Travel

THE CROSSCUT SAW

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Yellow paper daisies, the Croscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Paper daisy bud, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Dylan on a ledge, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Dylan's favourite Vivo Barefoot Walking Boots, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Lying on a rock like a sunning lizard, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Green lichen on a rock, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Earlu morning night on beautiful lichen covered rocks, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Dinner preparations, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Trees with papery bark, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Leaf filled hollow, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Dried flower, the Crosscut Saw, Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia

Our friend Scott doesn’t like to be soft. No huts for us, no breezy day hikes with our packs sweetly sleeping in our tents either. I felt an immense sense of accomplishment in having done it. Although Dylan did have to shoulder some of my load, I think he enjoys pushing his pack horse capabilities to the limit. I hope so anyway. We walked up hills and then down hills for hours, up and down, up and down. On the way up I would decide that going down was clearly the only way to go, on the way down my knees and toes protested that this was not the case. But it was beautiful, intensely so.

On this trip we inherited Scott’s old (in photographer years…months) Canon Powershot camera and we spent most of the time getting better acquainted. I hope we will get along well together.

 

 

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Travel

RAINBOW FALLS

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Shells on a bottle on the beach near Rainbow Falls, Australia

Patterns in the sand on the beach near Rainbow Falls, Australia

Waves crashing on the beach near Rainbow Falls, Australia
Orange rocks on the beach near Rainbow Falls, Australia
Purple and orange moss at the base of Rainbow Falls, Australia

Bare feet walking on rocks at Rainbow Falls, Australia

Water drops falling off the Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan drinking water from the Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan collecting water at Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan being eaten by the Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan and Gracie the border collie investigate the caves at Rainbow Falls, Australia

The landscape around the Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan collecting water in his water bottle from the Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan and Gracie the border collie spotting koalas

Koala in a gum tree near Rainbow Falls, Australia

Dylan homeward bound

The Rainbow Falls on the southern coast is one of those magical far away places where you don’t see a soul. Close your eyes and you can imagine you are the first people to have discovered this place.

It is a long winding walk and Dylan and I forgot to take the water so when we reached the falls it was like finding an oasis in the desert. The water fresh and delicious. I wonder how many places like this are left in Victoria.

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Eco building, Travel

GOLD RUSH BRIDGES

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Dylan and the old rail way bridge in Malmsbury, Australia

Orange fungi on a log in the Botanical Gardens in Malmsbury, Australia

The lake at the Malmsbury Botanical Gardens, Australia

Dylan in front of the old railway bridge in Malmsbury, Australia

The Mechanics Institute on the main street in Malmsbury, Australia

Close-up of a horse in Malmsbury, Australia

Old railway bridge in Taradale, Australia

House by a brook in Taradale, Australia

Cherry tree in the woods in Taradale, Australia

Lichen on a branch in the woods in Taradale, Australia

The old railway station in Taradale, Australia

Shadows of lichen covered branches on a fence in Taradale, Australia

Wattle flowers in the bush near Elphinstone, Australia

Ruin near Fryers Town, Australia

Purple Hardenbergia creeping over rocks near Malmsbury, Australia

Yellow flowering broom bush near Malmsbury, Australia

White blossoms near Malmsbury, Australia

Today went for a lovely day trip to Malmsbury and Taradale. Sweet little Gold Rush towns under the shadow of some stunning old stone bridges. Is there anything dreamier than a little cottage perched on a hill looking down to a little brook bumbling through a silver forest? Perhaps one at the foot of an old gold rush bridge with cows lazing in its shade?

The whole countryside has awoken and begun to bloom.

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Family, Travel

WINTER WILD

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Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress, beautiful blue sky

Seaweed on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Gracie the Border Collie, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Playing chasey with Gracie the Border Collie, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress and sandy feet, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Dylan relaxing, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress and rock pools, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Shell scewered by dune grass, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress and Gracie the Border Collie, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Gracie the Border Collie rolling in the sand, on the beach in the Otways, Australia

Nadinoo's Fleur's Penna Dress, amongst the rock pools on the beach in the Otways, Australia

 

Sunday the rain held off until the drive home. Made bold by the prospect of new Nadinoo dressness I shed winter’s coat and boots to frolick on the beach.  But no one celebrated winter’s end quite like Gracie dog.

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