Day 18 – Orbost, Marlo, West Cape, Salmon Rocks, Eden, Merimbula

Another beautiful day dawned, and we were into our usual decamping routine which found us driving out of Metung just after 9am. We all agreed it had been a lovely spot. We passed through Lakes Entrance (though Kev and Maz didn’t and their GPS took them on a dirt road somewhere or other) and then found ourselves in Orbost, a lovely town. Kev & Maz arrived 5 minutes after us even though they left 5 minutes before us … ahh, the vagaries of GPS. We had a chat with a very friendly and helpful lady at the Tourist Information place who gave us some good tips for a tourist drive with some great views. Before we set off though, we viewed the wood turning and carving exhibition next door and Gaz purchased a few knick knacks. It was very impressive.

 

We then took a walk through the main street, and Maz & I checked out the shops while Kev & Gaz had coffee. I did manage to share Gaz’s Apple Danish which was sensational – still warm from the oven. Yum! We then set off on the tourist drive and headed first to Marlo to see where the Snowy River meets the see. Lovely wide river and very picturesque. We even saw a seal near the jetty.

 

Next spot was a high up view of the estuary. We had to park near the Marlo Cemetery and then walk a bush track for 150m or so. Once again great views! Two more stops – West Cape and Salmon Rocks were both equally spectacular and definitely worthwhile. Thank you to the lovely volunteer at Orbost who recommended this!

 

We had planned to do a rainforest walk and picnic at a nearby spot, but it was closed when we got there so we carried on to Cann River where we found a very pleasant park and had our picnic. It was then on to Eden where we found a cruise ship was in for the day and the passengers were queuing up to get back on. There were markets set up at the Tourist Info Centre and everyone kept directing us to the toilets even though we didn’t need them. People everywhere! We are still wondering what 2000 people do in Eden for a day. The new visitor’s centre was supposed to be worth seeing but we couldn’t really see anything special about it.

 

Gaz & I grabbed a few basic groceries before heading to our new abode for the next three days in Merimbula. This has been unanimously voted the best so far. Great views, clean, has everything you need. This includes Wi-Fi which the place in Metung didn’t have and my Vodafone reception was rubbish there as well, so I was forever hot spotting from Gaz’s phone which was very annoying. All good here though!

 

It was Kev & Maz’s turn to cook and they produced a lovely dish … ‘What do you call these Darl?’ Yep, yummy rissoles and vegies. After dinner the usual Euchre routine – Maz/Pen v Kev/Gaz resulting in 2-0 to Maz/Pen. It was then time for another movie, Murder on the Orient Express. Looking forward to exploring tomorrow.

Day 17 – Metung Hot Springs & Country Club Golf

Another gentle start to the day saw us calling the golf club and the hot springs to ascertain details and book for our day out. Maz and Kev walked into town for a coffee while I chose a shorter walk along the boardwalk.

 

By 11am we were on our way – Maz & I to the Hot Springs and Kev & Gaz to golf. Maz & I had a great time! We were there for three and a half hours and enjoyed a variety of hot  pools, cold plunge pools, and showers. There were also saunas but that seemed a bit much. It was quite a warm day (top of 31 degrees) and we found our favourite pools in the shade and alternated between hot pools and the cold plunge pools. Maz also loved a hard massaging type shower she found. There were some fabulous views and some relaxing areas with comfy lounges as well.

 

After a couple of hours we took the opportunity to travel to the other side of the complex via a lift in a golf cart. Due to the construction of some new pools, the tracks that would normally take us to these pools was closed so the staff drove us out of the complex and through a new estate of houses to be able to access them. The views here were also sensational and we spent some really pleasant time there as well. The highlight was some individual barrels of the hot spring water that you sat in and the water bubbled up like a volcano. It was all fabulous and we also spent some time talking to some nice people from Townsville about their travels.

 

We arrived home after 2:30pm and grabbed a very late lunch. Gaz & Kev had a good round of golf – they said it was a lovely course though there were some long par 4s. Regardless, a fun time was had by all. We all then spent the afternoon relaxing and reading.

 

It was off to the Metung Hotel for dinner, right on the water. It was still pretty warm so we sat outside and all (except Gaz – his fish & chips were cold) had fantastic meals. I had a Japanese inspired baked salmon fillet and it was very yummy. It was then back home for Euchre – Kev/Pen v Maz/Gaz with a 2-0 win to Kev & me. We watched the Matildas game on TV and then off to bed ready for another moving on day tomorrow.

Day 16 – Leongatha, Sale, Bairnsdale, Metung

 

We are a well-oiled machine when it comes to packing up ready to move on.  Wayne & Vicky were gone by 8am and we were on the road by 9:30am with Kev & Maz taking a slightly different route to us. I was very keen to visit Leongatha having previously heard the story of nine-year-old Lenny and his pony Ginger Mick who rode solo to Sydney in 1932 to see the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This was his reward for looking after the farm for a month while his father had a broken leg. He was feted along the way, becoming quite famous and ended up being in the procession at the opening of the bridge. He also got to meet Don Bradman and attend a cricket game at the SCG. He was 9!!! Anyway, when I heard a statue had been made in his honour, I had to see it. Unfortunately, there was a gang of workers with diggers working nearby and it was roped off, but I got a couple of shots anyway. The statue is life sized, and it was amazing to see how small they were.

 

Leongatha is also famous for a certain lady who cooked some mushrooms up for her in-laws and allegedly killed three of them ... case still before the courts so I won’t say any more! We continued on out of town and our audio book – The Rosie Effect – finally finished and we put the next one on – The Bullet That Missed (Thursday Murder Club Mystery). We really enjoy the books – it certainly makes the time pass more quickly. Our next stop was Sale where we met up with some old friends – Jim & Barb – who we haven’t seen for ages. Although it was just an hour for lunch it was great to see them. Jim is Alison’s older half-brother and used to live in Lake Macquarie but has moved to Sale to be near Barb’s family including their great granddaughters who they regularly babysit.

 

We farewelled them and in only about half an hour were at Bairnsdale where we visited St Mary’s Catholic Church with its famous painted ceiling. It was well worth the stop – very impressive. After that we found a Woolies and stocked up on ingredients for Beef Strog which was my dish of choice to cook for dinner.

 

It was then only another half hour or so to Metung, our ultimate destination. Although perched on the side of a mountain, the house is fabulous. Great views and nicely styled ... and we have an ensuite each! Score! After dragging everything from the car down a mile of steps and unpacking, Kev, Maz, and I headed off the 2km or so to the shops, walking along a lovely boardwalk. It’s a small village but very pretty. By the time we returned I was stuffed but there was no rest for the wicked and meal prep commenced, with a well-earned wine in hand.

 

The dinner turned out pretty well and it all got eaten up (forgot to take a photo!). It was then time for Euchre – Gaz/Kev v Maz/Pen with the boys whitewashing us 2-0. A bit of a very violent movie (The Mechanic) on TV and then it was time for bed.

Day 15 – Tennis, Phillip Island & Penguin Parade

It was up and at ‘em ready for tennis this morning. Everyone seemed to pull up pretty well after a biggish night and we donned our version of athletic gear, grabbed some balls and racquets, and it was off up the track for 100m or so until we got to the tennis court. Wayne stayed home, Russ & Sue joined us, Gaz decided to be an umpire from the bleachers and the rest of us were ready to set the court alight. Kev & I sat off first and the other four began the warm up. It became obvious quickly that there was something wrong with the balls (it couldn’t possibly be the players) and Kev was sent scurrying back to the cabin to gather some substitutes.

 

An incomprehensible rotation system devised by Kevin to try to implement a points scoring system failed early on and the pairing of players became ad hoc. Vicky was the first to succumb to injury, straining her upper calf (we think). I went in as a super sub. Sue was later subbed as she was almost hopping on one leg (she’s due to have a hip replacement shortly), and Russ, Kev, Maz & I settled down to battle. It was a pretty tight match but due to the aforementioned complicated points scoring system I have no idea who won. Sue bravely returned and replaced Russ who ripped off his shirt and dived into the adjacent swimming pool a la Jim Courier diving into the Yarra after an Australian Open win. Time will tell how we pull up tomorrow.

 

After a short rest period everyone headed into Cowes – the girls walked the shops, the boys walked the foreshore and then found a pub, Gaz washed the car. The others grabbed a bite to eat in town but Gaz and I had left over steak from last night to finish off so we headed back. A fairly quiet afternoon. I took a walk and found another games area with another pool, tennis court etc.

Other than that we just rested and then headed to the North Pier Hotel at Cowes for what was a lovely meal for dinner. Gaz had decided he didn’t need to see the penguins again – after all, he saw them 30 years ago – so I drove him home after dinner and headed to the Penguin Parade area on the other side of the island and met Kev, Maz, Wayne & Vicky there. Sue & Russ also gave it a miss as they have been many times.

 

When we went 30 years ago we froze! It is the coldest I have ever been in my life … and we have lived in Orange, Lithgow and Canberra. So, this time I went prepared. I brought my warmest coat on the trip just for tonight and I can’t imagine it will be used again but gee I’m glad I wore it. I also grabbed a picnic blanket from the car which was useful to sit on with the cold stainless steel seats. Did I mention I found a pair of gloves in my coat pocket? I was so prepared! We huddled together as we sat in the stands set on the beach after a reasonably long walk from the car park and visitor’s centre. Poor Vicky was feeling her earlier tennis injury but soldiered on like the elite sportswoman she is.

 

We waited about 45 minutes for the penguins to start to appear. There seemed to be less penguins than I remembered but it was still great to see the spectacle, particularly walking back along the boardwalk and seeing them up close. The most bizarre occurrence was a flock of seagulls that kept swooping and hovering over the stands as people started to leave, apparently searching for leftover food. This is such a dangerous place! Possums last night and now killer seagulls!

 

Heading off tomorrow morning and farewelling Wayne and Vicky as they head back to Melbourne. It was great catching up with them again.

Day 14 – San Remo, Rhyll, Cowes

 We were packed and out the door by 9:30am ready to move on to the next part of our adventure. Phillip Island was our destination, but we stopped first at San Remo to witness the midday feeding of the pelicans. We met Wayne & Vicky and Sue & Russ who were also joining us for this sector.  It seemed a nice spot and we took the opportunity to wander up the street and check out a few shops … well the girls did anyway while the boys waited patiently until their patience ran out and they texted the girls suggesting it was time to move on as they were hungry.

 

Across the bridge we travelled in a procession to find ourselves in the tiny settlement of Rhyll. Nevertheless, a splendid café was found and all 8 of us were most appreciative of a fine repast … it was a good feed too.

 

Russ & Sue weren’t able to book where the rest of us are staying so they set off to their digs (aka some upmarket spa suite) in Cowes while we headed to the Ramada Resort where we finally found our 3-bedroom villa, unpacked and settled in. It is a lovely resort set on extensive grounds with lots of walking tracks around it. The cabin is also great and meets our needs perfectly, even with the 6 of us staying together.

 

During the afternoon we went into Cowes to buy some meat and other staples from Coles and then Gaz and I took a walk on one of the tracks to explore. There were lots of animals to see along the way – small wallabies, some sort of weird geese/duck things (Maz named them, but I’ve forgotten), rabbits, and all sorts of birds. Gaz was pretty pleased with his walking effort as we trekked up to the top of the hill and admired the vista below. On the way we passed the pool, spa, gym, indoor pool, and tennis court.

 

Russ & Sue arrived for dinner and a fabulous night ensued with lots of fun, laughter (and alcohol!). Finska and the Celebrity Game were played – the girls won Finska and the boys won the Celebrity Game so lets call it a draw. We had a number of red-eyed visitors with the boldest possums you’ve ever seen attacking the front and back glass doors of the cabin. At one point a possum gained access and ran straight to the rubbish bin in the kitchen – I think he’s been in here before. They have no fear of humans at all and at times we felt we might become prisoners in our own cabin with an army of terrorist possums laying siege at our door! Maz just kept saying how cute they were and making goggly eyes at them.

 

Great night and before the evening was over it was decided … tennis at 10:30am tomorrow. In bed after 11, looking forward to a good night’s sleep!