Fosterville - Somerville Park

 10 - 12 February 2025 

Before heading towards Bendigo for our next stay, we detoured to another lake where Blue-billed ducks had been reported recently. Apparently the low water level at Lake Purrumbete may have sent them elsewhere. We drove to Lake Struan Wildlife Reserve where we could see plenty of ducks - but they were not close enough to shore to get a positive ID. Mick took lots of photos anyway and, later that night, was able to see that there was indeed, a number of Blue-bills. He keeps a list of all the birds he has sighted for the year (as well as a life list) but he won't add anything unless he is absolutely certain. He was now able to add the Blue-bills to the year list.

We drove on through Lismore, Beaufort, Maryborough and then on to Bendigo. We had chosen to stay at a Hipcamp - our first - just out of Bendigo. We had called ahead and were told we were the only ones booked in. We were met on arrival by Cheryl and shown to the site that we had been allocated - but we could move to another one if we wanted. We were happy to stay at "Valley View" because they had set up the port-a-loo there for us. It was such a nice spot, we paid for two nights straight away.

A very peaceful spot!

Proximity to the Greater Bendigo National Park was important and after a very peaceful night we set off into the park in search of some more birds. We didn't have any luck there so headed into town with a stop at Lake Weeroona, right on the edge of the CBD. It's always a very popular spot, with lots of people enjoying the warm weather. 

From there we went into town to buy a new pair of binoculars - Mick's were probably 20 years old, not the greatest quality and had recently broken, so it was definitely time to upgrade. We found the Camera House store and he chose a nice pair of Nikons, which he is very happy with.

We dropped a gas bottle off to be tested, redated and refilled before returning to camp for lunch and a very relaxing afternoon. Just on dark we went out in search of some night birds we heard calling. Mick didn't get any photos but we did get a look at one that perched on a branch quite close to us.

We couldn't pick up the gas bottle until late in the morning so we really appreciated not having to leave this lovely campsite until after almost 11:30am. By the time we had driven in to the gas place it was lunch time so we stopped for a picnic at Lake Weeroona before continuing on to Glenrowan.

Lake Purrumbete

 8 - 10 February 2025

We chose Lake Purrumbete as our next stop because we wanted to escape the weekend crowds on the Great Ocean Road and there was a chance of seeing Blue-billed duck. We left Port Campbell, stopped at Cobden for coffee and were at the caravan park around 11:00am.

We chose a spot that had a view towards the lake, set up and went for a walk. No blue-bills! To add to the disappointment, the wind started to blow and just kept getting stronger. We checked the forecast again and it would be like this for the two nights we were booked in for. It was cold and windy, but we had fortunately set the camper trailer up so that it blocked the wind most of the time. We escaped the wind duing the afternoon by driving into Colac to do some shopping, and in the evening by making use of the camp kitchen.

It was nice to be close to the water 

Lake Purrumbete is a fishing spot and there were lots of people with boats, but not too many out on the lake due to the weather. We tried to enjoy our time there, but the weather really spoiled what could have been a lovely weekend. We checked the forecast for the rest of the week on the Otways and Great Ocean Road and came to the conclusion that we would have to forego that part of the trip - it was going to be even windier and then there would be some very heavy rain. It was time for a rethink and we decided to head towards Glenrowan - a bit of a detour, but we could go back to the coast later.

Not wanting to drive for a whole day, we chose a spot near Bendigo to stay and rang ahead to book, before leaving Lake Purrumbete.

Port Campbell

 5 - 8 February 2025

We chose Port Campbell as the first stop on our Great Ocean Road journey. After lunch (and a  spot of birding) at Peterborough,  we settled in to the caravan park and discovered we were camped beside one of our favourite Youtube travelling couples. We found Steve from Trip 4 2, to be just as friendly in real life as he is online, although we didn't get to meet Ally. 

We had initially booked for 2 nights but added an extra one as soon as we arrived. It was clear this would be a nice place to stay, and an extra day would allow us to have some "down time" and see the sights. On our first day we walked along the beach into the village and called in to the Visitor Information Centre on our way home. Armed with some maps and brochures we planned our next couple of days.

Mick was keen to see penguins to add to his bird list and I was keen to do some sightseeing so we planned to drive east towards the Twelve Apostles with the aim to arrive at sunset. We headed off and stopped at Loch Ard Gorge, one of many spots where ships were wrecked. The Loch Ard was lost with only two survivors found in the bay. We walked along the clifftops where interpretative signage tells the story of the shipwreck, and also provides information on the geology, flora and fauna of the area.

Loch Ard Gorge

From Loch Ard Gorge we continued east to the Twelve Apostles and were quite surprised how full the carpark was at around 8:00pm. It was a beautiful evening after a very hot day and it seems we weren't the only ones with the idea of enjoying the sunset at one of Australia's best known natural attractions.

We made our way along the boardwalk and found a good spot. We could see the telltale signs of penguin footprints on the beach below and waited until about 10 minutes after sunset to see a small group of about eight Little penguins making their way from the water to the beach. There is a colony of about 800 birds but we were happy just to see the first few. We headed home very satisfied with the evening out.

Sunset at Twelve Apostles

We rose early the next morning for another birding session at Peterborough, although it wasn't as successful as some of the others had been. We then hit the tourist trail, first visiting Bay of Martyrs and Halladale Point, then Bay of Islands to the west of Peterborough. From there we turned towards the east again and called in to The Grotto and London Bridge before heading back to the caravan park. Because we were out early, there weren't too many people about. They can become very crowded by the middle of the day.

The Grotto

Later in the afternoon I left Mick happily procressing the hundreds of photos he had taken over the last few days, and set off on the Port Campbell Discovery Walk which can be accessed from the bridge adjacent to the caravan park. This walk is about 4.4km and is fairly easy although there are a lot of stairs at the start. The walk follows the cliff line for about the first half, then turns inland through coastal heath. It's an "out and back" walk and there is a carpark at the turn around point.

It's a big climb up the stairs at the start
of the coastal walk

We still hadn't made up our minds exactly where we would go next, but decided on Saturday morning that we would go inland to escape the weekend crowds. The caravan park in Port Campbell had been almost empty when we arrived, but by Friday night was almost full. We called ahead to Lake Purrumbete which had been recommended to us, and made our way there - only about 45 minutes away.  

Portland

 4 - 5 February 2025

We had enjoyed our longer than anticipated stay in Warrnambool and were ready to move on, but still cncerned about fires in the Otways so decided to go in the opposite direction to the one we had intended. Mick was keen to go back to Portland for a night or two so he could get some more photographs of the gannets.

Mick had been out for an early morning birding session with Tony and we left Warrnambool after a final coffee and farewell to good friends. We headed west and were at Portland just on lunch time. We decided to dine again at Mac's Hotel where they have a fabulous, well priced lunch menu. The price had risen slightly since we were there in November but was still great value.

After lunch we checked in to the caravan park and spent some time reorganising our things and doing some shopping. We planned a light dinner after a big lunch and were ready to go out to Point Danger for the 5:30pm tour at the Gannet colony.

Tours are conducted by volunteers each night and all you have to do it meet at the gate - no booking and no charge. We arrived and Mick organised his camera gear including tripod as we knew he would have about 1/2 hour to take photographs. Just before 5:30 a tour bus arrived which had us a bit worried about so many people being there but we need not have been concerned. Because we 'd been before, our guide allowed us to skip the commentary and go straight down to the viewing spot.

Mick was keen to photograph the stray Cape gannet that is part of the large colony of Australasian gannets but it's like finding a needle in a haystack. Our guide was busy with others in the group but generously gave more of his time once almost everyone else had left. He was able to pinpoint the Cape gannet and Mick was finally able to get some photos of it.

Can you see the lone Cape gannet?
No? Neither could I!

With a successful session at the gannets, we were happy to leave Portland after only one night so packed up and headed off the next morning. We had decided to drive east along The Great Ocean Road and had booked a couple of nights at Port Campbell so we didn't need to rush.

We stopped at Peterborough for lunch and so Mick could do a spot of birding and then made our way to Port Campbell.

Warrnambool

 30 January - 4 February 2025

After a successful birding session at Heywood, we followed our friends Tony and Julia to their home in Warrnambool. They had invited us to stay and said we could stay as long as we liked. We thought maybe a couple of nights, but little did we know we would be there for longer.

We parked the car and trailer in their yard and enjoyed a lovely meal and relaxing evening. They planned a birding photography trip for the next day to take Mick to some of their favourite places.

The next morning, after breakfast, Mick went to move the car and trailer to a more convenient location in the yard and it wouldn't start. It was clear there was something wrong, and we were confident it wasn't the battery, but we tried a jump start anyway. Nothing, no sign that it was even trying to start. A call to RACV, and they were there fairly quickly. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to get it started but was certain it was an electrical fault, so a tow to the auto electrician was arranged. Being a Friday, we had to wait until Monday for any news so we made the most of the weekend.

Not a great way to start the day -
but lucky it happened in a friends' yard

There were fires in various parts of Victoria so we weren't too worried about having a few days in one spot. Fires in Little Desert National Park had destroyed Little Desert Nature Lodge, one of our favourite places to stay, and fires in Otways National Park could mean we wouldn't be able to stay there. Smoke from the fires in Grampians National Park created some really interesting morning and evening skies as the smoke clouds moved towards the coast.

Mick went out birding with Tony and Julia late on Friday afternoon and we all went out on Saturday morning with another of their friends to a spot near an abolone farm near Port Fairy. Another expedition was arranged for Sunday morning to Peterborough, which included a stop at Timboon for coffee. despite the anxiety about the car, we had a fabulous weekend.

Smoky from fires in the Grampians

On Monday morning we went with Tony and Julia for breakfast at a local cafe which overlooked the bay. A walk on the beach was followed by a great meal, and then we received noticed from the auto electrician that the car was fixed - a new starter motor - and Tony drove us to Koroit to collect it. 

Because it was a very hot day, we decided to stay one more night which would allow Mick and Tony to have another trip to Peterborough for one last birding session together in the morning. It didn't pan out as good as the Sunday morning, but it was worth a try anyway.

Finally packed, we said our goodbyes and headed off to Portland - in the opposite direction to where we really should have been going. We were extremely grateful to Tony and Julia for their hospitality and hope to be able to repay it when they visit North Queensland.

Avoca

 29 - 30 December 2025

When we arrived in Geelong it was still very early, and cold, but we decided to return to a birdwatching spot at Barwon Heads that we had visited once before. We made our way through the city and down to the beach but initially had a bit of difficulty finding the right spot. We eventually found it and went for a walk along the beach. We didn't go too far because of the weather, but Mick did get a few bird shots.

We left the beach and headed towards Bendigo to collect the camper trailer. This time the GPS took us via Bacchus Marsh, where we stopped for brunch and to refuel. From there it was on the way to the storage yard. Leaving Bendigo we had decided that Avoca would be far enough - we'd had a very early wake-up call on the boat, and had already been on the road for more than 4 hours, thanks to the birding expedition.

We chose Avoca because the reviews of the caravan park were quite good, and we had read there was the possibility of seeing a Powerful owl. Because we had returned from Tassie without any fresh or frozen food, we headed to the pub for lunch before making our way to the caravan park.

By the time we arrived it was mid-afternoon and quite warm so we were directed to a spot with a some tree shade. We had only just started setting up when Mick spotted the owl in the tree just across the road from our site. We had to stop what we were doing so he could get the camera out. It turned out that there were at least three Powerful owls in the park.

We spent the rest of the day, and the next morning, shopping, sorting and repacking the car and trailer ready for a couple of months on the road. Mick made contact with birding friends in Warrnambool and we arranged to meet them in Heywood to try to find the Gang Gang cockatoos, before travelling on to their place. This meant we had most of the day to fill in so we took our time leaving Avoca.

From Avoca we drove through Ararat and then on to Dunkeld where we stopped to have a look around the town and to have a picnic lunch. We called in to the Visitor Information Centre and were told about the Dunkeld Arboretum so we went down there for a walk around. We didn't stay long, but it is a lovely spot for a walk.

There are some nice views from the Dunkeld Arboretum

From Dunkeld we drove on to Hamilton where we stopped again to pick up a few things at the shops, and to kill some more time. We wandered along the main street and into a small gallery selling local art, including photography. On one of the photos, we saw a name we recognised as a "Flickr" friend from way back. Turns out, Rob was minding the store that day and introduced himself when he heard us talking. He and Mick had never met so it was lovely to finally be able to have a chat with someone who he had previously only known in the virtual world.

Before leaving Hamilton we called in to the Botanic Gardens for another walk, then drove on to Heywood where we met up with Tony and Julia. The Gang Gangs were about so there was lots of camera action. From there we headed to Warrnambool where we would stay for a couple of nights.

Spirit of Tasmania

 28 - 29 January 2025

Our time in Tasmania had finally come to an end and it was time to return to the mainland. We spent the last couple of days sorting, tidying and packing, and finished with a quiet night at home with the girls. We planned to leave fairly early so that we could do some sight-seeing along the way from Hobart to Devonport.

We finished packing the car, said our final goodbyes and were ready to leave just after 9:00am. We had about 8 hours to get to Devonport so made our first stop not far away at Gould's Lagoon. This is a great birdwatching spot that we have been to a number of times, but it wasn't as productive as we had hoped.

From there we travelled north along the Midland Highway and turned off into Oatlands. Pectoral sandpipers had been reported at Lake Dulverton so we drove around the lake to the spot where they should have been. It was cold and windy, but Mick found them and took a few photos before retreating to the warmth of the car. It was getting close to lunch time so we drove to a picnic spot and ate in the car. It was just too miserable to be outside.

Our next stop was Liffey Falls. Again Mick was hoping to do some birding so we drove up through Campbell Town, and then turned off to travel through Cressy and Liffey then on to the falls. We were surprised at the number of people who were there on such a cold, windy day and a little disappointed - it's never easy getting photos of birds when there's heaps of people about. We walked to the Tall Tree and a bit beyond, but didn't walk down to the falls.

We left Liffey Falls and drove through Quamby Brook to Deloraine. We had planned to visit the Tasmanian Arboretum at Eugenana near Devonport but realised we wouldn't have time. We stopped at Elizabeth Town for afternoon tea then made our way to East Devonport. We didn't want to be at the boat too early so we killed a bit more time down on the beach.

We timed our arrival at the Spirit of Tasmania perfectly - we checked in, went through the security check and were directed straight to the ship. We only had to wait a few minutes before we were able to drive on, once again to one of the bottom two vehicle decks. Expertly directed in the small space, we were soon on our way up to our cabin, before retiring the bar for a drink or two.

A farewell drink

We ate the dinner we had brought with us and settled in for the night. We'd had a big day so were both quite tired. We always expect it to be rougher than it turns out to be and this crossing of Bass Strait was no exception.

We arrived at Geelong terminal and we were soon on our way to Bendigo to collect the camper trailer - but first we had another spot of birding to do.