The Road to Mallacoota
This post is the first of several dealing with our trip to Mallacoota, Victoria. There are many images of birds, orchids and other parts of the natural environment in East Gippsland.
Here are links to the other pages!
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4 and trip home
The title of this post pays homage to the films of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. I suggest that had they heard of Mallacoota they would have done at least a song about the place as they did for Morocco.
We managed to get on the road by 9:30am, which was within expectations. This meant that we were well through Royalla at 10:15am when I realised that I had omitted to put my wallet in my pocket. Oh expletives: I had even assurred Francie after I got in the car that I had got some cash the previous day but not checked I had same in my pocket.
On, on. Then we met a group of 3 caravans travelling in convoy. I got to a passing point and signalled pulling out to overtake. Expletives cubed, plus many decibels on my horn, as the 3rd van just pulled out in front of me. Far Canal. The caravan was registred in Victoria, which leads to a question.
Q: What is special about cornflake packets in Victoria?
A: They have cut and take drivers licences on them!
So we go on a little and pass the start of an “average speed” revenue generation facility (also known, jokingly, as a road safety camera). I had my cruise control set on the limit and did not find it necessary to hit the brake or clutch until I got to the end of this farce some 40km later. So if they assume that people who do the trip at the limit must go faster at times I am gone.
We then pull in to get some fuel and after I have loaded up in comes the bozoid with the Vic registered caravan. His car is registered in the ACT! I resist, with difficulty, the impulses to
● go and sink the slipper into his privates; and/or
● note his rego numbers and report him to the cops.
On, on to Bombala where we see a Westpac. This is a chance to get some extra $$ in paper since most of our folding material is at home in my wallet. No ATM at the branch: this doesn't worry me, but if I lived in Bombala the extra charges for teller-assisted transactions would be a huge issue. Shime, shime Westpac. (Interestingly, when we get toMallacoota there is a Westpac ATM attached to one of the shops: buggrit.)
After some further distance we turned off on to Imlay Road. This was a charming road through the ranges with a lot of interesting native vegetation. We stopped a few times to look at peas and such like. We came upon some roadworks which meant we drove on the RHS of the road for a long while. Have they stopped thr traffic coming the other way? Can we stop to look at the pink flowers? Yes and no were the answers!
Then we came across the Imlay Creek Picnic area. Orchids!!
As a special point for the orchid fans, the big white job was originally identified (from Orchid species of the Shoalhaven as Petalochilus catenatus. I then saw some images of P. pictus and changed my mind. Finally I read in David Jones Big Book that P. catenatus was Spring flowering while P. pictus was Autumn. Back to the future (or at least to Alan Stephenson's book which actually had the needed detail! !
After some thought I concluded that the blue jobbie was Cyanicula caerulea. The problem was it was at least 2X the size of the ones growing on our place: this is probably a side effect of good soil, warmer weather and more rain!
and a rock pool.
Also white Heath
and pink heath.
Eventually we got to our destination noting
● that it started to rain as we entered Victoria; and
● a caravan held us up again on the drive in from Genoa. BAN THE VAN!
We marvelled at the view
unpacked and then set off to walk to the centre of town which was allegedly 2km away.
I think our friend must know a shortcut: I'd buy that distance for 2 miles rather than 2kms. We added quite a few birds to the trip list including Pied Oystercatchers
ending up with 42 species for the day (without trying very hard).
There was much evidence, in the shape of home made signs on people's fences,
that the forces of evil – aka the development lobby – are active in the area. The main issue seems to be putting a road and breakwall (whatever that is- probably a breakwater) along Bastion Beach. Dredging somewhere also seems to be part of the deal. The basic stench is of phunny munny people making a large marina: I shall try to find out more.
What was not in great evidence was information for visitors. The focus of this is apparently a "shed" on the wharf.
At best it is only open a couple of hours per day, but on the Saturday not at all: presumably the denizen of the shed wants to watch the AFL Grand Final! I would also note that two weeks earlier I had sent a message to the Mallacoota Chamber of Commerce asking for information about birds and plants in the area and got no reply. Typical members of the business community!
In the evening I went outside with the spotlight as our friends had told us that koalas can be seen in some trees next door. No luck but there was some rustling and squeaking coming from the trees so perhaps later.
Here are links to the other pages!
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4 and trip home
The title of this post pays homage to the films of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. I suggest that had they heard of Mallacoota they would have done at least a song about the place as they did for Morocco.
We managed to get on the road by 9:30am, which was within expectations. This meant that we were well through Royalla at 10:15am when I realised that I had omitted to put my wallet in my pocket. Oh expletives: I had even assurred Francie after I got in the car that I had got some cash the previous day but not checked I had same in my pocket.
On, on. Then we met a group of 3 caravans travelling in convoy. I got to a passing point and signalled pulling out to overtake. Expletives cubed, plus many decibels on my horn, as the 3rd van just pulled out in front of me. Far Canal. The caravan was registred in Victoria, which leads to a question.
Q: What is special about cornflake packets in Victoria?
A: They have cut and take drivers licences on them!
So we go on a little and pass the start of an “average speed” revenue generation facility (also known, jokingly, as a road safety camera). I had my cruise control set on the limit and did not find it necessary to hit the brake or clutch until I got to the end of this farce some 40km later. So if they assume that people who do the trip at the limit must go faster at times I am gone.
We then pull in to get some fuel and after I have loaded up in comes the bozoid with the Vic registered caravan. His car is registered in the ACT! I resist, with difficulty, the impulses to
● go and sink the slipper into his privates; and/or
● note his rego numbers and report him to the cops.
On, on to Bombala where we see a Westpac. This is a chance to get some extra $$ in paper since most of our folding material is at home in my wallet. No ATM at the branch: this doesn't worry me, but if I lived in Bombala the extra charges for teller-assisted transactions would be a huge issue. Shime, shime Westpac. (Interestingly, when we get toMallacoota there is a Westpac ATM attached to one of the shops: buggrit.)
After some further distance we turned off on to Imlay Road. This was a charming road through the ranges with a lot of interesting native vegetation. We stopped a few times to look at peas and such like. We came upon some roadworks which meant we drove on the RHS of the road for a long while. Have they stopped thr traffic coming the other way? Can we stop to look at the pink flowers? Yes and no were the answers!
Then we came across the Imlay Creek Picnic area. Orchids!!
As a special point for the orchid fans, the big white job was originally identified (from Orchid species of the Shoalhaven as Petalochilus catenatus. I then saw some images of P. pictus and changed my mind. Finally I read in David Jones Big Book that P. catenatus was Spring flowering while P. pictus was Autumn. Back to the future (or at least to Alan Stephenson's book which actually had the needed detail! !
After some thought I concluded that the blue jobbie was Cyanicula caerulea. The problem was it was at least 2X the size of the ones growing on our place: this is probably a side effect of good soil, warmer weather and more rain!
and a rock pool.
Eventually we got to our destination noting
● that it started to rain as we entered Victoria; and
● a caravan held us up again on the drive in from Genoa. BAN THE VAN!
We marvelled at the view
ending up with 42 species for the day (without trying very hard).
There was much evidence, in the shape of home made signs on people's fences,
What was not in great evidence was information for visitors. The focus of this is apparently a "shed" on the wharf.
In the evening I went outside with the spotlight as our friends had told us that koalas can be seen in some trees next door. No luck but there was some rustling and squeaking coming from the trees so perhaps later.
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