Tower Hill - inactive volcano

Tower Hill is an inactive volcano located south west of Melbourne a short distance from Warrnambool and Port Fairy.  The area was originally inhabited by the Koroitgundidj people who lived in the area of Tower Hill since before recorded history.

Tower Hill

More than 30,000 years ago violent explosions formed the shallow crater where the lake lies and further eruptions created the islands and cone shaped hills that now house the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve.

Artefacts found in the volcanic ash prove the Koroitgundidj people lived there at the time of the explosion. After the explosion the fertile soils produced a diverse range of vegetation including Manna Gum, Blackwood, Black Wattle, Swamp Gum and Drooping Sheoak. The area was rich with birds and wildlife.

Emus

In 1802 French explorer Captain Baudin led the first confirmed sighting of Tower Hill by Europeans. Following European settlement much of the vegetation was cleared for farming and quarrying.  In 1892 Tower Hill became Victoria's first National Park but environmental damage still continued until it was made a Game Reserve in 1961.

The view painted in 1855 by Eugene von Guerard

In 1961 revegetation of the area began using an 1855 painting by Eugene von Guerard.  Much of the wetlands dry up during drought times but today the area is once again rich with bird life and wildlife making it a great place to visit and take nature walks.

Worn Gundidj Visitor Centre

The visitor centre is operated by Worn Gundidj which was founded in 1992 as a not for profit organisation to foster traditional art and nature based tourism. At the visitor centre you can enjoy the cultural displays and buy Authentic Aboriginal Products. 

The centre is open Monday to Friday 9.00 am - 5.00 pm and weekends and public holidays 10.00 am - 4.00 pm.

You can also do a self guided walks in Tower Hill or join a range of tours conducted by the traditional owners. 

Join us on a private 1, 2, 3 or 4  day Great Ocean Road tour to see this amazing area

A road less travelled .. Part 5 .... Birdsville to Bourke via Innamincka

Leaving Birdsville the next morning we headed to Innaminka; a journey of 420 kilometres which would take us around 7 hours. Our first stop was only a short distance from Birdsville at one of the Burke and Wills slash trees - a reminder of their historical journey and the site of their last camp before entering the Innamincka area. 

In 1860 - 61 Burke and Wills  led an expedition which intended to travel 3,250 kilometres across Australia south from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north.   This was an ill fated journey as they both died near Cooper Creek in June 1861. To find out more search Dig a Burke & Wills research gateway.

Next stop was Cadelga Station;  once a thriving station its now in ruins and forms part of Cordillo Downs.

Next stop was Cordillo Downs Station.  This station once ran around 85,000 sheep and shearers would make the 4.5 hour journey on bicycles to work at what was the largest wool shed at the time. The owners continually struggled with drought and dingoes and in the seventies after dingoes killed virtually every lamb they moved to running cattle. 

The shed is a heritage listed monument to bygone days

We arrived in Innamincka late afternoon looking forward to exploring the surrounding area and in particular seeing more of the sights connected with the Burke and Wills expedition. There are 2 trains of thought regarding this expedition one regards them as great explorers who ran out of luck whilst the other regards Burke as "a bit of a boffin" and a political appointment ill equipped to head such an expedition.

Whichever you believe the fact remains to make a journey of that scale in those times is an incredible feat of endurance. The fact that they missed their support members by a matter of hours is just another disastrous event that affected them.

From Innamincka you can visit "the Dig Tree" where their support crew left supplies for them. Burke's grave site along with Wills are easily accessible as is the site where the rescue team found King the sole survivor in very poor health.  

The Australian Inland Mission Building at Innamincka houses a fantastic display of the history of the mission and many other facts about the history of the surrounding area.

Of course a visit to the Innamincka Hotel is also a must. The bar is full of interesting trinkets left by previous travellers and we had an amazing dinner before retiring back to camp along the Strezlecki Creek.

The creek is currently dry but last time Garry camped at its edge heavy rain turned it into a raging force during the night. This made for an emergency dash back to Innamincka with the water coming up over the bonnet of our Defender when they crossed the creek.

The next morning we followed dingo tracks on the creek bed until we reach Cooper Creek. The Cooper's many channels spread out across a vast area stretching from Queensland to South Australia. Many of these are dry most of the time but when the rains fall its waters flow into Lake Eyre.

Today we were lucky to see a number of pelicans enjoying feeding on the fish within the waters of the Cooper.

After breakfast the next day we were on our way again, this time heading to a couple of outback Queensland towns made famous in poems and songs. We stayed at Thargomindah and then travelled through Cunnamulla, the home of the Cunnamulla fella, and then onto Bourke. Along the way we saw many emus, kangaroos and wedgetail eagles. 

Bourke is said by many to be the gateway to the real outback and this is encapsulated by the saying "back o'Bourke".  The information centre houses an amazing Back o' Bourke show spanning 3 buildings each complex telling elements of the history of the area. 

The next day we returned to see the outback show which was fantastic and lots of fun. It was basically a one man show with authentic bush poetry and demonstrations of how camels, horses, dogs and bullocks were used. 

If you ever get out that way we'd recommend taking the time to see visit both the displays and the shows. Bourke also has a number of other attractions which unfortunately we didn't have time to explore.

Come tour with us 

A road less travelled .... Part 4 .... Mungarannie to Birdsville

Leaving Mungarannie we continued along the Birdsville track and stopped at the Mirra Mitta bore which is still free flowing and can be seen in the distance from the steam that rises from the water. 

There are signs warning travellers that the water is hot and its interesting to see the vegetation that grows on the other side of the bore.

From there we drove through a range of landscapes from stony desert to rolling sand dunes. We stopped to shield a mother cow and her calf from a pack of dingoes who appeared to be tracking the newly born calf - another indication of how harsh an environment we are travelling in.

Arriving in Birdsville we checked into the camp-ground and wandered across the bakery which we'd been hearing lots about from other travellers along the way. Garry had one of the best pies he'd ever had; a rabbit pie so their reputation was confirmed!

Waking up in Birdsville with brilliant clear blue skies and sunshine signals the start of a great day so we enjoy a quick breakfast and head to the Simpson Desert to tackle "Big Red" the largest and last sand dune on the Birdsville side of the desert.

Most people waiting at the edge of the desert are just there to look and Garry recalls when it was a right of passage for everyone who visited to at least have a go - maybe its a factor of the amount of "grey nomads" now travelling broader a field than ever before.

 From on top of big red looking back to the road to Birdsfield

Early morning in the desert animal tracks are visible

From the top of "Big Red" we get some magnificent photos of the surrounding area - this is where the blue of the sky and the red desert sands are clearly evident. 

After our brief visit into the desert we head to an Aboriginal site to learn about   Thutirla Pula—the  story of “Two Boys”. Its an epic tale that links Dalhousie Springs on the western side of the desert with Birdsville. We wander the walking trail and have a chance to learn the story and see the ceremonial sites. 

We also headed out towards Bedourie where there is a stand of ancient Waddi Trees. These trees are very rare with only a few stands existing on the fringe of the Simpson desert. They grow to about 9 - 10 metres high and can be as old as 1,000 years.  The wood is extremely hard and many an axe handle has met its end when used on them. 

We enjoyed dinner at the famous Birdsville Hotel  visit the local cemetery and recognise some of the names from photos we've seen in the famous Birdsville Hotel and also drive by the Birdsville Racecourse before leaving Birdsville and heading towards Innaminka.

The Birdsville Races are held each year and transform this tiny outback town as more than 6,500 people arrive to enjoy the short racing season.

Come tour with us. 

Whale watching and more on the Fraser Coast

Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay is located on the Fraser Coast a region that is famous for its natural wonders including whales, dolphins and Fraser Island; which is the world's largest sand island and  Heritage Listed. 

We flew into Brisbane and drove the 3.5 hours to Hervey Bay along the Bruce Highway. But you can also fly into the Sunshine Coast or Hervey Bay itself. 

On the beach at Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay has a wide range of accommodation ranging from backpackers, apartments, resorts, caravan parks and house for rent. We chose to stay at White Crest Luxury Apartments as it was close to shops, restaurants and across the road from the beach.   

  
After checking into our apartment we booked a whale watching cruise for the next day, as this was to be a highlight of our visit to the area. We then set out to explore the local area and took a long walk along the beach.

Fishing at Hervey Bay

Like most beach side suburbs the town radiates out from the beach with accommodation, restaurants and shops lining the nearby streets. Hervey Bay has a number of suburbs which have grown over the years to cover quite a large area.  So don't be confused when you see names such as Torquay, Pialba and Point Vernon as these are all located along the coastline at Hervey Bay.

Great Sandy Straits Marina

The next morning we were collected outside our accommodation and taken to the Marina for our whale watching cruise with Whalesong, who are one of the many whale watching companies in Hervey Bay. We did a morning cruise but you can also choose an afternoon or full day cruise.

Smooth sailing even into a storm

We enjoyed a breakfast of quiche, bacon, sausages, salads and bread which was served shortly after we departed the Marina. The weather wasn't looking great as we headed out of the bay in search of whales. We went through some small rain storms but it was still very smooth sailing and we continued to enjoy staying out on the deck.

Our first experience of a whale breaching

After about an hour of cruising we came across our first whales which caused a lot of excitement and everyone moved outside onto the decks.  We observed a number of pods as the boat cruised from one area to another looking for more active whales.

A whale swims underneath our boat

The whales mainly travelled in pairs, some mothers and calves, we saw them waving with their fins, swimming up and down and breaching as they played in the ocean nearby.

Swimming close to the boat

Just before we headed towards home a whale decided to come so close to the boat that it swam beneath us and then popped up on the other side. It was an amazing experience being so close to this gentle but gigantic creature.

A final breaching before we head for home

Watching the whales breach was one of the best experiences of the morning. I found it hard to catch them on the camera but we did manage to some great acrobatics on video. 

Whale watching video

What to do in Hervey Bay

Best meal was at Maddigans Fish and Chips in Torquay, its a take away, but the range of fish and other seafood was fantastic.

Tin Can Bay

We left the highway and dropped in to see this quaint fishing and boating haven whilst travelling south to the Sunshine Coast. Tin Can Bay is also renowned for dolphin sighting at Norman Point, normally between 7.30 and 8 a.m.  

Tin Can Bay Harbour

Prawns, scallops and spanner crabs are all caught in this area with many destined for the overseas market.  We also saw a number of houseboats moored in the Bay demonstrating the range of water activities that draw people to the live and holiday in the area.

View from Les Lee Park, Tin Can Bay

Rainbow Beach

We took another diversion to Rainbow Beach another lovely seaside village known for fishing, boating, surfing. prawning and crabbing. 

Rainbow Beach is also known as the main entry point to Fraser Island due to the short ferry ride from Inskip Point.    Its where we crossed a number of years ago to spend 5 days on this amazing Island.

The town of Rainbow Beach has grown substantially since we last visited and there is now a range of shops, accommodation and activities to enjoy.

Fishing at Inskip Point,  Rainbow Beach

We were surprised at the extent of camping areas that line the road as you drive to Inskip Point.         These looked like amazing camping sites shaded by cypress pines and other trees and shrubs in walking distance to the beach and close to the town of Rainbow Beach. 

The coloured sands at Inskip Point (once known as Black Beach) are explained in the Kaby Dreaming story of Yiningie, the spirit of the gods, who often took the form of a rainbow. Yiningie was killed in a fight when he crashed into cliffs and his spirit coloured the sands.   

Ferry crossing from Fraser Island to Inskip Point

 More information about Inskip Point

A glimpse of Fraser Island

Canberra - Australia's capital

Most capital cities are large but that's not the case with Australia's capital Canberra. This difference is historical as when the States of Australia agreed to form a Federation in 1901 neither NSW or Victoria (who were the largest cities at the time) would agree on the other city being chosen. So Canberra was selected due to its proximity to both Melbourne and Sydney.

Canberra was originally the home of the Ngunnawal people who occupied the land for 21,000 years as evidenced by rock paintings at Namadgi National Park and Birrigai Rock Shelter at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

A competition to design the capital was won by American Architect Walter Burley Griffin.     Influenced by both the City Beautiful and Garden City movements of the time; Burley Griffin designed a city with a large man made lake at the centre, green areas, wide boulevards and formal parks with water features.

Lake Burley Griffin

The original Parliament House was opened in 1927 and served Parliament until 1988 when a new and modern Parliament House replaced it. Today old Parliament House is a tourist attraction featuring a museum  dedicated to telling the story of Australian democracy.

Old Parliament House

On the land opposite old Parliament House is the site of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy which was established in 1972 as a protest to the Government's refusal to recognise Aboriginal Land rights.  

Site of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy

New Parliament House, built on the top of a hill, dominates the skyline and can be seen from many surrounding locations. 

Visit Parliament House when Parliament is in session and you can see our Politicians at work. Parliament House also has an amazing collection of art and  is a venue for many functions.

New Parliament House

Heritage listed Government House is the home of the Queen's representative in Australia the Governor General. Surrounded by 54 hectares of grounds the House is used for many official occasions including receptions, dinners for visiting Royalty and functions for community and special needs groups.

Government House

As the location of the Commonwealth Government Canberra tends to be a city that many people commute which makes many people think Canberra is a boring place to visit. I don't agree there is so much to see. 

National Gallery of Australia

On the cultural side visit the National Gallery of Australia with more than 100,000 works of art including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, Australian art and international art.

View of the road between the National Gallery of Australia and the National Portrait Gallery

National Portrait Gallery of Australia

At the National Portrait Gallery you can view portraits of more than 400 people who have shaped Australia's history, diversity and culture.

The Australian War Memorial commemorates the sacrifice of the men and women who served Australia in war. There is an enormous amount of history to explore and the Hall of Memory with the tomb of the unknown soldier evokes a sadness and respect for what the memorial represents.

High Court of Australia

Questacon is Australia's National Science and Technology Centre and a fantastic place to visit if you are holidaying with children. There are regular exhibits, displays and lots of hands on activities that provide a fun learning experience. 

There are many other interesting buildings in Canberra including a range of Embassies many designed to visually represent their home nation.

The Eagle

Memorials are also a regular sight like the Australian-American Memorial symbolises the strong relationship between these 2 countries. Its located on the forecourt of the Defence Offices.

From a nature and the outdoors perspective I like the Australian National Botanical Gardens which include a range of beautiful plants. Various garden designs represent a Rainforest Gully, Rock Garden, Eucalypt Lawn and Mallee Shrub lands. 

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve provides a great spot for a picnic or BBQ lunch.  You may also see a range of wildlife including kangaroos, koalas, possums and the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby.  Tidbinbilla also is the location of the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex which was a real surprise as it features  a number of "big dish" antennas that receive data from and transmit commands to a wide variety of spacecraft.

Burbury Hotel 

I stay at the Burbury Hotel located in the Realm precinct. The Realm Hotel located across the road is also a great option. 

Eat in Kingston or Manuka.

Great shopping at the Fyshwick Markets or DFO also located in Fyshwick. 

For more information see Canberra Tourism

Grampians National Park

The Grampians are a rugged and ancient mountain range that appear to rise out of the surrounding plains. Also known as Gariwerd  the area is steeped in Aboriginal history. With a wide range of wildlife and a stunning array of wildflowers, particularly in the spring, the area is very popular with holiday makers.

You can travel to the Grampians from Melbourne via Halls Gap or Dunkeld  both of which are around 3 hours travel time.  Halls Gap is the larger town and provides the most direct access to the Grampians. It also has an extensive range of accommodation, restaurants and a range of other attractions. Dunkeld has become popular in recent years due to the Royal Mail Hotel's reputation for amazing food and accommodation. Approaching the Grampians from this direction also provides some stunning views of the mountains.

Grampians from  the  Dunkeld Grampians Road

You get a sense of how ancient the mountains are as you gaze out across the area from a number of lookouts and see the region laid out before you as if its nature's own magnificent canvas.  I particularly love visiting during the winter months and waking up in Halls Gap to see the mountains rising out of the early morning fog .

There are a number of 4WD track or you can experience the area close up by bushwalking the extensive network of walking tracks throughout the National Park. Walks range from short to multi day walks and from easy to difficult. 

The Balconies

The area is also popular for rock climbing particularly Mt Arapiles which is said to have some of Victoria's best climbs. If you're not experienced at rock climbing you can learn to climb, join a group or hire a guide.  Arapiles Climbing Guide

View across the Grampians from Barokalookout

The remains of Heatherlie Quarry are an interesting look back on the European History of the area. Many of Melbourne's great buildings including Parliment House have been built with sandstone from the Heatherlie Quarry which is listed as a site of historical significance by the National Trust.

At the Quarry you can explore wokers cottages, old equipment, railway sidings and see some of the partly quarried rock walls. 

There are a number of waterfalls in the Grampians National Park including Silverband Falls which is located a short drive from Halls Gap.  Leaving your car at the car park you can access the falls themselves via an easy walk of approx 20 minutes. The area around the falls suffered significant damage during floods in early 2011 and hopefully natural regrowth will  ensure it is returned to its former glory shortly.

Silverband Falls

MacKenzie Falls is a lovely waterfall that can be seen from a viewing platform located a short walk from the car park. You can also normally walk to the base of the falls, where this photograph was taken, via a steep staircase but access is currenlty closed due to the infrastructure suffering extensive flood damage. 

Mackenzie Falls

At the Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre you will find the Gariwerd dreaming theatre and be able to watch a film depicting the Gariwerd Creation Story. You can also explore the interpretive displays, participate in workshops or book a tour with a Cultural Ranger .

There is also a cafe that serves bush tucker and a range of other snacks and a shop that sells a wide selction of gifts, maps, bush tucker and books. 

Brambuk National Park and Cultural Centre

To the Jardwadjali and Djab wurrung people Gariwerd (the Grampians) are central to their creation stories. Recent investigations have revealed Aboriginals have inhabited the region for up to 32,000 years.

Aboriginal Rock Art

Tourism Victoria

It is also said that up to 70% of Indigenous rock art in Victoria is in this region with well over 100 sites identified. Only a few are accessible to visitors.

Aboriginal Rock Art

Southern Grampians Shire

The park has an extensive range of wildlife. One of the most popular are kanagroos and wallabies  who greet most people in the mornings as they graze in the camping grounds and areas surrounding and within the towns.  

Kangaroos in the area surrounding Brambuk

A surprise sighting of deer in the Grampians

2 day private tour of the Grampians

3 day private tour of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians

4 day private tour from Melbourne to Adelaide 

4 day oceans, forests, mountains private tour