Victor Harbor, Adelaide, Tour Down Under

Victor Harbor - South Australia's Blackpool apparently. Home to a double decker horse drawn tram across the causeway to Granite Island, only one in the world. No pictures of the horse drawn tram as it was too hot for the dray horses at 45 degrees. Not sure where the reference to Blackpool comes from. The girls went to the cinema to keep cool.

New Experiences - Even after 42 years its still possible to do something for the first time, my first ever caravan birthday party.

Adelaide - Mount Lofty at 727m with great views over the entire city of Adelaide.

 Adelaide - Glenelg, end of the tram line from the city. A very nice beach front and warm sea. Looks like a great place to live.  Fleur and Ellie wearing their free hats and glasses from the Tour.

 Adelaide - Victoria Square, Tour Down Under Opening Party. The cycling teams are presented to the public, followed by a concert.

 Tour Down Under Stage 2 in front of the finishing line at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills. Great atmosphere in a pretty location. 

Adelaide - Tour Down Under on Australia day.  Ellie prior to her bike race on the final day of the Tour. Kids get to ride part of the Tour route prior to the main event.

 Fleur prior to her race and prior to doing her helmet up! Great experience fun for the kids followed by free bouncy castle, climbing wall, face painting and food.

Nelson, South Australian Boarder, Kingston SE, Pinks Beach, Wellington

Nelson - Last town in Victoria when heading west. Located on the mouth of the Glenelg River. Gorge walking through the Lower Glenelg National Park. Fleur and Ellie almost run into a wallaby as they cycled round our campsite!

Crossing the boarder from Victoria into South Australia. No fruit or vegetables allowed across the border and a half hour time change!

Kinston SE - The next "Big Thing" following on from the sheep, Larry the Giant Lobster. Lovey little town on the Limestone Coast, with the occasional whiff of sulphur.

Pinks Beach - a couple of km's south of Kingston SE, so called we believe due to the water and sand appearing pink at sunset. Beautiful location, free camping for 3 nights right on the beach with only a few locals around. Only down side the absolutely stupid heat, over 40 degrees along with no air conditioning when free camping, and the killer mozzies, but as the saying goes "you can't have it all"

Wellington - Crossing the Murry River, Australia's longest river at 2700km long and the worlds 3rd longest navigable river, on a pulley

drawn ferry.

 

Moolap, Geelong, Great Ocean Road, Port Fairy

Moolap near Geelong at the amusement park "The Best Day Out". Lots of fun on the water slides although a pretty cold day but at least there was no queuing as only the hardy Brits were brave/stupid enough to have a go.










Geelong Beach Front - Fleur and Ellie beside one of 104 different painted bollards dotted along the waterfront.

The Great Ocean Road Memorial Archway -

Built as a tribute to the soldiers from the First World War who were engaged in the construction of the Great Ocean Road.

Entering the Great Ocean Road, had to wait for the photographer to catch back up.

The Twelve Apostles, although there are now only six. 

Port Fairy on the Ship Wreck Coast - Voted in 2012 to be the "Most Liveable Community" in the world with a population less than 20,000. Doesn't say who arranged the test or carried out the scoring but we can confirm that it was indeed a very nice place. Fleur and Ellie checking the Port fairy Lighthouse for straightness. 

Melbourne, Werribee, Ballarat, Queenscliff

 Melbourne at the MCG for the Boxing Day test, start of day 4, full of hope after England had actually made a go of the match on day 2. Soon to be disappointed after Australia wrapped up the game early after lunch with 9 wickets and over one day to spare to make it 4-nil in the Ashes.

Still smiling at the end, happy with the blow up Milo hands, maybe the England team would have benefited from having a few pairs to assist with the 3 dropped catches.

 Werribee - 3 roses within the Victorian State Rose Garden.

 Werribee Mansion- Fleur and Ellie posing in the Statue Garden.

Ballarat - Sovereign Hill a recreation of a gold mining town of the late 1860's. Fleur and Ellie panning for gold. For some reason we were not too successful, must have been the dodgy technique.

Fleur under arrest by the local fuzz and about to get taken of to the jail. Ellie laughing at her sisters plight

Queenscliff - Penny after racing the local steam train the 30km between Moolap and Queenscliff on her bike. The family are please to report that she beat the train into town by some 5 minutes and had time to pose for photos before the train turned up.

Queenscliff - Roof top bar of the Grand Hotel.

 

Happy New Year to you all.

Jindabyne, Eden, Lakes Entrance

Lake Jindabyne, evening fire, drinks and snacks watching the sun set over the Lake. No one else around.

Eden on south coast of NSW. Outside of the Eden Killer Whale Museum. A whole museum dedicated to a killer whale, not much else going on.

Lakes Entrance - Crossed the boarder in to Victoria. Christmas Eve on the beach the girls in suitable Christmas headgear.

 

Christmas Day in Lakes Entrance. Full Christmas lunch of Turkey and all the trimmings cooked in the van and taken with Moet and Chandon outside the caravan.

Cootamundra - Canberra - Jindabyne

Leaving day 11 December 2013. All loaded up and about to leave our home for the last 5 years. Fleur and Ellie too excited to get out of the car for final photo.

First "Big Thing" on trip - The Big Marino at Goulburn.

 

First stop with Simon and Jo on their farm near Cootamundra. Excellent hospitality and awesome location not a bad way to ease into the trip for the first two nights, beats staying in the caravan.

Farm life - calf just born only a few minutes old, girls got to see its first unsteady steps.

Girls on the farm playing cowgirls in the Land Rover.

Visit to Canberra and Parliament House. There can not be too many capital cities in the world where you can pull up outside the front and then park for free underneath the seat of government. Larry looking resplendent on the front poach.

Davies Family on top of Parliament House, War Memorial in the back ground.

Family on top of Kosciuszko. Why? Because it's there. Highest point on the Australian Continent at 2229m high, a long walk in and up for Fleur and Ellie but no problems in summiting 17 December 2013.

Pre Trip - Last Night

Night before the big off. Both Fleur and Ellie finished at school today, not much school work but lots of presents and a party each. Last night for Fleur at ballet on Monday where she received her trophy for the concert and Ellie finished at tap today and received her trophy. House cleared and van and car packed, sort of, just got a few loose ends to complete tomorrow morning. Looks like we shall be carting enough stuff round Australia to keep a family of 10 happy. Just had an evening meal out with good friends from Warners Bay to say good bye. Hope to leave early in the morning and heading to Gundagai for first stop.