A few days in Melbourne to catch up with my sister and family.
And to see the brilliant musical, Come from Away.
The main purpose of the trip south was to join a group to do the Surf Coast Walk, organised by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, a Victorian government initiative for the conservation, preservation and promotion of the area’s heritage.
Day 1
I went with my sister, Ros, and our friend, Thelma. Our first night was at Torquay Caravan Park in a modern cabin. The park also provides these new pods.
A bus drove us north to Impossible Point, past a kite flying festival.
Here we met our guides, Pete, and Corrina, a local Wadawurrung woman, and began our walk with a smoking ceremony and welcome to Wadawurrung country.
Point Impossible - Torquay - 8 kms - wet, windy 17oC
We walked along the beach, in the rain, looking at ancient middens, grinding tool sites and discussing the vegetation.
Arriving back in Torquay
Welcome drinks for the group of 19 walkers
Delicious dinner - with voucher - at Real Thai Cafe
Day 2
Torquay- Anglesea - 22 kms
Breakfast coffee included
Setting off. Clear, sunny, max 27oC.
Different walking surfaces
Stunning coast views throughout the day
Bell’s Beach where the international surfing classic is held each year.
The highlight was seeing a tiger snake. We were alerted to it by the frantic screeching of two small parent Yellow- rumped Thornbills, who were watching in horror, as we were, at the snake invading their nest and gobbling their chicks. (Second and third shots are from Google images)
Yellow-rumped Thornbill
Lunch provided on the trail
Colourful toilet stops
Tiny wildflowers
Pig-face. A useful ground cover but it has other useful qualities as well as were used by local indigenous peoples. The leaves provide a substantial amount of water and in the base of the flower is a fruity food source.
Another highly useful and most attractive plant
There were a few ochre pits, which were used by local aborigines for ceremonies and painting and for trading.
Long stretches on beaches
Walking into Anglesea
Our cabin
Dinner (included) at Airey’s Inlet pub
Day 3
Anglesea - Airey’s Inlet - 14 kms
Setting off. Clear, sunny, slight winds in the afternoon, max 29oC.
Cliffs full of colour and history
Signs of conservation and preservation along beach and cliffs
Kelp. Another food source and used for making water tight containers
I found two stones, which had holes bored through them, which would have been used for fishing sinkers in days gone by, and would have been attached to reeds for fishing lines.
So much to share and learn
Split Point lighthouse in view
Reaching our destination
A tour of the lighthouse - a history of hundreds of shipwrecks in these perilous waters
Windy on the lighthouse deck but fabulous views
Lunch provided at the lighthouse cafe
All 19 finished the walk. The first group to do so. A mixture of first time walkers and more experienced. We all enjoyed each other’s company immensely.
Pete and Corrina had a final informal ceremony and handed out possum skin parcels, individually decorated by Corrina, with ochre samples inside - both typical products of this area. What an informative trip in such a gorgeous landscape.
M
PS On our way to Melbourne airport, just outside Geelong, we found the silo paintings where Corrina has been recognised for her contribution to Aboriginal heritage in this region.
