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Travelling
Australia with Wayne & Pam BENTLEY |
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THE
DAILY JOURNAL Wednesday 28th January 2004 to Friday 30th January 2004 |
We were up in the middle of the night I think, however the clock said it was 6.30am. After preparing and packing up we were off on our way toward the Great Ocean Road.
First we went through Allensford where the cheese factory is, but as we had a long drive and it was not open, we didn't wait around to see through it, although we hear it is very good. Continuing on we were driving through the farmlands and then drove over a hill to see the Bay of Islands. 'One of us' was Blown Away with the sight of it and we stopped and admired it for a while, taking a number of photographs. From this point on we saw sights like this many times. There is little left of 'One of us' because she was blown away so many times!
In the 240 km of the Great Ocean Road, we saw ocean cliffs, Forests and then a road cut into the steep rock slopes, winding for about 80 km through some of the most picturesque coastline that we have ever seen. There were so much magnificent scenery that we couldn't possibly describe it in the website, so we will bore all who we can get to sit and look at our photographs when we get home.
Once we reached Geelong. it was on to the Highway and then the Freeway, over the Southgate Bridge and onto Toorak Road until we arrived at the Wantirna Caravan Park. This part of the journey was maybe the most difficult of the day as the traffic was heavy and we didn't know where we were going.. However we did make it without a wrong turn, (Have to be lucky sometime) but when we arrived, even VB tasted really good!
Tomorrow is another day....
The 12 Apostles
After this drive - even VB tastes good!
Pammy at the side of her new caravan
Well, nothing much happened today, just traded the old 19 foot Heritage Pop Top caravan in on a new 25 foot Heritage hard top caravan. What? more money than sense you say... not now, I can tell you that much! Anyway, we don't pick it up until next Thursday 5th February 2004 so we have a little time to have a look around Melbourne. After a month traveling around Australia in our 19 foot Pop Top caravan without toilet and shower facilities, we decided we now understand what a lot of people have previously told us and as we have many years caravanning to go before we have to hang up our wheels, we considered it better to trade up now than sometime later in the future and have less use of it. It's only money anyway, can't take it with us and don't want to give our children the worry of what they would do with it when we have departed this life....
For those who are interested, we took a few photographs and have attached them to today's web page. Technical details are that it is a Jayco Heritage 25.78-2 hardtop caravan with reverse cycle air conditioning (to be fitted - not shown in photograph), awning and annexe walls. The interior has a 150 litre refrigerator, full oven (with one electric hotplate and three gas burners) Microwave oven, CD player, double sink, Wingard Antenna, extendable double bed and a separate bathroom with toilet, shower and hand basin. It is also fitted with a gas hot water system and additional water tank to supply the shower as necessary.
More detail on Jayco caravans and this particular model may be found at www.jayco.com.au or through the dealer Bayswater Jayco at www.bayswaterjayco.com.au
After that was organised we went for a drive to look for a better caravan park to stay at for the next few days and found that there are not many in the Greater Melbourne area that have vacancies, however we continued out of Melbourne and found a very good one called Badger Creek Caravan Park which is located on Don Road Healesville, which is about 60 km east of Melbourne and is at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges. As we have booked into the Wantirna Caravan Park for tonight, will move out to the Badger Creek Caravan Park in the morning, then do the tourist bit after that.
Rear view of van
From centre of van looking forward
From Centre of
van looking back
Just a short move today from the Melbourne traffic outside Wantirna Caravan Park to one of the most peaceful locations we have been in since we left Western Australia.
Badger Creek Caravan Park is situated on Don Road, about four and a half kilometres east of the town of Healesville. It is on the very outskirts of the Melbourne Greater District and is about 60 km from the city. It is on the edge of one of the last (outer) pages of the Melbourne Street Directory.
The caravan park is at the base of a range of very steep hills that are covered in tall eucalyptus trees. The most noise that can be heard from our caravan is the calling of the birds, which include Kookaburras, Magpies, Ibis, white tailed black cockatoos and various types of parrots. Added to that is the sound of the water flowing over the river stones.
We went food shopping at the Coles supermarket in Healesville after we settled in and 'one of us' just happened to notice a Liquorland Store near Coles and reminded the 'other one' that there was a need for more white wine. The excuse was that it is the first Liquorland we have seen since leaving WA.
The town itself has a real country 'feel' about it and we intend to sit back and relax for the next seven or eight days. There are a number of vineyards up this way and other attractions. We are also only about 20 minutes away from 'suburbia' and rail transport into Melbourne if we choose to go, 'One of us' has every intention of visiting the fashion stores with an open credit card, so maybe Monday may be S(pend) Day.
Telephone signals are not very strong in the Caravan park and the CDMA phone does not seem to be able to stay connected long enough for a conversation unless we sit in the vehicle on a hill about 300 metres away. The GSM phone appears to have a better signal but time will tell. There is a Pay Phone in the park so if all else fails, that will have to do.
Badger Creek
Running through the caravan park
Caravan Park viewed from Badger Creek
Today has been a wet one for all concerned and as a result, after a slow start our site seeing has just happened to be on the inside of a shopping centre. Although it rained off and on all day, sometimes very heavily, we made a bee line straight to the Knox Shopping Centre which is about 30 km to the east of Melbourne and is a very big shopping complex. For those how know of the Carousel Shopping Centre in WA, Knox may cover a little more area of ground, but is also on two levels over most of the centre and Myer has 4 levels. I experienced one of the wonders of our trip, just watching Pammy's face, it was like watching a child in a candy store...
The truth is that although 'one of us' was in their element in the shopping centre, the 'other one' actually purchased more. Other than the new quilt, sheets etc for the new caravan, the temptation was too much, couldn't go past the cordless keyboard and mouse for the computer. This was with full approval as one of us was getting sick of climbing over mouse and keyboard cables every time they wanted to walk from one end of the caravan to the other.
On the way home we filled up with fuel at a Caltex Service Station in Lilydale, diesel was 87.9 cents per litre which is the cheapest we have seen advertised anywhere since leaving WA.
As we came closer to Healesville, we ran into a very heavy downfall of rain, then came out the other side of it and came across the view shown in the photograph on the right. This photograph doesn't do justice to it all but as we hadn't taken any photographs today up to this time, it was a must.
It looks like we have another couple of days of this weather before it starts to clear up, however I don't think shopping centres will be on our itinerary in that time.
'One of us' has had a 'fix'
The hills are alive - with rain clouds