Thursday 14th Jan - Tuesday 19th. Road trip Sydney to Melbourne

Thursday 14th Jan
Good news to start the day. Friend had an operation which went very well so here's to a quick recovery Lorraine.

Our tour of the opera house was really good. Our guide Maryann was amusing and knowledgeable. I hadn't looked up much info about the opera house but was surprised to learn that the architect Jørn Utzon won the design competition way back in the late 50s and it was built in the 60s and yet It still looks so modern. The 100 million dollars it cost was paid for in 3 years due to a government run lottery!! Apparently Australia has the highest rate of gambling per capita, world wide and because of this at New Year there are said to be more Chinese here than in China! Also talking about new year, I heard that the fireworks in Sydney Harbour, new years eve 2015 cost 11million dollars!!

Sam picked the car up whilst I finished up in the room. It's a RAV4 so lots of room for our 'not so packing light' luggage.

Stayed at Railway Square YHA which was very comfortable but some people did leave the kitchen in a bit of a mess despite there being lots of notices everywhere that your Mum isn't with you so clean up after yourself!

Sydney - Melbourne road trip

Left hostel at 11.55am. Jervis Bay 1st leg approx 196 km

We're driving along Grand Pacific drive passing some lovely beaches and stunning scenery. Got out of the car to take a photo and it was like walking into an oven!!

Temperature rising each day. 1st day 30deg c. Today its 38deg phew and no breeze today.

It's just bizarre how conditions can change. We arrived at Shellharbour. Got out of the car and took some photos. Went into get some lunch and the heavens opened. Heavy rain and thunder and lightning!

Then to Kiama(aboriginal name means place where sea makes noise) blowhole where the blowhole shoots water 60 metres in the air. Had to have my fleece on here as I was freezing!

We were following the coastal road and hadn't noticed that it's a loop and had been driving for some time before we realised we were going back the way we came. Boo hoo :(

We arrived at a place called Huskisson which is on the coast and booked in at a motel called The Huskisson would you believe. The room has double bed plus 2 singles, fridge microwave, table and chairs and TV and a bathroom and toilet @ 150$ per night.

We had intended to go out for a meal but it was pouring with rain and having had lunch late we weren't too hungry so we had wine and nibbles and watched Australia the movie which we thought was really good.

Huskisson is a nice little place with motels and restaurants and a large campsite further along the beach.
Narooma tomorrow

Friday 15th January (19deg)
Heading for Narooma (175km)

After breakfast we did a walk to Hyams beach which is reputed to have the whitest sand in the world. We found the sand was very white but the beach wasn't great but its a bit chilly (haha that's around 68 deg) and overcast today so it doesn't look so desirable then. We could hear a lot if noise overhead from birds but couldn't see what they were then we spotted these beautiful bright green and red, parrot like birds sitting in a tree.

Stopped at Ulladulla. Seems a nice place and tourist info was very helpful. Had lunch at 'Native' overlooking the harbour. Sun has come out. Yay!! Lunch was D- Licious. They seem to be making everything to order with several people cooking and cleaning up after themselves. Highly recommend.

Heading for Pebbly beach next where wild kangaroos can sometimes be seen on the beach so fingers crossed.

Yay!! We did see the kangaroos on the beach. Couldn't believe it!! They're just hopping around and one was even feeding from mums pouch! So exciting. Pebbly beach is beautiful too and although the name suggests otherwise, it was lovely and sandy. Pretty wild though but it is a very windy day and still cooler even with the sun.

Narooma
Called into tourist info office at Bateman's Bay and they booked us into our motel in Narooma Comfort Motel. It was very comfortable too and ideally located to walk down to the bar at Million Dollar View Hotel and WOW! It certainly was. Awesome!!! Although the pub does serve food and it was extremely busy, we had booked at Sorriso the Italian nearby which also had great views. We had a lovely evening.

Narooma is a lovely place and would be worth staying longer. The coastline is fantastic. Crashing waves, rugged rocks and golden sands. Idyllic. When we were looking at the views we could see a camper in the distance and it appeared to be surrounded by crashing waves. We wondered if it would still be there tomorrow!

Saturday 16th January (temp 20+)
Narooma to Mallacoota crossing the border from New South Wales into Victoria.

After breakfast and checking out, we walked to the coast where we saw a seal swimming and playing in the sea. Peered through Australia rock which is a natural rock with a hole the shape of Australia! How cool is that! And parked right by Australia rock was the Winnebago camper we saw last night. What a brilliant place to camp up. Stunning views and crashing waves and possible sightings of seals and whales. Best of all, free! Walking back to the car we saw a blue tongue lizard just sitting on the path. We were advised they are harmless. There are fish cleaning tables along the harbour and a chap was filleting his catch. At home we would see swans, geese and ducks being fed but here we saw beautiful white pelicans and some other sea birds all waiting for the scraps to be thrown to them.

Stopped at the pretty National Trust listed village, Central Tilba full of good quality local arts and craft shops selling soaps,candles jewellery and the like and cafes and a cheese shop. It was very busy and lots of people were buying.

Almost lunch time and Sam was hankering for fish n chips so we stopped at Tathra. Not a place I would recommend. Probably good if you have kids as beach, fair ground, skateboard park and chipshops are all close together by the camping ground but I wasn't fussed.

A quick stop at Eden tourist info to book our motel for the night at Mallacoota. Booked in at the Mallacoota hotel/motel 130$. Got to say, I'm not lovin' it but its central so rather than spend an hour driving around and finding nothing better we decided to stay. Thankfully it's only 1 night!! Looks a bit like a prison camp from the outside, or maybe Pontins cabins :( Can't believe the bloke in the information centre said it looks real nice when we've driven past. Certainly no million dollar view from the terrace, haha yard. Win some loose some. Sam has discovered a bonus. Pint of beer and glass of wine 11$. So he's lovin' it.

Just chatting over our drink before heading out for our walk. I said to Sam, 'on first impressions the place itself doesn't look great but we'll head down to the harbour and I'm sure it'll be nice down there'. He looked at the map and started laughing. Not very inspirational names. He said our walk starts at tip beach!!

Just finished our 5 mile walk which took us through woodland to start, with some pretty scary looking trees but then it opened up into this magnificent stretch of beach. Which was Tip Beach! After the beach back into the woods but just before we entered, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a group of kangaroos sitting on the grass. These were bigger and more wary than the ones we saw on Pebbly beach but it was great to see them. We got back to the harbour to see about 20 huge pelicans waiting for scraps from the fishing table. What a site. When we got back it was after 7.30 so we had to think about a meal. Only place to get anything is our hotel. We had some nibbles which were actually quite tasty so not all bad then we got talking to a couple Susan and Paul from Newcastle, who were also staying at our hotel, so had a few drinks with them. Then off to bed

Heading for Metung tomorrow

Sunday 17th Jan
Mallacoota to Metung 219km
26deg with a cool breeze

On reflection, the room probably wasn't as bad as first thought. Fittings and decor were fine, I think it was just the carpet which looked a bit mingy and the outside was all painted battleship grey. But a comfortable nights sleep anyway.

Stopped for lunch at Lakes Entrance a seaside resort not too far from Metung. Had a short walk over the bridge to have a look at the beach which looked really nice. Very wide and long. Popped into McDonald's for our daily fix. Don't panic, ice cream not burgers. We remembered Mike telling us years ago you can get the best and cheapest ice cream at McDonald's and he is slot on. 1$ for 2 cones and its yummy too. Rang ahead to book accommodation in Metung as most seemed to be full. Staying at Metung Waters Spa. 180$

Well it is heaps better than last nights accommodation and the whole area is lovely. I mentioned to the lady on reception that we had stayed in Mallacoota last night and she said its the old town way. Well that's one way of looking at it!

Walked 3.5 miles along the boardwalk and through housing estate. Some nice properties here and quite a lot for sale. Then we had a sit on the little beach for a bit.

Where we are at Metung, it reminds us of Abersoch with all the boats. We got chatting to a couple from Manchester who go sailing from Largs and they said 'have you ever been to Abersoch, its just like this' How funny is that? When we told them we were going to Auckland they said 'you'll have to go to Waiheke Island and again, funny enough, Mike and Gill have just been there on holiday. I'm always bowled over when there are such similarities when you're half way around the world.

We had a nice meal at the bistro overlooking the harbour. If you were a seafood person this place would be ideal. We went past a table that had a seafood selection. There were 2 crabs bigger than your hand, lobster and a huge dish of prawns waiting to be shelled. Sadly, not a seafood person. We then strolled back to our pad. Sam had a soak in the posh jacuzzi bath.

Monday 18th Jan
Metung to Fosters
34deg and no breeze

Looking out from our balcony this morning - whoo hoo did you get that? Balcony!! Posh! there was a lovely play area with squirting water fountains, BBQ area with free to use bbqs, a little babbling brook that goes right around the play area, benches and the play equipment which was made to look like natural trees. It was lovely.

Stopped at tourist info in Bairnsdale only to find out there is no accommodation available at Wilsons Promontory. Apparently it's a lucky dip kind of thing. You have to apply in advance. But the local tourist info gave us the details of a motel in Foster which is about an hours drive to the Prom.

Foster is an old gold mining town. There was a walk but nothing to write home about. Went for our meal in the pub which had the biggest fire burner I've ever seen. Indoors! It wasn't lit though but you can tell it has been. And it was right in the middle of the room.

Wilson's Prom and Philip Island tomorrow

Tuesday 19th
Fosters to Wilson's Prom and Philip Island

Room at Fosters was good and we ate our breakfast outside at the table. Then off to Wilson's Promontory National Park (to give it its full title but usually referred to as Wilson's Prom). The southernmost tip of the Australian mainland. Surrounded by sea on 3 sides.

It's mix of rain forest, mountain peaks, rugged coastline and pristine beaches. Cycle and walking tracks, campsite with showers and toilet (long drop variety). The campsite was very busy and all units very close together. It's the school holidays here.

We went straight to the visitors centre then visited Squeaky beach where you can take your shoes off and listen to the quartz sand squeak as you walk in it. Then we went to Picnic bay. Quite a walk from the carpark so i wouldn't like to be carrying picnic boxes down there. Beach is lovely though. Then we walked across to Whisky bay where we had our lunch (but no Whisky) We'd picked up some rolls from the visitors centre.

Then off to Philip island. We arrived in time to check into our motel, the Tropicana, drive over to the historic Churchill Island, stopped to see the racing cars practising at the grand Prix circuit, have our meal overlooking the sea then take the free bus in time to see the parade of penguins. They are the smallest specie's of penguins in the world and come out of the sea in groups at dusk every night and waddle across the sand into their borrows. They are so cute n cuddly.

The landscape is very dramatic all round the coast. Just beautiful.