Creswick

We've moved.  40kms down the road to Creswick, staying at the Creswick Calembeen Caravan Park, it's a lovely parklike setting with mature european trees and surrounded by a pine forest.  It's reasonably priced at $20 per night (with CMCA discount). Next door are 3 lakes with rushes and waterlillies.  This morning a local Sailability group were out on the water (4 boats) - it's a group that normally sails on Lake Wendouree in Ballarat but because of low water levels are using Lake Calembeen.

Danni used to sail with Sailability in Paynesville

 The Creswick Caravan Park from Lake Calembeen (a great doggy walking area)

Our sites

Back to East Gippsland

Only for a day!

 Ann & Ian's lovely home at Mt Taylor - it's very environmentally friendly

 View from the deck - it's SO green there

Ann at the front entrance

On Monday I made a quick trip back to Bairnsdale to see the doctor.  The least tiring way to go was by train so Laurie kindly drove me to Castlemaine station to catch the 9.50am train to Southern Cross - arriving there at 11am - a leisurely coffee at Starbucks then a coach to Pakenham (there were rail works on the Pakenham Line) then the 1.55pm train to Bairnsdale arriving at 4.40pm.

Ian and Ann were waiting at the station to whisk me off to their lovely house at Mt Taylor - it's only about 15 minutes outside Bairnsdale but you feel right out in the countryside surrounded by acres of natural bushland.  Their property is "Land for Wildlife" so they provide habitat for the abundance of native animals - kookaburras, kangaroos, wallabies, eagles and more AND it's so GREEN down in East Gippsland, especially after the country up in northern Victoria.  I was a bit boring and was exclaiming "it's soooooo green" every 5 minutes.

Tuesday morning the doctor was only 1 1/2 hours late for the 10.30am appointment (that's good for him - he gives everyone as much time as they need, so can't really complain) - so after a quick coffee and savoury muffin with Ann at Dahlsens cafe, it was back onto the 12.40pm train.  Had a really good trip back - was travelling 2nd class for the first time and think I prefer it to 1st.  My travelling companions were an 81 year old woman from Paynesville and a 24 year old  Communications student from the Netherlands - we all enjoyed sharing our experiences of travel and our homelands and giving and receiving tips on places to visit - the 4 hour trip passed really quickly.  On arrival at Southern Cross (Melbourne) it was only a 15 minute wait for the 4.55pm express to Castlemaine - the train was full - mainly day commuters - it would be easy to commute from the Castlemaine area as it only took an hour (less time than it took me to commute from Seaford to Melbourne) and you were guaranteed a seat! no standing squashed in like a sardine.

Laurie was waiting at Castlemaine station at 6pn and I was safely home in the motorhome shortly after.

I'm in love - let the force be with you

Skye here  - bet that heading had you wondering :)  this is Finlay - dressed up as Yoda from Star Wars, isn't he a handsome fella -  he could almost be my twin!

Daylesford

We arrived at Mt Franklin Reserve on Friday to find our friends Jim and Linda (from Scotland) already happily ensconced in this oasis surrounded by native and european trees.

Mount Franklin, or Lalgambook as it was known by the Dja Dja Wurrung, is located 8 km north of Daylesford, 2 km off the Midland Highway (Daylesford-Castlemaine Road). The sheltered extinct volcanic crater of Mount Franklin provides an idyllic camping and picnicing area.

On the Parks Victoria website there is some interesting information on how the Reserve came about:

Growing public appreciation of nature and ‘wilderness’ lent greater urgency to the campaign for protection. Whereas outdoor recreation in the 1850s and 1860s was often contained within highly designed and exotic landscapes such as botanic gardens and public parks, the scenic qualities of natural bushland were more and more popular with the pleasure-seekers of the 1870s and 80s. Sites that provided an elevated view of the surrounding countryside also fitted in with the nineteenth-century taste for the picturesque.

A meeting held in 1875 resolved to memorialise the government to reserve all the land at Mount Franklin for public purposes. The permanent reservation of 157 acres was gazetted the following year. Regulations were also gazetted and a committee of management comprising representatives from each of the municipalities from the surrounding district. In 1891 the Shire of Mount Franklin was given sole control of the reserve.

In 1944 a devastating wildfire destroyed most of the native vegetation on the mount. As a result, the inner and outer slopes of the crater were planted with exotic species, mainly conifers, to prevent erosion and to provide revenue through commercial harvesting. The Forests Commission of Victoria, who advised on the planting scheme, suggested that the crater should be planted with ornamentals such as silver birch and white poplar, oaks, planes and sycamores. Rhododendrons, spirea and berberis were also recommended for planting.

Mt Franklin from the Daylesford-Castlemaine Road

Our campsite amidst the Sycamore Trees

Later on Friday evening my brother James, his wife Maureen and grandchildren Jordan and Caelan arrived in their "New Age" caravan.  It's a really beautifully made little van (only 12foot in length), it comes complete with off-road capability, side and rear awnings, outside barbeque/cooker/oven, and really modern interior.  Jordan, who's 10 slept under the awning in a swag

James & Maureen's Campsite

Jordan's Swag

Friday evening saw us gathered around my "gas bottle" camp fire enjoying an absolutely amazing meal - for starter's Laurie's sister-in-law's famous asian syle barbecued sweet corn - it's the best corn ever - marinated in garlic chili sauce, sesame oil and some other "secret" incredients - followed by the tenderest Scotch Fillet steak from Spa Centre Meats in Vincent Street, Daylesford served with Linda's Garlic Mashed Potatoes - DELICIOUS

Linda, Jim and Laurie

Skye here - enough of this buying food from shops lark - I much prefer to hunt and gather in the wild!!  Take this delectable possum - I managed to corner him in a tree and then sat guard for 2 hours (abandoning my post every now and then to chase the occasional rabbit) - UNFORTUNATELY he did't come down so I missed out on a good feed of possum

A more successful hunt and gather was my all-time favourite fruit - watermelon and 2nd favourite grapes which young Caelan kindly shared with me

Meantime the drivers were doing their own hunting and gathering - MORE CAFES - this time Cliffy's in Daylesford - delicious (so I'm told, they didn't share with Timmy or I) upside down Peach and Almond cake and Bread and Butter pudding served with a very good thin cream.  Annie took lots of Creons with hers.

Werribee South

Yesterday I was due to have an endoscopy of St  Vincent's Hospital and stay there overnight.  Arrived, as requested, at 11.30am only to be told the doctor wasn't there till 1pm and that my appointment had been changed to 23rd March !!!!! Apparently the new Registrar hadn't phoned me to let me know about the change and as my procedure takes all the afternoon list time they couldn't just fit me in the following day (they'd have needed to cancel 7 other appointments).  So back to waiting again - I am feeling a bit worried though knowing that it's not just a 15 minute procedure but rather in the hours - sounds a bit more complicated than I'd thought.

The best thing happened this morning - I was looking out the window and a man went bustling by - crossing my site - I was just thinking, how rude, when he came back and looked in the door - there stood Jim (from Scotland) - he and Linda knew we were here, and after finishing their trip along the Great Ocean Road, decided to drop in for a day or two .

Dinner in the sun with Jim & Linda (and Timmy & Skye)

I met Jim and Linda early 2008 in Esperance WA - they spent 2008 travelling around Australia in their motorhome, returning to Scotland in January 2009 (coming to visit me in hospital before flying home).  We met up again quite a few times, at Busselton, Yungaburra, Mission Beach and then last November they suddenly appeared again - this time spending 5 months in Australia - they're returning home next week.

Strathmerton - Seymour - Kinglake to Werribee South

We've been on the move this past 2 weeks - firstly 3 nights at Strathmerton getting some work done at Murray Valley Motorhomes where Daryl and the team provide really excellent service at a reasonable cost - if your travelling south (or north) it's worthwhile visiting them.

Onwards to Seymour to attend the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo - we arrived the day before and were fortunate to secure a great overnight parking spot in the swimming pool carpark next to the showgrounds.  The Expo (it's really more like a Field Day) is HUGE with over 400 exhibitors

Anyone need a hose?

Although some people may find it difficult to believe this, I managed to get ready by 9AM and then Laurie and I wandered around for a couple of hours - the dogs in the meantime stayed and guarded the home front.

Skye & Timmy alert and on guard

I was very disciplined and didn't buy too much only purchasing a small 2x2.40 metre EnduroMat mate to use when only stopping somewhere for a couple of days and I don't want to put down the larger groundsheet. I really love this mat - it's light and easy to manage and folds down to a very compact size - ideal in the motorhome.

The next stop was at a friend's home at Kinglake - this, of course, was the site of the horrific bushfires in February 2009 - at it happened we were there nearly one year to the day. It was very moving driving through the area - so many dying and dead trees, remnants of burnt out homes, Australian flags flying in the breeze and here and there a proudly newly constructed home.

The following quote from the  We Will Rebuild website gives an idea of how much more work needs to be done still.

RECOVERY TO DATE

To date 472 properties have been cleared in Kinglake and Kinglake Central. A total of 268 properties have been cleared in Kinglake West and Pheasant Creek. A total of 524 building permits have been issued for bushfire-affected properties in the Murrindindi Shire.

Of the 2439 kilometres of fencing damaged across the Murrindindi Shire, 1641 kilometres (67 per cent) have been repaired to date.

Commercial water tankers and CFA water tankers supplied water along with supplies of bottled water for drinking, until Yarra Valley Water were able to deliver, install and fill a large centrally located tank for public use.

People who retained serviceable water tanks were able to have them cleaned and partially refilled by council and the State Government.

A temporary village has been constructed at Kinglake to ease the housing situation for some of the residents who lost their homes in the fires. The village houses 56 families in self contained moveable units and 20 individuals in single persons' quarters. The village has showers, toilets and laundry facilities for local residents, a large communal kitchen, landscaped gardens and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Of those displaced by the fires, an estimated 40 per cent are currently residing off the mountain, during their rebuilding process.

Our beautiful camping spot at Kinglake

Where's the driver?

The lovely foreshore at Werribee South

Kyffins Reserve Mulwala

What an idyllic place - sunset over the water and lots of lovely dirty, muddy puddles to play in!

 Should I, or shouldn't I???????

 What the heck - WHEEeeeee

 Don't you think I look very colour co-ordinated in this lovely mud?

My mate Tim is VERY fastidious, not like me