The A-mazing Bellarine

Can't just sit around doing nothing on this holiday, especially after a big breakfast of delicious crepes at the Panache Cafe. We began with a game of tennis at the caravan park court and followed up with a bicycle ride all the way to Queenscliff station. A few hills but a scenic ride, mostly following the railway track along the Swan Bay wetland.

As a kid I used to holiday in the Bellarine in our Franklin caravan. This was our first stop on our "Round Australia" caravan adventure that only saw us getting as far as Central Queensland. So it felt appropriate to see another Franklin caravan sitting in front of a Queensland Railways diesel locomotive and carriages at the station yards.

Worn out by all this exercise it was time for "Australia's best meat pie (2013)" at the Rolling Pin Pie and Cake Shop back at Queenscliff. Not the best in our opinion, but still very good.

It still wasn’t raining and we had the rest of the day left so we drove to A Maze'N'Games at nearby Wallington. The outdoor wooden maze was really tricky to complete as you have to visit four castles as well as the exit. Then we had a game of mini golf with Alex excelling at some of the trickier holes. We all had a fantastic time.

We drove back to the resort the long way, around the peninsula through Portarlington and St Leonards. There were spectacular views back across the bay with the skyline of Melbourne visible as a mysterious grey cityscape. Lonely beaches and beautiful farmland scenery served to illustrate what a wonderful place the area is.

After a swim back at the resort we drove off the Barwon Heads under the setting sun. It is a spectacular place at dusk under these dramatic skies. There we decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner by the fireplace at Beach House. It's so nice to eat a good meal that isn't just a variation on the standards (ie Shire food).

I felt a need to see the maritime lights at night, so leaving B and Alex at the cabin I drove alone to Point Lonsdale, parking the car at dark lookouts and watching the pulsing light of the lighthouse and above to dark clear skies hidden from us in Sydney. It was a little spooky being alone in the dark, but any shivering was purely due to the freezing wind.

I then drove back to the Ocean Lookout at Queenscliff where I saw a powerful beam shooting across the night sky and out to Bass Strait, the product of a different type of lighthouse. Navigation lights flicked red as the Spirit of Tasmania sailed out through the heads, bound for its namesake.

Alex doesn’t want to leave, I don't want to leave, but tonight marks the end of our stay here. Next stop, the other side of Victoria.

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travelling allrite

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