 1894, is a massive building. |
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Australian Shelducks and Long-billed Corellas were a common
sight in paddocks around here. They were always a long way away. |
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| Port Campbell, we have reached the coast. |
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| Port Campbell |
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Port Campbell, when we were there in 1972.
It has grown a bit since then, as will be seen in the next photo. |
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| The Great Ocean Road no longer goes around the headland but up through the town from the surf club. |
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| Port Campbell Jetty. |
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wo windows of our cabin that would be hit by hail in the early hours of the next morning.
The wind shook the cabin and things were flying around outside. |
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| Not real impressed by the wildlife. This was the cabin's backyard. |
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| I suppose it did save someone mowing. |
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| This was to be the best weather we would get on the coast. |
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| As we were missing Vivid in Sydney, this would have to do instead. |
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| The calm before the storm. |
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Day 8: 31st. Port Campbell to Apollo Bay. |
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| I don't think we'll be getting out of the car much in this weather along the Great Ocean Road. |
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| 'Now'. We had two professional 'stand-ins' pose as us at London Bridge. |
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| 'Then' London Bridge, when it 'was' London Bridge. 1972 |
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Wind and waves.
(PbL) |
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| There was still hail in the playground at Peterborough. |
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| Bay Of Martyrs. Great Ocean Road Vic. |
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It was only another 2Km's to this spot for another 'now and then' but the weather was too bad.
Bay of Islands,1972. (PbL) |
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| Loch Ard Gorge, Great Ocean Road. |
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| From the Twelve Apostles Lookout. |
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The Twelve Apostles. There were never Twelve Apostles and this is what's left of them.
That's hail coming towards me. |
The wind came up and the pea-sized hail really stung on bare skin.
(Video)
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| From the Twelve Apostles Lookout. |
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| Gibson Steps down to the beach. It was fine until I reached the beach. |
I didn't have my coat on this time, the rain
became heavier, the hail bigger, the waves nearly
got me on the beach and the steps started to become a waterfall.
(Video)
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Sign at the turnoff to the Cape Otway Lightstation.
Not only were the animals hereabouts a little different, but checkout that injured scoreboard, 1,300,094,535. |
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Cape Otway Lighthouse, built in 1848, is the oldest surviving
lighthouse on mainland Australia and considered the most significant. |
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| Still cold and more rain/ hail coming |
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The Empty Tray
(PbL) |
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The empty tray.
The tempter to get Lynn here was scones and cream. When we got to the entry point it was going to cost us $35 for entry tickets to walk the 200 metres up a rough track to the café and lighthouse. When I enquired with the lovely lady ticket seller she said that Lynn could get in free and we could open the gate and drive in. We got to the café at 3PM and the person in front of me got the last scones!!!!!! We missed out at Dimboola and we missed out again here |
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| Inside the Old Workshop and Keepers Quarters, 1850. |
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| This is the Great Ocean Road at 12:49PM, only 3 degrees and hail, it was like snow on the road. (PbL) |
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| A bit different to western Victoria, Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. |
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| Hail caught in the fronds of a Tree Fern at Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. |
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| Fungi at Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. |
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| Cold and gloomy with a touch of gold, Apollo Bay. |
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| By 5PM it had warmed up to 7 degrees, so no wonder the surfboard riders were out. |
Cameras: Canon PowerShot SX70 HS and Samsung S5 (phone)
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