Craters, Lakes, Sinkholes – Great Food, Good Wine and a neat City

Mt. Gambier & Adelaide December 4th - 6th
At Mt. Gambier, in the evening and early the next morning we saw three crater lakes, two sinkholes which had gardens in them and the 'Lady Nelson discovery Center'. The center explained the history of the area, the craters and the sinkholes. A very decent presentation. Now on to Adelaide, but first the biggest and best lobster joined us for lunch in Kingston. Didn't think we'd ever finish eating and there are doggie bags posted to you. Here's another great trick! To get to the airport for car return, just follow the airport shuttle. He knows we are going. Straight to RR station. Then after the the van driver quit laughing he directed us to the airport. The next day, did a city tour, spent time at Glenelg and a walkabout the Adelaide CBD. The next day we went on a wine country tour to the Barossa Valley with a personal tour guide Mary Anne. After they poured us out of Jacobs Creek, went to Grant Burge Winery. Both were excellent visits, then on to the small town of Nuiroopta for an superb Roo Lunch. Drove in circles till we reached Hahndorf, a quaint German town and cut the cheese.
Thats all folks!!

Sinkhole at Mt. Gambier

Blue Crater Lake at Mt. Gambier

Eats and Treats at Kingston

Lighthouse on Stilts

Ferris Wheel at Glenelg, near Adelaide

A different View on the Wheel

Adelaide Xmas Tree with a very naught elf

The Wine Experts

The Twelve Apostles, Rain Forests and Strange Animals – The best of Scenery so far

December 3rd - Monday

Off to Maits Rest, a neat walkabout rainforest down to a fern gulley and an ancient Myrtle Beech Trees. On to Cape Otway NP, saw a lighthouse built in 1848 oldest surviving one.. Slowed down by a herd of Kangamoos heading towards Gibson Steps. (90 meters down to the beach) then onto the 12 apostles and several lookouts at very scenic views of formations jutting into the sea. On to Loch Ard Gorge and Blow hole. To Port Campbell, and more spectacular views at the Arch, London Bridge and Grotto overlooks. Drove thru Peterborough,Warranambool and on to Mt. Gambier for the evening. .

Looking Back at Apollo Bay

Boardwalk down in the rainforest

Ferns along the path

The Queen is a back seat driver. UQM

Cape Otway Lighthouse 1848

Svens anchor at lighthouse - Only a swede would have an

anchor on top of a hill.

Coastline down from lighthouse overlook

2 of about 300 wild Kangamoos on road

Gibson's steps to beach - long ways down

Some of the 12 Apostles - Mathew, Mark, Luke & Little John

Peter, Thomas, Harry, Billy

One of the neat lookout Areas

Arch

London Bridge already fell down

Loch Ard Gorge

The Grotto - last picture on that camera.

What the 'ell ya mean - I'm not on the right side.

December 3, Monday

Hit the road , the curb, missed the tree. No more exlax for the babe. Now that I got the hang of this left hand driving and the other drivers understand that moDeving wiperblades mean that a possible right turn might happen. We jumped on the M1 and down to Geelong and did a carousel at Cunningham Pier and a Christmas craft fair on the foreshore. I did go back and get mom, then went on down the B110 to Queenscliff, ate at Rosies with the flies. Did a short walkabout and seen two lighthouses, then over to Point Lonsdale -another lighthouse. Drove thru Barwon Heads to Torquay/ Jan Juc both are hot areas for surffers and beaches. Stopped at Point Addis – high cliffs view- great. Drove thru Anglesea no Roo's at golfcoarse- they didn't pay their green fee's, I guess. Then on to Aireys Inlet & up to Split Point lighthouse, built in 1848, and a bark hut. On past Fairhaven beach neat busy. To Lorne and up to Erskine falls. Just past skenes creek saw two different Koala's in the wild. To Apollo Bay and checked in.

Geelong welcoming commitee

Queenscliff White Lighthouse for regular People

Black Lighthouse for the Military

A few beachers at Jan Juc near Torquay

High Cliffs at Point Addis. note individual at bottom of steps

Aireys Inlet has the Split Point Lighthouse (1848)

Erskine Falls with Swimmers

Mothers only view of the Falls

A great day and this Ocean Road Drive is really something.

We drove on to Apollo Bay and checked in early at the Comfort Inn

and got an upgrade.

A Wildlife experience, but they survived

Sat. Dec 1st. A day out of Melbourne on a tour to Phillip Island and the Penguin Parade. They do come ashore at dusk and it is really quite an experience. Some go as far as a km each night. They don't allow pictures- sorry.

On the way down to the Island we did see other thingys at a Farm and a Koala Reserve.

Wambat - Acually awake

Ugleeey Birds - I don't know what they are.

Mumsy Feeds Skippy

Mumsy startles Koala

Koala startles Mumsy

Koala gets Mumsy

Mumsy recoups after Koala encounter

Now for something different- a gorgous

Jackaranda Tree.

What Happend in Melby - Stays in Melby

The Olde Gaol - the place you go after what happens in Melby


Eureka Tower & CBD from Remembrance Shrine


You just knew it had to be somewhere




Flinders Station & Eureka Towers in background



Flinders Station & the CBD from the Southbank


Yarra River and CBD


Enough of that, Tomorrow we are heading down to the Penguin Parade.
We will stop to see the Roo's, Wambats and Uggly Birds at a farm on the way to watch the Penguins come ashore at dusk. Also going to a Koala Reserve.

The Boinging of Mel Burn

A ghastly start of the trek of treks. 10 min check in- 4 hr wait. OK -now onto LAXland in a AA sardine can. Good so far. now another 10 min check in and a 3 hr. wait. The ROO plane of Quantas was the big one. Actually a much better trip than last time. slept some 5 plus hrs. this time. Individual screens for all. Your choice of movies, TV, Comedy etc. All went well till about the 13th hr of the 15 hr ordeal. Then, out of nowhere, the King announced his willingness to share his new gas policy with all aboard. The Queen quickly protested, but was too late, and her self preservation kicked in. She immediatley showed the rest of the plane what to do in this emergency.

Once the masks were returned to their proper places, tied down a few disorderlies, deflated about ten life presevers ( some tried to land early) and put our seats back in the upright & original positions. We landed Boing - Boing - Boing.

Now the real fun begins. and - two and half hours later we and about 2000 others made it through customs onto their destinations. It is amazing how they can cramb that many people into 3 lines. Well off to the CBD, Thats the trick word for Downtown these days.

We stayed at the castle Crown Prominade, a fine place, fit for the King & Queen.

It is located on the Southbank of the Yarra River across fron the Northbank, aka as the CBD

just a short bridge away. We spent the rest of the day being streetwalkers & sightseers.

Did grab a bite to eat at one of the many eateries on the Southbank.
to be continued. yeh yeh, i'm trying.

We are indebted to our loyal subjects. Therefore::

As your most respected and famous Royalty, we feel it is our bounded duty to go Down Under to report on Princess Kiki, Baron Boris von Williams and Princesses Tory & Kyia.

But first, we must inspect the land of OZ. It is rumored that they have real neat places to be seen, waters to be tested, and unusual critters roaming the grounds. They even say people are seen walking in the treetops. We Will report back to our subjects on these matters.

It is also been brought to our attention that they gather in the north, near the Kingdom of Urunga, to celebrate an annual Holiday tradition. With a feast to be enjoyed by all, victuals to be drank a plenty and games to be played. We have been invited to join in and certainly will.

Then return to the Principality 0f Vincentia to furthur enjoy our discovery of the natives and their customs. We will report back to our subjects on these matters also.

If this works we must tell all about our other principalities under our realm.