We spent six lovely days with my brother and his partner in Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. During our visit, we went on various excursions, including visiting the cellar doors of several wineries. We especially enjoyed Oakdene, Terindah, and Lethbridge wineries. Of course, we purchased wine from all of them and had lunch at Terindah Estate.
On Sunday, we walked around the boats moored at Queenscliff, and we enjoyed lunch at The Dunes restaurant at Ocean Grove Surf Club
We had planned to leave on Monday, May 26, but the weather forecast for South Australia and Victoria prompted us to stay an extra day. We hoped the predicted strong winds would have passed before we set off.
Lunch on Monday was at the Queenstown Sorrento ferry terminal. The restaurant here serves delicious food, which we all enjoyed.
We left Point Lonsdale on Tuesday, May 27, to camp at Port Fairy, located between Warrnambool and Portland. During our trip today, we encountered strong winds and light patchy rain that later turned into heavy downpours. It's very cold here in Port Fairy with strong winds, but at least the sky is blue. We are safely tucked away among the pine trees in the caravan park.
We were there to meet Alan, whom I've known since our primary school days in Port Moresby. He recently purchased a camper trailer nearby and joined us for the night on Wednesday before heading off to Melbourne and then returning to his home in Perth.
I used to think Tasmanian roads were in bad condition, but after our 234 km trip today, Victoria may have taken the lead and is racing ahead to the finish line.
We've planned to spend three nights here with the caravan park's special: stay for two, and the third night is free.
We love Port Fairy, and this will be our fourth visit. The town features charming old buildings, a variety of restaurants and cafes, and numerous women's clothing shops that cater to the affluent residents.
Beautiful homes line the banks of the Moyne River, many of which have been refurbished from their original use as warehouses or homes belonging to fishermen and boat captains from days gone by.
On Friday, May 30, we travelled 251 km to Newstead, just outside Castlemaine, to visit friends who, like us, once lived in Canberra. Despite Google Maps often suggesting different routes, it displayed only one option today, despite my efforts to find alternatives. As a result, we took a series of rough roads, including narrow, one-lane stretches of bitumen.
We frequently stay at the Newstead Racecourse and Recreation Reserve, which costs $10 per night and offers showers, toilets, a dump point, and potable water - an ideal spot to relax. The nights have been extremely cold, with lows reaching as low as -2.5 degrees Celsius each morning.
On Saturday, we had a delightful lunch with friends at Das Kaffeehaus, known for its excellent service and tasty food. Ros and I ordered the beef and pork goulash, but we couldn’t fit in their strudels or other desserts.
On Sunday, June 1, we embarked on another cross-country journey, passing through Elphinstone and Heathcote, then travelling seven kilometres on dirt road to camp at Longwood Recreation Ground, just south of Euroa. For lunch, we savoured bangers, vegetables, and mash at the White Hart Pub in Longwood. We planned to meet friends here, with whom we had travelled along the Gary Junction Road from Alice Springs to Marble Bar 2007.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 3, we leave Longwood and join the Hume Highway, heading through Wodonga and Albury and eventually crossing back into New South Wales.