Wilsons Promontory

18th November
I’d set the alarm for 7am, and if I’ve managed to learn anything on this trip is how to snooze...... so at 7.45am I jumped up ready for action. Now that George was clean it was much easier to pack up the bed, so breaky, showered and ready to go by 9am. Did some money shopping (went to the atm) in Foster before cranking the radio and heading to Wilsons Promontory. Paid for a night camping and headed on down to Tidal River, which is where most of the walks take place from and the camping is. Must have stopped half a dozen times on the way there to take photos though, and ended up playing tag with someone else doing the same. Found a camp spot and headed to the info centre for the ‘must do/see’ walks. Sealers Cove was priority, 10.2km 1 way. I can do this! Had some crumpets, packed a backpack full of food, drinks and the cameras and set off for Telegraph Saddle car park. 11.46am I began the treck, which heads down, then up, then a long way down. Now I was looking forward to some more native wildlife, like wombats or roos, but the only thing I came across was about 3.5kms into the treck when I nearly stood on a snake. About a metre in length, I took a big gasp of air and a step back onto a rock (that was about 100mm higher than the ground I had been on) before he slithered off into the bush. Right – track assessment required as I proceed! Walked through some beautiful scenery, stopping for photos and water along the way. Made it to the bottom and the bay was just spectatular – absolutely worth the walk. Stopped for lunch and did the 700 metres to the river entrance before heading back at 2.15pm. Took a few more photos on the way back (it was uphill, a good chance for a breather) and made it back to the carpark just after 5pm. Down the hill, photo of a kookaburra on the road and back to the campsite where I poured myself a large glass of wine and had some Bega cheese on cruskets. Figured I really should do another little walk, so headed down to the beach and then around the river and started on a 1km track, that then turned into a 2km track (one way of course) up a mountain (and I happened to be going the wrong way to what they recommended so it turned out!). Surprised that my legs weren’t complaining loudly (did the wine have something to do with that) I made it to the Tidal River Lookout and it was pretty amazing, especially with the pink tinge from the sun behind the clouds. Walked about a kilometre back down when I saw the sky turn a mass of pink, and decided to catch the sunset I would have to hurry.... or run as it turned out. So I ran to the end of the track (stop, photo) across the footbridge (photo) and along the river (photo, photo) to the beach (photo, photo, photo)(photo photo). It just seemed to get better, and whilst you couldn’t actually see the sun, with the tide out the colours were all over the beach and ocean aswell. Headed back about 8.30pm when the dinner I’d contemplated didn’t seem like a viable option anymore (I was suddenly tired – couldn’t understand why?) so it was spaghetti toasted sandwiches (in the frypan) with an egg (needed some protein) and another glass of wine. Headed for the showers and then decided I’d spend 10 minute max looking for one of these illusive wombats and sure enough found one on the side of the road about 100 m from the van. Very cute, and must have incredible eyes, because it was pitch black and it was quite happy wandering around, chewing on the grass. Back to George, lights out at 10.35pm, completely shattered!

19th November
Wow – 3 months since I’d left – how fast time flies when you’re having fun! Felt very ordinary, even with over 8 hours sleep. The weather report had been a bit ominous, and my confidence wasn’t boosted when I looked out and saw the guys in the campsite next door looking to the skies. Breakfast and analysed the map... decided on Little Oberon Bay, which should take a couple of hours, back for some lunch and then off to do the beaches run this arvo. Set off, with legs complaining slightly after yesterdays 25ksm, wet weather gear in tow. Down to the end of the beach and up the cliffs – beautiful view over Tidal River. Went down to Norman Point for a look and started chatting with Lorna and Liz, from Apollo Bay, and ended up tagging along with them to Oberon Bay, a 6 km one way trip (instead of the 3km I’d planned). The views over both bays were spectacular, with little skinks running all over the pathway. Feeling a bit peckish (I hadn’t planned on lunch when I’d packed) I took a couple of photos, watched the crows who were searching under the seaweed for lunch and said goodbye to the ladies. Arrived back just after 2pm when I made lunch and headed to the shop for an icecream – I figured I’d earned it! Exhausted I had a little nap before driving to Five Mile Road to tackle Vereker Outlook, a 3km walk. Completely different again to the other walks, there were thousands of blackboys (sorry, grass trees) and banksias. Trip up the hill wasn’t too bad, and the view was amazing, albeit that the clouds were rolling in, so wasn’t as spectacular as it would have been earlier that day. It was quite sheltered from the wind, and I found a lovely rock to lean on while I stopped for afternoon tea. Back down the mountain a track veered off for Millers Landing, so I took that down to the water, again different to the flora that was on the other side of the road. Reached the bottom and what would normally have been rather pretty looked a bit ordinary with the weather . Back to the carpark, stopping to check out the black cockatoos who were making an awful racket! Back in the carpark I had a good stretch before heading off, dodging wallabies on the way , and then a wombat that literally ran across the road at Tidal River. Eventually found a spot for the night (the same on as last night) and cracked a beer – very nice! Then the rain started, so I cut up some vegies while I drank and then decided to cook dinner (pasta and steamed vegies – very nice) before doing the dishes and heading over for a well earned shower. Back for a glass of wine and to sort out some photos (and oooo and ahhhh over the sunset ones) before bed about midnight.

20th November
So sick of waking to an alarm and dozing until 7.42 I decided to set my alarm for 8am, which worked because I then woke at 7.42 and felt all right! It had rained all night, and there was still a fine mist of spray falling. Donning the wet weather gear I packed up and drove out just after 9am, saying Hi and Bye to Lorna and Liz on my way past. Into the visitors car park I headed for Squeaky, Picnic and Whiskey Beaches, a 5.6km track, via Loo-Errn, another kilometre. Had a very friendly kookaburra pose for a few photos on the way to overlooking Squeaky Beach, which nice, but with the grey skies and crashing waves nothing like it could have been. Along the beach (over a kilometre) before reaching the next uphill to Picnic Beach and Point, and then onto Whiskey Beach, through the rocks. Took shelter under some big boulders while I had some lunch before heading back. Quite a diverse range of flora along the way, and with a controlled burn near Squeaky it was quite interesting. Made it back in 3 hours (their estimate was 4) and headed for George and then the shop for some hot chips. The last track on my list of recommended ones was Darby River, but on arrival the winds were quite strong and the rain had again started back up, so I decided against it and headed out of The Prom (nearly getting bogged in the process) on my way back towards Melbourne. Stopped just after the exit to take a photo of the signs when a couple of Danish (?) backpackers asked for help with a flat battery. Pull George up next to their van, and wondered if they were just going to drag me in and take me away somewhere (it was an unusual place to have flattened a battery). 20 minutes later I had them going again (after finding their battery, my battery, my jumper leads etc etc) and set off for Wonthaggi, with the ABC and first day of the test match v NZ on the radio, which was quite dreadful (we were getting hammered), but rather amusing. Went for a walk along the beach, where a wind and kite surfer thought the winds were great (although the kite surfer was freezing to death on the beach, but was determined to go back in and beat his 39kms an hour). Headed to , where my stops were now being determined by the cricket (sad I know) until I reached Won, where I stopped in at Coles for something for dinner and find out where the caravan parks were. Checked out both of them, and neither were appealing so continued on until I came to one a Powlett River just before 8pm. Very relaxed (the caretakers office was a caravan, the ‘receptionist’ answered in her dressing gown) but only $11 a night for a powered site I was a happy girl. Dinner, long shower (to make myself a bit more respectable before heading back into the big smoke) clean up and diary. Another action packed day!