Farmland, grassland and gum trees.
The long and winding road… to wide open spaces.
Grassy plains stretch for miles and miles.
Once you get past the grassy country, the dirt is this orange-coloured sandy soil that is typical of remote Australia.
Blue Lake, Mt Gambier, SA
Blue Lake, Mt Gambier, SA
Echuca sits on the Murray River which forms the natural border between Victoria and New South Wales. In its heyday, it was the busiest port in Australia, shipping wool, cotton, timber, wheat and supplies all over the inland regions of three states, until rail took over as the main form of transporting goods because it was faster and more flexible in terms of routes and destinations.
Now, a visit to the Port of Echuca is generally for the purposes of tourism and recreation.
The river has been known to flood to quite epic heights in the past. The markers on these trees give some indication.
The Clydesdales are always a highlight for me. I love these gentle giants, and they’re so photogenic!
Houseboat holidays are enormously popular here. It’s a great way to explore the river and leave the rest of the world behind.
Peterborough is where the Curdies River meets the Southern Ocean.
This tiny hamlet sits on the Great Ocean Road, where people often see little more than the wide river as they drive over the bridge toward better known sights and the town of Port Campbell.
By doing so, they’re missing out on some great scenery and a beautiful sandy beach where the river provides much safer swimming than in this part of the ocean, which is notorious for rips and strong undertows.
The Loch Ard Gorge takes its name from a ship that was wrecked off the coast nearby. Only two of the fifty four people on board survived: Tom Pearce and Eva Carmichael. They were washed into this gorge and onto the beach, where they sheltered in a cave. Tom climbed up the cliff to get help from local farmers, who then rescued Eva.
On seeing hubby for the first time since his heart attack, a friend hugged him and said, “I’m glad you didn’t die!”
On Sunday, I went down to the hospital cafeteria to get some lunch. When the elevator doors opened and I stepped out, I found that the undertaker was waiting there.
I thought to myself, “I’m glad he wasn’t standing there with someone who was about to take their final journey from the hospital.”
On my way back, I had to wait for the elevator. This time, the door opened and the undertaker wheeled someone out, very respectfully covered with a lovely quilt.
Awkward.
Then, this evening when I was coming back from grabbing some dinner…
You guessed it.
Awkward.
An Aussie Maple Leaf, adrift on the wind... 