To get to Yack, I wanted to go back through the Great Dividing Range because there are some great campsites up there. The forecast was for hot weather (in the 40's C +) coming in, so I thought the high country would be a good place to be, so we set off east to Bairnsdale, and then north up the Omeo Hwy.
When you get up in the high country, you notice hundreds of these dead trees with white trunks and branches, and they make for a dramatic sight. I have always wondered what they were, and fond out on this trip that they are mountain ash that were burnt in a fire about 10 years ago, and now remain there like sentinels.
After Omeo, we drove on an increasingly winding road through the Alpine National Park, near the Falls Creek Alpine (winter skiing) village. From Anglers Rest there are 2 or 3 bautiful camp sites beside the river, but unfortunately in Australia you cannot let dogs out of a vehicle in a National Park, so we had to keep going until we got through the park. But this park is stunnng, and is a prime fly fishing haunt in Australia, and there are some great hiking and cycling trails in the area, so one time I must come back without Trooper.
About 50 kms out of the National Park, we came to the first of the riverside camping areas at Lightening Creek, but it was quite full and the best spots were all taken, so we decided to continue to the next. The Walnuts campground is not so picturesque, but we found a totally deserted spot right on the bank of the river, with all the other campers hidden by the trees and bush. Perfect. The day had been hot, but as the sun set, it cooled quickly, and we enjoyed sharing the evening with a nice bottle of white, beside the river.
Next morning the forecast was for very hot weather, so we got going early - Only to find the air conditioner wasn't working ! It had been fine the evening before, so I was puzzled. And a little mad !! Then, about 1/2 an hour into the trip, I was fiddling with the a/c controls as I drove and found a little switch hidden away - Click, and the a/c was just fine !! So big relief, especially since I need to become very confident in the van before I set off to Alaska, and if little things keep going wrong, it is not a good start.
Once cool, we motored on, and were in Yackandandah by lunch time, so decided to go and have some lunch before descending on Jos & Tony. It was up in the 40's (104 F for you Americans !!) sitting outside (can;t take dogs inside), but was OK. Then we drove round to Jos & Tony's, only to find their house half pulled down ! They built a straw bale addition to their original old weatherboard house some years ago, and are proceeding with their original plans to replace the remaining old part of the house with a new straw bale section - Straw bales make the house so cool in hot summers, and warm in winter, so are ideal for this area. And as usual, Jos and Tony were hard at work despite the heat, so it wasn;t long before Janet and I were also at work !! Janet worked with Jos pulling the insides of the old house down, while I worked in the shed with Tony, where they are making an old shed "insect and vermin proof" (lots of bugs and mice in the country !) so they can store the furniture out of the old section while they do the building. So by evening, and a lovely shower to freshen up, a couple of cold beers went down easily !
Next day we went off to see the dairy farm that Jonathan and Kate are working, and it was 43 degrees ! I am surprised the cows had any milk to give ! On the way, Tony showed us this beautiful statue of a little blue wren done by a local artist - Especially relevant for us as we often have these tiny little birds playing in our garden at home. Being calving time, there were a number of day (or 2) old calves, which Jon and Janet fed with colostrum to help build their strength up. Then into the milking shed, where Kate was at work, but the rears of the cows looked to be in a position where, if you walked below them, you could be "in trouble" !! So I kept well clear of that area !! It was hot and hard work, but interesting for us city slickers to see - And as always Janet was wanting to be involved in everything !! Luckily she didn't get any cow showering her from above, although it was obvious Max the farm dog had been caught a couple of times !
In the evening, we had a great bbq, and Jon and Kate came over, as well as their daughter Sarah and her partner Chris, and their two - Saoirse (2) and Alex (5 months). Needless to say, Jos and Tony are so happy to have them living just down the road in Yack, and always enjoy having the grand kids over whenever they can.
Monday morning Jos and Tony had to go back to work, so I headed home to Qld, while Janet stayed on an extra day before catching a bus down to Melbourne. I have to say here that Trooper became instand "best dog-friends" with Max, and were running around all over the property for a couple of days. And Max definitely took Trooper to some places where there were dead things, or else lots of "droppings", because the STINK in the van all the way home was just terrible ! First thing I did when I got home was to bath him and I have never seen such dirty water in my life !! But he had a lot of fun !
It was a hot and boring drive back up to Qld. In the evening it was still too hot to stop, so at about 6 pm I went to the Hickey Falls rest area so Trooper could have a break, and I could cook up some supper. We went for a 'splore up the falls - unfortunately no flowing water at this time of year - Just a bit of a billabong. But it was quite interesting to see, and must be a wonderful sight in the wet season.
We then drove a couple of hours further up the road, but as the sun set, the 'roos started to come out, so I decided to stop in a very boring layby. It had cooled off, so I was soon asleep in my upstairs bunk ! Then, at 1.34 am exactly, I was awoken by the hiss of a truck's air brakes, looked out the wndow, and a bloody great B double semi had pulled up RIGHT BESIDE ME !! And IT WAS FULL OF CATTLE !! It wasn't the smell (hey, I was already used to Trooper's smell!!), but you have no idea how much the cattle move around - on wooden boards ! The noise was unbelievable !! So after abut 20 minutes, I grabbed some shorts, and without lowering the roof of the van climbed into the driver's seat and drove very slowly up to the other end of the (thankfully large) layby, and then managed to get to sleep again ! But why the truck hadn't stopped up the other end in the first place, I will never know, as by the time I woke up in the morning, he was gone. Maybe the driver couldn't sleep either due to the noise from his own trailer !! Ha ha.
Anyway, then drove on to Qld - A boring (and barren) road through northern NSW, but much greener and more scenic as we got north. Coming down the steep hill at Cunningham's Gap is always spectacular, with the Bell Bird's "dinging" in the trees, and incredible views unfolding below. I tok a pic of the big sea freight containers by the road - 2 years ago in the big Queenland rains and floods, this wole section of the mountain slipped, taking most of the road with it. They only way they could quickly stabilise the hillside was to put all these containers there, and fill them with rocks. Now, despite the road at last having been repaired, the containers remain as the easiest way of protecting the road from any further slides.
Another interesting feature of this part of the country are the old volcanic plugs remaining, now forming the biggest hills in the area. One can only imagine how tall the original volcanoes were if the central plug that is now all that is left are this big !! (Some info on them here http://www.vnc.qld.edu.au/enviro/flinders/f-p-qgm.htm )
An hour later I was home. Washed the dog, and then unloaded the car !!
All good - Successful first trip in the van, and now time to get on with some of the things I wanted to do to start preparing it for a long trip to the Americas. As I proved in 2012 with the trip to Alaska in the Lotus, if the car is prepared properly, both mechanically and facility wise, then the trip can be enjoyed to the maximum without having to worry about where things are, or whether the car (and you) will survive ! But VERY happy with the van - It is going to be just perfectly suited by the time I am finished with it !
More pictures of the trip home here :- https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/0004MelbourneToBrisbane?authkey=Gv1sRgCK_EmOrvis6N9QE#
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