DNLAROUNDOZ: 28th to 29th March

We left Phillip Island headed to Wilsons Promontory via Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Meeniyan, Foster, Fish Creek and ended up setting up camp in the town park at Yannakie. With no power we set up the solar power and settled in, went for a treddle around the little village and out through some dairy country. This is BIG dairy country and this was most evident in the aroma of the air. Two other camps joined us tonight – another camper trailer and a whiz bang.

A walk down the park, this lovely creek running through Foster

Commemorating discovery of gold near Foster, one chap listed Griffith Griffith - fair dinkum!

We found Fish Creek an interesting little town. A few chairs and buildings around town with the Fish theme happening. A couple of rebellions with Ride the Wild Goat (recycled tin and wood art shop) and The Flying Cow Cafe. How did they get in??

The Fishy Pub - with you guessed it a giant fish on roof 'n all!

Our cosy camp at Yanakie, gateway to Wilsons Prom

My Darl always finds a friend anywhere we go!

One stop shop, fuel, food and booze!

Next day we got up early, had brekky, locked up camp and headed off into the foggy hills to Wilsons Prom National Park. It was about a 40 minute drive to Tidal River where we checked out the available walks and headed out to Norman Point, the most southerly point we are able to access today. 12 months ago, almost to the day (22/03/11) Wilsons Prom was subjected to floods – 500mm fell in the mountains and 380mm fell at Tidal River in 24 hours. Over 300 campers were stranded and had to be helicoptered out.

We are not climbing Mt Oberon, are we Darl????

On the pathway to Norman Point

We hit the beach, still a little ways to go to the point

As a result a lot of the walks were closed due to land slides and walkways being washed away. Most of the walks will re open on 30/03 (just tomorrow) but quite a few will remain closed for a while yet. The “Prom” is 50,000 hectares of National Park, is the most southern most point of Australia mainland and boasts fantastic beaches, spectacular rock formations, panoramic views and cool fern gullies.

We come across one of the many landslides

A couple of views at Norman Point

Norman Point took us a good couple hours, we had a bite to eat in the park back at Tidal River. We walked through bushes onto the beach then up the side of the cliffs out to the point. Saw lots of little lizards along the path of all sizes and also come across a couple of small joe blakes. It turned out to be quite a warm sunny day. A kookaburra almost swooped a piece of date cake from my clutches, it passed about 2 inches from my nose…. So lucky it didn't poke me in the eye with it's beaker as it went past.

One of the little legless lizards we see a long the path

The pathway closed until tomorrow, bit of bad timing.....

Looking out back along the path between beach and Norman Point

Managed to snap this little fella, darting around the bushes

After lunch, we decided to do the walk to Mt Bishop, this will take us around 2 ½ hours. The track zigzagged up the side of the mountain, a reasonably easy walk, but it was long. Past a couple of little waterfalls, some lovely fern gullies, a few enthusiastic young blokes running down the track. We got to the top and the views unreal. I was hoping we would see some wombats today, but no such luck - lots of little poo trails left and holes dug, but they are nocturnal after all.

Ah there's my little fern amongst the ferns.....

A view back to Tidal River on ascent to Mt Bishop

Looking back through Lilly Pilly Gully and Mt Oberon

Down to Squeaky Beach

Tidal River, camping and Norman Point

Back at the car, my Darl discovered the key was locked in the car……I have been sounding like a cracked record since Margaret River, have you got the key?? Everytime we leave car, didn’t ask this time did I….. Anyway LUCKY I had left my window down slightly so my Darl managed to get the window down again, he’s getting quicker at it also.

Waves rolling in on Squeaky Beach

We were pretty shagged by this stage but wanted to have a look at Squeaky Beach, it is only a 300m walk to the beach – we met a couple on the way who have been coming here for 40 years on holidays, they had left last year, just 3 days before the floods so they were noticing all the changes in the landscape. Here at Squeaky Beach, the creek inlet was now on the other side to where it was before the flood.

My Darl is happy, he finds another rock to climb!

I had to take my sandshoes off and cool my feet in the water and soft sand. The thunderous noise of the waves rolling into shore just made you stop and look in amazement as the tide coming in washed away the blanket of footprints left by the many visitors today. We walked the length of the beach, we were done for the day – worked out later we probably walked about 15 ½ kms, BIG day…. Got back to camp, good job the solar was still there and we were invaded – 5 whiz bangs, 1 winnie and 2 cars!