31 May 2023 - Seaspray to Yanakie

Up betimes at Seaspray to an unusually mild morning after a comfortable night in the Tadpole. We had been led to expect gale-force winds but these did not eventuate until mid-morning today.

A comfortable evening watching telly in the Tadpole

In light of predicted inclement weather today the Prop booked a "DeLuxe Cabin" for two at the Yanakie (say: yan-a-key) Caravan Park on Wilson's Promontory. 

Being only about a 1 and 1/2 hour drive we decided to take a few detours to inspect some beachside settlements.

First, to Woodside Beach which claims to be "the beginning of the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach".

To be honest, the Prop couldn't tell whether Woodside Beach was at the beginning or somewhere in the middle of the Ninety Mile Beach.

Woodside Beach looking north - no "beginning" in sight

Woodside Beach looking south - no "beginning" in sight

Next, to McLaughlan's Beach. 

On the way, passing through the very rich grazing pasture typical of Gippsland, the Prop saw the most heavily sheep-stocked paddock that he has ever seen. The Prop estimates that there were over 1,000 sheep in a four acre paddock - all of them recently shorn and looking pretty well fed.

Gippsland - unusually high DSE

(See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Sheep_Equivalent)

McLaughlin's Beach is, in truth, more of a coastal wetland than a "beach" as such. It has long jetty and is apparently a very good place to catch cockles (but not mussels) alive alive-o!

The McLaughlin's Beach Jetty

Cockle catching - very strict "multilingual" rules apply

Round Leafed Pigface (Disphyma Crassifolium) - a dominant species in the McLaughlin's Beach Wetlands

Driving through Alberton the Prop was struck by the somewhat less than sensitive restoration of the Victoria Hotel.

Authentic Victorian-era mural - not!

Arriving next at Welshpool, the Prop decided to drive the extra 5 kilometres down to Port Welshpool to see if anything would jog his memory of the former "SeaCat Ferry Terminal" which served the short-lived aluminium catamaran ferry service between Port Welshpool and Georgetown in Tasmania between 1990 and 1993.

Although the Prop could not claim to have any recollection of the terminal (which we used at least twice) the terminal itself remains surprisingly intact despite the passage of 30 years.

The former SeaCat Ferry Terminal at Port Welshpool

Port Welshpool is also known for its unusually long and curved jetty/Wharf which was specifially designed to run parallel to a deep channel to accommodate large seagoing vessels.

The lengthy Port Welshpool Jetty

The "Dreamtime" story of the local first nations people. Typically, this story assimilates humans with the whole of "creation" 

We arrived at Yanakie about mid-afternoon after taking a bit of a "Jimmy" buffeting from strong northwesterly winds.

Yanakie (or more accurately, the Yanakie Caravan Park) sits on the eastern side of Wilson's Promontory and has expansive views of both Ninety Mile Beach and "the Prom" itself.

  

About 10 miles of Ninety Mile Beach

"The Prom" (or part of it)

The Tadpole, ensconced between Deluxe Cabin numbers 7 and 8

The Prop and Mrs P are now looking forward to our "first night on the Prom"!

Perfick!

30 May 2023 - Berinsdale (sic) to Seaspray

Up betimes to visit the local Bairnsdale pharmacist to obtain more drugs, but not before attending to other urgent business!

 The Prop - assiduously attending to matters of business

The Prop remembers a time, in his salad days, when the only drug the Prop thought he needed was available at the Travellers Rest Hotel. 

Nowadays various medical men prescribe all manner of potions and compounds which may or may not be efficacious but which, generally speaking, cost a good deal more than a few beers. 

Judging by the roaring trade the Bairnsdale Chemist Warehouse was doing today, the value of pharmaceuticals sold each day probably exceeds the value of alcohol sales. (Admittedly, some portion of the value of the sales of the former is probably due to the chronic over-consumption of the latter.)

Next, we filled the Tadpole with the least expensive fuel we have so far encountered. - $1.71.9/litre!

(For the benefit of Fife Taff, that's about 91p/litre!)

Unleaded 91 - cheaper than chips?

(When we left Tassie the same fuel was around $2.20/litre but prices seem to have dropped everywhere.)

Resupplied, we set a course for the delightfully-named small coastal village of Seaspray. 

The most direct route to Seaspray takes one through Stratford, on the Avon River. Despite the apparent coincidence, the locals seem to have settled for Stratford rather than Stratford upon Avon. Well done!⁸

Then comes Sale (presumably named after the town of Sale in Trafford, Greater Manchester, UK)

In his youth, the Prop's paternal grandfather worked as a shopman in a store operated in Sale (Vic) by his mother's sister (i.e., aunt ) and uncle. He returned to Tasmania early last century to operate the general store at Bothwell, first in partnership with his brother and later, on his own account. 

The general store at Bothwell, Tasmania. Probably looks nothing like the shop in Sale. 

Also to be found in Sale is the magnificent Criterion Hotel, a feature of which (apart from the cold beer) is the iron lacework.

The Criterion Hotel, Sale

Extensive iron lacework - probably purchased on Sale!

Seaspray is aptly named. No doubt, it acquired the name on account of the effect of the strongish on-shore winds that blow with some regularity. 

A panoramic view of Bass Strait at Seapray. Lots of beach, lots of wind and lots of seaspray

The general store at Seaspray - probably also looks nothing like the shop in Sale

Boisterous winds - sculpt sands and spread spray 

Observation deck partially submerged in sand - not so many steps to climb

Between the Seaspray Caravan Park and the beach runs Futcher Street. The Prop made enquiries about how this street got its name. It does not seem that Futcher is an occupational name (e.g., an incompetent butcher). On the other hand, the word does seem to have an accepted meaning: see;

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Futcher

Futcher, an unusual name, an unusual word!

The Tadpole at Seaspray Caravan Park - probably also looks nothing like the shop in Sale!

Perfick!

29 May 2023 - Marlo to Bairnsdale via Bruthen

Up betimes to have a bit of a look around Marlo. 

The Prop and Mrs P had been to Marlo twice before, in 2016 when we stayed at the Marlo Hotel and 2017 when we stayed in the Tadpole at the caravan park but never really had a good look about.

The Marlo Hotel - lawns almost certainly kept in order by kangaroos

Snowy River at Marlo

We drove back in the direction of Bumm River (which would probably have looked pretty good today as it was clear and sunny) to the Snowy River Estuary Walk. At its mouth, the Snowy River runs parallel to the coast for some distance and is separated from the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait by a long seaward sandbar.

Snowy River billabong (foreground) Snowy River and Bass Strait (background)

Snowy River East of Marlo

Travelling further east we reached Point "Ricky" Ricardo which inevitably reminded the Prop of the Jimmy Buffett song, "Pencil Thin Moustache"

Point Ricardo - possibly named for Lucille Ball's husband?

Jimmy Buffett possibly preparing to sing "Pencil Thin Moustache"

"I wish I had a pencil-thin mustache

The "Boston Blackie" kind, or a

Two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket

And an autographed picture of Andy Devine..."

Apparently, Point Ricky Ricardo is a good location to observe the migration of various whale species. We had a good look but saw nothing today, despite the shamelessly exaggerated signage on display.

Misleading and deceptive signage by Victorian Parks Service. Not a whale in sight!

Cape Conran viewed from Point Ricky Ricardo - much more water and sand than whales

The Tadpole - pointing Ricardo at the porcelain?

Then to Bairnsdale by way of the small town of Bruthen where the Prop obtained an outstanding Steak & Kidney Pie from the Bruthen Bakery - just the right balance of kidney and tender, but not overcooked beef.

The half-eaten Bruthen Bakery steak & kidney pie. Magnificent (but maybe too much tomato sauce?)

The Bruthen Bakery -  a hidden culinary gem in the Gippsland region

Arrived at Bairnsdale mid-afternoon. Uninstructed, the Prop would probably have thought that "Bairns-dale" was Geordie for "baby's paddock". However, the truth is much less interesting!

It turns out that in 1844 an early settler, one Archibald McCloud, named his property  or "run" (presumably "granted" to him by the Colonial authorities who thought it was theirs to give away) after his birthplace - Bernisdale, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

Presumably, as a result of McLoud' s Scots accent and a bit of the Chinese Whisper factor, Bernisdale soon became Bairnsdale, and that was that!

The Tadpole at the Bairnsdale Riverside Caravan Park - in among the big boys

Perfick!

28 May 2023 - Mallacoota to Marlo

Up betimes to a misty, mournful Mallacoota morning.

Tentatively decided to make for Bemm River, a secluded little settlement close to the coast. Ended up at Marlo on the mouth of the Snowy River!

The bushfires that so badly affected Mallacoota in late 2019 were evidently much more widespread than the Prop had appreciated. Nearly the whole of the land visible from the road between Mallacoota and Bemm River (about 50 or 60 kilometres) was razed.

Recovering bushland near Mallacoota

The Prop means no disrespect to the good folk of Bemm River but on a misty day on which the sun tried valiantly, but unsuccessfully, to cast the odd shadow or two, Bemm River was always unlikely to look that impressive - despite the rare marsupial wildlife trifecta as one approaches.

Probably quite unfairly the Prop has taken to referring to Bemm River as "Bumm River" partly because of its uninspiring appearance today and partly because accommodation at the Bumm River Hotel could only be had if we were to stay for a minimum of two nights!

Koalas, kangaroos and wombats - unfortunately not perspicacious pedestrians

The boat ramp and jetty at Bemm River - pretty dull and not worth a 2 night stay

Decided to press on to Marlo via the Old Coast Road. 

Marlo stands at the mouth of the Snowy River - from where "The Man From Snowy River" came and where, in the 1950's and 1960's, boatloads of European migrants to Australia built the Snowy River hydro electric scheme.

 

(To hear Jack Thompson read the poem copy and paste the following link: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfsa.gov.au%2F&source_ve_path=MTY0OTksMjg2NjQsMTY0NTA2&feature=emb_share&v=4464QnweNhA)

Had dinner at the Marlo Hotel. A fine old timber building with a surprisingly good bistro.

Interior of the Marlo Hotel

Mrs P waiting to order dinner at the Marlo Hotel

Perfick!

27 May 2023 - Eden to Mallacoota

Up betimes to a cool but clear Eden morning with no particular plan or destination in mind. 

Thought we might head to Bemm River but on the way took a detour to Wonboyn (where some rellies of Mrs P once briefly lived) and, having said a fond farewell to Mrs P's State of birth (New South Wales) ended up at Mallacoota.

The detour to Wonboyn was not profitable. We couldn't find where Uncle "Dusty" Rhodes and his wife once lived and we couldn't find the beach. Did manage to get a brief glimpse of a Lyrebird though.

A Lyrebird - but almost certainly not the one we saw

Decided to take another detour to Mallacoota, a place we had visited twice before. 

The first time was in 1986 with Mrs P and "the two little Props" at which location the Prop observed Halley's Comet (a much less enthralling event than the Prop had been led to believe)

A picture of Halley's Comet - much more impressive than anything the Prop ever observed

The second time was in 2014 as part of the "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" (see the Blog for 14 July 2014).

The Prop was therefore interested to see whether, and to what extent, the community of Mallacoota had recovered from the devastating bushfires of 2019/2020.

Mallacoota, 2019

(For more info see:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-01/mallacoota-bushfire-first-hand-account/11836264)

Mallacoota Inlet- pretty as a picture again

Three years on it is still very evident that the bush surrounding Mallacoota was incinerated but the verdant, vigorous regrowth tends to obscure the charred trunks of the older trees that remain. More remarkably there are very few homes left in the town that appear to be more than three years old!

A Mallacoota local - fully recovered

Mallacoota in the late arvo sun

Mallacoota Inlet with Gabo Island barely visible in the background

The lighthouse on Gabo Island just off the coast of Mallacoota (Ben Boyd, eat your heart out!)

The MV Loch Ard, still in service! - The Prop, Mrs P and the Little Props all cruised in her in 1986

But not everything in Mallacoota can be said to be completely "tickety-boo". The Prop was very surprised indeed to find, at the local recreation ground, some Wallabies apparently engaged in a form of Association Football!

Wallabies playing Soccer - blatant code-hopping?

 (Again, Mrs P wishes me to inform the reader that she disassociates herself entirely from what she calls "that atrocious double-entendre" in the immediately preceding caption.) 

Perfick!