October 2003

Back in Victoria

Our return trip to Victoria was a slightly longer one than anticipated due to a long story involving a broken fan belt, a bust piston, 2 visits from the RACV (Australian RAC equivalent) a train trip and finally 2 weeks later driving off into the sunset with a new engine! However, Bertie - the trooper that he is continued on his way, no questions asked!

So, not ones to miss an opportunity, we explored the local area by whatever means at our disposal. Touring in the 'Kingswood' was most reminiscent of Starsky & Hutch days! As ever, in the total debt of our hosts and sponsors Em, Neil & Elliot and Jean & Vic.

Clifton Springs - 20kms East of Geelong. In the 1880's it was a spa resort town and featured a pier, baths and a kiosk for holiday makers. Today the original spa hotel is a sporting complex and sits in an area rich in wineries. The town also presents a stunning view of the 'You Yangs' a range of granite hills to the North West.

Drysdale - 18 kms East of Geelong. This township of 1532 population services the local farming community of the Bellarine Peninsula and has many original historic 19th century buildings such as the court house museum and the Anglican church. This is also the start/end stop for the tourist steam railway that runs to Queenscliffe that has locomotives and carriages dating back to the 1870's on display. (for all you train-spotters out there!) No trip to Drysdale would be complete without dinner at Zanoni's Cafe Wine Bar - a delightful culinary experience, serving contemporary Australian fare with a twist of Italian. Call Cathy & Gavin on (03) 5253 3086 for an unforgettable reservation!

Geelong - 72kms South West of Melbourne with a population of 146166 (approx!) Geelong is the 2nd largest city in Victoria and is a modern deepwater seaport and industrial centre on the shores of Corio Bay. Much of the city's original wealth was created by wool exports and then added to by thousands of gold-seekers passing through on their way to Ballarat & Bendigo. Geelong has some fine Botanical gardens, laid out by the renouned botanist Ferdinand von Mueller, an attractive waterfront and over 100 national trust buildings within the city.

Ballarat - 112kms West of Melbourne with a population of 83000, Victoria's largest inland provincial city. It retains many of its original Victorian buildings built from the wealth of the gold rush. Ballarat was also the site of the only white uprising in 1854 where a group of miners refused to pay government licence fees. Sovereign Hill is a recreated gold town and unique tourist attraction that is an outdoor museum set in the period 1851 - 1861.

Albury - on the state border, sitting in NSW, 559km South West of Sydney. It has a population of 41500 and is an ideal half way stop on the cross-country drive from Melbourne to Sydney (some 900kms). Close by is the famous 'Ettamogah Pub' a living replica of Ken Maynard's cartoon, published in Australia Post in 1959.