Australia

View from our lodge

The Barossa Valley

Jacob's Creek

The world's biggest rocking horse!!!!

After all the driving David had done yesterday he thoroughly deserved a drink and so to the Barossa Valley we went. We stayed at a fantasttic hostel where we shared a lodge with another couple. It was a brilliant setting, overlooking vineyards and we stayed here for two nights. We visited 5 local wineries plus the biggie; Jacob's Creek and fell in love with the Barossa Valley. We completely relaxed here, drank a nice amount and even managed to learn something about wine and ports. So from now on, we want only the best darling! A bottle of vintage port might even be making its way home!

So, with bottles of wine in hand we headed to Gelnelg, a beach suburb of Adelaide. On our way we stopped by at a little place called Gumeracha, this is where the world's biggest rocking horse lives!!!!! We just couldn't top the big bobo and resigned ourselves from its dizzying heights to relax on Glenelg beach for the next few days!!

Our cell for the night

The exercise yard

Nic with Larry the Giant Lobster

For our third night on the road we camped at Mount Eccles National Park. Mount Eccles is an extinct volcano and you could still clearly see the edge of the volcanoes cone, very dramatic! Just as we were relaxing David pointed out there was a koala high up in the tree right near our tent. Then to top it off he began grunting (the koala, not David) to another koala just a few trees away! We had dinner, Nic made a fire and for the rest of the evening and night we could hear the two/three koalas grunting away to each other, scrambling up and down the trees and even having a koala fight!

The following day we drove straight to Mount Gambier, known for it's volcano and brilliant blue lake but not much else! It was a pretty place but quite commercialised. We headed to Mount Gambier Jail, where we'd be stopping the night. The place stopped being a jail in 1995 and became a hostel. We'd booked ourselves into a lovely pokey ensuite cell complete with prison bed! It was an interesting place to be staying.....

So after our stint in the cells and a little exercise in the courtyard, we were given our freedom and made a b-line to get across the border to South Australia. We ended up having a long day of driving via a place called Kingston SE known for Larry the Giant Lobster and finally finishing up in Hahndorf. The Lonely Planet Guide describes this place as a German village theme park but it wasn't that bad! We stayed in a cabin here and enjoyed a pint of German Beer and a curry!

Back to Melbourne!

A 'brief' stop in Sorrento

Fort Nepean

Lorne YHA!

The lorrikeets at Lorne YHA

Koala!!!!!

The 12 Apostles

The view from Loch Ard Gorge

The sunset whilst waiting for the fairy penguins!!

We waved goodbye to beautiful Tasmania and returned to Melbourne for a quick one night rest before the next leg of our trip. This time we were heading to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road. Rather than heading West straight away we ventured South East onto the Mornington Peninsula. We stopped at a nice little town called Sorrento where we camped for the night (free!). The following morning after Nic managed to burn our breakfast (eggs and beans) we headed to Fort Nepean National Park, right on the edge of the peninsula. The beaches along the tip of the peninsula are extremely dangerous but very pretty. We explored the various gun emplacements and underground tunnels used to defend Melbourne and the harbour over the decades - eeire but very interesting!

We then caught the ferry West to Queenscliff and joined the Great Ocean Road. We made it to Lorne where we stayed at David's first ever YHA - though Nic thinks he was spoilt slightly what with the lorrikeets sitting on the balcony! The following day, we hit the road again and headed to Port Campbell. On the way we spotted koalas high up in the trees having a snooze and scratch! We also looked in on the 12 Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge, both were very impressive, very beautiful and very busy! In the evening we headed along the road a little further to London Bridge, another rock formation, in the hope of spotting some of the fairy penguins that lived here. We watched the sun set and waited for two hours as the temperature dropped. Were we successful we hear you ask? Well Nic spotted one making his way into the sea and David spotted one pottering around on the beach about an hour later. Let's be fair it could've been the same one......

The Mount Wellington view looking over Hobart

The most relaxing hostel ever! Where we recuperated.

After the Overland Track, Hobart was the perfect place to lay our hats for our last few days in Tasmania. Our sore joints and crusty feet (wet and dry so many times) were rested here in our brilliant hostel. We strolled down to the harbour and made sure the beer in the south was as good in the north - there is quite a rivalry here! A variety of fresh fish was in order here with a nice bottle of chilled white vino! We visited the peak of Mt Wellington that towers over the city with fantastic views. A fantastic, chilled out, beautiful place.

Port Arthur Hospital

The second prison

Port Arthur

Port Arthur Church...spooky.....

Before heading over to Tasmania we knew Port Arthur was a definate place to visit. Convicts, haunted houses and dangerous tales of inmates! We hired a car for the day and set of early doors from Hobart, along the beautiful coastline of southern Tasmania. Crossing Eagle Neck, the only little strip of land now connecting us to the mainland - we were now in prime convict territory! We purhased our tickets which included an introductory guide, boat trip and ghost tour for when the sun set and the full moon rose above the dilapitadated church...

The site was really beautiful in a wierd way. You really felt like this place had a lot of dark secrets especially when walking around the main prison and govenors residence. The second prison - the revoluntionary site where solitary confinement was realised had an even spookier atmosphere. After locking overselves in one of the cells and turning the lights off, we really got a feel of what it was like - it would drive you insane, which is why the asylum was located right next door...

After a 20 minute boat ride to take us out and around the port we headed further our and admired the other natural coastal features.

We arrived back around 9pm, dark, cold and ready to feel the presence...the tour took us around the disection and post-mortem table located under the hospital (remember only by candle-light!) and into a few houses that have had several sightings of a wondering little girl! We ended the evening back at the second prison to experience the true silence of this place but with a cold chill blowing through - crreeeepy!

We left the site with mixed feelings - had we taken anything out with us that we didn't go in with!!!??! We manged to dodge a few kangaroos (just) on the way back to our hostel and looked forward to our first double bed in a shared dorm!