ANZAC day.

 Saw us up bright and early although we didn't go to the actual dawn service which was at 4.30am. We went to one at a retirement village which started at 6am and it was just getting light when the last post was playing.

That always gets me emotional when I hear that play, usually it is also deathly silent when it's playing which adds to the solmnish of the occassion. 

I got to wear my service medal and also my dad's. It's unfortunate that Mum gave his three kids one medal each, they really should be kept and worn together. I am going to see if I can get replicas of them and have them mounted. 

Mine doesn't need mounted as it's only the one but multiples should be mounted like Warren's are in the photos.

Personal medals are worn on the left, above the heart, family members medals are worn on the right.

We had a gunfire breakfast after the service which is egg and bacon with rum in coffee, my first sip, I nearly chocked as I was not expecting to be able to taste the rum but I think someone had a heavy hand. It was good but glad we shared the coffee.

Home turf.

 Packed up Saturday morning, didn't realise the time until we were driving out, it was 8.05am, the earliest we had left anywhere.

It had been raining and we had to wipe some of the canvas as we closed it down. Rain threatened all morning.

Ninety minutes later we crossed the border and the sun was out.

It was nice to be back in Queensland and not far from home.

Murwillumbah

 We walked the town of Murwillumbah dodging the rain.

We walked across the bridge which was decorated with poppies for ANZAC day, dotted in amongst the red were purple one, these are for the service animals that lost their lives in service.

Bit quirky, a power box painted up

Massive steam engine

Water tank alongside the train station.

The station now is a bike shop, they hire and sell manual and electric bikes and the rail trail starts from here and goes south.

We drove to a couple of the villages and walked a few KMs of it.

Mt Warning

 We wanted to go to this area for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, it was difficult to get accommodation,  one caravan park had closed and two others which would have suited us better did not answer their phones nor did they return left messages. We wanted three days Thurs, Fri and Saturday nights. Two nights at $45 which was about standard but it would have been $80 to stay Saturday night, we decided that we wouldn't stay the extra night.

Sites were large and it was at the foot of the mountain but an awful road in due to the floods from last year. 

We had back to the tree line.

Coffs Harbour

 One of the town's that hasn't been bypassed and is famous for the big banana.

On one off our trips north, we stopped and had lunch there with the kids. We took a photo of them standing under the banana. One of Australia's big things icons.

To my surprise, I also saw this.

A Dutch mill. Did a bit of research and saw that Coffs Harbour was the biggest immigration of Dutch people after World War Two and the town was named after a place in Holland Koff's.

Port Maquarie

 Nice beach larger town that we aimed to stay as our first night heading south. Warren rang at lunchtime only to be told that they didn't do overnight stays only weekly, what the? Never heard of that before. We ended up at Kempsey, 40ks short of Pt Mac.

Coming back, we had a short day and ended up in Pt Mac around lunch time, we had to go off the highway to get in there and we did an adventure lab called Mrs York's garden.

She was instrumental in getting gardens on a headland looking over the beaches, there is now a team of volunteers who look after the maintenance of the garden. We walked through on concrete, boardwalks and bush paths, nice and shady.

Lucy

 Lucy came with us this time. I had hummed and harred about taking her as it would mean that she had to be on lead all the time.

Each time we stopped for fuel, I would take her for a walk, not a long walk but she went on four to five walks a day.

The day they left, Lucy was hopeful to go too but was quite happy to get in the car. We had to drive through national parks to get to our camp site. Dogs and cats are prohibited but they are allowed in the car parks.

As she doesn't toilet near home, it meant walking her every couple of hours, good for my walking but I didn't get as much done as I thought.

Millicent was nice and grassy,she approved.

She loved rolling on the grass.

The fencing was on the edge of the park and most mornings we headed this way.

It rained at Millicent and so the afternoon before we left, we took the Annex down. The car was open for some reason and Lucy didn't want to be left behind so she jumped in and stayed there until she was lured out on the promise of a walk.

Gungagai

 This town has a van park with ensuites, we have stayed here before and Warren thought we should treat ourselves, it was $15 extra for an ensuite. The bays are like long high patios.

Only problems was our second camper is bigger and we needed more height to tip the lid over. No problems says Was, I will just drive forward with the lid half up and then reverse it back. He did and then it fitted. Our ensuite was two steps out the door.

We then took Lucy for a walk down town, there were statues of Dad, Dave Mabel and Mum, from old Aussie folklore although the stories were based on a real family. Years gone bye, there were many jokes regarding Dad and Dave.

Also discovered some art work.

Gundagai is also famous for Rusconi marvel, I think it's called. He spent many years training in Italy on marble then for 27 years using a sewing machine motor he fashioned pieces of marble into a "castle" with trees and scrubs. I seem to remember that the front door had 20 plus pieces in it and only about four inches tall. It was not put together until he had finished all the pieces.

It's on display at the tourist information and when we viewed it a few years ago, it was a $2 entry fee, it is a magnificent sight.

Tarcutta

 We called in here today as Warren needed a loo stop and a break, the highway just goes on and on with no towns. 

I looked on the geocaching GPS that Tarcutta was coming up but we had to take a detour. Tarcutta has always been a cute little town and it's a shame that the highway bypasses it now.

It is almost exactly half way between Sydney and Melbourne and is a truck exchange, trucks drive here from either place, drop their trailers and return, other drivers connect up the trailers and go back.

Years ago when Warren was doing his basic Army training, I was in Junee with the boys and I took a drive, ended up in Tarcutta. There was a Farmhouse Industries shop which had a very cute crochet vest suitable for older son almost three. I asked if I get one made for younger 10 months old. Yes, I could in a couple of weeks. The items were made by local women and sold. I don't remember how I got the second one but the boys got a lot of use out of them and of course they were passed down.

Happy to see that little shop is still going strong. There was a virtual in town too, just a photo in front of the 1928 memorial Hall.

 

Millicent Sth Australia

 Cape Otway to Millicent in one day, windy coast roads opened up into country roads and then we picked up half an hour in time when we crossed the border. Our phones changed but the car clock didn't, we left it like that.

Stayed at the same caravan park as we did last year, we can walk from there to the nursing home if we want to, Warren did one day and Lucy and I met him half way.

Gary is in a different room and oh boy what a rabbit Warren it is, the room is bigger and he is near the coffee room. Because we had Lucy with us, we couldn't visit together I went in the morning and Warren went in the afternoons.

One day we had a massive rain storm, lots of wind and rain, it nearly ripped the Annex down. It was comfortable in the trailer but hard to sleep because the wind was slapping against the canvas.

We were on the outer road and we had grassed area in front over a rise, there was a resident mob of kangaroos, ten was the most that we counted. There were about 80 metres away, Lucy was rather intrigued with them and the cows further out.

The brown dots in the top middle are some of the roos.

Colac

 A bigger town, don't think it is big enough to be called a city. It was north through logging Forrest's and on the main road from Melbourne to Mt Gambier, lower part of South Australia.

This plaque got me rather excited as Colac was the place that Cliffie Young came from, he was/is famous for running an 800kms run in ten days when he was 60 years of age.

A letterbox cache, easy to find as it was in a bank of four letter boxes like many of them are on a country road. Had a lock on it which we had to work out. It was a combination lock with letters. Saw the numbers on the back and hey presto BEAD. It was rusty so Warren had to encourage it a little to open.

Another small township on the way, got a cache there too, our haul was nine for the day.

Port Campbell

 Very windy road to get there, one saving grace that it did have pull over places every few kilometres. When travelling the 100ks from Bimbi Park with the camper trailer, we didn't have any one following us so no need to use.

We went there the day before they started the walk and it was a beautiful sunny day, ten days later it was cold, wet and misty rain or maybe low cloud.

Our late lunch overlooking the beach and yep, people were swimming.

Lucy had been rolling around on the grass looking like a loon, as soon as she saw the phone out, she was up on her feet.

Lavers Hill

 Today we did a round circuit today, first stop was Lavers Hill.

Don't know the history of it but there was a view all the way to the sea.

Lots of logging trucks coming through too but traffic wasn't too bad.

We spoke to two German back Packers, well I suppose technically they weren't as they were in a small motorhome. They said they were surprised at how cold it was, we said we were as well.

Bimbi park 2

 From a quiet laid back park, it changed on Friday, Good Friday that is, vans and people with tents started rocking up at 11.15am. Suddenly it's like Pitt Street (old Aussie saying, Pitt Street is or was the busiest street in Sydney).

Talking to some people, it's been their tradition to come here each Easter with their families very safe for kids and lots of them to do, no traffic except park traffic. Kids riding their bikes up and down. Chooks and goats to feed.

The park has portable fire pits so common to see big groups sitting around a fire.

Lucy and I saw this Kookaburra this morning, there were two on the fence butdifficult to get both in the photo.

Mass exodus this morning being Easter Monday.

Johanna Beach

 This was the second drop and added late in day, original plan was one at Cape Otway and then the end, at the twelve apostles.

We realised that the road did actually meet the walking track and so it was added.

We visited on the day before the start of the walk and it was a nice place. A bank of toilets, lawned area and some shelters. The GOW campsite was 400 metres further up the hill and as we had Lucy we couldn't check it out.

The weather turned to crap, supposed to be showers on Thursday only but it rained that night and got progressively worse. 

Three damp and cold bunnies when I got there yesterday with hot chocolate and a warm car to sit awhile. They had just trudged 2kms across the beach which sounds okay but not when it's blowing a gale and swirling sands in your face, then a river crossing requiring shoes and socks off.

I walked up the hill and collected a cache while they drank their chocolate.

One cache. A nice ammo can.

The view from the hill, I only had to go up 80 metres, GOW campsite was another 300 metres further on. It was 31 KMs from Bimbi park where Lucy and I were staying.

Apollo Bay 2

 We did the drive through to Port Campbell, checking out where the resupply could and would occur, it's not that far 100ks but took us over two and a half hours.

Late lunch in Pt Campbell and then the kids rang, they were approaching Apollo bay as we had Sheridan's pack we hightailed it back. With no stops on the way it still took 90 minutes.

They were having an even later lunch than us and we met them on the foreshore. 

The above is the official start of the walk outside the information office 

These three left from the caravan park about a kilometre outside of town. Lucy just wanted to be in the photo, she wasn't going.

Apollo Bay

 The Great Ocean Walk or GOW starts from here. We drove through and then had to double back to park in the back streets, no parking for caravans in the main street.

We first visited here with the kids about 38 to 40 years ago, again at Easter time. I remember that it was wet, we were in tents and I spent a lot of time in the car knitting.

 That year I made the kids a jumper each, only time I did. The pattern was the same and had three colours. Jason chose cream, light and dark blue, Rob had three shades of green and Sheridan picked brown pink and white, hers looked like the Neapolitan ice cream.

Apollo Bay hadnt seemed to change that much.

We found a post with the marker. Kids were staying here (AB) the night before the walk.

Brisbane yay!

 Just after I had covid, it took a few days to build up to decent walking again. I set myself a task of making Brisbane by the end of March.

I knew how far it was but hadn't stopped to work out how to achieve it. Bit of a shock when I did as I needed to walk 3.6kms each and every day! 

I can be pig headed at times and didn't want to change the goal posts so foot to the path.

Lucy of course helped and it does seem strange if I go for a walk without her.

There were a couple of rainy days where we didn't get out and some days when Warren took her in the mornings, I then had to do something different.

Just about each afternoon/evening Lucy and I would walk to and around the park, it was a 1.9km circuit.

Last week and I had just over 8kms to do in three days but we were travelling.  Everytime we stopped, I walked even if it was 400m.

Made it!

On the Run the World site, tells me I have done it.

Next milestone is Dalby, 206kms away, I have set the time frame as when we get back from Japan, mid June. 2.8kms needed each day but don't know what is up next re travel, hoping to get there before then but it's a goal to work towards.

Bimbi Park

 This is a caravan park with a difference. It is just up from the Cape Otway lighthouse and on the edge of national parks. Have to drive through national parks to get here.

We booked a few months ago and we're surprised that they do take dogs as it's so close to national parks.

This is our second full after arriving on Sunday and there have been three school groups through, lots of campers. They have caravan sites, cabins, tent sites, group sites camping pods and Skye pods. Not sure what the sky pods are but Lucy and I walked down a different road this evening and there was a sign for Skye pods. Will venture further tomorrow and check it out.

We are 28 KMs away from Apollo Bay, 20ks is quite windy and road suggestions go from 55 to 80ks, luckily the twice I have driven it, there was very little traffic. The last eight ks is bitumen but narrow, def only 60kph.

There is Putt Putt golf, a rock climbing wall, camp kitchen, TV room and heaps of DVDs and books.

Also koalas in the trees.

Euroa part two

 We stayed another night in Euros. Original plan was parkrun and pack up after he had a shower. 

Having to go to Shepp meant at least another ninety minutes before we even started.

Yes, we could stay, they moved someone else who was coming in, to a different spot, at $50 a night it was worth saying yes to us.

Interesting park shelters. It's Perspex and wooden slats.

VC recipients from the district, poor buggars didn't have a very long life, killed in battle from the WW1.

We walked a little further and got a cache that was called "Stick 'm up" it was outside a building that had been a bank and Ned Kelly had held it up

Shepparton

 I used to go shopping here every few months when we lived at Puckapunyal Army camp. Good for kids clothes and toys. I would take the kids to school then drive the hour up, shop, lunch and drive back to pick them up. Much bigger place now.

The GPS sait it as She PART on instead of Shepp a ton.

Travelling with a dog is a bit of a challenge, I couldn't go into the shop so Lucy and I did a big loop around the stores. So many smells to smell!

We then found a dog park for her to run around in but ten minutes she was ready to go, it was very cold.

There were a couple of dog friendly cafes but so cold we opted not to go.

Euroa

 They have parkrun so Warren changed our overnight stay to here instead of Kilmore.

He had booked in and went to the office on arrival, telling me afters that he didn't have his phone.

One hundred and thirty ks away we had filled with petrol, I looked for caches and there was one 40 metres away, I walked over and Warren brought the car around. He noticed one of the tyres was a bit down. No way could he get the car and camper into where the air was, so got out the foot pump. He had had his phone in his hand to me find the cache.

Put the phone on the lip of the camper and pumped away, put everything back in place and off we went.

He was keen to drive back as the phone location showed it was near the service station. Then we realised that it could have bumped off anywhere around there. 

I said a new phone was in order Mr Google told us that we could buy one in Euros so we walked down to get one. He spent a lot of time trying to keep his number but ended up having to go to Shepparton to a Telstra shop. All fixed.

Nice park in Euros, the parkrun used some of these trails. We found a cache but no pen to sign so Lucy and I went back the next day to sign it.

Second night Goulburn

 On the way to Goulburn, we stopped at Gundigai for morning tea. A place that we used to be familiar with when we lived in Canberra.

Just outside Gundigai on the highway is the dog on the Tucker box.

This icon was built in1932 must have been one of the first. I thought the story was that the bullocky was killed and the dog sat on his Tucker box waiting for someone to come along. 

However, the story that is on the boards, say that the bullocky got his waggon bogged, while getting out of that one of the shafts broke which meant he had to cut down and shape a sapling. After he did all that he decided to have his meal only to discovered his dog had been there and eaten it. It seemed he couldn't take a trick. The other bullockies thought it was a bit of a laugh and as they meet with each other the story of Bill and his dog got past around to become part of Aussie folklore

Over the back is another smaller Tucker box for other dogs to pose on. We didn't think Lucy would get up or stay for a photo.

On to Goulburn for the night, very comfy in the car, we both got out and immediately grabbed our jackets, it was so cold. Had to get the heater out as well.

Street trees

 Coming back from a walk with Lucy a couple of days ago and there was a lot of noise above us. It was parrots flying out of the trees which are in bloom. We have one in our yard which we planted but ours is not flowering yet.

The birds really love the flowers and when the tree is in full bloom, it is a mass of yellow.

We call ours Max's tree and our little dog that we brought up here with us is buried under the tree. She was seventeen when we moved and I think the heat was the last straw for her. She was suffering so we had her put down, awful thing to have to do but we didn't want to see her in pain. Warren brought her home from the vets and bought the tree which didn't have a name on it. We thought that was fitting as Max/Maxine had been dumped on the side of the road during holidays. 

I keep looking at Max's tree but no flowers yet