Day 13 - Thursday 17 February - Inverloch to Orbost

So we had a super early night last night. Then I woke up at ~23:30. And stayed awake for the next five or so hours.

!!!

First I was hot (the motel had an old fashioned air conditioner that is super inefficient and LOUD, but if we left it off for any length of time the room would get hot) and uncomfortable (bed was super soft and saggy). After a couple of hours of this, even after turning the air conditioner back on, I gave up and went to the single bed which it turned out was much firmer. Except I'd been awake for so long that my body decided it must be time to get up because I got hungry (again) and needed to go to the toilet (again). Utter torture. I think I got to sleep some time between 4:30 and 5am. Had broken sleep til 7:30, then basically zombie state getting ready.

I was going to go to the bakery and bring back breakfast, but we just got ready and left at 8:40. We did drop by the bakery, but ended up eating the cheese and bacon frittatas we got in the park.

So then we headed down to Wilson's Promontory. No park entry fees today it seemed (the office was closed). The whole drive down was cloudy, until we neared the west coast beaches when the sun came out!

Crossing the Darby River at Wilsons Promontory

Glennie Group of islands from Wilsons Promontory Road

Skull rock from Wilsons Promontory Road

Our first stop was Whisky Bay which was glorious in the sunlight. We thought we were going to get the place mostly to ourselves (there were no other cars in the car park when we arrived, and just one other car arrived). But going down to the lookout and beach the swarms of other people started to arrive as well. #grunt

Whisky Bay

Rocks at Whisky Bay

Stu at Whisky Bay

Rocks at Whisky Bay

Stu at Whisky Bay

Birds at Whisky Bay

Rocks and waves at Whisky Bay

We stopped at a couple of lookouts.

Norman Island from Norman Lookout

Glennie Group of islands from Norman Lookout

Then I went down to Squeaky Beach while the sweetie waited in the car. This was another beach we visited in 1990 when it was completely cloudy and boring but today it was amazing. And the beach actually squeaked!! But a horde of school kids were just getting ready to go for a walk too. I hurried down to the beach before them, then waited for them all to pass before heading back to the car.

Squeaky Beach

Skull Rock and seagull at Squeaky Beach

Finally we went all the way to Tidal River, to one of the biggest campsites I've ever seen. And the people. All the people.

We had a look at Norman Beach first.

Stu at Norman Beach

Rocks on Norman Point

Then went all the way back to the bridge to walk out to Pillar Point. This was a bit hot and miserable, and all those school kids passed us on the track. Which means we'll probably get covid now (these walks are not covid friendly and kids are petrie dishes for germs :( ). By the time we got out to Pillar Point the clouds had closed in again, so the photos I got were much the same as the parents got in 1990.

Stu at Tidal River

Tidal River

Paddlers in Tidal River

Mount Oberon

Tidal River

Norman Beach

Me at Pillar Point - the most southerly point I've ever been to in Australia

Norman Beach from Pillar Point

View north from Pillar Point

Leonard Bay from Pillar Point track

Lizard on the Pillar Point track

Path at Tidal River campsite

Headed back to the car (it was 13:30 by this point) and off we went again.

Basically we just drove for the next five hours, with Shandee's Story to keep us awake.

There was a stop at Toora Wind Farm.

View from Toora Wind Farm

Wind turbine at Toora Wind Farm

View south from lookout on Silcocks Hill Road

And a stop in Sale to see the planes and get petrol.

Pilatus PC-9/A A23-036 outside the RAAF base at Sale

CAC CA-25 Winjeel A85-405 outside the RAAF base at Sale

Aermacchi MB-326 A7-081 outside the RAAF base at Sale

RAAF Roulette A54-023 practising above the RAAF base at Sale

And another lookout stop at Lakes Entrance.

Crossing the Avon River on Bengworden Road north of Clydebank

Lakes Entrance from Lakes Entrance Lookout

Then onto Orbost. We drove through town before we'd realised, so headed back to Foodworks to pick up some dinner, then to the motel to check in. Another motel with an ancient air conditioner, but mercifully this one isn't *quite* so loud (and it's around the corner from the bed) and the bed is a lot firmer.

I think my neck is a bit sunburnt :(

Kazza's Australian Holidays

Day 13 - Thursday 17 February - Inverloch to Orbost

Comments