1st December – holy crap!!!Woke to the sun shining though the back window – the one day I didn’t shut the curtains!! Rolled over, but was up by 8am. Breakfast, shower, internet and paid up by 9.30 I decided to do some washing so I would have a legitimate excuse for hanging around. Over to do the laundry and noticed on the way back the lid to the box was open... and broken!!! What a shame! So I pulled it off and threw it in the big bin. Hung out the washing before doing the dished and sweeping George when the rains hit – and it was heavy! So I had to hang around for a bit longer for the washing to re-dry, so while I was listening to the cricket decided I might tackle the box. Started on the ladder with the screwdriver (that I’d bought a couple of days ago) and got the first few screws out relatively easily. Eventually snuck over to a neighbouring table and ‘borrowed’ an outdoor chair to stand on, and got the rest of the screws out, got the box off the roof and retuned the chair. Started pulling it apart, undoing the screws I got two sides off before realizing it could be pulled apart – yay! Saw a van coming and walked back to the side door of George when the manager asked (jokingly) what I was still doing there. ‘Waiting for my washing to dry, damb Melbourne weather’. ‘What’s with the screwdriver?’ ‘Just fixing some stuff up while I wait’ (luckily he was far enough down the road to not be able to see the box.). He drove off and I made fast work of the rest of the box... well at least until I was interrupted by Jack and Charlotte, 3 and 2 year olds who lived in the park and were very inquisitive. After entertaining them for about half an hour I said I needed to go and have lunch, so sent them on their way about 1pm when I had lunch and the brought the washing in (mostly dry) before mopping the floor (with a sponge – lucky it’s not a bit floor!) and having an interesting chat with a park resident who was deaf. Drove out just after 2pm headed for Mornington. Parked the car and walked the main street to the visitors centre, before heading back to Coles and then over to a hair dressers – I was in desperate need of a cut!!! Some crazy man was in the car park destroying his (or someone else’s) car (with a hammer!), so one of the hairdressers was on the phone to the police when I arrived, and when the cops finally showed up the chase was on through the car park. Bit of excitement for the afternoon. Headed from there to the marina, which was beautiful and walked along the beach past the old ‘change room
s’ on the beachfront. One was named Sugar Shack, so after that do you think I could get the song out of my head (for those of you who don’t know it don’t worry, it’s probably about 50 years old!!!). Left there for Hastings where I found the caravan park and checked in before heading off for a run at 7.20ish on the path through the wetlands. Ran back and on to the Marina and then the rec centre for times and prices before getting back and cooking up a massive honey mustard stir fry (with some alternative ingredients) and enjoying a Punt Road cider. Had a shower and finished up about midnight.2nd December
Up, breakfast, run (sat in bed for a long time contemplating a swim, then figured you probably couldn’t get to the water without damaging the wetlands – cop out perhaps...) in the other direction along the foreshore and back through town. Shower and gone by 10.30am quick stop at the Post Office and onto Stony Point, via the Cerberus Naval Base. Had intended to look at the museum, but was too hard to find someone to pay so I did the 1.6km walk instead. Headed out for a quick look at the harbour over to French and Phillip Islands before heading to the Ashcombe Maze. Quick lunch before heading in and through the first half of the first maze fairly easily. In the middle I tackled the other side, and couldn’t find my way out... until I realized there w
as no way out! Walked around the rest of the gardens, through the roses and lavender (after trying to capture a good photo of a bee on a lavender bush... about 25 photos later.........). Found the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm after leaving there, where I paid to pick my own strawberries (which I’m sure dad will find amusing...and no, I won’t be paying to pick yours when I get back!). Sample of their wines (nope – can’t drink strawberry wines anymore – way to sweet!) before I found Arthurs Seat, which happens to be in Arthurs Seat, although the place was named by the first settlers because it looked like a place in Edenbrough. Wow – Flinders must have thought he’d rediscovered paradise when he climbed this mountain; the views over Port Phillip Bay were extraordinary. Even with the clouds the view here, and then along the circuit walk, were just amazing. The national park was previously owned by William Rickett, so a few of his sculptures were there, although quite badly damaged. Back to the car and I was feeling rather average, so had some sugar to try and perk me up as I drove to Arthurs Seat Maze, which was closed, before heading down the hill into Rosebud, where I came across this campground on the beach that had ablutions and powered sites but no office. Pulled up, plugged in and decided a nap would be a good idea, so read for a bit before catching about 20 minutes. Just before 7pm I found an open ablution block, still no signs or information on the park, so I figured I head in for a drive through town and come back for the night. Found a library that closed at 8pm on Tuesdays so jumped on the net until then, and still light went for a short walk before finding the cinema, with Tight Arse Tuesday and Australia on at 8.30pm – magic! Back to the car for some jeans and dinner (stir fry left overs on the stove top – yum!!) and was back in 20 minutes – how good is that!!! The movie was amazing (although they could have spent some time getting real kangaroos instead of what looked to be cgi) but I thought it was fantastic. Now slightly raining I got into George to find water dripping from the rear view mirror – strange! Drove the 2 minutes to the caravan park, plugged in and tried to find the problem before finding a bucket instead (although it had stopped dripping). Bed about 12.30am I guess.3rd December
Raining outside so I rolled back over and BANG BANG BANG. Opened the window to find the caretaker I guess out there “How’s it going” Better before you woke me up “Yeah good thanks”. Anyway, turns out my free campsite isn’t free, but $26 a night – crikey! No cash I said I’d fix them up later. In no hurry (if the office was closed when I got there so be it) I had breaky and prepared for a triathlon... well sort of. Decided to head off on a bike ride (and pay my camping fees) go for a swim, ride back and then go for a run, make sure I remembered how it all worked! So about 11am I set off and ended up riding all the way to Sorrento, where the bay was a bit more protected so went for my swim. Bit chilly, which made me swim a bit faster but very nice. Back up for the return ride where I stopped at the office to pay (and the girl only charged me $20 for an unpowered site). Back to George where I put the bike on the racks, stuck on my sneakers and took off along the beach, which was great until I realised I was running with the wind! Turned around and ran back to my starting point, and then bribed myself to keep going to the jetty (with chocolate and a wine if you want to know) which I did and then had an easy run back, just over half an hour in total, with the whole lot taking about 2.15. Water, sugar and then lunch before a shower and small load of washing (in a real free washing machine!) and dishes. Walked over to Coles for a couple of things (when I then realised I was only going to be in the van for another 3 days), clothes into the drier, gone by 1pm, after a visit from the Council Chick to find out if I’d paid (I must have looked a mess when I’d dropped in to pay for the previous night’s stay, as she didn’t recognise me!).Back to Arthurs Seat, where I went through the Enchanted Magical Maze, which were a lot better set up than the previous days. There were some fantastic wood carvings that were massive and fantastic. Out with the map again and headed back across to the east coast, and went for a walk around the beach to the point at
Flinders Bay, which was really pretty with the sun setting and the water calm. Went to the lighthouse at Cape Schanck, arriving after the park had closed which was good, meant I didn’t have to pay for parking. Went for a walk down to the path and onto the sand beach that was actually stones. Back to the top just as the sun was setting, and tried to get through to the lighthouse, jumping the first fence, but getting stopped at the next. Cooked up some dinner and took photos of the lighthouse at night before sneaking back to the campsite from the night before, setting my alarm to wake up before the rangers would turn up.4th December
Alarm at 6am the intent was to be gone by 7am. Up, shower, dishes and just packing up the power cord when a guy from NZ stopped to chat about the van. 15 minutes later (and I’m beginning to stress a bit) we said goodbye and cleared out – phew! Drove to the beach I’d swum at the day before (16kms thank you very much!) and had breakfast at the table overlooking the water. Which would have been nice and peaceful had the council workers not turned up!!! Drove through Sorrento to Portsea and the Mornington Peninsular National Park, which didn’t open until 10am. Crap. So I drove to Sorrento back beach, which was absol
utely amazing! The view and the coastline were incredible. Decided to do the walk along the path and back up the beach, and had one of the locals join me and point out some of the native plants, other good walks and where you could get the good photos. Got down to the beach and London Bridge rock formation, which I climbed through to get some good photos of the water rushing in and out. Had picked the perfect time to be there, with it being low tide so I could walk all the way to the end, and then up a cliff (danger danger!!) and along a path (through the fence) to see a spectacular view. The Great Ocean Road must be amazing, as this was pretty impressive!!! Further up I climbed, realising that there was no way to get back to the carpark from there, and then heading back down again – without being spotted! That was adventurous! Back along the beach and to the carpark, I had to have a cold drink before heading through Portsea (don’t blink) and back to Sorrento for a walk down their main streets. It was then time to head back to the national park, arriving and having some lunch before packing the backpack for some more serious walking. Paid for the 1 way informative bus trip out to Fort Nepean and would then walk back. Really interesting we arrived at the end and went for a walk around the fort, reading the information and trying to work out how the guys would have survived on this isolated place, with the only access by boat across Port Philip Bay. The view was quite amazing though, and the surf was up with a number of surfers out. It was then time to work my way back, stopping at the lookouts and heading up to the vantage point to see Harold Holt’s Beach, through the graveyard to read the very sad stories of some of those lost at sea and locals who died. Made it out of the gates (the driver had kept checking everytime he drove past I was still ok) and headed off not long before they closed the gates. Where to from here? Went back along the coast to the first landing inside
Port Phillip Bay, with gravesites of convicts and the story of Buckley, a convict who escaped, bringing about the saying ‘He’s got buckleys chance of surviving’. But he did – living with the ‘natives’ before eventually coming back to the white settlers. With dusk still being a while off I decided it was time for some exercise, so after finding an internet cafe headed to the local pool for a swim. The water was really warm, and wtih aqua on one side and scuba divers on the other the 6 lane pool was busy! Did my laps and had a shower (not the kinda shower I was hoping for, with no doors) and it was dark by the time I left, heading for Rye (where I’d stopped earlier one morning). Parked myself up overlooking the water – absolutely amazing, although the weather wasn’t that flash. Cooked dinner, shower, blog and bed, with another early start required tomorrow!
Alarm at 6am the intent was to be gone by 7am. Up, shower, dishes and just packing up the power cord when a guy from NZ stopped to chat about the van. 15 minutes later (and I’m beginning to stress a bit) we said goodbye and cleared out – phew! Drove to the beach I’d swum at the day before (16kms thank you very much!) and had breakfast at the table overlooking the water. Which would have been nice and peaceful had the council workers not turned up!!! Drove through Sorrento to Portsea and the Mornington Peninsular National Park, which didn’t open until 10am. Crap. So I drove to Sorrento back beach, which was absol
utely amazing! The view and the coastline were incredible. Decided to do the walk along the path and back up the beach, and had one of the locals join me and point out some of the native plants, other good walks and where you could get the good photos. Got down to the beach and London Bridge rock formation, which I climbed through to get some good photos of the water rushing in and out. Had picked the perfect time to be there, with it being low tide so I could walk all the way to the end, and then up a cliff (danger danger!!) and along a path (through the fence) to see a spectacular view. The Great Ocean Road must be amazing, as this was pretty impressive!!! Further up I climbed, realising that there was no way to get back to the carpark from there, and then heading back down again – without being spotted! That was adventurous! Back along the beach and to the carpark, I had to have a cold drink before heading through Portsea (don’t blink) and back to Sorrento for a walk down their main streets. It was then time to head back to the national park, arriving and having some lunch before packing the backpack for some more serious walking. Paid for the 1 way informative bus trip out to Fort Nepean and would then walk back. Really interesting we arrived at the end and went for a walk around the fort, reading the information and trying to work out how the guys would have survived on this isolated place, with the only access by boat across Port Philip Bay. The view was quite amazing though, and the surf was up with a number of surfers out. It was then time to work my way back, stopping at the lookouts and heading up to the vantage point to see Harold Holt’s Beach, through the graveyard to read the very sad stories of some of those lost at sea and locals who died. Made it out of the gates (the driver had kept checking everytime he drove past I was still ok) and headed off not long before they closed the gates. Where to from here? Went back along the coast to the first landing inside
Port Phillip Bay, with gravesites of convicts and the story of Buckley, a convict who escaped, bringing about the saying ‘He’s got buckleys chance of surviving’. But he did – living with the ‘natives’ before eventually coming back to the white settlers. With dusk still being a while off I decided it was time for some exercise, so after finding an internet cafe headed to the local pool for a swim. The water was really warm, and wtih aqua on one side and scuba divers on the other the 6 lane pool was busy! Did my laps and had a shower (not the kinda shower I was hoping for, with no doors) and it was dark by the time I left, heading for Rye (where I’d stopped earlier one morning). Parked myself up overlooking the water – absolutely amazing, although the weather wasn’t that flash. Cooked dinner, shower, blog and bed, with another early start required tomorrow!
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