Travelogue - Australia Part Two

After we left Gold Country, we ventured to the east side of Victoria.  We skirted around Melbourne and passed through the city of Cranbourne where my son Dane is currently serving his mission.  I kept hoping we would pull up next to a car he and his companion were driving at some red light and I kept my eyes peeled for missionaries in white shirts and ties on every street we drove down.  No such luck.  Our plan for the next two days was Phillips Island and the Gippslands.  We first did a loop around Mornington Peninsula - it felt like we were in Cape Cod.  When we arrived on Phillips Island, we immediately went to the tip of the island to watch something that has been happening every evening as long as and who knows how long before man inhabited the island.  A breed of penguins called rightfully, the little penguin as they are about a foot tall and 2 pounds, they come to shore at summerwind beach every night at dusk after all day out at sea diving down for food, and hundreds of them appear out of the water, stop to gather in little groups, do a bit of preening, and then head into the dunes and shrubs to their little underground burrows to sleep for the night.  So we gathered with a bunch of other people onto this beach behind a roped area and waited for dusk.  We were told to absolutely take no pictures as our flashes or phone screens would frighten them back into the water though our presence would not.  Suddenly they started to pop out of the water and gather and waddle up in to the dunes - adorable!  And they squeak.  Once they entered the dunes, we followed this on boardwalks with side rails and watched them (by then it was pitch black but dim lights were hung all along the boardwalks) find their little dens.  Before they would go in, they would stand around in pairs or small groups and socialize.  It was such fun to watch them!

This is where we sat to await the penguins - handsome Dan below

                   Penguin dens

         That dark lump is a koala!

I can't imagine how they sleep that way 20 hours!

The following day we went to an area of the island where there is a colony of koala bears living.  To protect them from their main predator, man, the area they live in is protected and you have to gain entrance to go in.  It was so exciting to look for them in trees, dark lumps in the crooks of branches, and several were sitting down low enough that we could get some good shots.  They sleep 20 hours a day, eat at night, so most were asleep but a couple were stirring but never leaving their perch.  Thrilling and adorable.  We saw wallabies and emus in the wild that day as we drove the countryside and the day before but no kangaroos even though we passed through many areas where the road signs indicated that they lived. So, so far we have only seen the one dead on the side of the road.

We drove all over the Gippslands, tons of farms woven among forests and lakes and along the seashore, the longest uninterrupted beach I've ever seen, 90 mile beach, much of it empty this time of year and so breathtakingly lovely, and did I mention the tons of gorgeous lakes clustered by the sea.  This is called the fishermen/anglers paradise and most traffic we saw was pulling boats.  Such a beautiful and pastoral area and cows and sheep and fruit/veggie farms everywhere.  We even drove into the Snowy River national forest area and drove down to the town of Marlo where the beautiful Snowy River meets the ocean.  Remember the movie "The Man From Snowy River"?  I loved that movie and its sequel and my kids did too so it was cool to be close to where it was filmed and see the place the legend was made. The movie was based on a poem by the same name about the legendary horseman Jim Craig.

          We made a pit stop here 

I love the Cyprus trees that line the back roads

       Heading down to 90 mile beach

   Not a soul for miles either direction

After our couple days in eastern Victoria, we headed to Melbourne where we have been for the last couple days and man is it a fabulous city.  The architecture is both Victorian/European and modern and such variety in the tall building styles.  We covered it as completely as possible and my feet are killing me. 

         Fabulous Italian food at Tiamo

    Melbourne city beach - super long too

We ate two nights in a row at a Greek restaurant called Gazi - amazing food!  We couldn't stop watching the chefs work - they serve huge bowls of thick fries which they put in a big bowl right out of the grease, add salt, tons of feta, garlic oil and parsley.  Check out the ceiling!

           Victoria Market above & below

Chinatown, the Italian area, the glorious parks and botanical gardens, the harbor, city beach, downtown, several churches, several neighborhoods and the largest and best outdoor market we have ever seen anywhere! It is clean, super easy to get around with free trolley cars that take you all over, the people are so friendly and warm, we ate some of the best food ever, the shopping is fabulous, it's a melting pot of cultures and nationalities and we just had a ball here!  Tomorrow we head to the suburb of Wantirna South to pick up Elder Sargeant aka Dane at 9 am!!!  Then we'll head immediately by plane to the island state of Tasmania.  So here I will end for now!  Stay tuned for the reunion with Dane!