THE WAYWARD BUS MAY 2016

Wednesday 18^th May

And so we are off again on another snippet of life’s big adventure, this time down to my daughter Bianca’s farm at Outrim and then on heading East towards Mallacoota.

It was a bit of a pain getting through Disneyland and the suburbs, and then into the peace of the real country again.

For some strange reason we were compelled to call in at Tooradin airfield which has a great seafood restaurant right on the field overlooking the runway, with Westernport bay and French Island beyond. A great spot to have a coffee break.

Tooradin

'ole bloke needs a break!

And then on through Korrumburra to Roosendaal Farm at Outrim. Dairy farmers have just had a kick in the guts, with Murray Goulburn and  Fonterra fiercely slashing prices paid ‘per kilo of milk solids’.

But David and Bianca are hard working and resilient farmers. As they now have Organic supplier status their milk demands a premium, which will help ride out this callous price cut.

They also run an equestrian operation from a huge indoor arena on the farm, which brings many riders to their place for training.

After a great dinner with them and a good rest in the bus, we will be off in the morning to Wilson’s Prom, and then on to Foster, which for me, is where it all began. Literally!

A new use for redundant milking cups.

Bianca loading up for an event

Thursday 19^th May

Slept well and warm and cosy in the bus, a very windy and cold night outside. After breakfast with the farmers, Bianca was off to a riding event, and we headed off towards Wilson’s Prom.

The wind increased, and it pissed raining all day. The roll-up awning on the bus unwrapped in a real gust of wind, I think we should just cut it off.

Arrived at Tidal River right on lunch o’clock and I had nice pumpkin soup and a toasted foccasia and Heather downed a great burger with the lot.

The weather was wild and windy, with heavy rain and mist making visibility very limited. 

Tidal River stop

Wilsons Prom

Very misty and rain and wind all day!

A pity, as this is a very pretty place, and would be crowded in the summer months.
The wind and rain continued as we headed back, and towards Foster. A place famous for a brand of beer that no self-respecting Aussie would drink, and known to a lesser extent as the birthplace of yours truly. What a nolstalgic place to return to after seventy four years! 
My Dad was a dairy inspector here in 1941 during the early years of the war, before returning to the family farm at Elingamite. And while my parents were here, along came theblacksheep!!!!

















I had never been to this pub; I don't think one-year olds were allowed. 
So this evening we have camped in a quiet area behind this great old place that is considerably older than I am!

 A few draught beers and a good feed here, before we waddle off to bed. 

Friday 20th May

Last night we had dinner in this great old pub, established in the mid 1800’s, destroyed by fire in 1905, and finally re-opened after being rebuilt, in May1907.   

Bangers, mash and three veg!!

  After a great night in the van, parked within walking distance, we left to explore this quiet little town.

Original Pub

Rebuilt after fire 1907

And what a gem it is! With a population of only 1000, it is about our size, and similar to Cobden where I grew up.

Scotch fillet for breakfast

A clean tidy town, and very welcoming to visitors. We cooked the great scotch fillet steaks Bianca had given us for breakfast, along with eggs and toast, on a clean and free bbq, in a RV friendly park. 

Heather was entertained by a wayward girlie stronad strutting around and singing to herself at breakfast time! We thought she might have been off her face, but just a happy soul who couldn’t stop talking, and was serenading Heather with weird songs as I disappeared to the local library opposite.

Then it was on the track again towards Sale. Still clearly dairying country at first with Holstein cattle everywhere.

Stopped for lunch at Yarram where the girlie stronad warned about ‘rednecks’, but apparently they don’t come out in the daytime.

Further on we stopped at Stratford for some provisions, and along the boring Princes highway towards Bairnsdale, found a nice spot for the night with clean dunnies, water and bbq areas.

Not much wood about, but we soon had a small fire roaring, and managed to cook a great steak on the coals. And also microwaved a thin-crust beef pizza.

It became very cold during the night but we were warm in the bus and the beer and wine were well chilled. A young glonad couple also pulled in for the night, it is always good to not be the only outfit at isolated spots.

Flyday 21^st May

A sunny morning at last, after a very cold night. Up late, and managed to cook up some coffee to wash down the left-over pizza from last night.

Foreshore Lakes Entrance

We then headed off towards Orbost and Marlo, and stopped for coffee at Lakes entrance. 
Heaps of traffic heading this way on the highway, and quite a few stronads bracing for the winter.

And then on to Orbost, picked up a few provisions, and then into Marlo, which is the very mouth of the Snowy River.

Marlo, mouth of the Snowy

AH-Lifes tough!!

Landed here with Heather 30 years ago!!--not very friendly from  the outside!

Tonight we have succumbed to a caravan park at Marlo after checking out the airstrip which was locked, so a beer at the local pub as a nightcap.  

The mossies here eat stronads for dinner, so we have drenched the bus with spray, which is almost as lethal as they are.

A wine and beer or two will boost our immunity.

Sunday 22^nd May

Last night we cooked up a storm in the camp kitchen; if bacon, eggs and tomatoes constitute a storm.

Had hoped to light a nice campfire as the sign said ‘fires allowed’. But of course this wasn’t to be as all the fire drums had been stolen!

So for twenty seven bucks we got a hot shower and a free bog tossed in (or out?). Hate these places, might as well stay in the suburbs if we wanted neighbours so close!

And so off towards Mallacoota, past a quaint little pub at a spot called Bellbird, and stopped at Cann River for breakfast and coffee. A pretty little place on the Princes Highway.

A few clicks east of there we noted a likely overnight place, which we could get back to after having a look at Mallacoota.

Mallacoota

Ditto

The 22km road in from Genoa to Mallacoota was a bit of a challenge in the bus, very hilly and numerous steep curves.

No passing spots and the natives following us were getting a bit restless.

These blokes drowning worms off the Mallacoota pier.

A bit of a look round the area and then lunch in a great local café. I wouldn’t have thought broccoli and sweet potato soup would be much, but it was superb.  And possibly even healthy too.
Decided not to continue on towards Sydney, so back down the track and found our great stronads spot at ‘Drummer Rain Forest’, near Mt. Drummer.

Fired up the genny and soon had a campfire roaring, with some dry wood we had collected further back. A peaceful place, in the middle of nowhere, with only the sounds of the birds and the bush. 

A couple of steaks and snags and a beer or two, and we will sleep soundly.

Monday 23^rd May

Last night a vehicle pulled in after dark,  and Heather was certain it would be a couple of terrorists or mass murderers. In a moment of bravery I wandered over to check, and it was a couple of young German girls touring the country after working for six months in New Zealand.

They were doing their own thing, cooking up something for tea on a small gas burner. 

In the glow of the fire about five possums came out of the woodwork, and were very tame and relished on the biscuits we fed them. 

 The girls came over later and joined us at the fire; only nineteen year olds, working to travel round the country.

Great to see young people venturing out to explore the world. We headed off to bed and left them to enjoy our little fire.

We left early this morning, just as it was starting to rain.

Breakfast Cann River

Drove about 10km heading west, and stopped at Cann River for a great breakfast which included their snags made from the local Lowline Beef.    

And it pissed down rain all day as we headed off through Orbost, Nowa Nowa, Bruthen, Bairnsdale, Sale, Traralgon  and Morwell. The wind and rain have made traveling very difficult today, and we have again succumbed to a caravan park a few Km east of Morwell.

After a couple of scotches and a bit of TV in the rec room, off to bed in the bus.

Tuesday 24^th May.

It rained quite a bit during the night, and has continued on all day. So we have decided to drive on to home, the weather has been crap for the last two days!
Through Disneyland by 11 am and before long we were back home!--and the rain has stopped, the sun is shining, and we're back in the best place in the world!