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Part 1 - Melbourne to Bairnsdale
On the first day of our road trip to Sydney, we left Lord's Lodge early and took a detour away from the coast to the east of Melbourne for a drive through the Dandenong Ranges. We were unsure if Alma would be able to handle the steep hills and tight bends, but she did us proud! We stopped for lunch to admire the beautiful views and then headed back to the coast to the Mornington Penisula National Park, south of Melbourne. We arrived early that afternoon, and spent hours driving up and down the same road (not as boring as you might think, the road ran along side some stunning beaches with perfectly calm water) looking for somewhere to stay the night, all the campsites were full! We eventually checked into a motel (slightly more expensive than a campsite!!) and in the morning we headed to the south of the peninsula and visited some of the more rugged ocean beaches. We have purchased ourselves a very useful book which lists lots of free camping spots all over Australia, and that evening we decided to stay at one of these - the nearest one with toilets was inland slightly near a town called Poowong. The site (and toilets!) were very basic, and as it was right next to a river the flies were a little overbearing, but hey, it was free!
The next morning, we headed back towards the coast and crossed the sea to Phillip Island. We booked into a cavaran park, and that evening we visited the Penguin Information Centre to see the famous Penguin Parade. Basically, you sit on the beach (with about 400 other people!) and watch the little penguins emerge from the sea, waddle up the beach and return to their nests to feed their chicks!! It was a really good experience (if not a little crowded!). When we returned to the campsite, the sky was scattered with hundreds of bright stars...it was beautiful, the sky here is so clear.
The following day was Sunday, and the weather was not too great, quite windy with some rain. All in all, not a good combination on a Sunday in Australia...it wasn't beach weather, we left Phillip Island and headed to to the nearby town of Wonthaggi, but nothing was open! So we headed to the next town...again, it was like a ghost town. As was the next town....and the next one! It turns out, if its not a large tourist town, everywhere closes on a Sunday. So after a very quiet day (most of it spent reading in the car!), we drove back towards the coast and stayed at another free site at Yanakie, a small town just north of Wilsons Promontory National Park (The Prom).
The following morning we drove into The Prom itself and set up camp by Tidal River, a large camping ground in the centre of the park. That day, we tackled a couple of walks, the first taking us through forest, rainforest and heathland, and the second up Mount Oberon. The one hour hike uphill was definately worth the breathtaking views from the top. That evening, we drove to Norman Lookout, and watched the sunset, which even beat the sunset on Koh Samed! Check out the photos! The following day was spent relaxing on the beautiful white sandy Squeaky Beach, a short walk from the campsite (the quartz in the sand makes it squeak under your feet, hence its name).
The following day was Valentines day, and we left The Prom for Ninety Mile Beach, where we had a long lazy walk along the beach in the afternoon and flake (shark!) and chips overlooking the sea in the evening. Perfect. We stayed at one of many free sites just off the beach inamongst the woodland...a lovely spot (even with the pit toilets!).
Thats it for now, watch out for the next journal entry coming soon....
Love Dave and Rach xxx
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