Trip home from Mallacoota gets the seal of approval!

As usual, the day started with a spectacular sunrise.

On emerging to head off for a walk along the Inlet a White-headed Pigeon appeared and flew to a feeder across the road.  It was soon joined by a second bird.

Our walk was enhanced by a meeting with a local who was heading off to photograph the spoonbills and gave various hints that will be useful for future trips.

Back to the house packing up and other pre-departure tasks were undertaken.  This was briefly interrupted by me noticing swirls in the water below which resolved to a flipper being raised.  That is the first seal  I have seen in the Inlet.  Nice of it to wave goodbye.

Then it was off towards home, with the objective of visiting Towamba and then the Eden smokehouse for aquatic products.  We didn't find the road we expected to Towamba (it isn't posted to that destination but is instead marked as "The Snake Rd" reflecting the way it weaves around the Towamba River - we noticed where it joined the 'main' road). When we did find a sign to the town it also referred to Bombala and Frances suggested that instead of heading on North after Eden we backtracked and took this road.  An excellent idea.

After some wealth transfer in the smokehouse we ducked down to the wharf to see if further seals were available.  Indeed so.  The dark bit in the middle of this image is a seal diving!  Nice image of the harbour however.

Eventually the mammal came right over to the wharf and a better image was taken.

While this was going on Frances was minding the small dog, as they aren't allowed on the wharf.  So I hurried back to swap roles.  Unfortunately she didn't find the seal.  Here are a couple of Pelicans.

The road to Towamba was ridden with nice scenery.

At some point in this a 'mouse' (possibly an Antechinus sp.) ran across the road in front of us, but I couldn't get an image, and it didn't hang about.

This is looking down on the sandbank enhanced Towamba River.

This is from the middle of the River (on a bridge going in to the town).

A sculptor seems to reside therin!

This sign is above the entrance to the sports ground ...

.. while these ants were climbing up the gateposts.

The War Memorial was as promised in the grounds.

At the Community Hall spinning seemed to be happening.  (Note that a spinner was one of the elements on the 'Welcome' sign.)

As Bombala wasn't mentioned on the signs at the approach to the town I went to ask the spinners which road to take.  They advised that Wyndham was the way to go and ten offered tea and cakes, as they were having a fund-raising morning tea for the Cancer Council.  I offered them a donation but explained we didn't have time to stop for tea.  They gave us a bag of cakes to eat as we traveled!  What lovely folks!

I knew there was a Memorial in Wyndham and found it easily.

The town was quite well preserved - as opposed to the BS tales, from the wood-chippers, of all the rural communities being destroyed if the logging of old-growth forests was stopped.  On towards the Mount Darraugh road where more scenery was available.  Frances commented that it would be a fernologists dream.

Our final stop on this road was at Cathcart where another memorial was found.

They also had a Pioneers memorial ..

.. giving this information about the founding families.

This sign explains about the hall.

This one gives info about the Catholic Church.  It contrasts with the small wood church in Towamba which had initially been dedicated but not consecrated as the relevant bishop thought that wooden churches were too temporary!

We then swung on to a short cut road which dodged the town o Bombala and found Black Lake  with many  waterbirds in evidence.

As a result of the hilly roads and large number of stps the trip home took 7 hours rather than our usual 4:15.  But it was very enjoyable.