We left the Boomerang Way Tourist Park at 8.15am., a little later than usual, as Bob pointed out! But, what's 20 mins. between friends (& rellies). We were on the last leg of our journey, heading for Ballarat, which threatened to be COLD! I put on a long-sleeved top & will need to find my jeans when we arrive.
We crossed the Murray, it's life-giving water supporting a wealth of tall gum trees, & entered Victoria. Beyond the trees, there was a mixture of pasture & arable land & we spotted another kookaburra surveying the scene from a telephone wire. Alpaca farms were dotted about, as well as the occasional winery. We also noticed a "Limousin" stud farm, where the famous White French
cattle grazed contentedly.
At Shepparton, we crossed the Goulburn River, where I wished we could have stopped to have a look at the town. It appeared to be quite a big place, with Court House, Museum & Art Gallery, as well as numerous shops & businesses. Just through Shepparton, we stopped for diesel & encountered a
group of bikers - they looked quite up-market & certainly not threatening in any way but I wonder why some of them sport such excessive amounts of hair!
Outside the town, the countryside looked green & fertile - however, we didn't like the sound of "Mosquito Creek"!
Two more kookaburras appeared, as well as several galahs. The sky began to cloud over & our
temperature gauge recorded 17C outside the car - ominous! A couple of friends had sent news of
high winds in Victoria &, as we entered Elmore, broken branches littered the verges, so we guessed that the rough weather had been fairly wide-spread. When we pulled into a lay-by to make coffee, I
was a bit apprehensive about parking under some large trees, given that gums are known for shedding branches without warning!
Having enjoyed our coffee, we continued on to Bendigo, which was 40km away. I remembered admiring its grand buildings the last time we were there (built on the proceeds of the gold).
The sky cleared, the sun shone & the temperature rose to 18C, giving us a false sense of security. After all, the Tourist Park Manager in Tocumwal had warned us that Ballarat was the coldest place in Australia, even over & above Tasmania!
Bright yellow & orange gazanias coloured the verges, opening their faces to the warm sun, & a wealth of other flowers bloomed in some of the gardens that we passed. Meadows were flower-
strewn, too.
Several veteran cars, all polished & gleaming, passed us on the opposite side of the road, so there must have been a rally or a show going on somewhere. It's amazing how well nursed & tended some of them are - would that we humans were half as well cared for!
As we entered Bendigo, we were impressed by its wide streets & prosperous appearance. Some lovely old period homes stood well back from the road & I wished that we could have stopped to photograph them. We travelled next to a tram in the city centre, admiring the beautiful architecture,
wrought-iron balconies, etc., amongst which a cathedral stood, pointing magnificently skyward. Plane trees lined High Street, softening its urban aspect. Swathes of bright flowers adorned our route out of Bendigo, which we had very much admired.
Plains & distant hills fanned out before us, as we drove towards Castlemaine &, ultimately, Ballarat. Adorned in its Spring attire, the countryside was a joy to behold & I drank in its beauty as we drove into higher country & LOWER TEMPERATURES (currently 15C - Brrr ...!)
A small place called Harcourt advertised "Apple orchards & Wineries" & a valley below could well have been an alpine one, in Europe. At this point, we were 89km from Ballarat.
Castlemaine was another attractive town that would have merited a closer look, had we had the time (another day, perhaps?). Unlike Bendigo, many of the older homes were small, but fascinating nonetheless & had real character. Wisteria, geraniums & masses of other flowers covered their
frontages, creating picture-postcard scenes. What a lovely part of Victoria the is is!
I'm not sure that my suggestion to drive off the highway, to the Mount Franklin look-out point, was an altogether sensible one. We drove up, & up, & up ... pulling a caravan & having no space to pass anyone, or to turn around should it become necessary. Oh dear - my heart was in my mouth but, thank heavens, the narrow road eventually opened out into an area with picnic tables & other facilities. I dread to think what would have happened, if it hadn't! I breathed a sigh of relief & was grateful that there had been no on-coming traffic before we reached a pull-in almost at the bottom. Still, we'd had lunch & a break, so "all was well that ended well".
We were now travelling in the direction of Daylesford, another lovely place that we'd visited before & we passed a turning to Hepburn, famed for its spa & hot springs. Daylesford recalled happy memories of a short break that we spent there once in Forget-Me-Not Cottage, a beautifully renovated miner's dwelling.
By now, the temperature had dropped to 12C & road signs warned that the route was subject to frost, ice & snow! We didn't expect to experience any of these but the very thought was the stuff of nightmares for Bob! However, it was an idyllic environment, particularly for those who appreciate cooler climes. Tiny churches gave testament to the memory of the small populations that had established & attended them in the early days of settlement.
We finally drove into the "Shady Acres Caravan Park", just outside Ballarat, after a long & tiring day. My Ug boots were on duty again, not to mention warmer pyjamas & bed covers.
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