Bendigo, Victoria {Caravan Park}

A short drive and we arrived in Bendigo.

Our first stop was the vet clinic to get Lillie her next injection, really important to ensure she didn't pick up any nasties give we have a moving home.  So off the vet I went with Lillie while Justin and the kids explored the park right opposite {can anyone say fluke}.

All vet checked, we went to meet the rest of the family and had a lovely walk around Lake Weeroona.  What a lovely space so close to town, they even have a dog friendly café right on the edge of it.  After a coffee and some morning tea we loaded back into the car and headed to our next camping spot.

We picked Park Lane Holiday Park because it was a Top Tourist Park but also because they had something that my two would think of a treat {an indoor play centre}. It was a nice big park, which I imagine would be very full at certain times of the year but thankfully was lovely and quiet after the long weekend.  Set up happened quickly, we made ourselves some lunch and then decided to head back into town for a drive around.

Wednesday saw us spending the morning doing some schoolwork before heading in for a walk around town to get up close and personal with the old buildings.  There is HEAPS of old buildings that are still in an amazing condition, even better was the walk around Rosalind Park which is right in the centre of town {the only downside to that part was the smelly bats in one part of the park}.  Kaleb and I walked to the top of the observation tower which looked out over the city.

 

 

Thursday saw morning school work before the boys headed off to take a mine tour at Central Deborah Goldmine.  They had a great time in Australia's biggest 'tourist mine'.  Kyla and I headed to the park for a little while before going back to the caravan park while we waiting to pick them up again.

Friday arrived before we knew it and it was time to pack down and make our way to Albury/Wodonga.

Butts Reserve, Maldon, Victoria {Free Camping}

What a beautiful spot to hide out for the long weekend!

We had so much space, access to flushing toilets and water all for nothing.  Our cheapest stay in Victoria!

It didn't take us long to arrive at our spot {even with a few stops for the puppy} and it was nice to have a quiet afternoon around camp for us all to settle in.  A little relaxing, cheese eating and of course playing with Lillie was a perfect way to spend our afternoon.

 

 

After pancakes for breakfast we headed up the Mountain to have a look at the view before making our way into Maldon.  All I can say is we timed it well as everything in town was open and they even had an awesome little market for us to have a wander through.  Some fresh food purchases, twisty potatoes for the kids, checking out antique stores before we stopped for fresh scones & coffee.  It was a really nice way to spend the day, just slowly wandering around and taking in everything the town had to offer.

 

  

 

 

It really is a lovely little place, not too far from Melbourne and even closer to Bendigo. The following day we decided to go for a drive around the area to explore the surrounding region.  It reminds me a lot of Kalgoorlie in that there are heaps of old mine shafts in and around the town, hard to believe how big and busy the area was in the late 1800's, early 1900's.

More puppy play time before it we started packing up ready to leave the following morning.  

Just as the sun was setting behind the mountain we decided to take a quick drive up to take in the rest of the site and boy am I glad that we went.  What a fabulous way to spend our last night here.

  

Werribee South, Victoria {Caravan Park}

A lovely couple {again from NSW} that we meet at Halls Gap, suggested if we needed to stay at Werribee South Caravan Park.  What a lovely, quiet little park.

Another change to do some school work before heading down for a walk along the foreshore, a play at the park before heading home for an early dinner.

   

The reason for our night here, the promised trip to Werribee Open Range Zoo.  What a lovely place, the kids loved every minute of it.

   

    

  

Next stop MELBOURNE!

Halls Gap Victoria {Caravan Park}

We have arrived in VICTORIA!  It really didn't take long at all, and we almost missed the important sign picture. Proof that we had arrived.

Our plan was to find a nice spot in The Grampians National Park to spend a few nights while we explored the national park but at $38 per night for nothing we ended up picking Halls Gap Lake Tourist Park which was not that much more for a powered site & hot showers! Parks Victoria have got something out of whack here, no day costs {when they have bucket loads of day visitors to places like this} and charge ridiculous fees for the use of a drop loo!

After setting up the kids did a little schoolwork while watching all of the birdlife that came in around the camper.  After this e popped into town to have a quick look around and have a treat of ice-cream.

 

With a full day to explore the national park we got up early to only be disappointed by the terrible weather.  It was going to rain but we decided to brave it, fingers crossed we could at least see some of The Grampians.  Our first point for the day was Boroka Lookout, way up in the mountains and with a lovely view.

 

 

Next stop was Reed Lookout and The Balconies.  When we arrived we could barely see one step in front of us, oh dear here goes our day of exploring was the first thought but we decided to get out of the car and have a look around anyway.  This was the view:

It started to rain so we stopped our walk and figured we would try further up and around, hoping the weather would improve for us.  So off to Mackenzie Falls we headed and as you will see from the pictures below the weather turned around and we climbed more stairs than the kids could count!

 

 

  

What a beautiful set of falls, with so much more to explore but given we had little water {no food for the ever hungrer Kaleb} and Kyla was over walking we decided it was best to climb the stairs back to the top.  The national park also had three spots on the otherside with Aboriginal Art that we decided to drive around and explore, sadly however they had remained closed still after a fire early last year.

We traveled around the outside of the national park and happened to come across, randomly one very large & scary looking Koala.

With the need for lunch high on everyone's list we actually ended up driving around to Stawell, a lovely town on the side of a hill and surprisingly it even has a functioning mine.  We got a lovely lunch from a bakery in town before going for a drive around to explore a little before heading back to the caravan park.

The kids had fun when we got home playing with a few other children and even feeding the birds.  They had birds landing on their heads and eating from their hands, they loved every minute of it.

  

  

Given the weather was still nice and we still had plenty of day light we decided to head into town to take in one of the other smaller walks.  It was a great walk up past the swimming pool that went around in a loop.  Nice and easy for all of us and a great way to end our day.  I am glad we went as we even found a little art.

   

 

Another night watching the wild life fly and hop in before heading to bed ready to head towards the cost tomorrow.