Port Albert, Victoria

Monday February 13th saw us say our goodbyes to Lakes Entrance. A most enjoyable 4 days and a place we hope to return to. We drove back through Bairnsdale then passing through Sale before turning South along the Coastal road towards Yarram. We turned South just before Yarram and took some backroads out to Port Albert. We arrived at the Port Albert Parking area around lunch time. This is a free camp located in a parking lot right on the water. Has a decent amenity block on site but limited parking for caravans. There are only supposed to be 6 sites in a small area but at least a dozen caravans/motorhomes/vans were there by the next morning scattered throughout the parking lot. We were there early and managed to get two spots in the designated area.

The weather was terrible with strong winds and rain for much of the day. We tried to get out for a walk at least 3 times but were chased back to the caravan by bad weather each time. A pretty quiet afternoon and evening trying to keep dry and warm.

The next morning was slightly better and Sandra & I had a couple of short walks. The first was down to the Petrol station to pick up the key for the dump point. Unfortunately vandals had plugged the pipes previously so they keep it under lock and key. We returned the key and took a longer walk along the shoreline to the point where there is a great view of the ocean. Still not great weather but we got a few pictures before packing up. Would be a nice spot with good weather!

Lakes Entrance, Victoria

Thursday February 9th, 2017 saw us back on the road for a short trip South to Lakes Entrance.

We arrived late morning and checked into Woodbine Tourist Park. It is a Top Tourist Park and owned by the Bowling Club next door. Nice little park that has been recently upgraded with new sites and camp kitchen. We got drive thru sites but the roads and camp area is quite tight. We got in with no problem but a lot of vans struggled to get on their spots. The camp kitchen was one of the nicest we have seen with lovely barbeques, counters, and tables. We made good use of them during our stay. The amenity block is a bit dated but large and very clean. I'll give 4 Stars. One of the more reasonable parks in Lakes Entrance at $30/day and you get a 10% discount at the Bowling Club and $10 voucher.

Once setup we jumped in the car and drove down to the foreshore where we enjoyed a lovely gluten free meal of fish & chips. Great little shop with numerous gluten free options. The girls enjoyed battered fish and potato scallops along with hot chips. Yummy! After lunch we walked across the bridge to the beach for a bit of exercise and a look.

Friday we took a drive North West to Buchan. We did a tour of the Fairy Cave at the Buchan Caves. It was a wonderful cave experience and none of us had even heard of them before. One of the best we've seen with a 45 minute (closer to an hour) guided tour. Well worth a visit but would recommend avoiding during peak holiday times as our guide indicated it was extremely busy and difficult to provide a quality tour. We took lots of pictures of which a small selection are below:

We enjoyed a picnic lunch after our tour and then completed a 3KM walk to a dry waterfall and back through a creek bed. Hot on the way up but much cooler in the return trip which was quite rainforest like. Saw a Lyre bird on our way back. We had planned to explore a  few sites on the Buchan-Orbost Road but fresh tar changed our plans. Returned to the campground where Rans and I enjoyed a few beer and a couple of bets at the Bowling Club.

Saturday was my birthday and started off with a big cooked breakfast in the Camp kitchen. Nice relaxed morning reading the paper and catching up with a bit of computer work. For Lunch we walked down to the docks to buy some fresh prawns right off the trawler. Beautiful and cheap! The girls stopped at a few op shops on our return visit to the caravan park where we enjoyed the prawns and a mango salad. The afternoon saw Rans and I return to the Bowling Club for drinks and some horse races. We managed to come out even which is always a bonus. We had orders to be back by 5 so we could get ready for dinner. We set out on foot again to a surprise destination, The Floating Dragon. As the name suggests it was a floating restaurant attached to the pier that specialized in Chinese and seafood. Once again it had a really good gluten free menu and we all enjoyed a great meal. Highly recommended! We enjoyed a leisurely walk back to the caravan park and a quiet evening. A great day!

Sunday we took another day trip to Bairnsdale and Paynesville. Unfortunately, the weather was cold, rainy, and windy. I had to pick up my birthday present from the girls up at Harvey Norman in Bairnsdale. After a quick stop there we headed out to Paynesville for a visit. We would have gone across to Raymond Island on the ferry but the weather wasn't too promising. Instead we had a quick tour around town and a stop at an antique shop on our return trip through Bairnsdale. We returned to Lakes Entrance in time to grab another gluten free take away fish & chips  order for a late lunch back at the caravan park. Had an easy afternoon before topping it off with another beautiful dinner out at the Bowling Club. Once again there were multiple gluten free choices for the girls. Lakes Entrance would be one of the best destinations so far for celiacs!

We've loved our time in Lakes Entrance and would love to return. Great food and location! The only downside was the weather wasn't cooperative for much of our visit and Rans and I didn't get our swim in. Once again I would hate to be here during the busy season!

Orbost, Victoria

Wednesday February 8th saw us on the road once again. A slightly longer trip today to Orbost (120km) It was a fairly short drive but not an easy one. The road was very winding and hilly with numerous uneven patches. We were both relieved to arrive safely at our destination. We had originally planned to stay at one of the numerous free camps along the Snowy River between Orbost and Marlo. However, when we explored them we found them all very small and right on the main road. Most of them would only fit two vans comfortably. We also discovered the Ransleys had mechanical problems with their caravan when they pulled up to inspect one site. Their parking brake cable had come off during the trip. We decided it might be best to head back to the caravan park in Orbost.

The caravan park there is lovely and shaded with several large trees. We got setup in two nice grassy sites. The sites were nice and wide but not very deep. There were sites behind ours but with no access road. Would be interesting during peak times. Luckily the park wasn't that full and these sites weren't required. Gave us a bit more room and space to park our cars in the shade. Two large amenity blocks that were old but lovely and clean. Very cool as well due to the thick brick/masonry walls. I'll give 4 stars. It was relatively good value at $29/night and would recommend for future visitors.

We headed into town once setup to find some parts to fix the brake problem. We were fortunate to find the required part at our first stop at Home Hardware. Rans and I got the problem fixed up in relatively short order. We had a quick lunch before heading off in our car to explore Marlo. A relatively short trip South on a good sealed road. We inspected a number of free camping areas along the river towards Marlo. Unfortunately, they were all small with poor signage and difficult access to many. I would highly recommend that you travel to Marlo first and look to find a site on your return trip to Orbost as would be much easier to access all the sites on your left.

We did a quick tour of Marlo and found a nice beach/picnic area near the mouth of the Snowy. All the posts had hats/beanies which was interesting.

We then travelled East towards Cape Conran. We stopped at a number of viewpoints where you could see the Snowy estuary with the ocean in the background.

We then stopped at Point Ricardo where we did a short walk. Only a couple of hundred meters took you to a huge beach which we had all to ourselves. Sandra, Carol, and I did a short walk enjoying the views.

We returned to the Caravan park where we enjoyed a quiet night. Sandra and I took a short walk along the Snowy River near the caravan park after dinner. The river was beautiful but unfortunately a number of information signs and viewpoints were somewhat rundown. Given the Snowy River would be the main tourist attraction for Orbost it is a shame that the area isn't better maintained.

Genoa Campground, Victoria

Tuesday February 7th, 2017 saw us packing up in a steady rain at Eden. Luckily we had put some stuff away Monday evening so didn't have too many wet things to put away. We only had a short drive as we were planning to stop at a free camp at Genoa which was just across the border in Victoria. The road was wet, hilly, and winding so we took our time.

We arrived before lunch and luckily the weather had cleared. Believe the rain was heading North/East away from us. The Genoa campground is quite a large area set back from the highway. It has a basic amenity block and operates a donation box. There were a dozen or so vans there when we pulled in but we found a couple of level spots that were relatively dry. The area is well utilized and would have been some 30 vans/cars/motorhomes by the evening. Hopefully we weren't the only ones to put some money in the donation box. Places likes these are wonderful for travellers and should be supported.

Once we got setup we hopped into the Ransley's car for a drive to Mallacoota. It is located approximately 25km South on a winding but sealed road. Mallacoota would appear to be primarily a fishing destination with a huge caravan park (over 500 sites we think). Almost everyone had a boat as well. We enjoyed a nice picnic lunch down near the boat launch. The weather wasn't ideal as cool and windy. After lunch we toured the town and found another boat launch on the ocean. Didn't appear to be that well designed as the opening was narrow and had surf going strait across it.

We returned to the campground and enjoyed a quiet evening. We did take a short walk across the old trestle bridge during the afternoon. On the road again in the morning.

Eden, New South Wales

Saturday February 4th, 2017 saw us hit the road again. There were a number of caravans checking out of Dalmeny but all seemed to coordinate fairly well with no congestion. A very lovely place to stay that we definitely hope to return to one day.

Had quite a short drive to our next location in Eden. We passed through/by Bega about half way. The road is quite hilly and winding but we arrived without any problems. We were booked into the Eden Beachfront Holiday Park which is about 4km South of Eden. We got two nice large grassy sites near the back of the park and close to the highway. The playground, tennis court, and jumping pillow were located behind us but luckily there weren't many kids left in the park to annoy us. The amenity blocks were ensuite style but dated and needed a good clean. They didn't seem to be cleaned very often during our stay so only 2 Stars. Park itself isn't too bad with beach front on Two Fold Bay and a river running along the North side.

Sandra and I drove back into Bega after lunch to do some shopping. Sandra forgot her Fitbit charger at home and unfortunately it is specific to that model, so we were hoping to pick up a new one at Big W. Unfortunately they had every other model but Sandra's. On the positive side we stocked up at Dan Murphy and Woolworths. Enjoyed afternoon drinks with the Ransleys down at the water front.

Sunday we took a drive out to Merimbula and Tathra. Tried a few more places for Sandra's Fitbit but no luck. Had a quick stop in Tura Beach along the way. Lots of nice view points along the way. Had lunch at the historic Tathra Wharf. The food was good when we finally got it but the service was shoddy. Only 6 tables in the place and we got the wrong order three times. Returned to Merimbula after lunch to visit the wharf area. It was a nice warm day but we got a good rain shower during the night.

Monday was overcast with rain on and off throughout the day. We did a short trip into Pambula where the girls did some shopping at a couple of op shops. Spent the afternoon and evening trying to keep dry. We packed up some gear in the evening to save having to pack it away wet in the morning. We had planned another trip out to Ben Boyd National Park but the weather was against us on this visit to Eden. Next time......

Dalmeny Campground, New South Wales

Tuesday January 31st saw us continue our journey South. Weather was much cooler for packing up and we enjoyed an uneventful trip to Dalmeny. We arrived late in the morning and there were lots of sites available. The first site we got was very sloped, both sideways and front to back. After numerous levelling attempts we relocated to a different site. No issues at the new site and we eventually got ourselves setup. The pricing is somewhat higher than our last visit due to the time of year at $31/night for a powered site. It is a very picturesque location though with water views on 3 sides. Amenity blocks are spotless and good. Only half were open on arrival so can get a bit busy during peak times. I see they have opened up the other half today as the park is a bit busier. I'll give 4 stars.We had an easy afternoon enjoying the scenery. There is a bit of a creek off to the side of the campground that is a lovely area for kids. Crystal blue waters and very clear.

Wednesday morning was a bit overcast but still pleasant. Rans has to head back to Woy Woy to sign some legal papers so left Carol with us for a couple of days. We enjoyed a nice long walk along the beach and collected a few shells and rocks. Half way back Carol realized she had put down her thongs at the far end of our walk. She got a bit more exercise as she retraced her steps. The afternoon was fairly relaxed with another walk along the coast in the opposite direction along a beautiful walkway/bike track.

Thursday saw us enjoying a couple of walks again with another trip down the beach collecting. I enjoyed a quick swim in the surf along the way. Rans made it back safely by dinner time and we enjoyed a nice BBQ dinner. Met some nice people, Peter and Kathy from Sydney that we enjoyed happy hour with.

Friday morning we completed a 6Km walk from the campground to the break wall at Narooma. It was a very nice walk along the coastline with lots of lookouts and parks. There were a number of beaches along the way as well. We saw a few seals in the Narooma harbour. We had left a car at Narooma so were able to drive home to the campground. We were a bit tired after our walk but it was really enjoyable. Rans and I went for a swim and a bit of body surfing in the afternoon. Late afternoon was spent doing a bit of planning for our next stops. Enjoyed another BBQ meal to end off a lovely day.

Lake Conjola, New South Wales

After 4 months at home in Harrington we are on the road again. Only a short trip this time of two months is planned. We are planning to travel along the south coast through NSW, Victoria, and South Australia before returning home via the Murray again.

Sandra and I drove down as far as the Ourimbah rest area on Saturday January 28th so we could get an early start through Sydney on Sunday morning. The rest area was alright for an overnight stop with limited parking. Colleen and Ernie met us there for a quick visit before dinner.

We were up at 6am and on the road shortly after. Had a good trip down through Sydney with very little traffic. Check out the picture of Pennant Hills Road. Once through Sydney we stopped at the Picton rest area for breakfast and a break. Carol and Stephan met us there. We continued on from there through Nowra arriving at Lake Conjola before lunch time. Carol and Stephan stopped at Maureen and Gary's in Nowra for a couple of caravan fixes. There was heavy holiday traffic most of the way but thankfully the vast majority was heading in the opposite direction to us.

The caravan park at Lake Conjola is very nice with access to the beach and the lake, but is fairly expensive. $42/night for a powered site. Sites are quite wide but only just deep enough for a large caravan. The access roads are also very narrow so we had a bit of a challenge getting our van in place although we accomplished it quite quickly. Amenity blocks are OK and fairly clean but not as good as some. I'll give 3.5 Stars. The park also hosts wonderful birdlife and lots of Kangaroos.

We enjoyed a relaxing late afternoon with the Ransleys and a BBQ dinner. On Monday, Maureen and Gary drove out to spend the day with us. It was a stinker reaching about 40 degrees. We spent a good part of the day in the lake which was only about 30 steps from our site. Lovely clear water with lots of fish and a few sting rays. Had a really nice day with lots of swimming, eating, and laughs. Finally got a bit of rain after dinner and cooled off slightly. Sandra and I stayed up and watched the Australian Open final between Federer and Nadal. I real flashback and great to watch Federer win his 18th Grand Slam Title. We are on the road again in the morning heading South to Dalmeny Campground near Narooma.