The Road to Robe episode 2

We did a short walk in Maiden Gully before departing.  Apart from seeing all the kids walking or being driven to school the most interesting bit was the design of the lamp posts.

The whole area is quite new - 20 years old maximum.  At least the houses were mainly a fair fit to the blocks, not McMansions on a postage stamp.  It was also quite warm: by the time we drove off (9am) it was about 27^oC.

We rumpled down the Calder Highway for a few kms and then diverted on to the Wimmera Highway  which led us to St Arnaud.  This was quite a large town of which we had never heard!

As always trying to drive EW across Victoria there was quite a bit of dodging and weaving (it seems that if you don't want to go to Melbourne you are not quite "right").  One of the places we zigged (or possibly zagged) was Murtoa - never heard of that either.  They had a large lake (Marma) as the centre piece with a war memorial gate leading to it.

There was also rotunda, decorated with plaques for Queen Victoria and King George the 5th and more surprisingly, Earl Kitchener.

The y also had a very tall water tower, which seemed to be inhabited by a good number of ...

.. Long-billed Corellas ....

... some of whom seemed to prefer nearby trees.

After leaving this town (and passing through Horsham - of which we had heard - where the temperature was 38^oC) a lump appeared of the horizon.  As we got closer it appeared to be a line of cliffs.

It was soon confirmed that this was Mt Arapiles the most famous climbing site in Australia.  I was a bit surprised about this as I thought it was in the Grampians which are about 80kms in a straight line East.  Noticeable in the roadside vegetation were some colourful Callistemons.

After about an hour we crossed into SA and got a poorish pie in Naracoorte where the thermometer was still ticking in at 37^oC.  Leaving on the Road to Robe (where were Crosby and Hope, not to mention Dorothy Lamour?) a lot of Xanthorrhea sp were noticeable.  Some were the standard vertical form but others were bent.

The temperature dropped rapidly as we headed West getting to about 25^oC.
At the coast Melaleuca sp. was quite prominent.

We set up at the caravan park - in a very quiet part surrounded by bush - we went to have a look round the town.   Here is the sea front.

This turns out to be a Memorial to Flinders and Baudin who both explored the area.

At the rear, these steps are a memorial to the ships (and crew) wrecked along this coast in the 19^th Century.  I think there are 44 plaques!

This more modern memorial is to Robe fishermen who have died - 20 of them, including a coup[le drowned in a Cyclone off the Kimberly.

After sorting a few issues with power supply - this part of the camp is still under development - a peaceful evening enued.

Bird of the Day:  Musk Lorikeet.  The other contenders were Peregrine Falcon and Pied Cormorant.
Plant of the day:  Xanthorrhea just outside Naracoorte
Creek name of the day Mosquito Creek Watercourse: the least tourist attracting name of which we could think.
Oddity of the day:  Piles of red rocks in paddocks a few kilometres into the drive.
Striking thing of the day:  Mt Arapiles.  It dominates the landscape for miles and I have read about it in rock-climbing articles for years.
Pie rating:  Morris Bakery in Naracoorte, steak and pepper:  Ordinary.  Verydry (burnt?) crust, lotsa meat, little gravy and somewhat bland..