LEODESTRAVELOZZ

20121221 We decided to head to Greensborough to catch up with Lynn and Dawn whom we had only meet twice and were kind enough to ask us to visit them before leaving Melbourne, why not we thought.  I entered their address into the Nav and off we went, what a calamity, I haven’t heard one person say one good thing about these bloody Navs.   First it took us in a totally different direction then it took us through the middle of the main shopping center of Greensborough instead of directly up the highway, but eventually we arrived in one piece and was warmly greeted by our newly found friends. The girls organized a lovely BBQ with Des being the cook with a threat from Dawn not to burn the meat or else. Lyn's house was decorated in many lovely Xmas ornaments complemented with the large Xmas tree in the corner of the lounge. 20121222 We had a great night chatting about our many adventures and exchanging camping locations, we could have stayed for ever talking.  Des an...

20121214 From Whittlesea we drove onto Kinglake, in which we were told many sad stories and the effect the disaster had on the community, especially the volunteer firefighters and emergency workers because of the relationship with many of the victims, I've got to tell you it was heart wrenching. It was with in Kinglake that a vast majority of people lost their lives in the 2009 bush fires. With many of the homes rebuilt the only evidence remaining are the black stumps of the trees. It may be a beautiful forest, but it can have devastating effect, the fire destroyed over 2000 homes and 173 people lost their lives. The higher we got the foggier it got so it was a slow but pretty drive through the mountains. Arriving at Healesville to restock our supplies and check out the town before heading to Launching Place which is not far now. Growth first occurred in Healesville due to a track being constructed through the area to the booming Woods Point goldfie...

20121211 We need to rest up for a couple of days, we are getting so weary with all this driving and what a great place to park up and take a load off. Mount Franklin or Lalgambook, as it was known by the Djadja Wurrung people, was created by a volcanic eruption about 470,000 years ago.   The breach, through which the road now enters the crater, is thought to have been caused by a flow of lava breaking through the crater rim.   Lava from Mount Franklin and other volcanoes in the area filled valleys and buried the gold bearing streams that became the renowned ‘deep leads’ of the gold mining era. A fly by shoot of the pine trees that cover the roof top of the mountain. Camped amongst the great pine trees escaping the heat and what better place to hide.   Ya gotta love the smell on the pine needles covering the ground of the forest and here we are sleeping with them. 12-12-2012  I blogged, Des is getting board he need something to do, what do...

20121211 Arriving in Daylesford we restock our supplies then walk the town, Des finds a hardware store and once again asked for a thermostat lucky the assistance figured out he’s really after a thermometer. Once, the home of the Djajawurrung Tribe before white settlement when gold was found in 1851 in the bed of Wombat Creek, now Lake Daylesford.    With the population rising to approximately 7000, men and woman of all nationalities came to this town of muddy streets and numerous hotels.   A huge amount of timber was required for building, fuelling homes and industries, “thus” stripping the land.   The Wombat forest took 50 years to recover. "FROM SCHOOL" Based on a poem ‘Children on the goldfield’. Did you see then pass to-day, Billy, Kate & Robin, All astride upon the back of old grey Dobbin? Jigging, jogging off to school, down the dusty track- What must Dobbin think of it – three upon his back? Robin at the bridle-rein, in the middle Kate, ...