I don’t know why it is that travellers are routinely described as ‘weary’. If I’m describing myself, I just say I’m a traveller – not a weary one. But when travel publications refer to havens for the weary traveller; and weary traveller’s resting places; and recharging the weary travellers batteries and the like, you start to believe the hype.

So after a long day on the road when we arrived in Victorian mallee town Hopetoun looking for fuel and were overcome by a sudden and inexplicable travel weariness, instead of driving on to our planned destination these two (newly) weary travellers decided to stop and look for somewhere to stay.

Luckily for us, Hopetoun delivered. And delivered so well, we stuck around for a couple more days to check it out.

That was Visit #1.

Which we enjoyed so much, in 2014 we sandwiched a week at nearby Wyperfeld National Park between two more Hopetoun stays.

Why?

Because travellers (whether weary or not) who use Hopetoun as a base to explore Western Victoria’s mallee region will find AT LEAST five good reasons why Hopetoun Victoria makes it onto our TOP Aussie Town list!

1 Mallee Bush Retreat

Our camper trailer is like having our very own portable micro-nation. It’s the one constant in our travels – we know what’s in it, where everything is, how it works. So it’s a rare day on the road that I’d rather sleep somewhere else.

But who wouldn’t want to sleep in a Silo?

The Silo Cabins are just two of the quirky and inexpensive accommodation options built from local materials like wood, stone and corrugated iron at The Mallee Bush Retreat on the shores of Lake Lascelles.

Even the public loo gets the rustic treatment!!

The Retreat’s brochure description – ‘an ideal stop for not only the weary traveller but people seeking adventure and excitement’ – was a sign, so I suppressed my disappointment at foregoing the pleasures of snoozing in a silo, and we set up on one of the several grassed, powered sites overlooking the lake.

Which with its easy access to an excellent amenities block, camp kitchen, lakeside fire bucket AND low price tag* quickly became one of our all-time favourite powered campsites ANYWHERE!

In fact, cheap powered sites and FREE unpowered sites make Hopetoun an attractive alternative to camping at Wyperfeld National Park (see #5 below) 40 km away on a fully sealed road (to the southern entrance) – since 1 July 2014 it costs between $34-$37.80** for an unpowered campsite.

2 Lake Lascelles

I don’t know from whom I inherited the compulsion to walk around the perimeter of any given (smallish) lake I find . But despite our travel weariness, we soon gave in to the urge to circumnavigate Lake Lascelles’ shores – an easy 30 minute walk.

More if you’re there at sunset or sunrise with a camera handy.

Named for EH Lascelles, one-time owner of local Corrong Station, the lake is always full thanks to the Grampians-Wimmera Mallee Pipeline. And that meant the sensational sunset, sunrise AND moonrise reflections had me regularly jostling for the best vantage point. Yes, my friends, that’s why I have elbows!

Pilchard’s elbows get used if anyone’s between him and a clear view of the birds that find the lake an attractive home, or in the case of avian weary travellers – staging post!

And at night, the welcoming glow of campfires all around the lake tells us we’re (sadly) not the only weary travellers to have discovered this killer campground!

3 The Bow Bakery

Where does one go when the energy-depleting effects of exercise, exploration and elbow-nudging takes their toll on ones energy reserves?

In Hopetoun that’s an EASY question.

The Bow Bakery, of course!!

An off-shoot of the bakery in nearby town Rainbow (RainBOW bakery, geddit?) it’s another reason why weary travellers might want to break their journey in Hopetoun.

And then visit Rainbow for a go at the original Bow!

4 Patchewollock

It’s a little off the beaten track if you’re not visiting the northern section of Wyperfeld National Park (see below), unless you’ve heard of Patchewollock’s BIG attraction – and my all time favourite Australian BIG THING – the BIG Malleefowl!

Since my only visit to this awesome creation a few years ago, my complimentary*** copy of The Little Book of Big Aussie Icons tells me there are now TWO Big Malleefowl – with rumours they’re going to breed, which means eggs and chicks in the future.

And surely that’s something to excite even the most jaded of weary travellers. If not, then maybe this isn’t the blog for you

5 Wyperfeld National Park

The day of Hopetoun Visit #2 was actually meant to end at Wyperfeld National Park.

Ever since a day trip on Visit #1, we’d planned to return to this mallee wonderland, one of several Victorian Mallee National Parks collectively covering over 1,000,000 hectares.

But another attack of lethargy-inducing travel weariness forced (!) us to settle for somewhere with facilities to recover from our exhausting ~6 hour drive (including bakery stops – Lameroo is GOOD!).

One night turned into two – but in our defence, Hopetoun’s excellent main street was the perfect place to stock up with supplies for a few nights in the mallee wilderness.

And so the long weekend we’d planned for Wyperfeld turned into a week!

Spending 7 days in Wyperfeld was easy.

We hiked the Desert Walk through a strangely beautiful fire-ravaged dune system, recovering from the summer bushfires 6 months before. We walked through spinifex and sand dunes to Mt Mattingley lookout on the Discovery Loop, explored the Park’s history at the Visitor Centre, and its habitats on the Tyakil Walk. We climbed Flagstaff Hill at sunset and drove the Eastern Lookout loop, searching for Mallee Fowl on the Lowan track.

And sometimes we just walked along the roads.

While the park and surrounding area is a 4WD mecca, that meant our walk/rest/eat/sit-around-the-campfire-when-your-travels-make-you-weary lifestyle in the zero degree night air (it WAS mid-winter!) passed relatively undisturbed.

But if you want to know what avid 4WD enthusiasts talk about around the campfire after a hard day on the tracks, then you’ll have to come to Wyperfeld on a long weekend too!!

If sand dunes, space, spinifex, solitude and scenic loos – the Wonga Campground loo is in MY BOOK – aren’t your thing, then Wyperfeld probably won’t thrill you as much as it did me.

In which case, head for Hopetoun and hope like hell the Bon Bon Cafe and Takeaway is still serving their killer pizza!

Back in Hopetoun with 8 days of washing piled up, a pantry ready for re-stocking and two weary travellers in dire need of a shower we reclaimed our site at the Mallee Bush Retreat and sat back waiting for the sunset. Then the moonrise.

Two more nights, and we reluctantly left this little gem in the middle of the mallee despite so many reasons to stay. But many reasons to stay means we know we’ll be back!

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Want MORE?

• Hopetoun, Victoria
• The Mallee Bush Retreat, Hopetoun Victoria
• Wyperfeld National Park, Victoria
• The BIG Malleefowl, Patchewollock and MORE Aussie BIG Things
• My FIRST trip to Hopetoun, Victoria
• MORE Victoria Mallee Photos on Flickr

* $20 per night for a powered site; FREE Bush Camping around the lake as at July 2014

** As at 26 Jan 2015

*** Complimentary because MY photo of Ballina’s BIG Prawn is in it!

Next Post: Walk Wild Wilkawillina!

Previous Post:
A Day in the Border Ranges National Park

The post Why Hopetoun Victoria is a TOP Aussie Town! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

If I hadn’t been twitching I would never have gone to Tittybong.

And if that’s conjured up a disturbing mental image, keep reading! It’s not quite as perturbing as it sounds!!

Or maybe it is …

Most Northern Hemisphereans probably won’t understand.  Why would two otherwise sane, normal Australians (that’s a self-assessment, not an oxy-moron) would spend three days driving over 2000 km (~1240 miles) for a chance to see a couple of birds? Birds routinely seen in their millions elsewhere.

That’s something only another twitcher would understand.

So a Long-billed Dowitcher gets its continents confused—Southern AUSTRALIA sounds just like Southern AMERICA if you say it quickly, doesn’t it?! It was recorded at obscure Lake Tutchewop in northern Victoria for the first time EVER (as far as I know, please correct me if I’m wrong) in Australia.  It’s then BEYOND being a mere rarity. Or even a MEGA-rarity.

It’s a CRIPPLER**! In twitching terminology, anyway. (Note to readers: this post will have lots more jargon. Think of it as a learning experience. Or just get a book# on the subject!)

But wait! There’s more!!

When a Semipalmated Plover that normally breeds in the Arctic, then travels through the Americas to winter in South America is recorded near Carpenters Rocks in South Australia, that’s worth noting too. With regular sightings confirmed by the experts, neither bird was showing any signs of moving on.

And here, I owe regular readers of this blog an apology. Up until now, I’d thought a twitcher* was a common, regular, garden-variety bird watcher. I was wrong. Twitching goes WAY beyond mere birding – when a twitcher hears about a vagrant or rare bird, he or she (mostly ‘he’, weirdly) will do almost anything to spot it. Like travelling night and day by any means of transport for the privilege of possibly, perchance, perhaps spotting it. Or not.

That’s why ‘Twitcher’ and ‘Crazy as a Loon’ have the same meaning in some circles.

So when our Tenterfield birding buddy asked if we were going to see Semi-palmated Plover in our home state, we laughed. Would we REALLY make a 1000 km round trip just on the off chance of seeing a bird?

I don’t think so.

We’re just birders, NOT twitchers!

BUT! A couple of days later we left the house before 7:00 am for the ~6 hour drive to Carpenters Rocks.  And the chance to see Semi-palmated Plover in the flesh. Were we twitchers crazy after all?

I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

‘Left, or right?’ asked Pilchard at the first intersection. What could he mean? There was really only one way from here to South Australia’s southernmost point. Wasn’t there? He correctly took my silence for bemusement.

‘If we go right, we could make it to Lake Tutchewop and see the Long-billed Dowitcher first,’ he stated. Yes, it was official. We’d made ‘the change’!  We were now ‘twitching’!

So it came to pass, that dressed warmly for the 18ºC of cold, wind and drizzle expected at Carpenters Rocks, I found myself in warm, bright sunshine and a day that would become 28ºC. A day in which I’d spend over 12 hours in the car passing old haunts like the lovely Lake Cullulleraine.

And a day that would have no Crippler sighting (ie ‘happy ending’) to make the drive worthwhile.

But I didn’t yet know that at mid-afternoon when we reached Lake Tutchewop.  It was now saline – and MUCH bigger than expected –  and a magnet for migrating birds. Hundreds, or even thousands on its salty shores. And a shimmering heat haze distorting the glare into a rippling glow. Even with bins and the scope**, it turned the simple art of bird identification into a horrible nightmare.

What was that saying about needles and haystacks?

12 hours after we left home, and with ALL accommodation in the nearest town booked out by railway workers, we backtracked to Swan Hill with its FABULOUS Big Murray Cod in search of a cabin. If we’d driven across the river (there’s only one – the Murray River), we’d have had a 3-state day. Which is actually saying something down here, where each state is bigger than many European countries!

This twitching business was for the birds.

Back at the lake next morning, local birdo Tom pointed across the lake to several cars and people laden with bins, scopes and cameras. Luckily, there weren’t any cop cars and random radar units between us and our destination as we (almost) broke the land speed record. And there, amongst the terns and stints (so they tell me) with its tell-tale beak (mostly) tucked away under its wing, we SAW THE LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER!!!

And all I got was this lousy photo.

Wycheproof with the (self-proclaimed) world’s smallest mountain was the closest I’d been to the fabulously-named Tittybong.  I could thank Pilchard’s unaccountable refusal to take a detour for that. But today was the day – during our drive of several hundred kilometres south-west towards Carpenters Rocks we’d go right past it.

I didn’t know what was there, but I didn’t care. Doesn’t EVERYONE want to visit a place called Tittybong?

But tragically, I still don’t know what’s there. Perhaps I was looking the other way as we drove past, or maybes the main town was off the road. Whatever, I didn’t see a thing.

And that set the tone for the rest of the day.

Down we went through central Victoria. Tittybong; Dumosa’s cool scenic loo; Horsham’s excellent Oven Door bakery; back across the border (and time zone change) into South Australia and Penola, home of Australia’s only Saint.  Then south to Mount Gambier, South Australia’s second-largest town with attractions like the Blue Lake, Umpherston Sinkhole, the Tantanoola Caves and Mt Schank.

As if any self-respecting twitcher would waste time sightseeing! With rare vagrant Semipalmated Plover on the loose just half an hour away at Pelican Point on the coast, we weren’t stopping for anyone.

Finally, I was dressed appropriately as a strong, cold wind whipped in from the Southern Ocean.  It blew over sand flats and a rocky reef with thousands of hollows, shadows and shelves.  The reef was perfect for the hundreds (that may as well have been millions) of tiny birds hunkering down out of the wind. Down here, a few hours south, the moisture laden air coupled with the cunningly hidden birds turned the simple art of bird identification into a horrible nightmare.

Exchanging the dry and sun-drenched Lake Tutchewop for the green and drizzly Carpenters Rocks essentially hadn’t changed a thing. For us twitchers, anyway.

Carpenters Rocks is a wonderful place – all staggering scenery, wild coastline and fisherfolk heaven.  But it’ll forever hold a special place in our hearts as the scene of our greatest twitching ‘Dip’*** with Semipalmated Plover proving too elusive for us. The next morning’s fruitless hours passed and my hands froze into bird-like claws around my bins (is that ironic, or WHAT?!).  Yesterday’s mad dash south through Tittybong seemed a long, long way away.

So did home. Another 6 hours away. Or more, if we actually stopped for any reason, like eating or conducting random quality tests on scenic public loos. Or sightseeing! Kingston SE’s BIG Lobster and the Cape Jaffa Lighthouse, the Granites, the awesome Coorong National Park and several bakeries lay between us and a car-free day.

But what was I thinking? Sightseeing and twitching go together like binoculars and bulldozers!

A few hours later our Two-Night/Two-Thousand click****/one-out-of-two-is-better-than-none twitch finished where it had started – at home. For the moment, our twitching days were done.

Until two days time, where another two hundred-odd clicks away, we’d be spending the day counting shorebirds.

Does the fun never stop?

Follow Our Journey!

• Lake Cullulleraine, Victoria
• Swan Hill, Victoria
• Wycheproof, Victoria
• Kanawinka Geotrail, Victoria and South Australia
• Carpenters Rocks, South Australia
• Mt Gambier, South Australia
• Coorong National Park, South Australia
• MORE Red Nomad OZ Birding Adventures!

# In his excellent book Anoraks to Zitting Cisticola – a whole lot of stuff about Bird Watching, Aussie author and birder Sean Dooley takes the mystery out of this weird sub-culture by defining common bird watching terms and actions. His definitions are much funnier than mine. Which is probably why HE’S written the definitive guide to all you wanted to know about birding, and I’VE just written a book about toilets.

* Crippler = A rare bird

** Bins = binoculars. Scope = telescope. But you guessed that, right?!

*** Dip = No show, missed out, FAIL! :((((

**** Clicks = Kilometres. Or at least they do downunder!

The post Two Twitchers, Two Nights and Two Thousand Clicks! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

It took an awfully LOOOOOONG time to climb Mount Abrupt.

It took a long time to even get there. Over 20 years of regular trips to the Grampians National Park and its amazing natural attractions had passed by before we fully explored its wilder, more remote southern end. We’d always found plenty to do from Halls Gap, in the Central Grampians 65 km north.  The southern stronghold of Dunkeld (~280 km west of Melbourne) was just a little bit far for a day trip that included a lengthy hike.

Or so we’d kept telling ourselves.

The sheer, rocky cliffs visible from the road make Mount Abrupt look scarily unassailable – at least to a casual (read: unfit!) climber like me. But I’d always found the dramatic shapes of Mount Abrupt and Mt Sturgeon strangely fascinating. Or Mud-Dadjug and Wurgarri, if you want to get back to basics.

But finally, we were staying at the excellent Dunkeld caravan park.  From there we could see the distinctive peaks marking the end (or is it the beginning?) of the magnificent Grampians mountain range looming over the town.

No excuses now!

And then there’s the length of the Mount Abrupt hike!

It’s a relentless climb (note to self: yes, this IS what mountaineering means).  It rises steeply over the 3.25 kilometres (one way) to the 827m summit, so it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much of the 460 metre elevation before the views are worth stopping for. And if you need more ‘photo breaks’ to admire the staggering scenery, follow my lead and make the climb in spring. That way you can make it your mission to photograph each of the many wildflower varieties you’ll encounter along the way!

But be warned – adopting this strategy will probably double the 2-3 hours you’re advised to set aside to complete the climb!!

My other no-fail tip for increasing rest break frequency is, of course, to climb with a twitcher (read: bird watcher!). That way you’ll score extra (read: legitimate) breaks whenever a bird squawks, moves, flutters, flies, scuttles, twitters or just breathes.  That’s because the twitcher will ALWAYS stop to check it out!

And if you need a rest stop, just stop and say the magic words: ‘is that a bird over there in the scrub?’  Trust me!  This REALLY works!!

The town of Dunkeld is worth a stay even if you don’t want to climb Mount Abrupt. It makes a great base – and holiday destination – from which to explore Southern Grampians attractions.  These include the Victoria Valley, Mount Sturgeon and the Piccaninny; and further south to the Kanawinka Geotrail and Great Ocean Road.

I swear my judgement hasn’t been impaired by the town’s excellent selection of baked goods and other eats!

Our morning had started with a walk to the nearby Arboretum and Lake.  The superb views of Mount Abrupt’s sheer rocky cliffs (see top photo) left me wondering whether climbing it was such a good idea. The trailhead, a few kilometres north, is an easy drive. The walk starts with a gentle climb – don’t let that stop you wearing sturdy footwear – heading north towards Signal Peak.  It passes through an area rehabilitated after the devastating floods of 2011 that cut the road between Dunkeld and Halls Gap for several months.

Thank goddess for the 780m Signal Peak dominating the skyline as the track takes a sharp turn to the south-west.  That’s where the real climbing (see? You SO need those boots!) begins up the escarpment. The peak means endless photo opportunities which in turn means – of course – as many rest breaks as you want need!

Luckily, I was well into a significant rest break at about the two-thirds point when two pensioners (pensioner = anyone older than ME) trotted up the track towards me.  They showed none of the signs of fatigue like the shortness of breath, red face and sweaty glow that plagued my progress. If they’d seen me a few minutes earlier, they’d have been forgiven for assuming I was about to collapse.

Attempting a hike of this lengh (6.5 km) and degree of difficulty (HARD!) without water and food would have been madness!

We exchanged a few words – yes, unlike me they could still speak despite the steep gradient (Grade = Hard).  Then they moved on up the rocky trail leaving us to follow more sedately in their wake.

We take our ‘World’s Slowest Hikers’ tag VERY seriously!!

It’s a complete coincidence that as the trail to the summit gets steeper and more rocky, the scenery gets even more stupendous (read: requiring more ‘photo’ breaks). Panoramic views across the Serra Range, the Victoria Range and Valley, the southern plains and Dunkeld itself make the Mount Abrupt hike one of the most scenic in the Grampians.

The magnificent 360° view even gives the Pinnacle and Boroka Lookout back in the more popular tourist area around Halls Gap a run for their money!

And that clear view as we entered the last – and most rocky stretch – of the hike, included the pensioners taking their last few steps to the Mount Abrupt summit!

By the time we arrived at the peak, however, they were ready to leave, so the staggering 360° scenic sensation was all ours.  We stayed up there for a while.  We needed to a) recover; b) record photographic proof of our achievement; c) eat our lunch; and d) prepare for the rigors of the descent ie continual wildlife, wildflower and scenery shots! I’ll leave you to imagine how long that took!!

After that, we completed the hike by retracing our steps 3.25 km back down the steep, rocky track to the trail-head and carpark.  For us, about 5 hours after we set off!

But if you thought descending was the easy part of your quest to climb Mount Abrupt, you’d be wrong!

Want MORE?

• Mount Abrupt (Mud-Dadjug) Walk, Southern Grampians, Victoria

• Dunkeld, Victoria

• Red Nomad OZ’s other Grampians Adventures!

• More Photos on Flickr!

The post Climb Mount Abrupt! Grampians, Victoria appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

My first adventures on the Kanawinka Geotrail pre-date Pilchard by quite a few years. They also pre-date both owning a camera AND knowing that the Kanawinka Geotrail even existed!!

Now I know the Geotrail connects 60+ significant sites across South-Eastern South Australia and South-Western Victoria.  It forms Australia’s first UNESCO Global Geopark – one of the largest regions of volcanic activity in the world. Seeing them all was going to take a longer time than we had available.  Even though I’d had a head start going back nearly … well, never mind how long!

I’ve even passed through all five Precincts – Craters & Limestone; Plateaus and Falls; Coast & Caves; Cones & Flows; and Lakes & Craters – although I’ve only explored attractions in three.

But here’s a random selection of what I’ve discovered so far on the Kanawinka Geotrail!

1. Budj Bim – Mt Eccles NationalPark (Cones & Flows Precinct)

‘… stop! Stop!! STOP!!!’ Pilchard shouted as I strode ahead of him round the Lake Suprise circuit trail just above the high water mark. I nearly ignored him.

He’d probably just seen another bird fluttering through the trees lining the slopes of the Mt Eccles crater towering above us.

But I stopped anyway, sighing audibly with foot poised in mid-air in my very best ‘Girl Interrupted’ pose.

Just as well.

Something slithered under the dry grass at the edge of the track where my foot was about to land, dislodged a pebble or two, and hit the water with a plop. Was it any surprise the snakes were about on this warm spring day?

If I’d actually seen it, there’s no way I could have finished the 2km hike around the Crater Lake’s waterline. Which would have been a shame because the crater lake surrounded by cliffs and wooded slopes was a fantastic introduction to the fascinating Mt Eccles.  The mountain’s lava flow created ponds, wetlands and lakes were managed by the Gunditjmara people to form Australia’s first aquaculture initiative.

I’m not sure what REAL surprise Lake Surprise was named for – but I hope it was more pleasant than mine.

And maybe there’s something to having a well-trained birdwatcher observer’s eye …

2. Mt Rouse, Penshurst (Cones & Flows Precinct)

One of the advantages of a flat, treeless plain is that a killer view doesn’t require much elevation.  A smallish extinct volcano will do the trick! The scoria accumulation that is Mount Rouse rises 100 metres to tower over the tiny town of Penshurst and has the longest lava flow in Victoria.  The awesome view from the summit of Mt Rouse gives no indication, however, of the treasure below, hidden away in the town’s back streets.

Although it’s only a treasure if you’re a sucker for second hand books like I am! Ruriks Shed is the equivalent of a magic kingdom for bibliophiles – all the better for being completely unexpected AND in the shadow of an extinct volcano! Cool!!

Mount Rouse is unlikely to start erupting again anytime soon according to the nearby Penshurst Volcanoes Discovery Centre.  Its looming presence visible throughout the town remains a reminder of the violent forces that once shaped this part of Australia.

The staggering view across the lava plain to nearby volcanoes (Mt Napier and Mt Eccles) and the Southernmost edge of the Grampians Ranges (Mt Abrupt and Mt Sturgeon) is well worth the drive and short walk to the summit.  But I’m still thinking about how to mount a rescue operation for all the books I left behind …

3. Byaduk Caves (Cones & Flows Precinct)

‘Are they worth seeing?’ the older gentleman accompanied by a younger woman and two small children asked as we held the gate open for them at the Byaduk Caves carpark.

Now, how was I supposed to answer that without being a mind reader possessing more tact than I’ve ever been known for?

The Byaduk Caves are an intriguing system of sinkholes, lava tubes, domes and chambers.  They formed when a fountain of lava erupted from nearby Mt Napier, highest point in this district, and youngest volcano in Victoria.

Fascinating, if the resident colony of Bent-winged Bats didn’t bother you.

Or the possibility that the large snake we saw on the road in to the Caves complex wasn’t a loner.

I didn’t question whether the family group were locals and accustomed to the area’s hazards.  Or whether the kids were up to a hike through the long, dry grass.  Or whether they would find a few holes in the ground as interesting as I did.  Instead, I took the easy way out.

‘We thought so,’ I replied!

4. Tumuli (Cones & Flows Precinct)

Not far away, the Tumuli, also called Lava Blisters, were surrounded by long, dry grass. Just getting out of the car for a photo was enough to put me on full snake alert after the excitement of Mt Eccles.

However, the smallish domes (up to 10 metres high and 20 in diameter) are a rare occurrence in the wonderful world of volcanoes.  So I took what perhaps may be my only opportunity to photograph them in the wild …

I’ll leave you to decide if it was worth a potential snakebite …

5. Mt Schank, Mt Gambier (Plateaus & Falls Precinct)

Mt Rouse wasn’t the first extinct volcano I’d visited. Way WAAAAY back in the dim distant past – when I was nearly HALF the age I am now – I climbed Australia’s youngest volcano.  I was with my then flatmate on – yes, I was even doing it way back then – a road trip passing through Mt Gambier!

Living in a pre-Facebook and pre-digital photography world – yes, those were dark times – didn’t stop us from taking a ‘selfie’ equivalent. We wound our way up the 159 metre elevation to the top of Mt Schank to look down into the crater. Current tourist information talks of the marvellous summit views across the limestone plains, complete with lava flows. Those attractions clearly passed us by with our own selves front and centre in ALL the photos of this trip!

That wouldn’t happen today …

And there’s other differences between my current and past selves – next time I go to Mt Schank, I’ll SO be doing the crater floor walk!!

6. Tantanoola Caves Conservation Park (Craters & Limestone Precinct)

Even further back in the mists of time, the Tantanoola Cave formed an unwitting backdrop to a turgid little soap opera between me and one of the serial relationships of my (extreme) youth …

My then (thankfully now LONG-ex) boyfriend – lets call him David – and I were on a mini-break. A 4-day road-trip to South Australia’s South-East, and I was ready for some sightseeing.

Well, that’s why I travel to new places!

Not David. A bit of wacky ‘baccy in the hotel room, and a few drinks at the local pub was what he had in mind. He’d tried to cut the holiday short at the last minute citing lack of funds (those baggies don’t come cheap). I cleverly managed to persuade him to take the whole 4 days by agreeing to pay for everything, thus avoiding a costly cancellation fee.  In return, he dutifully ‘agreed’ to ‘pay me back later’!!!

Two words. ‘Young’ and ‘Silly’.

I have a few (perhaps presciently blurred) photos of this momentous, but long ago holiday so one of us must have had a camera.  But who actually took this GOOD photo of the inside of the Tantanoola Cave remains a mystery. I may have bought it from the kiosk. If anyone from the Tantanoola Cave recognises it, please let me know so I can give appropriate credit.

David wasn’t that interested in the cave, despite the scenic splendour of (what I now know to be) its pink dolomite caverns and unusual speleothems. But with the benefit of hindsight, I suspect he just wasn’t that interested in me.

But that’s OK. I got the best end of the break-up deal – I got to keep the road trips!!

7. Wannon and Nigretta Falls (Plateaus & Falls Precinct)

The first time I visited Wannon Falls, I didn’t take a photo, despite the impressive flow of water over the 30 metre high precipice.

The second time I went there, I was fascinated by The Taxpayers Reward – a not-so-scenic public toilet erected as part of a previous prime minister’s ‘Nation Building’ program!

But on my third and most recent visit, I’d just discovered it was part of the Kanawinka Geotrail – which gave my (endless) photographic recording and inspection of its points of interest far more gravitas!

So now I can tell you the river follows an ancient lava flow.

This photo (above) from Pilchard’s archive shows that not much changes at Wannon Falls apart from the amount of water and access to the bottom of the falls. But his interests have changed too.  Instead of the waterfall, he was (unsuccessfully) scanning the tree tops, as the picnic ground is a known Powerful Owl habitat.

We were both fascinated by the water at nearby Nigretta Falls, upstream, and part of the same river system. Absolute virgin territory (ie the first visit for both of us) these falls are supposedly on the site of a super volcano!!

Whether or not that is so, the falls and river above make a splendidly scenic spot to explore, have lunch or just hang out.

I can see an overnight stop at the Wannon Falls campground in our future – when Powerful Owl will not prove so elusive, if he knows what’s good for him …

8. Blue Lake, Mt Gambier (Craters & Limestone Precinct)

The best adventure is sometimes the one you haven’t had yet. Over the years, several road trips have taken me through Mount Gambier, in South Australia’s South-East, and site of the intriguing Blue Lake.  And if Blue doesn’t do it for you, the neighbouring slightly-less-blue lake (see below) has been imaginatively dubbed Green Lake (aka Valley Lake)!!

But other than buying a bottle of Blue Lemonade and taking a couple of photos – the above happily during November to March when the Blue Lake is at its bluest; there’s no corresponding period for when the Green Lake is at it’s greenest – the region remains a relative mystery.

SO … exploring the Blue Lake, Green Lake and neighbouring Crater Lakes complex remains firmly on the to-do list.

PS  Yes, we’ve now explored the Limestone Coast a bit more thoroughly, including even MORE Kanawinka GeoTrail attractions.  See below for the link!

Want MORE?

• Click each heading above for information about specific attractions
• Kanawinka Geopark
• Kanawinka Geotrail
• The Ultimate Beginners Guide to the Limestone Coast

The post 8 Random Adventures on the Kanawinka Geotrail! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’ve got Pilchard to thank for some of our more obscure travel destinations.

If not for him, I wouldn’t be out birding.

And if not for birding, I wouldn’t have been in this marvellously scenic spot near Werribee on the outskirts of Melbourne’s west!

As I photographed the sunlight glinting across the waters of Port Philip Bay to Portarlington, and the panoramic vista stretching way past Avalon airport over the plain to the You Yangs, I wondered why no one else was around.

Doesn’t EVERY visitor to Melbourne want to visit the sewage ponds??

Weirdly, it’s unlikely you’ll find the Western Treatment Plant facility on any ‘Top 10 Melbourne Attractions’ lists, despite its environmentally friendly waste treatment credentials. And while its 11,000+ hectares of filtration ponds and lakes give good photo opportunity, they’re not used to define Melbourne in the same way as, say, the Yarra. Or the Queen Vic Markets. Or even the Boathouses of nearby Campbells Cove***!

I guess the opportunity to be where 52% of Melbourne’s sewage is being processed just isn’t that enticing.

Unless you’re a twitcher*.

If so, you’ll know EXACTLY what a nice sewage pond is doing in a place like this, and call it ‘Werribee’ – the ‘in’ name for birders worldwide. Because among the levees and lakes that make up the extraordinary patchwork of poo-ponds that is the Western Treatment Plant, the 284 species of birds recorded at Werribee from all over the world draw serious twitchers like flies to … well, you know.

But … you don’t just ‘drop in’ to Werribee. Jumping through bureaucratic hoops to get a permit just for the privilege of visiting a massive set of poo-ponds may be incomprehensible to non-twitchers, but as Pilchard’s best chance to spot a few lifers**, he happily signed up, giving assurances we’d behave responsibly.

Yes, there IS a sewage pond etiquette protocol!

Dang! I guess that meant the spontaneous sewage swim I’d been looking forward to was out of the question …

If you’re looking for a comprehensive photographic catalogue of the birds we saw, then don’t buy a lottery ticket because today is not your lucky day. The ‘responsible behaviour’ expected from THIS passenger became an exhausting round of navigating through the complex maze of poo-ponds; opening and closing the locked gates that kept the riff-raff out (because EVERYONE wants to break into a sewage treatment plant, right?) and in my spare time, ‘helping’ spot the rarities Pilchard was convinced lay lurking behind every shrub eagerly awaiting his identification.

Who says birding isn’t an extreme sport?

Telling twitchers and non-twitchers apart is easy! Just apply this simple test when a twitcher tells you he didn’t spot an unusual bird seen by almost everyone else in the same spot: If you’re a twitcher, you’ll openly commiserate while secretly gloating because you’ve either trumped the other twitcher (ie the bird’s already on your list); or the other twitcher HASN’T trumped you!

If you’re NOT a twitcher, you won’t care.

In a perhaps unsurprising demonstration of the ‘camaraderie’ for which the birding world is sometimes known, an older couple (ie older than US), their necks hung about with several thousand dollars of optical equipment waved to us from across a pond. We drove around to muscle in pick their brains be sociable only to find they hadn’t been waving, they’d been waving us ON! We’d cramped their style by daring to slow down directly above a bird lurking in the grass below the levee bank!

Chastened, we slunk away before they could take us out with their giant lenses …

For a place surrounding one with 360° of sewage (albeit filtered and treated), there’s one surprising – and ironic – omission at Werribee.

Perhaps a Public Toilet in a sewage treatment plant is redundant?

So I didn’t think I’d be issued with a ‘responsible behaviour’ infringement notice just for doing a squat amongst the sewage ponds … I mean, how could you tell??

I’ll leave you to decide whether being surrounded by sewage counts as a public toilet; OR if Werribee is the BEST scenic spot NOT to have a loo!!

If this post leaves you suffering from Australian Scenic Public Toilet deprivation, the best antidote is to  see a LOT of them all in one place, right? RIGHT??

SO … put yourself out of your misery and check out the other loos I’ve featured right here on Australia by Red Nomad OZ HERE! And if that doesn’t do it for you, then check out my book – Aussie Loos with Views!

* Twitcher = Birdwatcher. Who knew?!

** Lifer = Bird never before seen by you.

***  Tourism Victoria: I guess you’ll be BEGGING to use my Werribee photos to help promote Melbourne now, right??

Want MORE?

• Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, Victoria
• Melbourne’s West
• My BOOK:  Aussie Loos With Views!

The post The Aussie Scenic Public Loo that WASN’T! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

In spring, the distinctive landscapes of Victoria’s Grampians National Park – where vista after staggering vista stretches out in an almost endless 360° scenic panorama – become an irritating distraction from its main attraction!

1.  Boroka Lookout:

2.  Heatherlie Quarry:

3.  Silverband Falls:

Weirdly, no matter how wonderful the waterfall, my photo of it will almost certainly look like a white line on a dark backdrop.

My shots of Silverband Falls – a recovering natural disaster zone after the twin ravages of fierce bushfire followed by catasrophic flood – are sadly no exception!

So I’ve gone for an arty water shot instead …

… and you’ll just have to trust me that this is, indeed, Silverband Falls!!

4.  Victoria Valley:

Running between the Serra Range to the east and the Victoria Range to the west, the wild and remote country around the Glenelg River with the jagged mountain range (at left) silhouetted against the sky is softened by spring wildflowers.

Don’t miss it if you want to see a carpet of flowers, a knife edge of rocky mountains and a scattering of wildlife!

5.  Mount Abrupt:

• Wildflowers of the Grampians, Victoria
• Grampians National Park
• RED in the Grampians: my other Grampians Adventures!

The post 5 Grampians Wildflower HOT Spots! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

OK, so I’d been reading a photography magazine as we approached Lake Cullulleraine at the end of a long day on the road, and I was itching to try a few things out. So what if my camera was ‘only’ a point & click, and not one of the fancy-schmancy-hi-tech must-have gadget-laden-gizmos the mag condescended about.

Besides, I was in a BAAAAAAD mood.

We SO hadn’t planned for a four-day dash 2000 km (that’s a LOTTA miles) across the country for home only a few short weeks after we’d left.

We also hadn’t planned on the camper trailer’s broken spring.

Or the brake malfunction.

Or the hiking boot loss-of-sole emergency.

Or the killer storm that sprung us a leak AND turned our campsite into a make-shift mud-wrestling arena.

Nor had we planned on an escalating family misfortune, sucking us into its cruel maw and grinding us down with despondency.

Or the unforeseen injury that saw one of us barely able to move or drive and held us captive in a place where it seemed to never stop raining (split infinitive be damned!) …

No, this road-trip was doomed.  Nothing for it, but to cut our holiday short!

So now we were three LOOOOOOONG and dismal days on the road UP with – please goddess – one more day and a few hundred more kilometres DOWN ’til home.

Dropping like a post-poor-policy-announcement pre-election poll, the temperature plunged into single figures as we headed south into the cold and dreary gloom of the winter we’d almost escaped. The one cold-climate outfit I’d brought was getting an unexpected airing. Every day.

If only our washing machine hadn’t self-destructed just before we left …

And we’d passed the last bakery before the border.

Life sure wasn’t proving to be all RED Rocks and Rainbows on this dismal downunder day.

So in the late afternoon, after 3 days and ~1600 kilometres on the road, we pulled into Lake Cullulleraine exactly 5 weeks to the day since our first visit*.

‘Let’s try the other caravan park this time,’ Pilchard suggested in the interests of equality.

Too tired to argue, we turned off the highway towards the lake’s edge where a couple of other vans – a good sign – were already set up, with no barking dogs, blaring radios or blithering idiots apparent.

No obvious axe murderers or aliens either*. Actually, NO ONE AT ALL!!!

Had the secret rapture come early to this small lakeside settlement??

The sign at the entrance advised us to select a site, set up and the managers would track us down later. And so did the park resident who emerged from the cottage near the office to show us the ropes.

Finding a level, drive-through site with a bit of space between us and the nearest campers wasn’t too difficult.

So we pulled into a spot with plenty of space between us and our nearest neighbours, set up the camper trailer and headed for the lake to watch the sunset, pausing only to purchase a packet of chocolate biscuits – essential, given the circumstances – from the roadhouse and general store.

The lingering cloud under which we’d driven for several hundred kilometres throughout the day was breaking up as the sun sank through it towards the lake. Strategically placed trees, reeds – and even birds – silhouetted themselves photogenically against its glow.

I started playing with my camera settings.

Maybe that magazine was worth the bucks I’d paid for it after all!

As the sun sank slowly over the lake, the glow in the sky intensified and the reflections turned into an awesome colour palette beyond my wildest dreams through the viewfinder, my shutter button finger was in serious danger of developing a bad case of Repetitive Strain Injury.

And if the friendly local who wandered over for a chat as the sun sank lower hadn’t been an artist and photographer with expertise in Photoshop as proven by what he showed me on his i-phone, I probably would have shown him my snaps.

Maybe one day he’ll discover them here instead …

The (thankfully much later) southern dawn brought a whole new set of photographic fantasies despite the low-single-digit overnight temperatures, firmly placing Lake Cullulleraine into the ‘favourite place’ category.

Our short stay at the Lake Cullulleraine Holiday Park was worth every cent of the $25 I put into the honesty box with my business card just before we left – only moments before the manager appeared!

And so we set off for the South Australian border – and home.

With a clutch of (in my opinion) killer photos that had miraculously lifted my despondency and despair.

I’d found an antidote to the dark side of our Australian travel adventure.

My camera sings to me.

When I could actually understand the photographic code and lingo peppered throughout its articles, I learned a lot from the photography magazine.

But the artful and inexplicably ever-so-slightly-tilted lake horizon was mine.

ALL mine!

Want a Lake Cullulleraine adventure all of your own??  Of course you do!  But live too far away??  No problem – with Travel Associates the world can be yours!

And you can show me how to keep that horizon straight …

Want MORE?

•  Lake Cullulleraine: so COOL it’s HOT!
• Lake Cullulleraine, via Mildura, Victoria
• Lake Cullulleraine Holiday Park
• MORE Aussie Sunsets!

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The post Lake Cullulleraine and the Singing Camera! via Mildura, Victoria appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I’m not sure why it’s never occurred to us to stop at Lake Cullulleraine, 58 km west of northern Mildura and deep in the heart of the Victorian Mallee.

Until now.

Only 3½ hours from Adelaide, Cullulleraine (as it is shown on more modern maps) is a perfect example of why it’s SO worth exploring places not so far from home, something us long-distance road-trip experts tend not to do.

So when we left home much later than anticipated, and spent an inordinately long lunchtime at the FAAAAABULOUS Renmark Patisserie Café/Bakery AND then crossed the border into Victoria thereby gaining half an hour, we realised we’d be getting to Mildura on dusk.

Something Pilchard swore we’d never do.

So we pulled in to the Bushman’s Rest Caravan Park for a drive by.

That’s a euphemism for ‘check and see if it looks like it’s full of psychos and axe murderers before we commit to staying’, in case you were wondering … and if it doesn’t pass the ‘whaddayareckon’ test, we – yes, you guessed it – drive on by!

Bushman’s Rest passed with flying colours, despite the sign in the amenities block … give me an alien over an axe murderer any day!  Although weirdly, there were no children in sight …

The manager then confirmed the ‘pass’ when, unprompted, he gave us a 10% discount!

Even without knowing he was speaking with Red Nomad OZ – although I guess this post will give the game away …

The huge lawned lakefront site with power and a view to die for as the sun started sinking behind the clouds, far enough off the Sturt Highway to muffle the traffic noise and with no one else much around may mean we never stay in Mildura again!!

It also meant we stayed an extra day. Even though we woke to heavy fog and winter temperatures.

A few kilometres north (although not enough to make any difference to the weather) is the Lock 9 weir, constructed in the mid 1920’s and one of 13 locks along the Murray River (or River Murray, depending on which school you went to, and how long ago).

Absolute virgin territory (ie neither of us had been there before), it’s a wild stretch where few houseboats venture.

Even if the sign at the lock warns of a different danger …

Although Lake Cullulleraine is 9 metres above the river level, there’s still a lot of floodplain in between the lake and the river that would have been inundated during the massive 1956 floods, the benchmark against which all floods in these parts are measured.  With 100 times the volume of water than that flowing through the river now!

The 184 hectare Lake, once an ephemeral wetland, has been topped up since the 1920’s to provide a permanent water supply for a post-war farming scheme in the Millewa district.

The 10.4 km walking trail circumnavigating the lake (8.6 km if you take the shortcut across a peninsula!) passes through a number of habitats, over the Supply Channel Bridge AND – most unexpected of all – past a now disused Scenic Public Toilet on a rise behind the old boat ramp.

From which that killer sunset is best viewed …

As we relaxed on the lake front after our 8.6 km stroll (yes, we took the shortcut!), the manager gave his miniature float plane a workout from the jetty directly in front – presumably in preparation for the upcoming R/C Float Plane event to be held at Bushman’s Rest in early July! Little did he know he – and his plane – would soon be appearing on my blog …

Albeit separately – my sports photography skills being insufficient to get a clear shot of the plane in the air!

As dusk fell, and countless Purple Swamphen gathered in anticipation of beating the possums to our leftovers, we knew we’d lucked out.

It had never before occurred to us to stop at Lake Cullulleraine.

But we won’t be making that mistake again – we’ve still got the attractions on the southern side of the highway to explore!

And there’s not an axe murderer in sight …

PS  Of course such awesome views deserve a second chance!  BUT … was our SECOND visit as good as the FIRST??  Check out what happened exactly 5 weeks later when we visited Lake Cullulleraine again HERE!

Want MORE?

• Our SECOND visit to Lake Cullulleraine!
• Bushman’s Rest Caravan Park
• Lake Cullulleraine, Victoria
• Murray River

The post Lake Cullulleraine: So COOL it’s HOT! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

Living in a landscape populated with giant fibreglass representations of fruit and animals is quite normal to many Aussies.

Irrespective of whether or not such objects are in good taste!

Commemorating criminals by building statues and devoting whole tourism campaigns to the bushrangers who dominated the early days of colonialism is also an intrinsic part of Aussie-dom.

The Kelly Gang’s only foray across the border was to Jerilderie, commemorated with stylish sculpture ‘Bread Tin Ned’ at the local bakery (how do you think I found it?). This resulted in the famous ‘Jerilderie Letter’ he wrote to defend his gang’s actions in the notorious Stringybark Creek shoot-out a few months earlier.

Today, to be considered ‘as game as Ned Kelly’ – roughly translating as brave, determined and enterprising – is high praise for an Australian.  Even though it’s a little ironic.

His last words – ‘Such is Life’ – are part of Aussie folklore, and lingo.

Perhaps the first true Aussie larrikin, it may be why he’s the subject of many books, films, poems, songs and art. And also why his distinctive home-made body armour is instantly recognisable.

• Ned Kelly
• Glenrowan, Victoria
• Australia’s Bushrangers

The post The Next BIG Thing! Glenrowan, Victoria appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

WARNING: Do NOT attempt the Pinnacle walk if you don’t like A) heights; B) snakes; C) wildflowers; or D) looking uncool!

Whether or not D) applies depends to a certain degree on physical fitness levels – and possibly hiking fashion sense! Although tragically that’s not a factor if you’re like me.  That red face, heaving chest and death-rattle puffing after ascending the 470 metre elevation (~1560 feet) of the Pinnacle hike are guaranteed to immediately counteract the effects of even the most fashionable hiking gear!

Sadly, the general store in Grampians town Halls Gap sells everything – except badges that state ‘Don’t Panic! I’m NOT having a heart attack!’

So wielding a camera as if you know what you’re doing is a far better antidote to D).  That’s because it’s possible to surreptitiously catch your breath under the guise of admiring and photographing the view.

Starting the Pinnacle hike

Thankfully, there are a lot of views to admire on the 3.6 km (2.23 mile) trek up the escarpment.  Leave from the trail-head behind the Halls Gap Caravan Park which will take you to the Pinnacle, one of the most popular vantage points in the Grampians National Park.

But admiring the staggering view from the truly impressive vantage point of the Pinnacle doesn’t come easily.

The jagged rocky outcrops forming the distinctive Halls Gap skyline appear impossibly high up and far away (see above). But the sharply pointed spur of rock with fuzzy edges – the safety rail – jutting out from the clifftop along the line of peaks above the town IS attainable!

Of course a ‘Hard’ grade hike requires preparation. So before you climb, take a trip to the Halls Gap Bakery, full of ready made sandwiches, rolls and apple shortbreads (me) and vanilla slices (Pilchard). Although these are readily interchangeable with the Lumberjack cake (me) and Hedgehog slice (Pilchard).

The first leg to Mackeys Peak

Stop at the grave of baby Agnes Ffoulkes, tragic victim of the hardships faced by pioneers in this once-remote spot.  The track immediately ascends to the first of many staircases that make the first leg to Mackeys Peak a pretty stiff climb. Stop to admire and photograph (yes, that’s a euphemism!) the fine views of Chatauqua Peak and across the valley to Boronia Peak.  They’re both fine walks for another day. At this point, you’ll be looking up at them.

BUT … you’ll soon be higher than both!

If you keep going, that is. There’s no shame in returning to Halls Gap at this point.  But why forgo the excitement of an uncountable number of steps; steep drop-offs and cliffs; wildflowers; and possibly even snakes?

Keep Climbing!

And if you’re already a victim of D), you’ve got nothing to lose by carrying on …

Finally the stairs even out and the heavily wooded track winds almost horizontally through a scattering of impressive rocky outcrops.  Some of them have scary looking rock-climbing paraphernalia attached at crazy heights (see below). Don’t underestimate (or under-utilise) the many opportunities available in this section to further reduce the impact of D) by stopping to photograph the numerous wildflowers along the trail.

That’s if you’ve been smart enough to take the hike in spring!

The Grampians wildflower season lasts for several months, and there are many species to see along the way. And snakes, so watch your step!

You’ll be grateful you took those D)-preventative photographic precautions as the track emerges from the forest and into the open. Now you’re right amongst the distinctive weathered granite peaks and crags that epitomise the jagged mountain ranges of Grampians.

Keep Climbing

The track winds steadily up along rocky spurs, through narrow ravines and along ridgetops towards the Pinnacle. A red face and shortness of breath just can’t be helped here – unless you’re one of those frightening fitness-fetishists largely responsible for the high rates of low self-esteem amongst the less young and agile.

But the scenic splendour now unfolding all around more than makes up for any residual effects of a life-long love affair with country bakeries. Staggering views across the valley emerge with Halls Gap nestled WAAAAAY below.  Lake Bellfield is also glinting in the sunlight – although neither lake waters nor sunlight are guaranteed!

The Summit of the Pinnacle

Tempting though it is to keep your finger on the shutter button as the panorama unfolds, take my advice and save yourself for the 360° vista from the Pinnacle.  That’s if your nerves are strong enough to negotiate the safety-fenced narrow neck of rock sticking out over– well – nothing!

Unless you count the Fyans valley just under half a kilometre below.

If there are any left, combine the bakery goods with a breather that’ll return your complexion to normal hues before taking the proof-I-made-it-to-the-top shots. But keep a wary eye on the marauding Australian Raven, inevitably at the summit.

The grab rail safety fence is sturdy enough to lean on for the obligatory photos.  However, the view from this vantage point is just WAAAAAY too big to effectively capture in one shot.

Although it’s virtually guaranteed you’ll have time to spare while you wait your turn on the Pinnacle.  Tedious ‘Titanic’ type photo shoots are becoming de rigueur!!!

The Descent

Descend the way you came, or make it a round trip by going down through a series of natural rock formations known as ‘Wonderland’.

Unless you’ve got the stamina for a further 9.5 km hike to Lake Bellfield, and another few kilometres back to Halls Gap, the shortest return option is to retrace your steps.

See the whole thing from the well known Boroka lookout high on the range behind Halls Gap. A shortish drive and a 50m stroll and this magnificent panorama will give you all the context you need for your Pinnacle assault!

But not the same sense of satisfaction!

Keep a close eye on those killer knee-wrecking stairs as you descend to prevent them becoming killer neck-breaking stairs!

And make way for the show-offs idiots really fit people who JOG down!!

If it seems a long way down, console yourself with the thought that you’ve SO earned more Bakery opportunities at the end of it.

And that D) will no longer be a problem …

Want MORE?

• Halls Gap, Grampians, Victoria
• Grampians National Park
• Red Nomad OZ Australian Walks
• Australian Lookouts

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