The Grampians

Well we just spent nearly a week in the Grampians in VIC, it rained ,hailed and was generally very cold one day it stayed around the 7deg mark brrrrrrrr.

But the sun did come out a few times but not usually when we were at a scenic spot though but i managed a couple of OK shots, I was expecting more.

The kids enjoyed some of the hikes up the mountains and Lucy surprised us on a nearly 5km hike which half was up hill although she faded at the end.

The cultural centre there was really good and camping was great and we managed great free campsite which was great and only a couple km from some bush dunny's so could do the quick trip if necessary.

It's very dry here considering we are just coming out of winter and unless they get some more rain will be a long hot and dry summer,lets keep our fingers crossed.

The park was burnt out only two years ago and some areas are still closed but it was amazing to see the regrowth and the wild flowers were in some places abundant.

It really is a wonderful place and would have loved to do some of the longer walks but hard with the kids and also my right knee is giving me a spot of bother every now and then.

There's heaps of kangaroos and emus here and also Echidnas which we never saw but the evidence was everywhere,apparently there are Koala's here as well but i think the fire probably wiped out a large no of them.

We were camped out just under the Mt Difficult range down from Troopers Creek campsite where up to 11 police troopers were camped to catch those illegal immigrants on the way to the goldfields, another obstacle for the Chinese?

It's good to know that we can survive in the bush and be self sufficient and we used less than 100l of water for the five of us for 6 days although I don't think we smelt so good.....

We went to a small town where some friends of ours recommended the pub meal there called Dunkeld, a very small town so we were thinking usual pub a bit rough, well we were in for a surprise very swank indeed with the yuppies all dressed in there spotless Guchi hiking outfits or dressed better and us after week in the bush unshaven,unshowered,and well with three feral kids.

the meal was absolutely sublime and the wines were beautiful, so $115 later we walked out much to the approval of the rest of the guests no doubt but it was great for us to be apart of civilisation again, just would've been nice to be spruced up and on our own.

Anyways enjoy the shots and next stop Naracoorte.

Yes Honey You Look Ok - Mt Zero

Climb up to the Pinnacle

The Pinnacle

Vista

Same Spot As Above
Lookout Back into Halls Gap

Aboriginal Art

Another Vista
Nice Light - Difficult Range

From Our Campsite - Mt Difficult
Had to Include some Wildflowers


The First of Many Giant Things no Doubt

Galvo

Bendigo

Well just catching up with where we've been, we are now in Naracoorte the only world heritage site in South Oz but more on that later.

Bendigo was a lot of fun and the kids seemed to have good time for a change, I think we almost got through a whole day without a whinge and whine, well almost anyway.

We stayed for three days and did a mine tour,panned for gold with Debs having the keenest eye for gold, a bit of a worry but once she had found one spec it was hard for her to leave, but we had to return later in the day where she had the most luck and we walked away with a whopping six grains of gold the size of sand.
So now we can travel for an extra 10min :).

The mine tour was in the Deborah mine and it was interesting to see how the miners lived and worked with over 6000 mines in the area in the old days and 35000 people all flocked here to reap the benefit's.

Their was a huge Chinese population and to commemorate this a fantastic Chinese museum where they house some very valuable royal Chinese artefact's and home to the longest imperial dragon in the world called Sun Loong also now retired but the oldest imperial dragon called Loong. The chines had a 10pnd ta each for the people importing them so they used to drop them off in South Australia and make them walk 1000m to the goldfields, but they treated them well as they had rest and water stops for them along the way!!!!

Bendigo has some beautiful old buildings and a lot of history and I really enjoyed the place although in the middle of a drought at the moment like the rest of Southern Australia.

It's gotta be here Somewhere LucyHIHO it's off to Work we go.Sun Loong

Chinese GardenIn Front of Sun LoongGold FeverLoong (oldest imperial Dragon in the World) has 5 horns which only imperial ones were allowed.

Echuca

Hi guys sorry for the lack of action but we have been out of contact for the last week in the Grampians.

Well Echuka was not to shabby free camping on the banks of the Murry River. We went on a paddle steamer and just hung by the river swimming and fishing (no luck).

Some friends from Broome came and visited us from Stanhope and a sore head was the result the next day.

Our Swimming HoleThe Local Cruise ShipHome on The River BankLocal Recycling MachineKids had to make a Savanah for School

Galvo

Bright Hotrods

Well we finally left Bright and are now in Echuca on the VIC-NSW border camped out in the bush on the banks of the Murry River. I'm sitting 20"from the waters edge beer in pocket on chair just gone dark with a paddle steamer going by all lit up, cockatoos screeching and kookaburras going off.

Bright was great and had plenty to do there,I got a great 1hr flight in the morning and then decided to land and pack up and get to next destination.

We caught up with an old friend from Broome Dave Millard who was an electrician but now owns a small supermarket in Stanhope, lets just say I woke up a bit rough.

Our bush camp here is awesome and I have run the generator for the first time and used our little hot water system much to the humour of our kids .

I finally feel we are settling in and look forward to more bush camps as this is magic.
After another couple of days we will head off to Bendigo and then the Grampians.

Weather is starting to really warm up now but no doubt the Grampians will be colder.
Leave you with a couple of the 200 pics I took of the hotrods.

Galvo

I think it could do with some bigger tyres?

A Happy Car

One of the 100 flame jobs

No room for the kids :)

The Stig Even Made an Appearance

Plenty of 50's and 60's


More Flames


Just Ugly


Nice Caddie

More Pics

First Snow (Slush)

Graces B-Day Brekkie

All Together

Snow Cone Time

Rare Pic

Sugar Fix

Bright Bull

Well still in bright, weather hasn't been much chop for flying but a couple of days ago I had a great flight which had me viewing down and across the Victorian Alps. It was very cold but have some new gloves now as took ages for hands to thaw out.

Anyway views were spectacular and i managed to fly averagely well for a while and managed about 1900m and 1.5 hours straight line distance of 14.5 km.

Towards the end when I was getting low I got belted by a really rough thermal a few times so called it quits as was very cold.

Decided to land in this nice paddock with some cows at the other end.
As usual they were really interested to see me and jogged over to say hello, I gathered the glider up before they could walk all over it and started walking to the fence with them in tow, then all of a sudden i here this thundering and turned to see all the cows scattering and a very big black beast bearing down on me.

As I was still attached to the harness and wing there wasn't a lot i could do so I just knelt down and prayed, The BEAST came to a sudden Holt about 15" away with dust everywhere and the bull bellowing and stomping his feet sniffing the air (I'd say to wonder what the new poo smell was). He was not happy then began semi circling me it was at this point that I mumbled something like mum.

I just kept my eyes low and myself as small as possible , after about 1min he got bored with me and I managed to back away to the fence slowly with him only showing disapproval a couple of times.

He then got the whiff of one of his ladies and got back to doing what Bulls do.
once I was safely over the fence I gave him whats for and if i had the freezer space I would've bought him and then made steaks out of him :)

Anyway it was Graces B-day yesterday and we drove u[p to Mt Buffalo and had a look around, we then went down to a park where the girls went for a lilo along the river and had a play ,cake and drinks and then home.

Mt buffalo is beautiful but some real fire damage from a few years ago, so a lot of dead wood around.
Anyway we have decided to stay a little longer as really nice here and we are not in any hurry plus there's a hot rod gathering here on the weekend and judging by the cars that are here now it will be something worth seeing, approx 300 will be here.

Anyways must go hope your enjoying our jaunt.

Galvo

Rosella
Dead WoodView near the HornDebs Saving the DayThe Monsters

From Manilla To Bright (VIC)

Well we've been pretty busy and havn't had a connection for a little while so will give you an update.

We left Manilla and went to Dubbo to see the Western Plains Zoo, I also managed to get new rear springs on the car there and it is much better now with the shocks and springs.

On our way to Orange to catch up with Chris and Bill before they headed back to Perth we stopped at a small town called Parkes. This is where the movie the Dish was made and they have a huge radio telescope which was instrumental in bringing the pictures of the the first landing on the moon.

We then caught up with Chris and Bill in Orange and stayed just one night but we got to see a bit of the place and the kids had a stay over with nana, which they loved.

We then headed south again stopping at some small towns for breaks.

Canowindra had a fish fossil museum, then it was Cowra the site of a large Japanese POW breakout where a couple of hundred Japanese POW's were killed and 4 Australians. They also had this Japanese Garden there that was 14 acres the biggest in the southern hemisphere and was stunning, I don't think my pics will do it justice.

We then had a roadside camp just south of Young and then a big drive to Bright.

Bright is an alpine town and is in the heart of our snowfields, it is a really nice spot and we are going to stay for a week. I have had 2 small flights here and there is a spring festival so has been great for Debs and the kids.

They had a great fireworks display last night and it's the first time Lucy has seen them she was wrapped. It was a really good night.

Looks like more rain for a few nights but the camper seems to be nice and dry.

We seem to be always waiting on our mail? it seems to take ages to get it and is a little tricky in planning ahead.

Anyway must go .

Galvo

The Dish (A must see Movie) Parkes NSW

Obvious

Western plains Outlook

BongoKing of the Beasts

Japanese Garden - CowraJapanese Garden - CowraJapanese garden - CowraPrehistoric Fish MuseumMt Canobolis