Road Trip!

We love a leisurely road trip, one that takes in the seasonal landscapes of Australia, the hot, the dry, the sunburnt, the lush green of rainforests, the ruralness of what makes Australia Aussie.

Australia – such a diverse scenery.

It’s spring (October) and a perfect time for heading south to Victoria.  A road trip to visit family in Leongatha, Victoria via the East Coast and then heading home via Beechworth up the Hume Highway.

Always our preferred first coffee stop is the Bliz Cafe in Nimmitable when heading south towards the coast.

Then a picnic style cuppa at a Cann River rest stop.

Our first overnight stop is Marlo, a Victorian town just south of the New South wales border.

The road of choice from Cann River was thwarted by a fallen tree.  We had been commenting on the wind but this obstacle was still a surprising challenge.   Despite minutes of head scratching and discussion by the male members of the collective group of road users, no one had a chainsaw and the planned route had to be abandoned.  The trunk was still firmly attached to the stump.

Uh oh, looks like we’re taking the long way round!

Backtracking through Orbost……  A very hazy day in the flat and somewhat green farming country.

Marlo – where the meandering Snowy River transitions to the Pacific Ocean via a sandbar estuary.  A small sleepy seaside town perched on a headland overlooking the flood plain and estuary of the Snowy River.

We found Marlo to be a quiet town, surrounded by waterways and beaches, rich river flats which are ideal for cattle grazing, and sheltered estuary waters which produce some of the best perch and bream fishing in Australia (apparently)…..

Marlo is known as an ideal destination for bushwalking, bird-watching, remote beaches and water-based activities.  Unfortunately, we won’t be here long enough for those activities but we did take a lovely walk along the river towards the estuary.

Jeff leading me up another garden path…..

Nothing worse than sand in your shoe!

The Marlo Jetty just below the Marlo Pub/Hotel where we are staying was deserted and peaceful.  You can look along the estuary in both directions.

Real Estate is in demand along the estuary and Jeff was testing out the comfort and ambiance.  A one room/bedroom with water views and an open air cooker.  Ahhhh, the serenity.

Some very creative builders in the area……

Beachcombing……

Two heads are better than one 🙂

The Marlo Pub is the place to be :), especially on a Sunday where Happy Hour saw beers at $2 and wine at $4 – winner!  Add to this a free bowl of deliciously sea-salted hot chips.  We were suitably tempted.  And the view is not too bad, especially at sunset.  The Pub supplies insect repellent – definitely needed!

Cheers to a beautiful sunset.

Good pub grub:

Fish Tacos

Thai Chicken Salad

And a comfortable bed for the night.

Jeff and Catherine xx