2011 Trip - Starts in Qld.....a good stop over in beautiful Gloucester NSW to catch up with friends then on to Sydney. I got to catch up with my eldest Bro, then headed down the coast to Bateman's Bay. The Bay brought back some nice childhood memories having spent school holidays here with my family in the past. My brother also decided to ride his motorcycle down for an overnight stay which was great, more time to catch up before heading further south.
Looking down onto Bateman's Bay.
Broulee Beach
Casey Beach
A must see near Bateman's Bay is Mogo Zoo.
Home of the gorgeous White Lions.
Unable to survive in the wild due to their colour.
It was nice to see the breeding program for African Giraffes was successful here, with a juvenile Giraffe sticking pretty close to mum.
Ring Tail Lemurs keep an eye on things from their tree top view.
Unique patterns on the male African Giraffe.
Young Sumatran Tiger cub decides its time to play!
______________________
Leaving Bateman's Bay I drove through Narooma and ended up stopping for several hours, it was such a gorgeous place! When I drove down to the bridge that takes you through the town I was stunned at the pristine water. The name 'Narooma' is said to be derived from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘clear blue waters’ they sure got that right, as you can see from the photo is was beautiful.
I chatted to a local near the bridge who said there were seal lions and giant stingrays over at the boat jetty, so I headed along this great boardwalk that has fishing facilities along it and information about the inhabitants of the water.
The seagrass along the boardwalk here is home to seahorses...pretty cool ay!
Well when I got to the jetty, I wasn't disappointed. There were a number of sea lions and giant stingrays hovering around the edge of the water where the fisherman clean their catch, hoping to get a free feed.
The giant stingrays came in very close and the sea lions were not phased swimming around right above them.
This cheeky sea lion came right up to the fisherman and tried to get his freshly filleted fish for lunch!
A rather large sea lion had taken residence on this jetty and was enjoying basking in the sunshine.
______________________________
It was hard to leave Narooma, but I made a mental note to come back again.
Heading for Eden a lovely coastal town near the Victorian border on Twofold Bay. Originally the town was settled by whalers, but now a fishing port.
Eden is one of the few places in the world that Humpback Whales feed on their migratory route. The waters are rich with krill and the whales quite often stop and feed. Whale watching cruises operate from late September through to late November.
There are also some great locations around Eden which allow shore-based whale watching.
The Eden Killer Whale Museum sounds a siren when whales are in close proximity to vantage points around Twofold Bay. Eden is a beautiful part of Oz, steeped in history, and well worth a visit if your travelling this way.
Aslings Beach in Twofold Bay, Eden
Eden is a popular fishing port.
Looking up at Ben Boyd's Tower. Originally designed and built in 1847 as a lighthouse, it was only ever used as a lookout for whale spotting.
Looking out at the Tasman Sea from Ben Boyd's Tower is crystal clear, just amazing.
_____________________________
Back on the road.....and across the border into Victoria, next stop Lakes Entrance.
Lakes Entrance is situated between Bairnsdale and Orbost at a man-made channel that links Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea with the 400 square kilometre network of inland waterways known as the Gippsland Lakes.
A very popular all year round tourist destination. The main Esplanade runs along the shoreline of the Cunninghame Arm inlet, with marinas and attractive foreshore gardens on one side, and a good selection of shops, restaurants and accommodation options on the other side.
A walk across the popular landmark footbridge, which crosses Cunninghame Arm, links the town centre with the sand dunes and windswept coastline of Bass Strait and Ninety Mile Beach.
If you love water activities or fishing, this is a must see destination.
Looking down at Rigby Island and The Narrows and Ninety Mile Beach and Bass Strait in the distance.
The Landmark Footbridge that connects Lakes Entrance with Cunninghame Arm and Ninety Mile Beach.
The main Esplanade along Lakes Entrance is filled with marina's where you can purchase fresh seafood straight from the fishing trawlers.
A stunning sunset over one of the jetties along the Esplanade.
Looking up the Esplanade from the landmark footbridge.
The landmark footbridge taken from Cunninghame Arm after sunset.
Sunrise at Lakes Entrance.
Early morning in the harbour.
______________________
Still to add....
Buchan Caves, Victoria.
Phillip Island, Victoria.
Great Ocean Road, Victoria including Otway Treetop Walk, 12 Apostles.
The Grampians, Victoria.
Then Echuca....below. So please check back soon, as there will be more to see! ;)
Looking down to the Port of Echuca where they were at the time restoring a lot of the old wharf.
I enjoyed a lovely cruise up the Murray River aboard this majestic old paddle steamer Emmylou.
The Pride of the Murray heads towards the bridge that borders the two States of NSW and Victoria.
Looking down the Murray on an overcast evening on dusk.
The old timber mill sits on the banks of the Murray River, Echuca.
