The Final Chapter

Melbourne Victoria- with the Yarra river behind- We really have been All Over Downunder now.

 After a short stay on Phillip island, We travel back to Melbourne, Victoria for a tennis date with worlds best. Meeting up with a some friends we knew in Tasmania (Canuck / Aussie-) in transit to America we enjoyed the good luck and added bonus of free ground tickets from ANZ. 

Merrimbula and around

Snowy Mountains to Merrimbula

Known as the Sapphire Coast the waters around Merrimbula are the clearest we have seen in Oz. Colder too. Merrimbula is a fairly busy town with a river disecting the shops and restaurants. When the tide goes out the river forms a massive riptide that pulls towards the sea. Oddly there is a sandbar at the river mouth which creates a back current back up the river. This huge circular current has lends to the popular sport of rip riding. Ride the rip down and then back up again. What a great training ground for learning how to swim in and out of a riptide.

C and J ride the tidal rip at the River mouth in Merrimbula's crystal clear waters.

Snowy Mountian Way

Road to Snowy

Out on the Brumbys

J on her Brumby Gelding named Cobber.

The tack room complete with oilskin jackets and crackling log fire burning brightly in the stone hearth.

The newly captured- Blue eyed brumby colt was offered to us for sale. We might be back after we trade the caravan for a horse float.

Happy girl

Around the mountains

The evening ends with a fire and sunset over the lake.

The Saphire Coast- Life's a Beach

The Shark net

No wonder it is called the Saphire Coast

A Beach of his Own

Canberra

It was summer holidays all over Australia when we arrived at the nations capital. Canberra was empty. You could have fired a gun in the CBD and doubtful it would have hit anyone.  It had a eerie quietness of a ghost town. With expectations of loads of black suits, slick cars with polititians,and parking delemas, we saw none of that. The entire town residence and those employed here heads East to the coast for three weeks after Christmas.
This well thought-out city with a big vision vibe makes Canberra a showpeace and an unexpected surprise.The National Museum of Australia was a highlight.  Where else can you glimps the over sized heart of Pharlap? People in and around Canberra were some of the friendliest and the area around some of the most serene.

Thanks to Deb and Greg Simms for so generously letting us strangers stay on your property and inviting us into your home. Your kindness was so appreciated. Someday we will do the same for some werry travellers:)  

The Memorable Berry

We travelled into the beautiful country town of Berry with its grassy rolling hills, plentiful fat cows, and scenic farm houses.  It's a 20min drive East of the quaint surf town of Gerringong. We spent five days in Berry as it was the only place we could stay that allowed Dogs.  Each day we travelled to the coast at Seven Mile Beach National Park and spent the day frolicking in the waves. Then back to the town of Berry for the evening.

 Berry is a day trippers delight from the windy, sun drenched coast with it's quaint shops and eateries.  During the holidays the main road is bumper to bumper with more Sydney siders then residence. We found the iconic Berry Donut Van (YUMM) and around the corner is the best wood fired bread in all of OZ. A friendly place and no, it can't boast a beach but worthy of a visit. 

Noodle Perfers

The Enchanted Forest-Blue Mountains

Hwy of the Sea

Spectacular scenery along the East Coast from Sydney to Woolingong. This is the seaway. Only thing that could make it more beautiful would be a gliding over it.... (see below)

Blue Mountain Views

Ridge Pass (Blue Mountains)

Another amazing photo

Hidden amongst the bush near a national park, we stopped for the night.  Alone and remote is good as The East Coast has become increasingly more difficult to find legal camping areas for dogs during school holidays.  

Sunset over the Blues