The Last of Oz

This is the last blog from Australia as we are off soon to New Zealand! Can’t believe we have been here for 4 whole months. We have had a great time but to reassure all those doubters - we WILL be coming home!!

It has been very hot here with numerous bush fires and a complete fire ban for most of the area for the majority of the time. We went to the “Puffing Billy” railway, but due to the conditions the train was pulled by a 1950s diesel engine rather than a steam engine. It was a lovely trip through pretty countryside and after the journey we went for a walk in the forests in the Dandenong Hills. Aren’t the names great.

Another day we went to Hanging Rock….and had a picnic. Well you have to don’t you. The area was a lot more built up than the book or film suggested and had some lovely rock formations. We walked (and climbed) all the way to the top seeing some wallabies on the way up. Then we came and had our picnic at the base and saw some kangaroos. Good climbing weather today - warm but not too hot!

One Sunday afternoon Gordon, Marvyn and I drove around to the Mornington Peninsular. We drove to the top of a lookout hill and the view down of the beaches and the turquoise sea was fabulous. I took so many photos here! We then went to a lovely town called Sorrento to have fish and chips by the beach and then a coffee in a bar by the jetty. We have now been to 3 Sorrentos - 1 in Victoria; 1 in Western Australia (great fish and chips here too!); and in Italy!! A perfect holiday retreat; which is why all rich Melbonians have 2^nd homes here.

We did a bit more exploring in the local area while we still had the car. The Organ pipes and the waterfall are all made from basaltic / volcanic rock. They were beautiful and reminded us of the Giants Causeway in Ireland. We have also seen lovely lakes; a variety of wildlife; water springs for health; and a great cemetery!! We stopped off at the gatehouse of a school in Sunbury for a cuppa and a cake and saw the place where the Ashes were burnt!! This was also the house (Rupertswood) that was used as the school in the film “Picnic at Hanging Rock”.

One of our last days in the city took us again to a new development by the docks called Waterfront City. The usual shops, cafes, apartments and so on, but also a Hollywood Boulevard style walk of fame with many well known Aussies. There was a statue of Kylie - see the photo; what more can I say! Except…..can you see the big wheel behind her. That is the Southern Star (3^rd largest in world) and we had a good ride. As it was 38 degrees outside we were thrilled to find it was air conditioned inside! Pretty views but nothing mind blowing due to it’s location near the docks, motorways and railway yards.

And finally......

Gordon, Marvyn and Graham out for the night down Brunswick Street


The sign says it all!!


We visited our friend from Thanet Pat's son, his wife Ann-Marie and son Frederick. Lovely to meet the whole family.

And now we are heading off to New Zealand so next blog will be from Christchurch on the South Island. See you all there!!