Wednesday: We only drove 15 minutes to Spello, just 10km away from Assisi, everything we had read suggesting it was worth a visit.
We took quiet winding roads through agricultural land, grateful we didn’t meet any other traffic along the way.
Maybe just room for a cyclist to pass here…fabulous roads to drive on as long as you don’t meet anyone!Gorgeous views accompany us on our way
Spello is far less well known than Assisi, but its history stretches back just as far. Much of the town is built on Roman remains and foundations, and sits within an old amphitheatre. The churches are often built on top of old Roman temples, and encompass little clues here and there to the past.
We entered through a grand gateway flanked by towers, amazed that there was not a soul around. In fact that is one of the main appeals of this town – it is so close to Assisi but there are so few tourists here. The streets and buildings are quiet, taking on a pink hue from the Mount Subasio limestone used in their construction. The constant call of swallows can be heard as they swoop catching flies around the rooftops, and the hum of insects on the ever present flowers.
Where are all the people?These stone walls were restored in the early 1900s
Every corner is filled with flowersPretty pathways in all directionsA lovely looking villaEvery little space is used for pots of colourRichness of colour in every direction
Seppo is full of flowers, every windowsill, doorstep and corner brimming with blossoms. The few people we did see were often tending to their pots, painting wooden planters, replacing dying plants with new ones.
A local gardening enthusiast tends to his pots
There seemed to only be one cat in Seppo…quite a chunky one too!Fine views across the Umbrian countryside
From the top of the town there are fabulous views back across to Assisi, a monastery behind us enjoying this view daily.
Assisi on the hillside oppositeWander around forever and never see another person!
Heading off down yet another enticing lane way Will we get tired of these views?A flower within a flower?If only we could understand the stories behind this architecture
We tried to find somewhere nice to have lunch, but the menus were quite restrictive in terms of dairy-free, and the restaurant we really wanted to go to was closed on Wednesdays.
Mr A making use of the Google Translate app to ask about dairy-free meals
So we wandered back through the town, calling in for some wine tasting on the way through (three small glasses for €10), and popping our heads into the Chiesa di Saint Andrea, a church built in the 11th century, an example of Francisan architecture.
Hard to resist another little alleyway to explore
Chiesa di Saint Andrea Frescos by Tommaso Corbo in 1532
We’ve seen sculptures like this all over Italy
It was well worth the visit to Seppo. We didn’t buy any wine, the prices set for the American market (two to three times the usual cost!) rather than the Italian value we have become accustomed to. It would be a great location to stay if visiting Assisi and wanting to avoid the crowds, assuming you had a hire car you could park outside the town walls.
We, meanwhile, jumped back on the road and continued our journey towards the east coast.
Every so often when you’re exploring new ground, you come across a place that you know will be etched into your memory for ever. The little port of Camogli ticked that box in spades.
We planned a stop over between Genoa and the Cinque Terre coast at a car park that was described by one reviewer as having “a nice view”. What an understatement! This unassuming bit of tarmac overlooked a chunk of coast that took our breath away.
Our view from our sosta – not bad for a free night!
Our first view of the small fishing town of Camogli on the Italian Riviera, about an hour’s drive east from Genoa on the E80, a road that we had been on and off for a few days.
As an aside, what a spectacular feat of engineering the European route E80 is. We didn’t realise until we did a bit of research that in fact it travels through 10 countries as the ‘Trans European Motorway’ from Portugal to the border with Iran. It then joins the Asian highway which continues all the way to Japan! We looked at this freeway in a new light. Living on a rather big island for so many years it really made us think what is possible in Europe.
So this car park was on the outskirts of a small settlement called San Rocco, with a path that led down to the sea, as well as many others which criss-cross their way over the peninsular to Portofino on the eastern side.
The views keep on comingBlown away by the beauty of the sceneryLooking west from the peninsular – better known Portofino is on the eastern side
Loving where our little Truffy is bringing us….but the bikes weren’t right for this locationBreathtaking!
Firstly, we cycled as far as we could on the bikes before encountering steps, then packed away the bikes and donned walking shoes.
Feeling happy here…can we move in?Our wooded walk was accompanied by the sound of water
San Nicolò di Capodimonte, a church along our walk – it officially dates back to 1141, but legend has it there has been a church here since the year 345A well constructed pathway down to the wharf – quite steep with many steps
Wish we could share the scent of these roses….Devine!Warmed up in the afternoon sunshineSpying the ferry we run to the wharf
Without much of plan, we headed off down along this fabulous coastal path, then as we got to sea level noticed a ferry coming in. We both looked at each other and went “why not” so we jumped and were carried around to the harbour of Camogli in style.
Twelve euros later we have bagged ourselves a couple of spots on a boat tripPortofino Promontory in the backgroundLove a good boat trip!Coming into Camogli harbour
The moment we saw this place from the water we loved it. It had a genteel calm, without tour buses, and with a real authentic air of still being a working town. Some guys were just heading off to fish as we landed. I’m amazed there’s any left to catch!
We strolled around and immediately decided this is somewhere we could happily spend as week relaxing in. When I started to write this blog and read about the town, so many people described it as “undiscovered”, well by non-Italians anyway. It sure felt that way.
Exploring the townCastle della Dragonara, built in the early 13th century, a fabulous entry to the harbourLooking back out towards our home for the night – the clouds looking like they are descending
Feeling such an affinity with this villageBagni Lido – the public beach
Reluctantly we headed back up to our car park, via 896 steps…we were ready for dinner by the time we climbed that lot.
A noisy Bean Goose shouting in the stream through townUp and up the path went…
Fat pheasant in amongst the olive groves on our climb upMay I have some treats?Yes…Mr A does carry cat treats in his bag!We discovered Italian cats know the universal sound of cat treat bags…
Camogli, thankyou for giving us such a great memory to take away. I hope you don’t change too much too quickly.
Location: Cervo, San Bartholomo al Mare & Diane Marina, Italian Riviera, Italy
Sunday: With just an 18km journey between locations, it was one of our shortest journeys yet, but not without its challenges! We followed a busy stream of traffic and our Google directions down a one way road, which appeared to get narrower and narrower with a line of parked cars down one side and a wonky stone wall on the other.
We pulled to one side to assess our options. With traffic constantly coming down the road, reversing was going to be impossible without significant help…and going forwards looked equally daunting without potential damage to Truffy and/or parked cars. Not a fun situation.
One of the cars passing us slowed and wound down his window. We half expected abuse for blocking the road, but no, the Italian driver told us that the road is not as bad as we thought, and that as a motorhome driver himself he was confident we could drive down safely. Mr A bravely took off, me walking in front, letting him know how much space was either way. To increase stress levels, a bus was following us, but amazingly was very patient. When Mark pulled over on a wider piece of road, the bus driver even indicated he understood the caution and gave me a thumbs up. Phew! Another skilful negotiation of a tricky road – absolute kudos to Mr A for excellent driving. We could not imagine such patient drivers in Sydney – they’d be much quicker on the horns!
So we arrived at our next destination with no damage done, a campground beside the beach 15 minutes walk from the village of Cervo. We immediately set off to explore.
Stormy skies over Cervo but we didn’t get too wet
Cervo has around 1200 residents, many of them artists, sculptors, wood carvers, painters and jewellers. The village largely built up around an initial Roman villa more than 2000 years ago. Like France, Italy has a ‘most beautiful villages‘ classification and Cervo has well deservedly achieved that recognition.
The streets are very steep, and at the moment I am not breathing too well…but made it with a little wheezing. Mark is suffering with tendonitis in his calf, so also struggled up the streets – not doing brilliantly between us! It was well worth all the effort though, with gorgeous views, interesting little alleyways and of course the friendly village cat there to meet us at the top!
Curvy cobbled steps lead us up into the villageA well looked after village, touches of colour and flowers everywhereTrees growing on seemingly impossible surfacesEven the snails are colour coordinated
Endless beautiful laneways enticing us downYou can almost imagine the lives that have taken place in these streets over the centuries‘St George and the Dragon’ mural painted in the early 1900s after sailors from England shared the story with local artists
Fortified walls evident at the top of the village
Italian cats say ‘Ciao’
A fine view from outside the church
One of the key highlights in the village is the Romanesque Oratorio di Santa Caterina church. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the historical and artistic significance of this magnificent building, having pride of place looking out to sea and covered with incredible frescoes (mural paintings painted on plaster).
Heading up into the church
Incredible frescoes cover the walls and ceilingsA grand gold and marble alterThe equivalent of the church hall, all set up ready for a conference
Such a picturesque area, with plenty of exploring to be done. We can only imagine how busy it gets here in the summer holidays, despite the fact that Cervo does not appear in the Lonely Planet and has a pebbly beach.
All this exploring worked up an appetite and we went along to Pizza Pazza, the restaurant right next door for dinner in the evening. Yet another fabulous meal, and again at a fraction of the price we would pay in the UK or Australia, including a bottle of wine.
Monday: Glimmers of blue skies greeted us so we leaped on the task of washing first thing. Once everything was either hung out or dried we decided to go exploring in the other direction, biking our way to the next little settlement, San Bartholomo al Mare.
There are no bike lanes here, but the drivers continue to be quite respectful of cyclists, keeping their distance and no agression at all. This is all in absolute contrast to what we have been led to expect by the various blogs we’ve read – maybe our expectations have been lowered by our experiences on the road in Australia and New Zealand?
We took a random uphill road just to explore, and were soon making use of the motors on our electric bikes to take us up past gated villas with incredible views, meadows and Ligurian olive groves. It was all very picturesque.
Gorgeous views across to Cervo on our rideEven ‘warm’ enough for shorts!
Garden like wildflowers along our cycle
Terraced olive groves are plentiful here with agriculture still a key source of income
Beautiful orchids growing by the side of the road
We then cycled up to the next settlement, riding up a cycle friendly pedestrianised area and finding a little pizza place for lunch – yes, they even did me a pizza without cheese! We both ordered the small portion, which ended up being absolutely huge. Despite the fact I only ate half, we had no need to eat for the rest of the day!
Location: Brighton, Hastings and Newhaven Ferry Port, East Sussex, UK
Saturday-Sunday: Before heading to Continental Europe, we spent our final weekend in Brighton with Catherine’s sister Helen and her family. London-on-Sea, as it is jokingly known locally, served up its usual eclectic way with everything from fine dining to a wonderful greasy spoon cafe for brunch.
Feeling a little neater after some haircutsCatherine, Helen and Isabel – just the girlsJust a small brunch to start Sunday!Miss Isabel ready to party – Catherine bravely accompanied her to a 5th birthday celebration, despite the promise of party balloons 😲
Then it was time to head along the coast to Hastings and Catherine’s mum, Jenny.
Monday: Catherine and Jenny visited her nearly 97 year old grandma, good genes on that side of the family at least!
Jenny looking radiant96 years young, Jean enjoying the sunshineJean will be 97 in a few weeks’ time – this may be her first selfie!
A few more lovely home cooked meals from Jenny, and a chance to get some last minute tasks ticked off before we head over the English Channel on Thursday.
Young Marmalade enjoyed the mouse on a stick we bought for him
Tuesday: Jenny took us over to Hastings Country Park for a short walk and some fresh air, another place of great memories for Catherine.
Views over the gorse flowers across the countryJenny heading through the kissing gate…
The sun breaks through the cloud…team photoA lovely woodland walk on our return circuitMore bluebells adorn the woodland here
A mother-daughter shot to complete the walk
Later in the day, Catherine took me on her and her sister’s favourite after school activity, a ride down to the beach and along the coast. It was a cold day, but the sun shone and Hastings showed us her good side.
Warming up in a sheltered spot on Hastings PierYes, there is sand (at low tide) in Hastings!Matching bikes and hutsMingling with the local wildlife on the pier…odd….Riding the bike path along to Bexhill-On-Sea
It’s an interesting mix here of demographics, with everyone from a scattering of celebrities, and working class housing estates. If feels an authentic town, with the largest beach based fishing fleet in Europe still bringing in the delicious fish and cockles that we just had to sample.
So many memories from Catherine, shared with me, and it does draw you even closer together understanding someone’s childhood, as I had shown her mine in Kettering.
Wednesday: Now it’s our last day in the UK, with a ferry across to France early tomorrow. I few nerves on my part as I keep running through all the things we need to have sorted. Catherine as ever the calm one, thank goodness.
We are parked up at Newhaven Ferry Port for the night. Little Truffy is dwarfed next to his bigger HGV cousins all waiting for the 9am ride across the Channel to Dieppe. What adventures await us in France?
Location: Ivinghoe, Bucks, Little Gaddesden, Herts & London UK
Tuesday: Leaving Milton Keynes we headed south, travelling just half an hour to reach our next destination. We settled for the night at a farm in the hamlet of Ivinghoe Aston, close to the rolling hills of the Chilterns. The evenings here are light until about 8.30pm, allowing us a chance to go for a stroll.
Ten kilometres (about 6 miles) later we had crossed beautiful countryside via a bridleway and had explored the village of Ivinghoe. We even managed to pop into the local pub for a quick drink before heading back for dinner.
A bee swarm in the apple orchard at our farm-stayMany workers surrounding their queenQuiet lanes in Ivinghoe Aston
Dandelions line our pathway as we walkHard to resist a pub with a good reputationOld cottages in Ivinghoe – few with parkingMr A strolling through the village of Ivinghoe
Mr A swears a half pint goes down much faster than half-a-pint within a pintTruffy, outstanding in his field…
Wednesday: The following morning we departed and drove up to Ivinghoe Beacon. Ivinghoe Beacon is a hill standing 233 metres above sea level. It sits within the Ashridge Estate and is managed by the National Trust, but it has great significance historically. In the past, this location was used to send signals from and was also a fort during the Iron Age (around 800 BCE). More recently it has appeared in Harry Potter and Star Wars movies… For us though, it was a spot to enjoy lunch and a few cups of tea as we sheltered from the blustery cold wind and showers. A good day to be behind glass, as we say!
Fabulous views from the beaconA couple of long distance walks/cycles start from this pointTruffy with dramatic skies
Eventually there was a break in the weather and we drove a short way down the hill towards Dockey Wood. This woodland is famous for its incredible display of bluebells, and my cousin Karen had let me know they were in full bloom after the warm Easter weekend.
We had only driven a few minutes and we spotted a carpet of purple by the side of the road. We quickly pulled over and went in for an explore. It was incredible, and unbeknownst to us, we were in the quieter less visited woodland area – the main display (and crowds) we found were just down the road where the official car park was.
Mr A wanders through the sea of blueJust breathtaking – set off by the bright green new leavesA mass of purple
Dizzy with the delicate perfume of the bluebells, we headed on down to our home for the next three nights, parked up on a farm track close to my cousin and her family in Little Gaddesden.
Before long a taxi arrived to take Mr A, my cousin Karen, her husband Iain and I into nearby Berkhamstead. There we caught up with my old school friend Jo and her husband Stuart for a beverage at a local wine bar, The Berkeley. From there we enjoyed a fabulous Thai meal at The Giggling Squid – delicious food and probably the best Thai we have tried in the UK so far.
The years flash on by with nearly 30 years of friendshipMuch laughter – L-R: Stuart, Karen and IainMr A finds himself beside a nude….
Thursday: After a relaxing night’s sleep, Iain gave Mr A and I a lift up to the cafe in Ashridge Estate so we could catch up with an old friend of mine from way back, Amanda. We last met up when she was visiting her sister in Sydney Australia, more than 15 years ago. It was great to see her, and we had a stroll through the woodlands, admiring yet more bluebells.
Footpath windings through the wild flowersAmanda caught between two AndersonsOld friends reunitedMr & Mrs A – (incidentally, I left my lens cap on this tree trunk, in case you find it!)Walking back to Karen & Iain’s house via Ashridge House
Mr A and I walked back to Karen’s house through the estate, spotting many deer and enjoying the sunshine as we went.
We’d been back a few moments and I was back in the car with Karen off to visit my aunt while Karen took my uncle to the doctors. It was just enough time for a cup of tea and a tour of the house and garden before heading back for the evening.
Mrs A with auntie Pam and uncle Brian
Friday: Mr A and I hitched a lift into Berkhamsted when Karen was dropping off her daughters, Hannah and Ella to school. From there, we caught a train into London – Mr A heading off to do some shopping, while I went to Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospital to take part in a focus group about the major airway surgery I had there back in 2014.
After the group I caught up for an hour with Jacky, a lovely lady with iSGS I have met through the support group I run, before heading back across town to meet up with Mr A, and some more friends at a pub near Warren Street.
L-R: Karen, Mrs A, Mr A, Martin, Karen’s sister, Chris
It was a fun catch up, with Martin (who was best man at our wedding 17 years ago) plus friends from Australia, Karen and Chris, who are staying with Karen’s sister near Greenwich.
It wasn’t a late night though, we were back on the train to Berkhamsted by 6.30pm and back tucked up in Truffy for the night by 9.30pm. A great end to the week.
Saturday: It was time to say goodbye to Karen and Iain and the girls, and continue our journey south. We really appreciate the hospitality we’ve been shown by the whole family.
L-R: Ella, Ryan, Merryn, Karen, Iain, Hannah, Mrs A
Mr A and I are both are loving rekindling old friendships and making new friends on our travels, and particularly cherish the time such as this with family who are also good friends. I hope we are leaving each time with stronger relationships and a better understanding of one another and look forward to spending more time together when we’re back from our European travels.
Thursday: It was a novelty at first hearing rain crashing onto the roof of the caravan. An excuse to brew endless cups of tea, finalise our trip plans for Europe, and snuggle down with Miss Tasmania!
An attempt at an evening walk is cut short by our first rain dropsJervis Bay looking dramatic as the horizon disappears under torrential rain heading our way
Friday: We managed a short 13km cycle along Jervis Bay’s shoreline shared path, with a hot chocolate reward for our minor efforts:
Half way along our ride the grey skies part to allow fingers of sunlight to beam down onto the bayNice to wrap up warm and enjoy a hot drink
The late afternoon cleared allow for a fabulous sunset:
The last sunbeams catch a turquoise wave as it breaks on the shoreGrid-like rock pools at the water’s edge reflecting the sunlightA copse of gum trees catching the last of the lightWe’ve not seen the sun all day, but still it goes downSunsetTime to go back to the Zone for dinner!
Saturday: After a couple of days of little activity we were getting a bit van crazy, so drove into Booderee National Park to tackle one of the longer circuit walks. Booderee translates as “Bay of Plenty” in the local language of the Koori people, who have now been handed back this land to continue with over 20,000 recorded years of custodianship.
Well, didn’t we get lucky with the weather. The park was looking fabulous, all glistening and shiny with the foliage recently washed clean.
Setting off from Steamers Beach Car ParkWalking down towards Steamers BeachThe ferns gleaming in the sunlight after their wash in the rain last night
A Jacky Lizard also seems pleased to see the sunlight, and wasn’t keen to move off the step to let us passMrs A on the walk down to Steamers Beach – with another 10km left to hike we decided against going all the way down and back again
There wasnt a heap of birdlife, but plenty of wallabies bounding around. The flora certainly looks like it has recovered pretty well with the lush cover back after the devastating fires of Christmas 2001. We drove back from Tasmania through the area a few weeks after those fires and both shed tears for all the animals burned to death in the inferno that took 400 firefighters to get under control.
In 2017 fire once again ravaged the park. You can still some some of the impact, but it once again is looking mostly healthy. As for species lost, then it is not such a happy story. Since 2004 a monitoring program has been in place and sadly has seen local extinction of some glider species and the “common” ringtail possum. Inexplicably mammals in both fire affected and non-affected areas seem to have suffered. Researchers are at a loss. My uninformed view – this is a pattern we are seeing all over Australia as climate events become more extreme and humans continue to encroach on habitat at a shocking pace. You may have seen the more alarmist articles that are predicting complete ecosystem collapse as insect numbers fall drastically.
On that cheery note check out some of these fab photos from the ever talented Mrs A!
Mr & Mrs at the lookoutThe beautiful Blacks Harbour – named for the aboriginal residentsApple time at Blacks HarbourSuch a picturesque locationWould be great snorkelling hereCalm waters with Caves Beach just around the headland, popular with surfersCould spend hours checking out these rock pools, full of little fishAnother bay, further around – the water looking amazing through the trees
We always love visiting this area – this was where I proposed to Mrs A back in September 2000 after all – and we will definitely be back again. We just love how we are still able to find something new in the region every time we come, whatever the weather.
Sunday: Driving north from Lakes Entrance it wasn’t long before we were back in southern New South Wales, pulling into Boydtown for the night. Boydtown was the original settlement in Twofold Bay, settled by Benjamin Boyd in the mid 1800s.
This is the area where Thaua aboriginal people had developed a special relationship with killer whales, which would herd humpback whales towards their spears. The first Europeans learned of this and recruited the Thaua people to help them with their whaling activities, There are still the remains of whaling stations and a whale spotting tower in the area.
Today, the settlement is home to the beautifully refurbished Seahorse Inn and a growing community as land is sold off around the pub. There is also a 40 acre campground at reasonable prices and beach access.
Not crammed in at Boydtown Camping GroundMiss Tassie wondering where her Victorian haven has gone!
As we pulled into the camping area we saw market stall holders packing up outside the hotel, and several coaches parked up on the lawns nearby. Apparently the hotel had just hosted a couple of hundred people on a P&O cruise calling in at nearby Eden for afternoon refreshments. All very nice but sadly no oysters left for the likes of us!
We set up camp in the spacious grounds, and headed off for a walk on the beach. The cloud was rolling in, threatening rain, but very little fell after all.
Beautiful views across the rangesPrancing along the water’s edge
We had a special sunset however.
Best sunset in agesA fabulous sky show you just can’t stop watching
Monday: From Boydtown we called into Eden to complete a few tasks at the post office, before heading to Pambula Lake to the fabulous Broadwater Oyster shack there. We last visited about 12 months ago, and our memories of the delicious shucked oysters were still fresh. We were not disappointed – a dozen each and two dozen to take away. Fabulous and well worth the wait!
Our destination for the day was Tuross Head. We last stayed there about 2 years ago, having had to smuggle Miss Tassie ‘the wallaby’ in, as pets were not allowed. This time she was fully permitted, and enjoyed a bit of an exploration around the grounds (full of rabbit smells!).
Cat walking does not burn many calories…
Tassie proving to be a poor hunter – didn’t even notice the skink in front of her nose!
Tuesday: Tuross Head is a lovely settlement – not really much there in terms of entertainment, with a handful of small shops, a Chinese restaurant and a combination Thai and fish and chip shop.
But that doesn’t matter – it is surrounded by white sand beaches, sparkling turquoise waters and a shared pathway which explores the coastline. It’s perfect for those who enjoy peace and quiet as well as outdoors activities like kayaking, cycling and fishing.
After a lot of car time the past couple of days we were determined to get out and explore under our own power, and did a 13km cycle around the coast, following the pathway around to Coila Creek and back.
Mr A peddling off along the quiet cycle waysCoils Bar behind me – the border between ocean and lakeRiding alongside Coila Creek which is currently a lagoon, closed to the oceanStill perfection – Coila Creek behind the dunesDead tree provides a sculpture alongside the creekMr A enjoying the day!
Our afternoon stroll took us in the other direction, to a lookout overlooking the Tuross River and Horse Island. There are so many opportunities to explore this area by boat, we are certain to return again with our big kayak and a longer booking at the campground.
Looking out the tumultuous mouth of the Tuross River
Hold onto your hats! The wind picking up in lieu of a change in the weatherEnjoying the view from the lookoutBeautiful tree-lined streets
We’d been able to nab ourselves a beachside campsite, having booked in just after a long weekend, the perfect location to set up our chairs and enjoy our take away oysters with a glass of Chardonnay.
,
A home with a view…couldn’t get much closer to the sand
Wednesday: We moved on again, initially planning to visit Ulladulla, but finding the campgrounds either ridiculously expensive ($50 a night) or allowing dogs but not cats – even mostly indoor ones which come out only accompanied on a lead. We bypassed the town completely and moved on to Milton, camped up on the showground.
The blue sky has left us for a few days, with the coast expected to receive some very welcome rain. It was much cooler today with heavy overcast skies. We took the opportunity to start our packing for our next adventure – in 17 days we leave Australia and head back to the UK to begin travelling there and in Europe. We continue up the coast tomorrow to Huskisson on Jervis Bay…we’re expecting to use our rain coats!
Location: Yanakie, Victoria (just outside Wilsons Promontory)
With a forecast of 39 degrees centigrade on Friday we decided to head away from Marysville and drive to the coast, Wilsons Promontory National Park our ultimate destination for some hiking amongst spectacular scenery. As we are travelling with Miss Tassie we were unable to camp in the park itself, but we checked in to a caravan park in Yanakie, just 30 minutes drive away. The temperature was much cooler beside the water, a great relief.
Saturday morning dawned clear and blue, with the mercury climbing early. We moved into a site right beside the beach with uninterrupted views over to the Prom.
Amazing sunrise over the waterA Zone with a view…
As the water was so still, we decided to take advantage and inflated our pack rafts for a paddle, planning to head for a walk in the national park in the afternoon.
Mirror-like perfection on the bayThe water is quite shallow in Corner Inlet Marine & Coastal Park
It was while we were out paddling in these serene waters that we suddenly both received messaged on our mobile phones:
Bushfire Advice from Parks Victoria. Wilsons Promontory and surrounding areas. Stay informed re park closure. Check local radio or www.emergency.vic.gov.au
I checked the website. It turned out the whole national park was being evacuated due to an out of control fire…so no walking for us. The evacuation included all campers – so it was fortunate we were not staying in there after all.
Yanakie sits on the edge of the Corner Inlet Marine National Park, part of Bass Straight, the waterway between mainland Australia and Tasmania. It’s a critical waterway for migratory birds and has been designated a wetland of international significance under the Ramsar Convention.
After lunch we took a walk along the beach to see what birds were about.
Strolling along the beach, dead trees standing out like sculpturesLiterally dozens of black swans and ibis fed on the sea grass at low tideCopper grasses blowing in the afternoon breeze on the dunesWispy clouds crossing the sky
Black backed gulls, silver gulls, black swans, ibis, egrets and herons were the main bird life, enjoying the mudflats at low tide. It reminded us of our time in Omokoroa in New Zealand, the peace and quiet, punctuated by the occasional bird call.
Nature’s artwork
After a couple of kilometres we came across this twisted wood, standing up out of the sand like a marker for something….we had a look and behind it was a footpath. We followed it for another couple of kilometres and wound up right back at the campground. Perfect!
Heading off down the mystery path
As we turned back, we could see the bushfire smoke spreading across the hills, the afternoon wind fanning the flames and increasing its impact.
By wine-o’clock the fire was quite large and easily visible from where we were camped (at a safe distance).
Sunset starting to reflect on the smoke haze
Sunday morning’s sunrise was quite dramatic as a result, with the air quite obviously smoky. Despite the fact I am breathing quite well at the moment, my throat began to feel the effects of inhaling the ashy polluted air, burning and sore.
Sunrise provides a dramatic start to the day with the absolutely still waterA juvenile gull floats on the still waterLake or ocean? I bet most people wouldn’t guess this was Bass Straight!
We decided to drive over to the other side of the peninsular where there was some breeze, meaning cleaner air.
We checked out Waratah Bay which looked like it had not changed in about 50 years, the main landmark on Google Maps being the Telstra Payphone! It had a lovely beginners surf beach and plenty of sand which stretched on for miles.
From there we had a look at Shallow Inlet, where the tide was going out and kite surfers enjoyed catching the breeze across the water.
We returned for another stroll around ‘our’ beach and then to enjoy the sun set as the wind changed direction and cleared all the smoke.
A little drama as the weather changed during the afternoon, bringing a few meagre drops of rain but not enough to douse the firesThe sun setting behind us reflected on the clouds over the water giving us a lovely show
We checked the Parks Victoria emergency site as soon as we woke on Monday morning, and found the fire was still raging and the park would be closed for the foreseeable future. So, as our last day here we decided to get the pack-rafts out again and explore another part of Corner Inlet.
We rolled our boats up into our backpacks, and hiked a couple of kilometres down the beach before we inflated them.
Can you believe there is a boat in here?At not much more than 2kg our boats and paddles are easy to carry
We then paddled down further into the bay, a very picturesque area full of old boat sheds and unofficial camping sites. There were plenty of birds down here too, mostly not used to seeing people paddling. I imagine most people who visit here stick to visiting Wilsons Prom and rarely make it in to the bay here – I know we probably would not have explored it this thoroughly had the national park been open.
Inflated and ready to paddle!Looking at some of the old boat sheds on the edge of the waterOur crafts awaiting captainsMr A on very calm watersHeading back to camp, not wanting the adventure to endNervous terns on the beach
After 7km paddling we are both aching tonight – we are definitely not paddle-fit, and the pack rafts are not as streamlined as our fibreglass double kayak we’d have loved to have brought with us. But we’re so pleased we had these little boats to give us the option to explore the water, their weight and portability giving them a unique benefit.
Our visit to Wilsons Promontory has not quite been the one we planned, but nevertheless has been surprisingly gorgeous. We have really enjoyed the peace and quiet of this location, which has probably been exacerbated by the fires, keeping other visitors away.
We definitely plan to put this area on our wish list to return to in the future (hopefully fire-free next time!), and would recommend Yanakie as a base to explore from, especially if you appreciate bird life and the serenity of the water. Off to pastures new tomorrow…
We returned to collect our caravan from its temporary home in Marysville and decided to stay a couple of days and have a look around this little town nestled in the foothills of the Victorian High Country.
One of the resident King Parrots – they find plenty of food in the trees around the property
For our international readers, and a reminder to locals, I need to explain that this town was almost totally destroyed by bushfires 10 years ago, on a hot and windy February day known as Black Saturday. The summary would be that 173 people lost their lives as a massive firestorm engulfed this town and several others in this heavily forested area. I can’t and won’t describe the horror that ensued, enough has been said and our impression was after 10 years the residents of this town want to move on and look forwards not backwards.
A very moving memorial
Over $400 million was donated from public and private funds. The town has been almost completely rebuilt. Children’s laughter once again fills the streets as they walk to their newly built school…although chillingly I heard one child impersonating the bushfire siren that regularly is tested in the town, too young to know the potential disaster that alarm could signify.
The new architect designed police station
It is a fabulous little community from what we experienced. Everyone was super friendly and keen to promote the town and what it offers. Surrounded by hills, every direction you look is just so picturesque. We picked up a walks leaflet and were off on one of the many trails that start right in the town centre. This one led up to a waterfall that is one of the highest in Victoria.
Admiring Steavenson Falls – five cascades with a total descent of 122 metresThe final cascade of Steavenson Falls drops more than 21 metresMr & Mrs A
We also explored some tracks on our bikes, following the Tree Fern Gully Trail up to Yellow Dog Road and back, providing us with some gorgeous dawn views of the mountain ash and gum forests.
The sun just peeps over the hills to light up the bush – looking quite sculptural with the bleached dead trees rising above the new green growthEarly morning shadowsSurprisingly fresh first thing in the morning!
Another hike took us out to Keppel Falls, also picturesque
We followed the Taggerty River upstream to reach these fallsThe evening sun lighting up the bush behind Mrs ADriving off back to the Zone, the forest lit up by the setting sun
We could have easily spent a few weeks here and just scratched the surface. There’s a pub serving great food, a bakery, multiple cafes, a small supermarket, everything the visitor would need.
Come and spend some money here and support this community who have faced so much and have rebuilt a vibrant new town.
After a few initial culture shocks of being back in Sydney (lots of traffic, very warm, and a lot of time spent complaining to Telstra!) we have settled back in with our generous ‘flat mates’ Jenny and David in Matraville. We have had a busy few days ticking off the usual medical appointments – a biopsy and 90 minutes in a dentist’s chair for Mr A, an airway procedure with an ENT specialist for me (with tentatively great news about how my airway is looking – nice and wide open!), plus a few nice experiences tossed in for luck – hairdressers and a catch up with friends at a new restaurant.
Saturday Mark and I decided we needed to get some fresh air and headed off a short drive from where we’re staying to the coast, just a 5 minute drive to Kamay Botany Bay National Park.
Ever wondered where Matraville and Botany Bay National Park is?
We have both lived in Sydney for more than 20 years, and could hardly believe we are still being introduced to beautiful natural areas such as this as we set off to explore somewhere new.
Dramatic skies accompany us as we walk along the cliff top
And not a breath of wind to stir the waters…
Our destination is Cape Banks, and the ‘island’ we reach via footbridge. We had no idea this existed before today and the grey humid skies only added to the mysterious atmosphere.
Mr A takes the bold step off mainland Australia onto the bridge to the islandDespite the calm winds the surf crashes over the rocksWe find a little rock shelter to watch the water fromMore sculptural rocks…
Once on the island we have fabulous views over to the mouth of Botany BayContainer ships constantly enter and leave from Botany Bay…The Minmi – a ship wreck from 1937 – It was originally built in Glasgow, Scotland and is gradually disappearing into the seaMore of the Minmi wreck – two crew members died when it ran aground here
We continued our walk a little around the bay, driving around to Little Bay where we took to the beach and followed the soft sand around to Yarra Bay. We had never heard of Yarra Bay, but found out it is a nominee for the best beach in Australia. We called into the Skiff Club for lunch.Oysters and calamari sustaining us, we then decided to inflate our peak rafts (handily stowed in our backpacks) and paddle back to the start of the walk. Perfect!Our day concluded with a delicious barbecued roast lamb dinner with Jenny and David, simply delicious.
Sunday morning saw us joining Jenny and David for another new experience, strolling along the Hermitage Foreshore Walk from Vaucluse to Nielsen Park. Just a short 1.8km each way, it links several little bays alongside Sydney Harbour and provides some gorgeous views.
Our first view of the bridge, helping justify the high price of property in this areaJen, David & Mark set off along the walkway
A lovely crested bird – a Shrike-Tit perhaps?
My favourite view of all, through a sculptural tree creating multiple windows…
We farewelled Jenny and David after a swim and returning to the start of the walk, and headed off to Sydney’s north shore for a catch up with two more friends, Donna and Andy.
They treated us to a couple of delicious gin and tonics – including a non-alcoholic one for Mark as he was driving. Together with a delicious platter of cheese, biscuits and pickles and a great catch-up, it was as ever, lovely to spend time with our friends.
An exotic selection of gins and tonic waters
Soon though, it was time for more farewells as we drove to our final destination for the night and the coming days, Forestville with more friends, John and Eveliene.
I’m about to head into hospital for an operation and they have kindly offered a bed for my convalescence. It’s a strange feeling being ‘homeless’ in what has been our home town for so many years, moving from destination to destination with a car full of cases and possessions. We couldn’t do this without the kindness and generosity of our friends here in Sydney, and for that we will be forever grateful.
Fortified walls evident at the top of the village
Still perfection – Coila Creek behind the dunes
Oysters and calamari sustaining us, we then decided to inflate our peak rafts (handily stowed in our backpacks) and paddle back to the start of the walk. Perfect!
Our day concluded with a delicious barbecued roast lamb dinner with Jenny and David, simply delicious.
