-- From Bendigo to Phillip Island

The target of this Monday May 10 was to find a MAN workshop in Campbellfield. I got information at a petrol station where a truck driver told me where it was. I arrived there in the late morning. A receptionist asked me to come back the next morning as of 8 a.m. either to replace the hose connection or to install one of the original shock absorbers which I had kept as spare parts. He also indicated me where I could spend the night on street close to a BP petrol station.

The following day I left the MAN workshop around 11 a.m. The damaged hose connection  was replaced, alas I knew neither the reference nor the quantity of oil to take in the shock absorber, moreover the workshop did not have nitrogen. Consequently one of the original shock absorbers was installed. The day before I had telephoned in France to obtain this information, I had the unpleasant surprise to note that the company was to the absent subscribers. These shock absorbers were famous on the Raid Paris Dakar, but craftsman's manufacture. The conclusion is that one should not leave for a trip round the world with wearing parts which are not a known trademark. I gave up the northern suburbs of Melbourne to visit the mountains located at the east of the city, Dividing Range, I had a violent storm with hail. I bivouacked after Alexandra.

On May 12 it was a touring day in mountains in the rain with a detour to see the artificial lake of Eildon behind a very high dam. On the way I passed by Marysville which was completely destroyed at the time of a fire of forest. The rebuilding was still under process I went back to Melbourne to find shock absorbers of Koni trademark, because the importer is located in the suburbs. I found it at the beginning of afternoon and ordered a complete set which I was to take the next day. I returned to the bivouac in Campbellfield.

I was returned to Campbellfield to see on the carpark of MAN workshop a capervan on MAN chassis made in Australia. I was interested to know the manufacturer to carry out work on my vehicle. Alas the Amesz Design P/L is located in Perth WA. I took delivery of the Koni shock absorbers in the early afternoon. Then I moved towards Portsea at the land end of Mornington Peninsula. I found a bivouac little before Sorrento at the edge of a beach, the seashore is occupied by second homes. The weather was always been overcast with a fine rain and a temperature of 18°C.

At the beginning of morning I visited London Bridge of the peninsula; admittedly in Australia there are many of it, this one is not particularly remarkable.

Then I walked a short trail of 7,6 km to visit the Point Nepean where the Fort eponym is which protected Port Phillip and Melbourne at the time of the WWII. Vestiges are impressive and interpretive signs are very eloquent.

On the way towards Phillip Island I made a turning to admire the Cape Schrank Lighthouse. I bivouacked in Yallock Creek.

Phillip Island is connected to the continent by a bridge opened in 1969 beforehand a wooden bridge limited to a load of 6 tons connected the island since 1940. The first inhabitants were the aboriginal Bunurong. George Bass was the first European to visit it on January 5th, 1798.

After the harvest of booklets at a Visitor Centre and a stop at a cybercafé, I undertook in the early afternoon a walk of approximately 9,5 km during two hours at Cape Woolamai NP skirting the coast then climbing the climax of the island at 112 meters of altitude offering a panoramic sight on the island. I bivouacked during two nights at Phillip Island CP.

I spent the end of the morning of Sunday May 16 at the Koala Conservation Centre which presents the life of the koala in all its states, anything is not saved to us, to its very dry pellets because it does not drink. Unlike what lets suppose its scientific Latin name, it is not a bear but a marsupial. I traversed the boardwalk to its discovery in eucalypti, its habitat and food –its biotope–. I saw more than ten specimen which, except one, slept. This latter fed.

Then I had lunch opposite The Nobbies in the south-western point of Phillip Island. The seascape was dramatic, impossible to take one's eyes off. The day was agreeably sunny with a quasi summer temperature.

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