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.