Travelling Oz…Mount Beauty and Falls Creek Resort

On Friday morning I did some washing. Nuff said, it takes a long time to get things dry and it took all morning. We had lunch at our camping spot. Later in the afternoon we did the Gorge Walk, only about 3 kms in itself, but with going to the Visitor Centre first, then the walk, then going to the supermarket on the way home we covered quite a few kms. My phone said I did 16,000 steps and about 10kms, but that included going backwards and forwards to the laundry, so not all of it was the walk.

It’s harder to get good photos on a shaded walk with lots of contrast, but it was very enjoyable. We had to cross a swing bridge over the gorge at one point, Stephen is just starting up the steps in the first photo. We had a ‘doh’ moment at the Visitors Centre when we realised that this valley has a large hydro electric plant, which is why there are so many power lines all over the place. I won’t whinge about them being in my photos!

Yesterday was our trip to the snow at Falls Creek. It turned out to be a really busy day as so many people had come for skiiing and other winter sports. We didn’t mind in a way as it was like being at a very large party where you sometimes connect with people around you. We felt cold at first, but after a hot drink and a snack (inside, with lots of other people, a major possible COVID exposure) we got our tickets and took the ski lift to the top. There, because it was sunny without a wind, cold wasn’t a problem and we enjoyed taking in the views and crunching around trying to avoid getting in the way of skiers.

We had lunch out on a terrace and were joined by a young Scottish couple who have been living in Melbourne for a few years. Before going home to Scotland they have brought a 4WD and rooftop tent to travel Australia as much as they could. We enjoyed comparing notes on travel and they suggested a ‘holiday from your holiday’ was important, sometimes taking an AirB&B or other accommodation to have a break. Of course, that was more important for them in a rooftop tent than us in our cosy van, but we still think it’s a good idea and will follow up soon. They left to go back to skiing as our lunch arrived and we were sorry to see them go.

The coach journey Falls Creek was enjoyable, especially in the last bit where we started to have snow at the side of the road. We have had a good tramp around in snow, and that may be all as especially the journey back down convinced me that we shouldn’t take the Great Alpine Road (B500) over through other skiing resorts as the roads will be steep, windy, and possibly icy. It just wouln’t be much fun. Falls Creek is over 1500 metres high and the B500 actually goes higher. I didn’t mind it at all when someone experienced was driving, but there will be coaches on the road as well as many other cars which will potentially make it quite dangerous for us in the van. Caravans are not allowed, and we would have to hire snow chains for the journey.

So, as we still want to get to the other side we have to look into finding an alternative route. It will be much longer, but considerably safer.

This morning more washing, clothing this time as last time was bed linen, etc. We still have sunshine today and there is another local walk we want to do this afternoon.