November 26 plus Home Sweet Home!

Hooray our wee garden survived our long absence in spite of our cobbled-together irrigation system and masses of snails - and no TLC!  What we came home to was actually a bit of a jungle. 

We gathered as many of these hungry little gastropods as we could find and in the garbage they went. Some tried to escape up the wall - I hate killing them but ..... maybe I should find out how to prepare them for a tasty entree! 

We’re actually still finding a few carrots hiding in the garden. . 

After clearing away dead stuff plus bags of errant passionfruit trailers which had grown out of the root stock and were clinging lovingly to almost everything, under all that tangle, low and behold we found some welcome-home pressies. Pretty sweet peas (Lindsay’s favourites and which have put in quite a burst of growth since we’ve been home), bunches of carrots, armfuls of silver beet (in spite of the snails!), masses of herbs - AND a few passionfruit plus more to come judging by the presence of a few flowers. The gorgeous pale green orbs had to be hauled back over the ‘fence’ because they were dangling over the footpath 5 floors below.  Wow!! Clever garden.

In the side garden, it was rather a mess, fragrant and pretty, but still a mess because the trellis, with its luxuriant perfumed Chinese star jasmin attached, had become detached from the wall (the glass wall of the terrace). We were chuffed however to find some broad beans (enough for a meal and the rest only good for seed stock) and a couple of dozen baby figs (now there are 5-6 dozen)! Under the thick blanket of Chinese jasmin and trellis, I found both the native Billardiera scandens (apple-berry), a passionfruit vine (which I had rescued from the community garden) trying valiantly to wave long trailers of pretty leaves and tendrils, and our one and only precious Helleborus (winter rose) still hanging in there.  We have installed a new trellis since and the vines are all firmly fixed back in place and are looking OK. 

It’s a tiny garden by almost all standards but after storms, winds and sizzling days we were tickled pink to find it so ‘healthy’ and edible.  We've planted a few veggies but we will be on the road again in less than 4 months (fingers crossed) so have restricted our planting to flowering plants for the bees and other insects and those veggies we can harvest before we go. Now it's time for some serious training in readiness for our next adventure!

While on the road I managed to get in some knitting and crocheting for KOGO and I am still going strong finishing a vivid jellybean-themed afghan rug for the bed in the caravan (12 or so more squares to go and then the ghastly task of hooking them all together - not looking forward to that but ....). And of course I’ll be packing kilos of yarn when we head off in April for another Australian Odyssey. 

November 22-25 Squeezing out the last drop!

Before heading south to our home in the big smoke we spent a peaceful rather glorious day driving through the Mitta Mitta Valley - that was after a delightful brunch with friends in Bright, our first experience dining in public since June! 

Of course once we could pull off the road, I was off into the heath looking at the pretty flowers, who wouldn't be? Lindsay was too. I was fortunate to have just touched one of the plants rather than stick my nose in as I often do because I disturbed what was probably an Australian native bull ant (they're actually wingless wasps). Boy did it hurt - for hours and I had a little lump for days. Sometimes the nose knows what not to get close to. Just imagine had I put my face into it. Double ouch!  

Our drive back to Clack Clack took us through the high alpine fields near Falls Creek and passed this expanse of still water, Rocky Valley Dam. Being up there was like being at the top of the world.  Then it was northward along rivers and streams which wind their way through narrow valleys. Quite superb.

This is Lightning Creek an idyllic little spot and  a conservation area for the critically-endangered Spotted tree frog. This small creature is restricted to  a small number of NE Victorian streams including this one. They like boulder streams with lots of rapids and rocky cobble banks fringed with native vegetation - I’m completely simpatico with these little guys (not much bigger than a mouse).

Tranquil lakeside caravan park at Chiltern which when we arrived, was filling fast with people lining up to cross the NSW border the next day, or indeed that night once midnight struck. 

All good things come to an end and it  was time to hit the road for home. Pointing our rig south was not without with many mixed feelings - it had been an amazing strip full of surprises and wonderful discoveries however .... On the way we stayed in the quaint hamlet of Chiltern, home to the World famous grapevine - the oldest according to the Guiness Book of Records. 

Last night of freedom (away from the big smoke) we stayed in a delightful caravan park on the banks of Broken Creek in Numurkah. 
From there we visited friends and had a long awaited visit with grandchildren and great grandchildren, and a catchup and lazy dinner with our eldest daughter and her partner. What a trip!

November 15-21 a circumscribed Cook's tour of the Upper Murray

Wonderful scenery wrapped around us as we walked part of the 7+km trail into Corryong.

The trail was Avery exposed and certainly not something to tackle in the middle of the day. I hasten to add that we didn’t make it all the way into Corryong - surprise. It was too hot and boring- yes I did say that!

Delightful historic race track at Corryong complete with banks of roses at the finishing post. One could almost hear the crowds cheering and corks popping. 

We aimed to follow the Murray as far as we could but of course it headed over the NSW border. Yes I know it forms the border with NSW but it only reaches so far. Its source is well and truly in NSW as is the soure of the Snowy but we didn't do badly for all that. 

We got as close as possible to the border!

Expansive views over farming land to the  river in the distance.

We tried to get into Mt Mittamatite State Park but with no luck - closed. 

There are numerous sculptures along the Great River Road which hugs the Murray (as much as it can). All the sculptures represent significant creatures to the traditional owners. 

This is the Biggara bridge and of course over the bridge is NSW. We were a bit lost as we tried in vain to follow the river. We either ran out of road in farming land or lost track of where we were going - almost. 

The Murray had so many different faces. Here it was a rather gentle flow fringed with tangled trees and bushes. Quite lovely. 

Ah the summit of Mt Lawson. It was not a long walk but got to be steep and rocky. I just followed my leader until it got a bit precarious for me - nothing to hold onto, except the massive rocks if you fell over. And it was a long rocky descent 



We were lured to this spot by the promise of a spa. Well turns out it was there but I didn’t make it as the track went on and on and on and then up and up. Lindsay went all the way and declared it dangerous. Me? I just waited but turned out I was standing too close to an ants nest. Ouch!

We have learnt not to trust signage as far as distances go. I think most of them are ‘as the crow flies’

Burrowye Creek in spite of the ‘path’ issue was tranquil and lovely. 

Of course I always managed to find interesting plants and bits and pieces as we walked. This is a delicate pink trigger plant - these flowers have all had their triggers set off - wind or insects. 



The view from the lookout was rather spectacular 

Quaint log hut. This we found along the track to a waterfall which I didn’t make  Lindsay said it was a shocker of a track and around the waterfall very dangerous. Sometimes it’s safer to be a whimp!

Looked like the hut was still used.

November 13-14 The road north

Feeling quite replete after 7 weeks exploring Far East Gippsland, we headed northward at times hugging the Tambo river (above), to a tiny dot on the map in the Upper Murray region - 'Clack Clack' (Colac Colac). The trip took us over the mountains of the Great Dividing Range and through the Alpine National Park with an overnight stop in Omeo, a totally delightful place nestled in amongst mountains and alongside the gorgeous Livingstone Creek.  

Beautiful grassy expanses. 

Livingstone Creek 

The site was perfect complete with food van which operated every night; you could even buy beer or wine there. Why didn’t we stay?

Old on-site caravans were painted poster colours. Kitsch but fun. 

Terrific idea for a fence. 
We wished we had planned for a longer stay at Omeo but we had a booking further north. (That's not our usual style but with Melburnians then allowed to travel and the NSW border teetering on the brink of opening, we thought it wise to snag a spot.) Omeo is a place we will definitely return to but not at Christmas or Easter when it attracts 100s of campers.

Golden pea bush festooned the roadside as well as yellow buttons and white daisies. Rather idyllic. 

Great little camping sit by a stream and not far from the tailings of an abandoned mine; once there was a lot of mining in the area. 

The drive through the alps on the Benambra-Corryong Road was quite delightful; along winding roads up and over mountains, through isolated gullies - as we drove we thought of what it would have been like as fire swept through as it did.  There is no escape! The drive, with van bouncing along behind, was a little challenging at times as the road was steep, windy and dirt most of the way, but our brilliant driver and mighty car saw us arrive safe and sound all in one piece at our destination, Clack Clack.

We had intended to stay 1 or 2 weeks to explore the area so we headed into Corryong, 7 Km east, to get maps and info about the area. Unfortunately it turned out that like much of East Gippsland, a large number of the National-State Parks and Reserves in the Upper Murray region were still closed as a result of the fires that swept through there the previous summer (Parks Victoria have a lot of work to catch up on before the height of summer descends!). And of course the NSW border was yet to be opened and much of the area is cleared farming land so we were a little limited in where we could go.  However not to be beaten we set off to explore as much as possible. More anon .... 

The Clack Clack caravan park was quite grassy with lots of trees. Good to be able to cook outdoors but a couple of days after we arrived we gradually became surrounded. And I mean totally surrounded by a group of five vans travelling together. They seemed to think it was ok to walk between their vans through our site. The park manager could have easily have found a spot for them to be together without us being in the middle! Poor planning on their part (we had booked well ahead and I’m sure the group had too). 

Depending on who you believe this is either Corryong or Nariel Creek depends. It was a raging torrent beside the caravan park. 

November Smoked trout and capers on sour dough!

That heading is apropos of nothing at all except to say you can dress up any outing to make it enjoyable, a bit special.

We set off quite a few days to explore back roads only to be thwarted by closures or very bad road conditions - but we always found something, a sun orchid or other treasure to make it worthwhile. 

Glorious blue sun orchid. I love the shadows this flower casts; you get a tiny perspective of the 3D structure of its working parts. 
We have also taken a number of walks not far from where we have been based; it’s amazing what you find in a country village and surrounds. It is simply a matter of seeing through new eyes or looking at the detail of what sometimes stares you in the face. 

Look into the heart of a rose or other flower - it’s like entering a different world. 

This little guy parked long enough for me to get close up (the next day a Bogong moth settled in the same spot - outside the ablutions block).The dragonfly has inhabited the earth for almost 300 million years; there are  currently more than 5000 known species.

Look at that face!

A common little flower but look at its simple amazing structure. All enhanced by the wee insect and raindrop. 

Look closely at plants and see insects at work. Inhale the scent of fragrant herbs. Read the interpretative signs and story boards and so much opens up to you. For instance a river-side board told me that in Autumn the local aboriginal people of the Lower Snowy once notched the trunks of Black wattles. The resultant balls of gum that formed were eaten or dissolved in water with flower nectar to make a sweet drink. 

The Black Wattle trees weighed down with fragrant blossoms crowded the river bank.

The river was covered in fallen blossoms

Our path was strewn with wee fluffy balls of powdery spent blossoms and the air was heavy with the delicate perfume of the Black Wattle.

While we’re on the subject of nature’s wonders, did you know that although you rarely see them, our cute little echidnas occupy a greater range of habitats than perhaps any other Australian mammal. They are one of the oldest surviving mammalian species on earth (they evolved 20-50 million years ago). 

On a walk alongside the Snowy towards Marlo we learnt that the riparian (riverside) temperate rainforest zone of the lower Snowy was all but destroyed by clearing. It is now being restored by local communities.

Imagine designing this. It’s quite breathtaking. . 

All exotics but all very beautiful. 

A couple of blocks from the Main Street of  Orbost we discovered a delightful garden planted with all manner of plants designed  specifically to offer a sensory experience - fragrance, texture, taste, colour to delight the senses and attract birds and insects. We harvested some herbs and a little chard for our table. Quite delightful. 

The garden was dedictaed to Grace Jennings Carmichael once a resident of east Gippsland. She was Victoria’s first aboriginal poet to publish a book of verse. She was considered a forerunner of the true poets of Australia. 

These plants, xanthorrhea, are commonly known as grass trees. They are ancient and believed to be one of the first flowering plants to have evolved.  Taste the sweet droplets nectar of their strange wee flowers (seen in this pic); the birds and insects love it. It was once used as a sweetener by the aboriginal people. 

The silky soft bark of the paperbark tree was once used to wrap babies in. 

The stamen of the Thelionema caespitosum - tufted blue lily, wave enticing flags to passing insects but it’s the colour which first heralds a feed.  

These are grass stamen. See the similarities?  People often claim that grasses do not flower. Wrong! They lack pretty coloured petals because they do not need to attract insects, they are wind pollinated.

Narrow duckweed, Wolffia angusta, on the billabong near the caravan park in Orbost. Incidentally ‘billabong’ is an aboriginal word meaning ‘dead river’. This rare plant is the world’s smallest flowering plant; its upper surface is less than 1mm. It floats on the water surface and has no roots. It has been found at only 2 other sites in Victoria: Newmerella just a few Km away and Camperdown in western Victoria. 

It’s an amazing world we live in. Open your eyes and drink it in. Please.