-- From Phillip Island to Lakes Entrance

The road tracklog 
from Phillip Island to Lakes Entrance
from 2010/05/17 to 2010/05/23 

I left from Phillip Island in a thick morning fog due to the high temperature during the day before, it was dissipated only around 11am. It was one quite ordinary touring day without outstanding fact. I headed along Bass Coast up to Inverloch then by small roads in deep Victoria I visited Venus Bay renowned for surfing, but in this Monday they was third age fishermen. Then another detour to see my nth+1 lighthouse in Australia, that Cape Liptrap. Two other escapades in Waratah and Sandy Point do not withdraw more my interest.

However on the way my intention was attracted by protested signs against wind mills of which one was tag. As envisaged I establish my bivouac in Yanakie on a rest area a few kilometres away from Wilson Prom NP.

The next morning I entered Wilsons Promontory NP with the firm intention to have a trekking. Weather forecasting of the rangers was: Partially cloudy. Moreover suggested walks were several days, only the climb of the MtT Oberon could be made in a day, 6,8km with the top at 558m of altitude. The GPS gave an altitude of 565m. I carried out the walk in less than two hours with a top in clouds.

I had lunch on the spot before taking again the road to establish my bivouac in Port Franklin where with the authorization of the city personnel I stationed in the park vis-a-vis the jetty. The end of day was resplendent with a sunset on the port.

The purpose of the day of May 19 was to visit in the mountains a village of gold miners. On the move I made a detour to see the old wharf of Port Albert. Nothing to see, the oldest building is a hotel on the pier.

Before arriving in Traralgon an huge coal power station bursts the horizon.

Walhalla, I did not know the reason of this name which refers to the Hero's residence in the Germanic tradition taken by the Tetralogy by Wagner. The first miners are buried in a cemetery on a hills, they are perhaps heroes of the legend. But there were no Walkyrie with blonde hair and opulent chest to keep them. The village is in a deep valley surrounded by mountains. It is not strictly speaking a ghost town, houses are nicely restored to accommodate tourists. At the camp-site a group of third age velocipedists came to bivouac, under tent! close to my truck. It was still a beautiful autumnal day.

The day after I returned at the edge of the ocean to find climatic conditions more pleasant. Indeed during the night a white frost had settled on the roof of my truck, altitude was only of 384m GPS. By passing in Sale I discovered a building under process of decrepitude, well that exists even in Australia.

From Seaspray to Paradise Beach I headed along the interminable sand beach, Ninety Mile Beach. I bivouacked, alas behind a high dam blocking the view of Bass Strait.

On Mai 21st I headed back to mountain by the Great Alpine Road from Bairnsdale to Omeo which curves lazily in the Tambo River valley. Omeo was the upper town during the Gold Rush in Victoria. There was no animation, only official buildings testified to its heydays, the Court House, the Bank and Post Telepgraph Office. In this autumnal period, the town was quasi dead without tourist. However the end of day was pleasant with a beautiful light at this altitude of 711m GPS. I bivouacked at the southern end of the town.

On Saturdays morning I got up with +8°C in the cell and -1°C outside.  Landscape was white frost. Around 8 a.m. the sun bored the fog and the countryside appeared resplendent with its autumnal colours.

I drove down towards the coast by passing iny Paynesville and Metung, marina towns for well-to-do Australians. I established my bivouac for two nights in Lakes Entrance to publish the new pages of my website.

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