Walks – kurlywhirlyventures

Yarra Valley and Surrounds

October 27, 2021October 27, 2021 kurlywhirlyventures

We don’t often holiday within our own state of Victoria but with the uncertainty of recent times and possible border closures we decided it was our best option. Turns out it was a great decision as Victoria placed a hard border on NSW just days before we were due to leave.. Many people who were travelling within or through NSW were forced to race against the deadline to get home before having to hotel quarantine. Holidays are meant to be stress free, sadly that’s not the case right now.

You may be wondering why we don’t holiday regularly within Victoria, especially when there are so many must see destinations here. There’s no main reason, like many people around the world the least places visited are often on your doorstep.

We travelled with our caravan to Doon Reserve Caravan Park located in Yarra Junction just 66kms east of Melbourne.

The caravan park has a number of powdered and unpowered sites some of which are located alongside the Yarra River. The facilities include two amenity blocks, a camp kitchen, a laundry and a kiosk. The facilities are immaculately kept and the beauty of this caravan park is the easy access to the river for swimming and kayaking. Be warned the water is icy cold even in summer!

Doon Reserve Caravan Park – the perfect place to unwind

There are numerous options to keep oneself entertained in the Yarra Valley, no matter what your interests there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We had three full days to explore the area, this is how we spent our time:

Day 1 – Fine Food and Drink

You really can’t visit the Yarra Valley without tasting it’s rich offerings. The rolling green pastures and its cool stable climate creates a perfect haven for food and wine producers. It is considered Australia’s oldest wine region, dating back to the 1830s and is renowned for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There s an abundance of local produce from trout and caviar to cheeses, dairy and preserves. As a family we chose to visit three local producers:

Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery

When children (and big kids) are involved there is no way of avoiding a visit to the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery. The scenic drive to get here is breathtaking, from the moment you first arrive you are drawn into the immense landscape. All ages will enjoy exploring the vast lawns, gardens, wetlands and orchards.

Ok let’s be honest, you’ve not come here to look at the views, did someone say chocolate and ice cream? To be exact there are over 250 chocolate products all of which are hand crafted. The whole process can be watched behind a glass window and there are information boards explaining each step in production.

Within the complex there is an all-day cafe serving breakfast and lunch as well as a large shop and toilets and did I mention that there is delicious chocolate to be enjoyed!

Who can resist a metre long chocolate bar?

Yarra Valley Dairy

If you are a cheese lover like myself then you must make a visit to the Yarra Valley Dairy. They have been producing a variety of fresh artisan cheeses from cows and goats milk for many years. The shop is located in the 100 year old milking shed adding to the charm and is open from 10.30am-5pm Thursday through to Monday.

Unfortunately due to recent health considerations, tasting of the cheese is not possible, but rest assured it is delicious. We purchased the renowned Persian feta and the Yering soft cheese, both of which were incredibly delicious and consumed very quickly.

Yering Station Winery

In the Yarra Valley a person is spoilt for choice when it comes to wine tasting, in fact it can be a difficult decision to decide which winery to visit. We had read that Yering Station Winery had stunning grounds, tranquil gardens, a small art gallery and a sculpture terrace as well as great wines. My whole family loves looking at works of art so Yering Station got our vote.

The cellar door is located in the original winery building dating from 1859 and in itself is worth the visit. There is a $10 fee per person to taste the wines that can be offset against a purchase. The cellar door is open 7 days a week, 10am -5pm Monday to Friday and open until 6pm Saturday and Sunday. Even if you’re not a wine drinker it is worthy of a visit for the rich historic and cultural experience.

For some, visiting a winery can be quite tiring!

Day 2 – Exploring Noojee

Noojee is a small town located 44 kilometres south east of Yarra Junction making it a perfect destination for a day trip from the Yarra Valley. This historic timber town perched on the banks of the LaTrobe River amongst dense towering mountain ash trees boasts the tallest surviving wooden trestle bridge in Victoria.

The trestle bridge, built in 1919, sits within a eucalypt and fern forest as part of the old railway used to freight timber outside of the district. Upon entering the car park below the bridge it is hard not to be impressed by the 100m span. To the right there are steep steps leading to the top of the bridge where you can walk across and proceed along the rail trail walk into town.

The walk takes you along the original railway line through the looming mountain ash trees for 2.2 kilometres into Noojee.

When we visited the weather was being particularly unkind to us, it rained for the entire walk.

Not to be deterred we donned our raincoats and set off through the impressive mountain ash forest.

It is an easy flat walk and took us about 30 minutes to complete.

At the end of the rail trail you will arrive at the Noojee Railway Precinct.

Noojee Railway Precinct

The Noojee and District Historical Society run by volunteers was formed in 2006 to undertake several projects to restore and bring to life the regions timber and railway history. With the help of local donations, grants and volunteers they have created a Heritage Centre, restored a steam locomotive, QR wagon and a railway goods shed. There are information boards located around the precinct for those interested in the railways past. The Heritage Centre is open on weekends and public holidays from 12noon-4pm.

Day 3 – Dandenong Ranges

The Dandenong Ranges located within a 40 minute scenic drive of Yarra Junction offers a plethora of attractions to suit everyone. Nestled among valleys and hills the area consists of dense temperate rainforest and a carpet of ferny undergrowth. Scattered throughout the region are charming villages with tranquil gardens, boutique shops, gourmet restaurants and galleries. The biggest attraction being the Puffing Billy, one of the world’s finest preserved steam railways that runs from Belgrave through to Gembrook.

William Ricketts Sanctuary

We were expecting a brighter day weather wise but sadly the grey sky persisted and the clouds continued to drizzle. I guess when you are in an area with dense rainforest a little rain is to be expected. Our first stop for the day was William Ricketts Sanctuary, a garden consisting of 92 striking sculptures created by artist William Ricketts. Such an inspirational gentleman who had lived with aboriginal communities in central Australia. He created the sanctuary as a place for quiet reflection and for replenishing the spirit. He believed that all Australians should adopt aboriginal philosophies and respect the spirituality of all living beings. The drizzly misty rain actually added to the magical atmosphere of this extraordinary place.

The garden is now maintained by Parks Victoria and admission is free. There is a gallery featuring additional artwork and information on William Ricketts life as well as a souvenir shop near the entrance.

Kyeema Track and Aircrash Memorial Site

Come rain or shine we were determined to do a walk whilst in the Dandenong Ranges. As the weather was proving quite unpredictable we opted for a shorter walk with a twist of history.

We started the walk from the small car park at the end of Osprey Road. The track to the right is 1.5kms and is fairly steep in places. We chose to follow the track for 200 meters to the left taking us to Burke’s Lookout. At 628 meters above sea level the lookout rewards you with magnificent views towards the skyline of Melbourne. Despite the gloomy grey skies and misty air we could just about see the outline of the city.

The faint outline of the city of Melbourne

The Kyeema track is named after the Australian National Airways Douglas DC-2 airplane that tragically crashed into Mt Dandenong on 25th October 1938. Sadly all 18 people on board perished.

On 25th October 1978 marking the 40th anniversary a memorial cairn was unveiled by the Mt. Dandenong Historical Society. Later in January 2003 another plaque was added at the site naming all the people who perished.

The memorial cairn and information board

Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden

Fortunately there was a slight break in the weather, just enough time for us to explore the beautiful Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Formerly known as the National Rhododendron Garden, this cool climate garden is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Wurundjeri People. Covering an area of 36 hectares displaying eye capturing rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, native and exotic trees among many other plants.

The gardens are open from 10am – 5pm and are free to enter.

Monbulk Trestle Bridge

A photographer’s delight, the Monbulk Trestle Bridge is not only artistically engineered but it makes for a perfect picture as the Puffing Billy traverses the narrow gauge rails above the valley.

We chose to stop by in the late afternoon to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary sight but sadly it wasn’t meant to be as the Puffing Billy was not operating due to the Pandemic.

The Yarra Valley is sure to please every type of traveller with so many attractions on offer. This was our second visit and I feel that there is still so much more to be explored. I’d love to hear what you love about this must see region, share you experience in the comments.

Australia, Walks

Yackandandah Gorge Walk

July 24, 2020July 20, 2020 kurlywhirlyventures

With the recent restrictions on travel it has forced us to discover our ‘own backyard’ and boy are we lucky to live in the north east of Victoria. As a family there’s nothing we love better than being at one with our natural surroundings and walking through stunning scenery, so it is surprising that there are so many walks within our locality that we haven’t experienced. That is up until now.

Having dropped our son at a friends house for the day and not being able to convince our fifteen year old daughter to accompany us we were child free!

A Place Steeped in History

Yackandandah is a historic town located 308km from Melbourne and is situated close to the New South Wales border. At the time of writing this article we are unable to go across the state border without a permit! Yackandandah is Jiatmathang country and the Aboriginal word for the town is Dhudhuroa meaning one boulder on top of another at the junction of two creeks. European settlement began in 1824 and the with the discovery of gold in late 1852 there came a surge of alluvial miners settling in the region. From then on Yackandandah became a thriving town and many of the original buildings and disused mines from that era are still in existence today.

The Gorge Walk

This is a gentle, easy track that meanders alongside the Yackandandah Creek. The walk took us around 90 minutes to complete (with frequent stops) starting and finishing at Yackandandah High Street. For more details on the walk visit Explore Yackandandah’s website.

To start the walk turn left on Wellsford Street at the top of the High Street, cross the bridge over Yackandandah Creek and immediately turn right onto the path. You will see a sign and information board explaining the historic significance of the walk.

At the beginning of the walk you will pass tennis courts and the sports ground on your lefthand side. This part of the trail is suitable for prams and bikes. I have read that there is a resident Platypus in the creek here, sadly we didn’t see it.

There are times when the path forks and you’re not certain which route to take. We found that both ways would take you to the same place but one path just took you closer alongside the creek. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and watch the water racing down the creek and I can only imagine how beautiful and refreshing it would be to take a dip in the hotter months of the year.

There are several information boards along the route that are worth taking the time to stop and read.

A variety of bird life

Aquatic life

What a great joint initiative

To save you the effort of climbing a hill unnecessarily, as we did, make sure you take the pathway on the right shortly after the bird information board. You will see another information board further along the path so you know you’re on the right path.

Take this path — This is the correct path

A short time later the bushland opens up and you will reach the miners gorge. Before you cross the bridge over the creek take sometime to sit on the rocks and listen to the sound of the energetic water rushing along.

Walk onto the bridge to observe the incredible gorge and you will realise why this place is so special. The 100 metre gorge was created by miners in 1858 so they could sluice gravel and sand in the hope of finding gold. They cut through the granite using only picks, shovels and blasting powder, it’s an impressive achievement.

After crossing the bridge the path gets fairly steep and slippery and extra care needs to be taken when it is wet.

Continue along the path for a few hundred metres and you will arrive at the dam wall. The dam wall was built to divert the creek and is believed to have powered a water driven timber mill. At a later date in 1859 a tail race was constructed when the miners deepened the gorge with the use of dynamite.

Dam Wall

Dam Sign

Tail Race

Shortly after the dam wall you will come across a wooden stye that doesn’t look like it goes anywhere. Being the curious people we are we decided to scramble over the stye and check out the other side. There were lots of blackberry bushes on the side of the path so care needed to be taken not to cut ourselves on the thorns. We discovered the path ended abruptly just around the corner so you won’t miss anything if you don’t go over the stye.

To return to the High Street you can either walk along Bells Flat Road (about 2kms) or return back the same way as you came.

Yackandandah Township

Yackandandah is an attractive, quaint town with many historic buildings from the gold mining days. A considerable number of these buildings have become boutique shops or eateries. The town became better known when the film ‘ Strange Bed Fellows’ starring Michael Caton and Paul Hogan was filmed on location in the High Street.

The town also has a very strong community and it shows in many of the initiatives undertaken. One such example is Totally Renewable Yackandandah, a 100% volunteer run group with a goal of powering the town with 100% renewable energy and achieving energy sovereignty by 2022.

You are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining in Yackandandah with two pubs, numerous cafes, an asian restaurant, a bakery and our favourite Gum Tree Pies. We couldn’t visit Yackandandah without enjoying one of their delicious pies, go and google them and you will see the positive reviews from all around Australia.

To finish off the perfect day we soaked up the beautiful winter sun with a hot drink at Sir Isaac Isaacs Park. The park is named after Sir Isaac Isaacs who was born in Yackandandah in 1855 and was the first Australian born governor-general. The park has an excellent playground, public toilets, electric barbecues and plenty of picnic tables.

Next time you are able to visit North East Victoria be sure to spend a day in the beautiful town of Yackandandah. You won’t be disappointed.

Let me know about your experiences in Yackandandah.

Hotel Reviews, Thailand, Travel

Sam Roi Yot National Park

July 13, 2020July 20, 2020 kurlywhirlyventures

No matter how prepared you are, travel doesn’t always go to plan, sometimes you end up travelling in the wrong direction! Well that’s exactly what happened to us and it just happened to be on the shortest leg of our trip, how embarrassing.

We were travelling from Hua Hin to Sam Roi Yot, a journey that should take around 45 minutes. It was convenient that there was a mini van station right next door to our guesthouse (Baan Talay 51) or so we thought.

Tickets purchased and a few moments later we were stuffed into a minivan like sardines, bags and all. No more than 10 minutes into the journey it hit me….we were going the wrong way. It transpired we had bought a ticket to Phetchaburi and we were meant to be going to Pranburi. Being at the back of the van involved every single person having to hop off to let us alight but to their credit nobody seemed to mind.

After a few minutes confusion we found someone who was willing to take us in his songtaew all the way to our guesthouse in Sam Roi Yot.

Beach Box @ Pran

We had originally booked three nights at the Oriental Pearl Resort as we wanted to splurge and pamper ourselves for the Christmas period. On the surface the resort appeared to offer a taste of luxury with spa baths, a large swimming pool and a poolside bar. Upon further investigation reviews on the internet expressed that the property was in need of maintenance, the private spa baths were dirty and many didn’t work at all and it was a fair distance from the beach. We are not fussy people when it comes to accommodation but we do like to get value for our money. I cannot comment personally on the state of the resort and it would be grossly unfair if I did as we didn’t experience the place for ourselves. We stumbled across exceptional reviews on accommodation called Beach Box Pran and our stay there backed them all up.

The hosts Mo and Maem made our stay exceptional and memorable, always going well beyond our expectations. Upon our arrival we were warmly greeted with a delicious refreshment. We had booked two rooms, a deluxe family suite and a superior twin room. Both rooms were impeccably clean and had all the amenities you could possibly need including robes and slippers. An unexpected surprise was the roof in the bathroom retracted so you could shower under the sky or stars at night.

It’s clear to see why Beach Box Pran gets such wonderful reviews. The grounds are beautiful and include a huge swimming pool with well maintained gardens. They also provide free use of bicycles and kayaks and if you are staying for a few days they will give you a free transfer to Phraya Nakhon Cave, a place not to be missed. Breakfast is included in the rate and they offer a wide selection as well as an egg station.

Pool Area

Free Bike Use

Family Suite

Stunning Garden Area

The location tops off this exceptional choice in accommodation being 100 metres from the beach and within a couple minutes walk of amazing restaurants. If you find yourself in Sam Roi Yot do yourself a tremendous favour and stay here.

Things to See and Do around Sam Roi Yot

It is clear to see why Sam Roi Yot means ‘three hundred mountain peaks’. The limestone cliffs surround you and create a stunning backdrop to this stunning coastline. Many people chose to visit Sam Roi Yot as a day trip from Hua Hin, however, if you have the time I believe it is worth spending a few days here to enjoy everything this place has to offer.

Phraya Nakhon Cave

Phraya Nakhon Cave is located within Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and is without a doubt the biggest draw card for the area. It is possible to visit the cave as a day trip from Hua Hin, however, if you want to spend more time at this remarkable site then it is advisable to stay locally.

There are differing opinions on how the cave was discovered. Some believe a local ruler Nakhon Srithammaraja discovered it 200 years ago when he was forced to take refuge from a storm although many historians think a nobleman named Nakhon stumbled across it in the 17^th century. Nevertheless, it is a truly majestic place to visit.

In 1890 a small pavilion was constructed in Bangkok and assembled inside the cave to commemorate the visit of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Every morning at around 10am the morning sunlight floods the cave and radiates the pavilion. In later years it was visited by King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) and King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX).

What you need to know before you visit:

Now you are familiar with the history of the cave it is advisable to know what is involved when visiting Phraya Nakhon Cave.

You will read several accounts from people who have trekked to the cave and most will agree that it is not an easy walk. As a family we walk regularly and as a whole are reasonably fit, however, this was a tough trek. Having said that my 81 year Dad managed to get to the top, although he admitted that it was almost ‘broke’ him. Adding to the element of difficulty is the extreme humidity, expect to sweat bucket loads!

Sam Roi Yot Map — Map of Sam Roi Yot National Park

You will be dropped off at the village of Bang Pu where you need to pay the entrance fee of 200 Baht per person to enter the National Park. From here you have two options to access the beginning of the walk, on foot or by boat. The walk will take you around 45 minutes and it relatively easy but bear in mind that the next stage is incredibly challenging so it’s best to save your energy and take a boat. The boat costs 200 Baht per boat not per person as I believed, hence why we walked.

Walk to Temple Gramps — The walk before the hard part!

View - walk to Temple — Rewarded with beautiful views

Signage leads you a few hundred meters from the beach to the start of the walk. Make sure you carry plenty of water and wear sunscreen. There is a rustic restaurant and toilets available before you start your ascent.

Beach before temple walk — The beach area just before the uphill climb

Take your time, stop often to catch your breath and enjoy the remarkable reward once you reach the pavilion. It really is worth the effort and believe it or not the pavilion is more beautiful in real life than in the pictures on the internet.

Beaches and the Local Scenery

To be honest the beaches at Sam Roi Yot do not even compare to the paradise of the beaches located on the Southern Islands of Thailand. Having said that they are still beautiful in their own way and offer a much less crowded experience. The long stretch of sandy beach at Ban Phu Noi (Dolphin Bay) offers a safe swimming environment for children and is a great place take out a kayak in the calm waters.

The roads are very quiet and the area is relatively flat making for an easy exploration by bike and within a few minutes you are cycling in remote countryside.

Bike Ride beach — You get the beach all to yourself

Restaurants

Surprisingly for a such a small resort there are a variety of excellent restaurants, the majority of which are situated along the beach front. One great place was Phen Thai, a family run restaurant situated right next door to our resort and we had been given discount vouchers to top it off. They offer a traditional Thai menu and an extensive drinks list, you can chose to sit in the restaurant area or across the road on the beach. The food was delicious and very fresh, just don’t expect the food to come out all at the same time (this is typical of most Thai restaurants!).

We then discovered Blue Beach Restaurant, tucked away in a tropical surrounding just a couple of minutes walk from our resort. The atmosphere was fantastic and both nights we visited we saw the same people as the previous night! Once you discover this gem of a place it’s hard to go anywhere else. The food was amazing, we tried a variety of dishes and they were all exceptional and the drinks were very good value.

Blue Beach Restaurant during the Day

Blue Beach Restaurant at Night

Did Sam Roi Yot Meet our Expectations?

Sam Roi Yot not only met our expectations but the place went above and beyond and exceeded them. If you are looking for a quiet resort, away from tourist crowds and loud music then this is the place to visit. We could easily have stayed longer and explored the area further if we’d had more time. A stay in Sam Roi Yot will definitely be on our list again so we can discover the many walks and places of interest we didn’t have time to visit on this trip.

Where to next….

A four hour minivan trip and we were ready to explore the delights of Bangkok.

Australia, Camping, Travel

Dadswells Bridge and The Grampians National Park

January 26, 2019January 26, 2019 kurlywhirlyventures

It has been seven years since we last camped in the Grampians region and we decided it was time to rediscover this wonderful ancient landscape. The Grampians is located 260kms west of Melbourne and 460kms east of Adelaide making it an ideal stopping point between the two major cities. Previously we stayed at Halls Gap however this time we chose to stay to the north of the National Park at Dadswells Bridge, known for the ‘Giant Koala’.

Grampians Edge Caravan Park

We stayed on a powered site at Grampians Edge Caravan Park for five nights. We were staying over the New Years period, a busy time and despite the powered sites being fully booked it did not feel overcrowded. The layout is well designed with an immaculate amenities block located in the centre of the park surrounded by the powered sites. Beyond the powered sites there is ample space for unpowered camping and these have the added bonus of offering stunning views of the Grampians National Park in a bush like setting. Other accommodation options include onsite caravans and cabins. Facilities include an outdoor pool, indoor and an outdoor camp kitchen and a games room. The owners Steve and Jen are so welcoming and go above and beyond to make your stay perfect. They have not owned the park for long and it is evident that they are working hard to improve the facilities and the overall look of the park. I would highly recommend staying here for that extra special experience. For more details and contact information visit their website here.

Dadswells Bridge is located along the Western Highway in the Wimmera region only 37kms south east of Horsham and 30kms north west of Stawell. It is a great base to explore the northern region of the National Park including Mount Difficult, Mount Zero, Beehive Falls and Gulgurn Manja Shelter. A slightly longer drive of around 40 minutes gets you to MacKenzies Falls one of the biggest draw cards in the National Park.

Beehive Falls

One of our great pleasures as a family is to go for beautiful walks in the natural environment. Beehive Falls is a gentle undulating walk of 2.8km return along a well maintained track that begins from the roadside car park at Rose’s Gap. Towards the latter part of the walk you cross a wooden bridge onto a series of large rocks that need to be stepped on and over to reach the small waterhole at the base of the waterfall. We sat for sometime listening to the trickle of the water passing over the rocky outcrop. We had the place to ourselves and it was blissfully peaceful (well apart from our chatty ten year old!). The entire walk took us around 1 hour to complete and it was at a leisurely pace. I recommend taking a water bottle, wearing a hat and applying sunscreen in the warmer weather as there’s not much shade along the track.

Mount Zero

We chose to have our lunch at the Mount Zero picnic area where there are several tables in the shade and a drop toilet. The picnic ground is the starting point for the Mount Zero walk as well as the longer walk to the summit of Mount Stapylton. Whilst we were enjoying our lunch we saw several rock climber enthusiasts set off as this is a popular area for climbing. Feeling rather less adventurous we decided to trek up to the summit of Mount Zero, a 2.8km return walk. The walk is graded as medium with an elevation of 150 meters and takes approximately 1 hour to complete. The weather had turned up a notch and in the sun it was around 33 degrees. The first section of the walk gently slopes upwards on a well compacted path offering next to no shade. Shortly along the way there is a section of sand on the track before coming to a series of wide steps. Unbeknown to us this was the easy section of the walk as the remainder was quite steep and at times you had to scramble and climb up large rocks. Despite the energetic level required the reward at the summit was worth every heavy breath. The vista offers views to Mt Stapylton and the Wimmera Plains. Although we endured the heat on this walk I would not advise doing it on a hot day as the rocks get very hot and there is no shade to take a respite. It is also worth noting that there is not a hand rail towards the end as advertised on many websites.

Heatherlie Quarry Walk

This is a gem of a place to visit offering an insight into the workings of the stone quarry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Surprisingly this significant place is not well advertised in brochures and doesn’t even appear on the tourist maps. It is located about 9kms south of Rose’s Gap along Mt Zero Road. The walk is 2.4km return along Heatherlie Track and is graded easy.

About ten minutes into the walk we stopped to read the detailed information board. It also displays a map of the walk highlighting key features including machinery, the powder magazine, power plant, rail tracks and three stone cottages.

We found the quarry fascinating and enjoyed reading the information boards at each feature. The stone quarried here has been used for prominent buildings such as Victoria’s Parliament House, Stawell’s Court House and Town Hall. We spent about 2 hours absorbing the historic and natural elements and we were lucky enough to have the place to ourselves. For more information about this incredible historic site click here.

Boroka Lookout

Boroka Lookout is located along Mount Difficult Road 15km from Halls Gap. If you are limited on time then I would recommend visiting this viewing platform as it arguably offers some of the best views in the National Park. It is only a short stroll to two platforms that overlook Halls Gap and Lake Bellfield. Although we had visited this lookout on our previous trip it did not disappoint, the panoramic scenery of this ancient land is breathtaking.

Zumsteins Historic Walk

Zumsteins is a historic site, it was developed by Walter Zumstein and his Scottish wife Jean as a holiday retreat. During the 1930s the couple built three pisé cottages, a tennis court and hand dug a swimming pool. Water for the swimming pool was sourced from the nearby MacKenzie River. The short walk of 250m return tells the story of this development.

It is certainly worth the 20km drive from Halls Gap to experience the atmosphere of a bygone era. There is also a picnic area with well maintained toilets. We also enjoyed dipping our feet into the MacKenzie River from the timber board walk. A lovely treat for our weary feet on a hot day.

Giant Koala

Funnily enough we had driven past this big structure numerous times before we decided to actually stop and see it properly. It is situated on the Western Highway midway between Stawell and Horsham at Dadswells Bridge. As one of Australia’s iconic ‘big things’ it has touristy attractions such as a petting zoo, a souvenir shop, a cafe and a motel next door. I cannot comment on the petting zoo as we chose not to partake in this attraction.

The Koala made of bronze on a steel frame is 14m high and weighs 12 tonnes. If you are passing by or you are a fanatic of these larger than life sculptures then it is worth the visit.

A Day in Horsham

Our daughter, a keen admirer of art, celebrated her 14th birthday whilst we were in the Grampians so we decided to spend her special day in Horsham. I had read about the Art Trail around Horsham and the town’s Regional Art Gallery so it seemed the ideal spot to spend the day. Horsham is located in the Wimmera district 300km northwest of Melbourne. It took us 25 minutes to drive to the centre of Horsham from Dadswells Bridge.

We popped into the information centre to pick up the brochure that had a map and explanations of each stop along the walk. We were blown away by many of the exhibits and they are all accessible for free along this easy walk. There are two sections to the walk, one along the river and the other around the CBD. One piece of artwork that stood out for us was the Bradbury Lane Mural, created by youth groups under the guidance of Nichola Clarke. It’s so apparent that Horsham embraces the creativity of its community, there was even a public piano along the walk where people were encouraged to play.

After a relaxing picnic along the Wimmera River we visited the Regional Art Gallery. Whilst being a small gallery, there is a significant national collection of photography and interesting regional artworks. For more information and current exhibitions click here.

Horsham Botanic Gardens was our final stop before heading back to Dadswells Bridge. The gardens were designed in the 1870s by William Guilfoyle and it is certainly worth spending at least an hour here.

Wineries

There aren’t many holidays where we don’t visit at least one winery. We are so lucky here in Australia to have such a diverse range of wineries in different regions. The wine of this region is consistent and full bodied due to the all year round good weather and the good terroir. It is well known for it’s Shiraz and Reisling but also produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

We chose just two wineries, Best’s Wines and Seppelt Wines. Best’s Wines has been owned by two families since 1866, the Best family who started the winery and more recently the Thomson family. The winery has a rustic, pure country feel right from the start and it is not difficult to visualise the history of this place. The historic building in which we tasted the wines has a hand dug cellar that dates back to the 1860s. We couldn’t resist exploring the cellar that was free to enter. Seppelt Wines had a completely different atmosphere and appeared on the surface very modern in contrast. In reality Seppelt is steeped with history and is well known for their heritage listed underground cellars. The cellars known as ‘The Drives’ runs for three kilometres making them the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. You are able to take a guided tour of the underground cellar at a cost. Unfortunately we arrived after the last tour was conducted so we just sampled the wines.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 2nd visit to this picturesque ancient land of the Grampians National Park. We didn’t get a chance to see some of the aboriginal art work on this trip so that will have to wait until our next visit. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another seven years!