24 September 2024 - Geelong to Ballarat

Up betimes (5.30 am to be precise) to make preparations to disembark. Got away surprisingly early but had difficulty finding a "Macca's" to partake of the now traditional egg and bacon McMuffin and hash brown. (Mrs P prefers the pancakes and maple syrup.)

After refuelling ourselves (and the Tadpole) we took a look around Ballarat.

.      Mrs P and the Ballarat Town Hall

                    Ballarat Hospital

.               Ballarat Streetscape

.            Ballarat Railway Station

                       George Hotel

                  Lake Wendouree 

"The indigenous Wathaurang and  Borneghurk people, used to rest here, and called it "Balla-arat" meaning "Resting - Place"

Having leaned this useful piece of information, the Prop and Mrs P retired to their "resting place" in the Ballarat suburb of Sebastopol - presumably named to commemorate the far away siege/battle of Sebastopol in 1855.

23 September 2024 - Hobart to Devonport

Up betimes in order to attend to various pressing matters, the most pressing of which turned out to be the gale-force winds which buffeted the Tadpole on the road to Devonport - "strong enough to blow the mortgage of your house", as the saying goes.

Stopped for a "picnic lunch" at Lake Dulverton at Oatlands before proceeding to Devonport to queue up for 2 1/2 hours before boarding!

7th last on but almost fist off the next morning! "You lose some, you win some", as the saying goes.

Surprisingly smooth crossing under the circumstances.

Nothing else of interest to report.