Around town

Benalla is the home of the Rose Gardens (Benalla Botanical Gardens), the Benalla Art Gallery and the Gliding Club. The gardens abut Benalla Lake which is a favourite walking place for its residents.

Photo: Lake Benalla & Temple to the Sprites

After many days over 30C in NE Victoria we looked at the weather in southern Tasmania. It was 10C cooler. So we booked our car onto the ferry, accommodation at Big Roaring Beach and set off.

It was great. Fortunately we took our jumpers & parkas as we did need them. A few days we even had to resort to heaters for a while.

Here are a few highlights.

Photo: Wood Fired Oven at Ross Bakery.

Bogong, Falls Creek & the High Plains.

There are many enjoyable walks on the high plains. We spent many years in the early 60s walking the tracks in summer and skiing them in winter. We mostly experienced the area above Falls Creek and over to Mount Bogong.

Photo: Rocky Valley Dam above Falls Creek.

We travelled the Canning Stock Route in 2011 in five cars starting at Willuna via the Heather and Gunbarrel Highways.

We had a side trip via Cotton Creek to Rudall River national park. The trip to Rudall River was via the Tallawanna Track, was so rough we broke an aerial. We refuelled at Kunnawarratje

Photo: Casuarine Stand where we stopped for a tea break

Cape York via Old Coach Road and Cradle Creek.

The Old Coach Road was a great challenge and, to me, the highlight of the trip although the many feeds of Gummy Shark caught at Alau Beach were very much enjoyed.