Hattah-Kulkyne National Park - Lake Mournpall Campground

 27 - 30 March 2022

Leaving Barham, we set the GPS for Hattah-Kulkyne National Park and travelled into Victoria, and through Swan Hill. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Manangatang, then on to the park. We have stayed at Hattah-Kulkyne NP twice before, both times at Lake Hattah but this would be our first time at Lake Mournpall. We had booked three nights and called into the visitor centre to pick up a map, before heading to the campground. 

We went for a good walk around the campground before deciding on the perfect lakeside spot. We found one with lots of afternoon shade, but enough clear space to keep the solar happy. Most campsites have picnic tables, firepits and lake views. There are also a couple of toilet blocks, not far from most sites.  

Mick had been given a tip about a good spot for a bird he was after so we set off late in the afternoon to try to find it. It wasn't hard to find, so Mick would come back in the morning on his own. That meant a very early morning wake-up - well before the sunrise.

Mick set off just as the sun was starting to rise, and spent the best part of the morning chasing birds along the Nowingi and Konardin Tracks. After lunch and a rest, he returned later in the afternoon and again the following morning. He was rewarded with some shots of a new bird.

In the afternoon we went for the short drive to Lake Konardin then returned to camp. We had thought about adding an extra night, but the weather was changing from warm and sunny with little wind, to windy and cold nights so we decided against it. On our final morning Mick again went out to his now favourite spots before returning mid-morning. We ended up staying on to have lunch before setting off towards Mildura. 

We stopped for some supplies then continued west to Lake Cullulleraine where we would spend the night.

Barham

 25 - 27 March 2022

After a very successful trip to Deniliquin we had no firm plan about where we would stop next. Instead I had identified a number of potential spots along the Murray River which we would have a look at and make up our minds once we found one that would suit us. We set the GPS for Swan Hill and made Barham our first stop.

Barham, is a smallish town, with a supermarket, pubs, cafes and a club all within walking distance of the caravan park right on the river. We decided this would suit us nicely for a couple of nights, with a powered site so Mick could edit the thousand or so photos he had taken while on the bird tour in Deniliquin. We went for a wander around the park and noticed some much sought-after riverfront spots, and a large unpowered section, also near the river. Later in the day we walked along the riverside path, before having dinner at the club. 

We took the opportunity to do some shopping and washing while at Barham, and went for another walk along the river - this time across the bridge and into Victoria. We have crossed the Murray River a number of times on this trip, by road and ferry, but this was the first time we had done it on foot.

While we were camped at Barham, we spent some time planning the next part of our journey and booked three nights at Hattah-Kulkyne National Park. Leaving Barham on Sunday morning with a destination organised allowed a relaxed morning. 

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Deniliquin

 22 - 25 March 2022

Mick is a very keen bird photographer and is always looking for opportunites to capture new birds, or get a better shot of one he already has. He has wanted to go out with the guide in Deniliquin to photograph the plains wanderer, but the timing was never right. He was so pleased when a chance phone call while we were stoppped for coffee in Sheppartton lead him getting a spot with Philip Maher (Australian Ornithological Services) for the following night.

Once we had locked the tour in, we reset the destination in the GPS and headed for Deniliquin. We stopped for lunch by the Murray River at Barmah and then crossed the border into New South Wales. We arrived at the Riverside Caravan Park to find there were no powered spots so we accepted an unpowered spot by thr river. What a great location it turned out to be. Hardly anyone else camped in this part of the park, river views, shady trees, plenty of sun to keep the solar happy and very peaceful. Another really hot day - 35° - had us contemplating a swim in the pool, but we went for ice creams instead.

In the morning we walked into town for a look around and to pick up a few things, then returned to our spot by the river. Mick had to be ready to go at 3:30pm so he pottered around getting his gear ready - just a litle bit excited I think. The couple he was joining had booked a full day tour - but to be taken as an evening and then the following morning. I was surprised when Phillip announced they would return around midnight, and even more surprised when Mick arrived home at 1:30am! The morning's jaunt would leave at 8:00am so I set the alarm and went back to sleep.

Over an early breakfast, Mick related some of the details of the evening's excursion, including getting to photograph the Plains wanderer. We provided a morning cup of tea to the other birders who happened to be camped across the road from us and they set off for another session with Phillip. This time they were back after only a couple of hours - but in total they had spent about 11 hours on tour. Naturally Mick was very excited to look at the photos he had taken, but had to take a break for a well-earned afternoon nap.

Our detour to Deniliquin had been well worth it but it was time to decide where to move on to. We wanted to go to Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, but discovered that some of the tracks would be closed over the weekend to allow for feral animal management. We resolved to head in that direction, but to find somewhere along the way to spend the weekend. We set the GPS for Swan Hill and set off.

Benalla

 20 - 22 March 2022

Glenrowan was a top spot to spend our first few nights back on the mainland, but we had the car booked in for a service in Benalla so we had to head there. On the way we did some exploring in the Winton Wetlands. We had picked up a very good map at the Visitor Information Centre in Wangaratta and set off to have a look at one of the campgrounds, as well as some of the other points of interest. There are a number of marked walks, as well as a comprehensive cycling trail. We managed to spend the best part of the morning poking around, looking for birds and enjoying the scenery. We made our way to a picnic spot near the Mokoan Hub and Cafe for lunch. From there it was on to Benalla just a short distance away.

We checked in to the caravan park and settled in for the afternoon. It was very hot so we were grateful that we had some shady trees nearby. We were almost tempted to try out the pool! On Monday morning I took the car into Toyota for a service so we were stuck in the caravan park all day. We made use of the time to do some housekeeping tasks, and Mick utilised the camp kitchen to do a heap of photo editing. 

Benalla is known as a centre for gliding and we did see a couple while we were there. We were surprised to see some sort of motorised hang glider, adding interest to a stunning sunset.

On Tuesday morning we set off with Little Desert in our sights but no real plan about where we would spend the night. We set the GPS for Shepparton where we would plan our next move. On the way to a coffee shop, Mick wondered if he might be able to get onto the bird guide in Deniliquin - definitely not where we were headed, but worth a try.

Mick phoned after we had finished our coffee and was pleasantly surprised to find there was a spot on a tour with another couple the following night. By sharing with others the cost would be much more affordable, so off to Deniliquin!

Glenrowan

15 - 20 March 2022

We made our way through the Melbourne traffic and onto the motorway towards Glenrowan and arrived just on lunch time. We had chosen this location because of the Turquoise parrots that frequent the caravan park. At the base of the Warby Ranges, there is plenty of bush around and lots of wildlife that visit. We chose a site with a view towards the Victorian Alps in the far distance and settled in for a relaxed stay in a fairly peaceful setting.

We spent our first afternoon relaxing and considering how we would spend the following few days. Mick spent the next morning at the water point with the camera and, after lunch, we decided that a drive into Wangaratta was required to restock the freezer and pantry, and to pick up some local maps at the Visitor Information Centre. There was rain forecast so we opted to stay in the caravan park - with the camera at the ready for the rest of the afternoon and see what the weather was like for an excursion another day.

Thursday morning was cloudy, with rain forecast for the middle of the day so we didn't go out. Mick managed to get some good photos before the rain arrived. A drive into the Warby Ranges would have to wait until another day.

Friday morning was clear and bright - and shaping up to be a hot day. The light was perfact for photography at the water point so that's where Mick spent most of the morning. In the afternoon we decided on a drive into the nearby Warby-Ovens National Park. We were dismayed at the lack of signage on the way to the park and were glad that we had picked up a map earlier in the week. We eventually found our way to Wenham's Campground and went for a walk which took us to the Mount Warby summit. The walk we chose was only about 850 metres and supposedly rated a grade 2 - but the path was uneven and rocky in parts, and covered in loose gravel in others. Loose gravel and steep inclines do not mix and can make for a nasty fall. We never did reach the destination promised and began to wonder if perhaps the 850 metres was to the start of the actual walk. We will never know.

The afternoon was very hot so we didn't continue on with any walking, instead staking out some birds back near the campground. We had considered camping at Wenham's once we left Glenrowan but decided against it. Camping for caravans, camper trailers and motorhomes is along a bollarded roadway which, for us, could mean dodging bollards as we moved about outside. We left the campground and returned to Glenrowan to indulge in some ice cream.

Mick spent most of Saturday either at the birdbath or editing photos. There were some other birders staying at the caravan park, so they exchanged stories and special spots. Birders are generally very friendly folk so we readily accepted the invitation to join them for drinks in the evening.

After 5 relaxing nights at Glenrowan we packed up on Sunday morning to head into Benalla where we had the car booked in for a service. As it would only be about a 1/2 hour drive we decided to spend some time exploring Winton Wetlands on the way.

Bridport

 11 – 14 March 2022

Leaving St Helens we travelled up into the mountains on our way to Bridport. We took a short detour to Pyengana for morning tea at the dairy. While we were there I was able to have a quick catch-up with an old friend who lives nearby and works at the dairy. We also bought a lovely cheese box to have for lunch later on.

We continued on through the mountains and arrived at Bridport just on lunch time. We checked into the caravan park and immediately saw that the site we had been allocated was totally unsuitable. We returned to the office and were offered another one that was only marginally better, but decided it would have to do. Being a long weekend, this very popular holiday spot was almost fully booked. We were glad we had arrived early as it took some manoeuvring to get the camper trailer onto the wonky, small site, which was underneath an old gum tree. On the positive, the view was fabulous. The park started to fill up as the afternoon wore on, and we noticed many others having the same struggle we’d had to get positioned perfectly.

We went for a long walk along the foreshore path and onto the beach. This caravan park is enormous and hugs the beaches. There are more than 250 sites and you can see the water from just about all of them. We went for a drive to try to find a birdwatching spot and found the “food truck park” instead. It was too early to eat so an ice cream seemed like the thing to do. We decided we would return for dinner one night over the weekend.

On Saturday we visited the local market. Run by the CWA there was a good assortment of arts and crafts, local produce, jams and preserves as well as plants and second hand goods. We then walked along the foreshore path in the other direction to the one we had taken the previous day. In the evening we walked over get dinner at the food truck park – pizza for Mick, and Thai for me. Good food and great value.

On Sunday morning we set off again to try to find the birdwatching spot – this time down to Adam’s Beach and a long walk along the beach to the estuary. No luck with the birds, but another good walk. Later in the day we drove to Scottsdale, the next big town, to use the carwash and to stock up on some groceries. Back home and it was time to start preparing for our journey on the Spirit of Tasmania on Monday night.

Bay of Fires – Grant’s Lagoon

9 – 11 March 2022

We set off from Port Arthur and drove back through Sorell, then on to the East Coast. The day was quite windy and the forecast overnight temperature was only 10° so we were unsure about whether to head to a caravan park and a powered site to be able to use the heater. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Triabunna in the park near the marina. The cold wind had us seriously considering a caravan park. On our way out of Triabunna we came across a book sale in aid of local charities so we stopped and I restocked my supply. I always carry lots of books with me as I like to read while Mick wanders about with the camera, and usually buy them from op-shops, or exchange them in caravan park book swaps.

We continued north and eventually decided that we would drive through St Helens to the Bay of Fires, and look at a couple of campsites for a sheltered spot for the night. We had a look at Grant’s Lagoon and then at Jeanneret Beach. We ended up coming back to Grant’s Lagoon as it seemed to be more sheltered and less crowded – although without access to a beautiful beach like many of the others. This is a free campground so we thought we would stay overnight then decide whether to have a second night. We walked down to the boat ramp to have a look at the lagoon but there were not many birds on the water.

Grant’s Lagoon

The temperature dropped as soon as the sun started to sink so we had a quick and easy dinner, then retreated to the comfort of the camper trailer. Surprisingly the Telstra signal was excellent so we were able to stream some favourite shows before bed.

Even though the night had been very cold, we decided that we would stay at Grant’s Lagoon for a second night. We took another walk down to the lagoon, but there is no walking track around the outside – just a boat ramp, and the track we walked on, down and back. There were plenty of birds around in the bush around the campground so Mick was happy to set up at camp with the camera.

Female Scarlet Robin

Male Scarlet Robin

Around lunch time one of our neighbours brought over a fillet of the fish he had just caught – too much for him, so he was happy to share. We gratefully accepted and enjoyed it as snack with drinks in the evening.

On Friday morning our pack up didn’t take long as we hadn’t used the awning, or unhitched the car. We headed into St Helens to top up with fuel that had risen more than 20c per litre in the previous few days. From there we set off towards Bridport to stay for our last three nights in Tasmania.