Torquay Foreshore CP, Torquay

Headed to Torquay Foreshore CP for 3 nights in a cabin, left the trailer at home as we wanted a base as the intent was to travel the historic and iconic Great ocean road and see as much as possible:

Day 1:

left home Friday morning and arrived around Midday fortunately the cabin was ready early and we were allowed in, unpacked and went for a drive stopping at Point Addis then on to Aireys Inlet to have a look at the “Split Point” lighthouse and a beer @ Aireys pub on the way back. Dinner in town at a place called “Bottle of milk” recommended by Kirstie and a feed of burgers and fries washed down with a number of drinks, back to cabin for an early night after some more drinks.

Day 2: 

Breakfast at Maccas then we handed to the “great ocean road” scenic drive stopping at a number of spots to take photos and watch the tourists with their selfi sticks!!! What a laugh! Stopped at Lorne for a look around (one of the best info centers we have been too) a great history on the building of the GOR. Continuing along the GOR we stopped a spot where the W.B Godfrey wreck grave site is situated.

Stop at Kennet river road house then on to Appolo Bay for a coffee & snack then headed to the Cape Otway light house where they wanted to charge $20+ per person needless to say we left. Then onto the Otway tree top walk where they also charged $25 per head but this was something Linda wanted to do so off for an hour walking around the rainforest on an elevated platform, we got to one part where the walkway stretches out some 20 meters just suspended out but the vibration of us walking “scared”  Linda / us so we headed back.

From here we headed back along the GOR to Torquay arriving after dark, a couple of drinks then into bed a big day out!!!

Day 3:

Up early and noticed the GPS in the car was missing (some low life stole it overnight, must have left the car open) fortunately we had the ipad and we headed towards the 12 apostles but to save time we headed through Colac instead of the GOR as we wanted to spend most of the day looking around this part. Well the viewing area was not what we expected at all of the 12 apostles there is a new info center being built, walkways all around the area not what we were expecting at all, expected something similar to the previous day we little areas to pull off the road and expecting buses everywhere. 

The view when you first see it is certainly impressive, very impressive. We headed along towards Port Campbell where we visited another “info center”, coffee and scones the off towards Peterborough where along this stretch is some other stops visiting rock formations on the coast line turned around and headed back along the GOR to Torquay.

Stopped at Apollo bay for a beer/scotch, then hot chips at Lorne and Linda brought a “chiko roll” why I will never know then back to Torquay late afternoon a walk around the beach foreshore and a ice cream in town then back to the cabin another earlyish night and home Monday, a great 3 days   

Kevington Hotel, Kevington VIC

Something different this weekend stayed at the Kevington Hotel in the “honeymoon suite” well that's what I told Linda! with some other friends Scott & Sue and Wayne and his daughter Hanna. We met up at Marysville for a coffee and donouts around 9:30 on Saturday morning and spent some time around town searching for an ATM (my fault we hand no $$) we headed off on our journey.

The weather report for the day was looking pretty sad with a major cold front moving through the area and one website was still advising that the main road we needed to travel “Woods Point Road” was closed but the adventurous we are we set off regardless not long into the drive we came across our the first signs of snow heading past the Lake Mountain turn off. (We had never travelled this way before) and were certainly looking forward to the trip

Lunch stop was at the Matlock picnic area consisting of 12v oven hot pies and sausage rolls while watching a passing snow storm. Back in the cars towards Kevington stopping at the Woods Point pub for a customary beer and scotch and a pic in front of the well photographed petrol bowser at “Woods point” (see photo)

Arrived at the “Kevington” late afternoon sat by the bar for the best part of the afternoon (well all afternoon) then off to the restaurant for a good feed and lots of laughs followed by more drinks. Back to the bar for more laughs then off to bed around 10pm (we think)

The rooms were not to usual high standard that Linda expects but very cozy and quite warm during the night, so warm that I noticed in the morning that the window was wide open, heater off and Linda complaining how hot it got during the night

We were up around 7ish and then off to Jamieson for breakfast @ Debs bakery (Now top of Linda’s well-travelled bakeries) after a lazy breakfast it was over the top of the Big River range to Eildon Township where we took some time to drive around and then found a little spot for a picnic lunch next to the pondage.

After lunch and drove through Alexandra arriving home early afternoon to reflect on a great 2 days away with fantastic company and, now planning next weekend at Torquay!!!!

Lake Sambell Caravan Park, Beechworth.Vic

Beechworth:

Beechworth is one of Victoria's best preserved  former gold mining towns, situated in the north-east of the state. The commercial center extends along Camp street and Ford Street, presenting an almost unbroken series of elegant buildings and historic shop-fronts, many of which date back to the 19th century. The post office was built in 1869, the former Bank of Victoria (now a gold jewellery store) dates back to 1857, and there are several historic hotels and churches located in the town centre 


Arrived at Mt Sambell CP Friday around 11am set up, prepared the fire for our first “camp oven roast” and a fine meal it was, potatoes, pumpkin and a marinated roast started to prepare the gravy only for Linda to realise it was 3 years out of date and only purchased in recent weeks but regardless of the gravy the meal was “GREAT” saved the rest for lunch on Saturday. Sat by the fire and watched the late comers come in and set up in the dark etc, some arrived as late as 10pm

Saturday: Woke to cook the normal bacon, eggs, and tomatoes with toast how good is this camping caper. Took a walk in to town. Linda need to get some new glasses as in her drunken state last night she managed to step on them and broke them completely.

Arrived back at camp where Hutchie + Wendy & Malcolm + Nikki arrived early afternoon, more wood for the fire was ordered and a meal on the Webber of Tandori chicken pizza + garlic bread another great feed stayed up late drinking around the fire as you do. During the night Linda wakes me to tell me she needs to be “sick” sometime later she made the call to go outside (around 2am) and bring up her dinner, she blamed the little cake she had, sure!!!!!

Sunday: visited the Beechworth Jail for a guided tour, some interesting stories from the guide around the inmates, executions and even Neds Mother and her 2 day old Daughter were inmates at the prison. Back to the bakery to buy lunch and returned to the CP to consume possibly the best sausage rolls ever

Spent the afternoon layzing around camp and a few km walk around some bush land from the CP quick dinner then off for the night tour of the “mental asylum” Lindas has been on at me for years to do this so we went!!! All 6 of us went was to the 
mental asylum quite interesting the history but would have preferred to stay at camp and a have a few drinks around the fire. Bed by 11pm

Sunday: We got a way early but needed to open the camper up as it was little damp glad we did as it was a lot wetter than I thought another great decision otherwise mold starts to form from packing up wet 

Caravan Park

Caravan park

Caravan park

Home sweet home, for the next 3 days 

Lake Sambell

Camp

Linda cooking, oh no!!!!!!

Bush walk around the park

Bush walk around the park 

Getting ready for the night 

BRILLIANT !!!!

Delicious !!!!

Pizza and bread, how hard is this

Linda having breakfast on the way home, she loves her MACCAS pancakes