Judy & Brian Tour Oz: Gellibrand VIC, railway

Sometime after leaving Naracoorte, travelling through the most lush looking rolling hillsides, we passed into Victoria. Yeah, that’s six states and territories, not the complete set but a good effort nonetheless. We have been travelling on the backroads through the smallest towns and it’s been delightful, well except for the lumpy roads, which became a bit tiresome before we reached our destination. We stopped for coffee at Hamilton, where our clocks was saying 11 but it was really 1130. We drove on from Hamilton through more lovely looking countryside, the vines of the Coonawarra area having given way to the cattle and sheep, which look a picture against the verdant green grass.

We stopped momentarily at Colac to buy some stock at Woolies and then turned south up into the Ottway mountains before getting to Gellibrand. Now this is a tiny town. We chose t because the pictures of the van park looked decidedly better than this os the ones at Colac, and because its 27km further on toward the Ottway Fly, which is where we will go tomorrow.

When we rang up to book the park last night, they lady initially said they had no ensuites or powered sites because the ground was too wet, but then she relented and said we could park on one of the two concrete slabbed sites. We thought this would be OK, until we got here. The toilets they thought we should use must be at least 150 metres away. We ummed and arhed and expressed concern about the loos. We asked again about the ensuites. She conferred with hubby, still down at the 150 metre distant loos ready to throw the power on, and he said that the ensuites would be ok after all! We all trooped up to inspect the sites and they suggested to just park alongside the ensuites block as no one else would be in tonight, so we did just that. We are certainly the only van travellers in. They may have 2 people in cabins, one of whom they know, and there may be one or two permanents in permanent vans out the back.

We walked uptown, inspected the shop, decided not to go the extra 300metres to the closed pub, crossed back over the road and inspected the old railway station and returned to the park. Hmm. That’s 10 minutes spoken for. We decided to go crazy and walk around the park itself. To our surprise we found another toilet block right next to the original slabs they had suggested, now that is odd, maybe these ones are kept for best! Then it started to rain so we returned to the van, to watch the TV that reputedly only work from time to time, but t’s pulling in the F1 so all is good, and to not use the internet which doesn't work at all where we are but might do if you walked round a bit. They reckon they spent $750 on a ‘booster’ for the house, but that doesn't work either. Actually, the nice lady had graciously given us her password for their wifi, so, i’m siting on their veranda freezing my chops of just so I can post this blog for YOU!!!