Sunday 15th March - Back to the coast
Drove back to Emerald, then turned southwards, pausing to admire the butte of Mount Zamia. Heading eastwards again we drove through basin and range topography with pasture and scattered coal mines for a couple of hundred kilometres. During this part of the drive we counted just 16 cars.
We booked our places on the 'Spirit of 1770' to Lady Musgrave Island for the following day at the township of 1770, then returned down the road to Agnes Water. Calling in at the Agnes Palms motel, we were given a double apartment with cooking and washing facilities and a verandah backing onto the coastal palm grove for the price of a standard motel room.
The boardwalk from the verandah lead a couple of hundred metres through the palms across footbridges over lagoons to the coast. The cyclone had eroded the coastal dune and the access steps now had a temporary vertical rope ladder connecting the top and bottom parts. Along the beach were whole trees that had fallen down the newly formed sand cliff.
Monday 16th March - Finally, the Great Barrier Reef
Up early to catch the boat at 07:30. The sea had a moderate swell and the catamaran was pitching a couple of metres through the waves. We reached Lady Musgrave island, a coral cay on the Great Barrier reef, in about two hours and moored to a pontoon in the centre of the atoll it protects.
The crew threw food into the water and a feeding frenzy erupted. The most spectacular were barracuda like Garfish which when they had a piece of food in their mouths would leap out of the water in an attempt to confuse and outrun any peers that might try to steal it.
We disembarked onto a glass bottomed boat, to reach the island via a turtle cleaning station – a piece of coral where the turtles had worn a hollow by rubbing around in it. The walk round the island was fascinating. Most is vegetated with Pisonia trees, which rot so fast that together with guano from the multitudes of birds, they make a fertile soil covering the coral rubble. The trees were densely inhabited by Noddy birds that had no fear of us, whilst Shearwaters had tunnelled into the ground beneath to make their nests,
On the beach we saw turtle tracks and excavations where turtles had hatched and scuttled down the shore to the sea, also a few broken eggs that hadn't made it.
Returning to the boat for an excellent buffet lunch, we put on our snorkel gear and swam around the coral heads in the atoll. There were myriads of fish of all sizes from minute brightly iridescent coloured fish to large striped fish nuzzling the coral. As you swam over them, giant clams closed their serpentine openings. The floor was mostly broken coral with very large black sea slugs ( soft bodied echinoderms) and a few starfish. The edges of the coral heads however were full of life with multi-coloured tabular corals, brain corals, fan corals and antler corals with blue tips, also a few soft corals.
We left about 15:00 and as we left the atoll we came across a line of giant Manta Rays feeding on a current of plankton. They were each several metres across, black diamond shapes with huge mouths showing when they broke the surface.
The swell had abated when we returned and the skipper did some very clever docking as the tide was out by the time we came into harbour and there was very little room to manoeuvre the boat.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Gemfields
Friday 13th March – Gemfields
Woke up to gale force winds and grey skies. Looked at met forecast and decided that the seas were going to be too murky and rough for days for beach or reef. In addition there was an oil spill which closed the beaches around Brisbane. Ex-cyclone Hamish was still moving northwards, the only place with any sun seemed to be westward. By coincidence, the emerald, ruby and sapphire alluvial deposits were the same way.
We drove west along the Capricorn Highway ( as it follows the tropic) through pastureland dotted with gum trees, alongside the mineral line carrying coal from the interior. Each train consists of two locos, then 48 coal trucks, then another two locos and a final 48 coal trucks. We estimated the total length of each train as a kilometre, and we saw five or six during the morning. That is a lot of coal, I reckon in the order of 60,000 tons.
Stopped for lunch at the Blackdown Tablelands, a scarp edged plateau of cross bedded sandstone standing 600m above the level of the surrounding plain. It was cooler and a bit eerie up there.
Then on to Emerald ( named due to its verdure, no connection with gems) to replenish provisions and get the Information site lady to telephone ahead to check the place we wanted to stay was open.
After Emerald, we were driving with cotton fields either side of the road. Eventually we reached the turning for Willows Gemfields, described as part mining camp, part township and booked into a cabin at the Gem Air Village. It is block built with a 1950s feel but fully functional.
Sat on the warm back step whilst the sun went down, drinking wine and watching a kangaroo browsing unconcernedly just the other side of the track.
463km today, but it isn't raining.
Saturday 14th March
Woke up to cloudless day, birds singing including at one stage a cacophony of kookaburras. Eat breakfast sitting on the back step of the cabin, accompanied by a flock of Rainbow Parakeets and even more Apostle Birds ( like large thrushes, but reputed to live in groups of 12), both so fearless that several hopped up onto the step with us to peck up crumbs.
Walked around the corner, past a bunch of kangaroos, to meet Ruth at the Bonanza Claim. She showed us how to recognise and separate sapphires from the gem bearing gravel using a sieve, water and a piece of sacking on a board. The sun shone as we worked, with little cumulus clouds dotted around a clear blue sky. A kangaroo with a joey peeking out of her pouch came to investigate, whilst a kookaburra sat watching from a nearby tree. Beautiful morning made more memorable as with Ruth's guidance we gradually accumulated a collection of small blue and green sapphires.
After a siesta, went to meet Ruth and her husband Paul at their home near the claim. They showed us an impressive collection of sapphires that they had found and Paul had cut. The difference between the rough stones which just look like bits of broken glass and the cut stones which are alive with light is amazing. Paul had bought a gem facetting machine and taught himself to use it, even developing a novel five sided cut which caused the stones to 'fire' (sparkle) more than the traditional cut. We left our largest finds with him to see what he could do with them.
In the evening, we went just outside the cabin to watch a family of kangaroos browse on the newly cut grass across the track. As we watched, first one then another loped across the track to investigate us. I actually touched the smaller one on the nose as it sniffed my hands. We remained together for about twenty minutes in the gloom as night fell around us. It was quite magical to be with such strange and unlikely creatures.
Woke up to gale force winds and grey skies. Looked at met forecast and decided that the seas were going to be too murky and rough for days for beach or reef. In addition there was an oil spill which closed the beaches around Brisbane. Ex-cyclone Hamish was still moving northwards, the only place with any sun seemed to be westward. By coincidence, the emerald, ruby and sapphire alluvial deposits were the same way.
We drove west along the Capricorn Highway ( as it follows the tropic) through pastureland dotted with gum trees, alongside the mineral line carrying coal from the interior. Each train consists of two locos, then 48 coal trucks, then another two locos and a final 48 coal trucks. We estimated the total length of each train as a kilometre, and we saw five or six during the morning. That is a lot of coal, I reckon in the order of 60,000 tons.
Stopped for lunch at the Blackdown Tablelands, a scarp edged plateau of cross bedded sandstone standing 600m above the level of the surrounding plain. It was cooler and a bit eerie up there.
Then on to Emerald ( named due to its verdure, no connection with gems) to replenish provisions and get the Information site lady to telephone ahead to check the place we wanted to stay was open.
After Emerald, we were driving with cotton fields either side of the road. Eventually we reached the turning for Willows Gemfields, described as part mining camp, part township and booked into a cabin at the Gem Air Village. It is block built with a 1950s feel but fully functional.
Sat on the warm back step whilst the sun went down, drinking wine and watching a kangaroo browsing unconcernedly just the other side of the track.
463km today, but it isn't raining.
Saturday 14th March
Woke up to cloudless day, birds singing including at one stage a cacophony of kookaburras. Eat breakfast sitting on the back step of the cabin, accompanied by a flock of Rainbow Parakeets and even more Apostle Birds ( like large thrushes, but reputed to live in groups of 12), both so fearless that several hopped up onto the step with us to peck up crumbs.
Walked around the corner, past a bunch of kangaroos, to meet Ruth at the Bonanza Claim. She showed us how to recognise and separate sapphires from the gem bearing gravel using a sieve, water and a piece of sacking on a board. The sun shone as we worked, with little cumulus clouds dotted around a clear blue sky. A kangaroo with a joey peeking out of her pouch came to investigate, whilst a kookaburra sat watching from a nearby tree. Beautiful morning made more memorable as with Ruth's guidance we gradually accumulated a collection of small blue and green sapphires.
After a siesta, went to meet Ruth and her husband Paul at their home near the claim. They showed us an impressive collection of sapphires that they had found and Paul had cut. The difference between the rough stones which just look like bits of broken glass and the cut stones which are alive with light is amazing. Paul had bought a gem facetting machine and taught himself to use it, even developing a novel five sided cut which caused the stones to 'fire' (sparkle) more than the traditional cut. We left our largest finds with him to see what he could do with them.
In the evening, we went just outside the cabin to watch a family of kangaroos browse on the newly cut grass across the track. As we watched, first one then another loped across the track to investigate us. I actually touched the smaller one on the nose as it sniffed my hands. We remained together for about twenty minutes in the gloom as night fell around us. It was quite magical to be with such strange and unlikely creatures.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tropical Rain Stops Play
Thursday 12th March – Tropical Rain Stops Play
Woke up to heavy tropical rain. Temperature still in the 80s but grey skies, continuous rain and gusty winds all day.
Drove up to Yeppoon for supplies past beautiful (if soggy) bays containing palm fringed sandy beaches but the sea is choppy, brown and turbid with run-off. It will take some time to clear so no chance of seeing anything at the Great Barrier Reef which tantalisingly lies only a few miles offshore.
Time to finalise planning for Bali and Hong Kong. This is the first day since Fiji that we have been completely defeated by the weather. Decided to stay the night and decide tomorrow what to do.
Woke up to heavy tropical rain. Temperature still in the 80s but grey skies, continuous rain and gusty winds all day.
Drove up to Yeppoon for supplies past beautiful (if soggy) bays containing palm fringed sandy beaches but the sea is choppy, brown and turbid with run-off. It will take some time to clear so no chance of seeing anything at the Great Barrier Reef which tantalisingly lies only a few miles offshore.
Time to finalise planning for Bali and Hong Kong. This is the first day since Fiji that we have been completely defeated by the weather. Decided to stay the night and decide tomorrow what to do.
The Tropic of Capricorn
Wednesday March 11th – The Tropic of Capricorn
We decided that as Cyclone Hamish had moved southwards, we would move northwards and see how far we could travel in a day. Leaving early, we managed to navigate through Brisbane with only a minor detour. We headed up the fabled Bruce Highway, motorway near the city though still with a 100km speed limit, through overcast weather with bands of rain.
Calling into a service station for a big Aussie breakfast, a tourist guide told us it was quite possible to drive to Rockhampton in a day, and gave us maps of the area. We hadn't thought that this was possible because the slowness of driving in Australia caused by having to crawl through each sprawling community (no bypasses) and overtaking lanes at approximately 5km intervals on the single carriageway roads, usually limits daily travel to three or four hundred kilometres.
We drove northwards following the inland route, only stopping for a coffee and fuel, until we reached Rockhampton at 4:30pm. The country was quite tame, grassy plains with eucalyptus trees dotted about and a few sugar cane plantations, with forested mountains inland. The rain became less frequent and the temperature steadily climbed to reach 87F. Unfortunately the radio reported that Hamish had unexpectedly done a 'U' turn and was now following us.
As we neared Rockhampton, we crossed over a railway line with a long coal train crawling along towards the coast from the hinterland. It was quite a sight as the trucks must have stretched for the best part of a mile in length.
The information site at Rockhampton was actually situated on the tropic of Capricorn with a monument at the line and markers for the tropical and temperate zones either side. The nice lady at the site suggested a caravan park on the coast just south of Yeppoon, but it would shut a 6pm.
We hurriedly stocked up on provisions at the nearby Woolworths, then drove to the coast. As we neared Yeppoon, I saw a road heading off to Emu Park, which was close to our destination. However as we drove down it, we became concerned that we weren't passing through the villages marked on the map. Luckily though, it turned out to be a faster route and we arrived at the Coolwaters caravan park just as the owner was in the process of locking up the reception office.
We have a very comfortable cabin with air conditioning, two bedrooms, kitchen and shower room on a very well maintained quiet site. Altogether we covered 724km during the day and travelled further north in a day than we had originally planned for the complete trip. The new plan is to travel in shorter hops back via the coast to Brisbane
We decided that as Cyclone Hamish had moved southwards, we would move northwards and see how far we could travel in a day. Leaving early, we managed to navigate through Brisbane with only a minor detour. We headed up the fabled Bruce Highway, motorway near the city though still with a 100km speed limit, through overcast weather with bands of rain.
Calling into a service station for a big Aussie breakfast, a tourist guide told us it was quite possible to drive to Rockhampton in a day, and gave us maps of the area. We hadn't thought that this was possible because the slowness of driving in Australia caused by having to crawl through each sprawling community (no bypasses) and overtaking lanes at approximately 5km intervals on the single carriageway roads, usually limits daily travel to three or four hundred kilometres.
We drove northwards following the inland route, only stopping for a coffee and fuel, until we reached Rockhampton at 4:30pm. The country was quite tame, grassy plains with eucalyptus trees dotted about and a few sugar cane plantations, with forested mountains inland. The rain became less frequent and the temperature steadily climbed to reach 87F. Unfortunately the radio reported that Hamish had unexpectedly done a 'U' turn and was now following us.
As we neared Rockhampton, we crossed over a railway line with a long coal train crawling along towards the coast from the hinterland. It was quite a sight as the trucks must have stretched for the best part of a mile in length.
The information site at Rockhampton was actually situated on the tropic of Capricorn with a monument at the line and markers for the tropical and temperate zones either side. The nice lady at the site suggested a caravan park on the coast just south of Yeppoon, but it would shut a 6pm.
We hurriedly stocked up on provisions at the nearby Woolworths, then drove to the coast. As we neared Yeppoon, I saw a road heading off to Emu Park, which was close to our destination. However as we drove down it, we became concerned that we weren't passing through the villages marked on the map. Luckily though, it turned out to be a faster route and we arrived at the Coolwaters caravan park just as the owner was in the process of locking up the reception office.
We have a very comfortable cabin with air conditioning, two bedrooms, kitchen and shower room on a very well maintained quiet site. Altogether we covered 724km during the day and travelled further north in a day than we had originally planned for the complete trip. The new plan is to travel in shorter hops back via the coast to Brisbane
To Brisbane
Tuesday March 10th – to Brisbane
Did some shopping in Adelaide, then drove to airport and dropped car, a Hyundai Elantra. The flight to Brisbane was run by Qantas and was very pleasant. When we could see through the cloud cover, the outback was not as dry as we expected. There were large fields of arid reddish pasture, but also huge areas, probably 100 square miles at a time, of forestry.
We had a problem picking up the car at Brisbane. I'd booked a 4 door car through an agency that provides insurance against rental excesses, but the car supplied was a Getz which being a small 2 door hadn't the boot capacity for our two suitcases. After a discussion with the dispatch lady at Thrifty, we got a 'free upgrade' to the size of car originally ordered! Now we have a Ford Focus for the next 10 days.
Drove to Brisbane and found our hotel, the Sapphire Resort in South Brisbane probably more easily than we should have. I think we had a lot of luck as our maps weren't good. The hotel is comfortable enough but seems security obsessed and we assume this part of the city has troubles. However we wandered about the local streets to find dinner and only met friendly people.
Did some shopping in Adelaide, then drove to airport and dropped car, a Hyundai Elantra. The flight to Brisbane was run by Qantas and was very pleasant. When we could see through the cloud cover, the outback was not as dry as we expected. There were large fields of arid reddish pasture, but also huge areas, probably 100 square miles at a time, of forestry.
We had a problem picking up the car at Brisbane. I'd booked a 4 door car through an agency that provides insurance against rental excesses, but the car supplied was a Getz which being a small 2 door hadn't the boot capacity for our two suitcases. After a discussion with the dispatch lady at Thrifty, we got a 'free upgrade' to the size of car originally ordered! Now we have a Ford Focus for the next 10 days.
Drove to Brisbane and found our hotel, the Sapphire Resort in South Brisbane probably more easily than we should have. I think we had a lot of luck as our maps weren't good. The hotel is comfortable enough but seems security obsessed and we assume this part of the city has troubles. However we wandered about the local streets to find dinner and only met friendly people.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
To Adelaide
Sunday 8th March – to Adelaide
Woke up slightly earlier than expected as Southern Australia is 30 minutes behind Victoria. Toured around the parts of Robe we hadn't walked to the previous evening, it's a very pretty and well-heeled town in contrast to many we've been though.
Drove westwards along the Koorong, a desolate area where the longshore drift sandspit has trapped a lagoon between itself and the old coastline about a hundred miles long. The lagoon has partially evaporated due to the drought so is lined by large areas of salt pan. Inland is flat and mostly used for cattle grazing except some areas where there are very productive vineyards.
The day was hot and sunny for a change and I thought it would be nice to go for a swim, so we headed for a beach. As we drove down the road, an unexpected ferry occurred. We didn't have a good map and it turned out the once mighty Murray river was in the way. Luckily it was a free cable ferry ( like a chain ferry but faster and quieter), and due to the drought the river wasn't very wide.
We stopped at Strathalbyn for a picnic lunch with table and benches in the central park. It was a very pretty little town, people strolling in the park, children playing. Originally settled by Scots it sits nestled in hills but was considerably warmer than Scotland, about 28 degrees centigrade.
The information centre told us of a good bay to swim in, but it would have meant a 150 km detour so we decided to head for Adelaide instead. Probably a good decision as we arrived in the late afternoon still with enough energy to walk around town in the evening.
Found the 'Breakfree Diirectors Appartments' easily, well appointed quiet apartments on a street full of restaurants of almost all cuisines.
Monday 9th March – Adelaide
Walked to the Botanic Gardens. Superb, on a par with Montreal and Singapore. Inclusive collection of cycads, lake with huge carp and turtles, beautiful old palm house and the best collection of cacti we have ever seen.. All in a manicured setting with well maintained paths and walkways with parakeets. swooping through the foliage The bicentennial glasshouse is perhaps a triumph of containment over content, but with very striking architecture and climate control. The water lily building is a sublime confection of steel and glass.
Then on to the Art Gallery and a large collection of silverware as well as Australian art from Victorian to contemporary. Possibly the most difficult to hang was a full size fluorescent blue rhinoceros set horizontally with its feet on a wall about a metre above the floor.
Then the museum. We found that a new geological period had been agreed a few years ago, based on trace fossils found in the nearby Flinders Range. The Ediacaran precedes the Cambrian and we saw the fossils of the creatures that preceded the trilobites.
In another gallery was the skeleton of the largest marsupial yet found, a horse size beast with crossed over leg bones.
There was a good mineralogical collection, but for me the star of the show was a diffusion cloud chamber. This is a detection device that allows you to see the tracks of sub-atomic particles from local sources probably including some of the nearby uranium ore samples as well as from cosmic rays from interstellar space.
Woke up slightly earlier than expected as Southern Australia is 30 minutes behind Victoria. Toured around the parts of Robe we hadn't walked to the previous evening, it's a very pretty and well-heeled town in contrast to many we've been though.
Drove westwards along the Koorong, a desolate area where the longshore drift sandspit has trapped a lagoon between itself and the old coastline about a hundred miles long. The lagoon has partially evaporated due to the drought so is lined by large areas of salt pan. Inland is flat and mostly used for cattle grazing except some areas where there are very productive vineyards.
The day was hot and sunny for a change and I thought it would be nice to go for a swim, so we headed for a beach. As we drove down the road, an unexpected ferry occurred. We didn't have a good map and it turned out the once mighty Murray river was in the way. Luckily it was a free cable ferry ( like a chain ferry but faster and quieter), and due to the drought the river wasn't very wide.
We stopped at Strathalbyn for a picnic lunch with table and benches in the central park. It was a very pretty little town, people strolling in the park, children playing. Originally settled by Scots it sits nestled in hills but was considerably warmer than Scotland, about 28 degrees centigrade.
The information centre told us of a good bay to swim in, but it would have meant a 150 km detour so we decided to head for Adelaide instead. Probably a good decision as we arrived in the late afternoon still with enough energy to walk around town in the evening.
Found the 'Breakfree Diirectors Appartments' easily, well appointed quiet apartments on a street full of restaurants of almost all cuisines.
Monday 9th March – Adelaide
Walked to the Botanic Gardens. Superb, on a par with Montreal and Singapore. Inclusive collection of cycads, lake with huge carp and turtles, beautiful old palm house and the best collection of cacti we have ever seen.. All in a manicured setting with well maintained paths and walkways with parakeets. swooping through the foliage The bicentennial glasshouse is perhaps a triumph of containment over content, but with very striking architecture and climate control. The water lily building is a sublime confection of steel and glass.
Then on to the Art Gallery and a large collection of silverware as well as Australian art from Victorian to contemporary. Possibly the most difficult to hang was a full size fluorescent blue rhinoceros set horizontally with its feet on a wall about a metre above the floor.
Then the museum. We found that a new geological period had been agreed a few years ago, based on trace fossils found in the nearby Flinders Range. The Ediacaran precedes the Cambrian and we saw the fossils of the creatures that preceded the trilobites.
In another gallery was the skeleton of the largest marsupial yet found, a horse size beast with crossed over leg bones.
There was a good mineralogical collection, but for me the star of the show was a diffusion cloud chamber. This is a detection device that allows you to see the tracks of sub-atomic particles from local sources probably including some of the nearby uranium ore samples as well as from cosmic rays from interstellar space.
Great Ocean Road
Friday 6th March – The Great Ocean Road
Left Geelong and drove to Torquay to the start of the Great Ocean Road. At Urquarts Bluff, the rocks were banded in swirls of pink and red like a raspberry ripple ice cream..
Stopped at Lorne to look at the Erskine Falls. They would have been spectacular if more than a dribble of water was falling over them, that's the problem with 5 year droughts. However, as we walked to Teddy's Lookout over the bay, we came upon a koala sitting in a tree and as we walked back to kookaburras alighted in trees next to us.
Driving on, I saw an echidna scrambling along at the side of the road, but by the time we had found somewhere to park and walk back it had disappeared into the bush. Later we rounded a corner and saw lots of people at the side of the road. We parked and walked back to find three koalas perched precariously in trees by the road. One completely asleep and oblivious to its audience.
Then we went inland and turned down the recently metalled Turton track through miles of a tree fern lined narrow lanes through the Otway rain forest. This brought us to the Otway Fly, 600m of steel walkway supported by cable stayed steel towers up to 30m above ground level which meant we were walking amongst the treetop canopy of Eucalyptus mountain ash and black beech.
Onwards to the 12 Apostles, iconic Cretaceous sandstone sea stacks jutting out into the Southern Ocean with the surf pounding at their base. Quite spectacular. The day had been overcast with showers, but next we stopped at the Bay of Islands and it was lit by the evening sun and was utterly magnificent. The ocean had broken through a gap in the cliffs to form an inland bay dotted with sea stacks.
Quick dash for our night's lodging at LadyBay Apartments at Warrnambool. These were very comfortable and luckily had a restaurant attached as it was late by the time we arrived.
Saturday 7th March – to Robe
Warrnambool seaside was very pretty from our balcony in the morning, but alas we had no time to explore it. After replenishing our supplies, breakfast occurred at the Tower Hill Nature Reserve. This was an extinct volcanic crater complete with lake and central peak almost invisible from the adjacent main road. As we eat breakfast, Christine happened to look up to discover a koala fast asleep in the crook of a branch above us. A few minutes later an emu strutted imperiously past, pretending indifference to the obviously tempting morsels. One of our best breakfast stops.
We tried to follow a trail to 'the last volcano', but became slightly lost. In our efforts to find another path, I climbed a hill to be confronted by a kangaroo taller than myself. He decided to bound away into the brush, but when Christine joined me another one broke cover into view.
Eventually we retraced our route and found the central crater lake. Then we drove to Portland and a strange 'fossilised forest' at Cape Bridgewater. Here dune sands had overlain basalt, then the calciferous groundwater drawn up and evaporating had turned the sands into a limestone. Some form of solution had then taken place to form multitudes of empty tree-like vertical cylindrical cavities with concretionary walls. It looked like a fossilised forest, but probably the 'trees' had started off life as thick grasses.
Lunch at the beach, then drove to Mount Gambier where we looked into the blue lake. This was a maar (never heard the term before) a volcanic eruption where the ejecta just sits on the pre-existing surface. In this case a limestone, so you could see a thin layer of basalt on its surface, then a mound of volcanic ash. All in the crater walls around a beautiful blue circular lake.
Crossed into Southern Australia, where thankfully the speed limit is 110 km/hr and the sun shines. Drove hard to the comfortable Robetown motor inn.
Left Geelong and drove to Torquay to the start of the Great Ocean Road. At Urquarts Bluff, the rocks were banded in swirls of pink and red like a raspberry ripple ice cream..
Stopped at Lorne to look at the Erskine Falls. They would have been spectacular if more than a dribble of water was falling over them, that's the problem with 5 year droughts. However, as we walked to Teddy's Lookout over the bay, we came upon a koala sitting in a tree and as we walked back to kookaburras alighted in trees next to us.
Driving on, I saw an echidna scrambling along at the side of the road, but by the time we had found somewhere to park and walk back it had disappeared into the bush. Later we rounded a corner and saw lots of people at the side of the road. We parked and walked back to find three koalas perched precariously in trees by the road. One completely asleep and oblivious to its audience.
Then we went inland and turned down the recently metalled Turton track through miles of a tree fern lined narrow lanes through the Otway rain forest. This brought us to the Otway Fly, 600m of steel walkway supported by cable stayed steel towers up to 30m above ground level which meant we were walking amongst the treetop canopy of Eucalyptus mountain ash and black beech.
Onwards to the 12 Apostles, iconic Cretaceous sandstone sea stacks jutting out into the Southern Ocean with the surf pounding at their base. Quite spectacular. The day had been overcast with showers, but next we stopped at the Bay of Islands and it was lit by the evening sun and was utterly magnificent. The ocean had broken through a gap in the cliffs to form an inland bay dotted with sea stacks.
Quick dash for our night's lodging at LadyBay Apartments at Warrnambool. These were very comfortable and luckily had a restaurant attached as it was late by the time we arrived.
Saturday 7th March – to Robe
Warrnambool seaside was very pretty from our balcony in the morning, but alas we had no time to explore it. After replenishing our supplies, breakfast occurred at the Tower Hill Nature Reserve. This was an extinct volcanic crater complete with lake and central peak almost invisible from the adjacent main road. As we eat breakfast, Christine happened to look up to discover a koala fast asleep in the crook of a branch above us. A few minutes later an emu strutted imperiously past, pretending indifference to the obviously tempting morsels. One of our best breakfast stops.
We tried to follow a trail to 'the last volcano', but became slightly lost. In our efforts to find another path, I climbed a hill to be confronted by a kangaroo taller than myself. He decided to bound away into the brush, but when Christine joined me another one broke cover into view.
Eventually we retraced our route and found the central crater lake. Then we drove to Portland and a strange 'fossilised forest' at Cape Bridgewater. Here dune sands had overlain basalt, then the calciferous groundwater drawn up and evaporating had turned the sands into a limestone. Some form of solution had then taken place to form multitudes of empty tree-like vertical cylindrical cavities with concretionary walls. It looked like a fossilised forest, but probably the 'trees' had started off life as thick grasses.
Lunch at the beach, then drove to Mount Gambier where we looked into the blue lake. This was a maar (never heard the term before) a volcanic eruption where the ejecta just sits on the pre-existing surface. In this case a limestone, so you could see a thin layer of basalt on its surface, then a mound of volcanic ash. All in the crater walls around a beautiful blue circular lake.
Crossed into Southern Australia, where thankfully the speed limit is 110 km/hr and the sun shines. Drove hard to the comfortable Robetown motor inn.
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