Kelpie Country

Casterton, Victoria, is the birthplace of the Kelpie breed of dog, which Casterton claimed in 1996.   

The Kelpie dog is an uniquely Australian breed of working dog, very clever and an absolutely whizz with mustering farm animals.

The breed started with a female dog called 'Kelpie" named after the Scottish legend 'A malignant water sprite haunting the fords in streams in the shape of a horse'.     'Kelpie' was a black and tan collie, bred from a Scottish collie breed in the Casterton district.     'Kelpie' was then mated with two working dogs in New South Wales which then started the Kelpie breed of dogs.   

The photograph below was taken from the sign on the Kelpie Information Centre in Casterton.

Casterton is a small town, close to the border of South Australia.   We have passed through here a  couple of times, and this time we thought we would stay for two nights.    

Like all small country towns the shops close at 1 p.m. on a Saturday, so it is important to buy everything in the morning otherwise you have to wait until Monday morning.

We made sure we stopped up on fuel!

The main street of Casterton on Saturday morning, and I know it looks empty but it was buzzing with people, and parked cars.     We spent a bit of money in the bakery/cafe.

                                                  

A beautiful old railway station, now fenced off, but it would appear that it was a museum for a while.   The railway to Casterton closed in 1977.

The platform with its lovely roof.     All the buildings on the other side of the line are still there.

There were many old timber houses on the street by the railway station.   Most had lovely gardens, including the house in the photograph below.

The Glenelg River runs through Casterton.   It starts in the Grampians, a small mountain area not far away.   Casterton is in a valley and apparently they have had some major floods in the past.

We are in the caravan park, run by the council.    It is beside the huge sports complex which has two football fields, tennis and netball courts, bowling and croquet greens plus acres of grassed areas and trees. 

The path (trail) below runs beside the river.

The showgrounds are part of the parkland/sports complex.    The building in the background houses the poultry on show days.

A side branch of the Glenelg River.

Tomorrow we drive home, through the Coonawarra wine region, then onto the main Melbourne/Adelaide highway which is called the Dukes Highway in South Australia.

Out and about in South West Melbourne

Werribee South Caravan Park was such a good find, with plenty of space, green grass, very good facilities and opposite boat ramps, a clean beach and walking paths.    The caravan park belongs to the local council and is beautifully maintained.

Our caravan and Piper, in glorious sunshine, which did not last very long, unfortunately.

The view from the window by my bed.

The clean sand and grass, and I presume clean water.

The view south, with a reserve in the distance.

Although some distance from central Melbourne, the train from Werribee runs every 20 minutes and takes 40 minutes to get to Flinders Street.    Most people seem to disappear from the caravan park during the day so I guess they had taken the train to Melbourne.

However we were there to visit Jackie, who lived a short distance from Werribee South.    A twenty minute easy drive, with very little traffic, from the caravan park to Altona Meadows, which is in South West Melbourne.   We were impressed!

Werribee South also has acres and acres of market gardens, which meant half of our drive each day was through pleasant fields of cabbages, broccoli and other greens.

I could not resist taking a photo of this old house, obviously the owners moved into a bigger and more comfortable house.   

Jackie's lovely house in the suburb of Altona Meadows.   

Altona Meadows is part of the wider suburb of Altona, with Altona Beach, and Altona.   A very large suburb.  There was once a huge power station here, but  now it is filled with pleasant streets, parks, and reserves.  

Jackie was an excellent tour guide, as we circled around Altona and Williamstown.   Some of it was through areas of light industrial buildings, quite often the most direct route, but mostly it was through lovely housing and parkland.    I was most impressed with the number of footpaths and cycling paths which wound through the numerous parks and reserves.

On one of the mornings we stopped for coffee, and then later on, for lunch, at the closed off to traffic part of Blyth Street.  We enjoyed excellent coffee, cakes and pizzas.  

The distant view of central Melbourne across the water.

The rocks were most unusual, black volcanic rocks.

We drove to Williamstown which is the next suburb.   Jackie lived there in the 1980.   It is an older suburb and filled with gorgeous buildings and houses.

One of the shopping streets.

The Williamstown Timeball Tower, only one of three left in the world, I think.  It was built in 1849, of local bluestone, and was originally a lighthouse before becoming a Timeball towner in 1861.   At 1 pm every day the Timeball would descend, and this enabled ships keep their timepieces accurate.

A view of Melbourne city, across the harbour, from Williamstown.

The harbour was full of small boats, all anchored out on the sea.

Lunch at a trendy little cafe in Altona Meadows consisted of avocado on bread, with a perfectly poached egg.   The choice for Jackie and me, whereas Walter chose a double hamburger and chips.   All delicious.

We enjoyed catching up with Jackie, and spent a fair bit of time talking and reminiscing, and for us learning about living in Altona.    The three days went too fast.    A truly delightful time.

A lovely few days in Point Lonsdale

 We set off in perfect weather, with blue skies surrounding us, the last we would see for a while.     It was a pleasant drive on the Western Highway to Melbourne, with not too many trucks on the road.

We thought we would stop in Horsham for coffee but the town was too big, and busy, and not a long car park in sight, one that would take a car and a caravan.

Finally we saw the Giant Koala in Dadswells Bridge, and because we were desperate by this stage we stopped for a coffee break.   But first we needed to admire (or not) the faded and very shabby Giant Koala, left over from the days of 'giant things' in Australia.

The cafe beside it was also rather dilapidated and needed a good clean, but the friendly staff helped, and thankfully the coffee came in take away cups.    And it was quite pleasant sitting in the sunshine outside, watching the traffic roar past.   No one else stopped there.

                                                

The lunch stop was in a delightful town, name forgotten, where we found a quiet road, beside a closed school and ate our sandwiches, again in beautiful sunshine.     I took Piper for a walk to have a look at the church which was on the hill above us.

After taking a complicated and long route through Ballarat, courtesy of Google maps, we finally came to the road that led to Geelong, and then onto Point Lonsdale.

The school holidays started the day we arrived in Point Lonsdale, so the Big4 caravan park was heaving with families.    Most of the park was taken up with units and reminded us of the caravan parks in England with the onsite vans, plus entertainment for everyone.    This Big4 had the usual playground and jumping cushion, plus a cafe, carts for hire, activity rooms, gym, and an indoor swimming pool.   

There were two small camping areas at the back, and yes we were squashed in, without much room between caravans and tents.   We were at the end thank goodness, but needed to park on the concrete space, otherwise the passenger side was against the bushes.   The toilet block was next door to us, which was very convenient.

There was a narrow road which we had to take to get in and out of the park, and it was always full of children on bikes or scooters.

Still everyone seemed to be having a great time, regardless of the overcast skies and rain.

We met up with Rudolf and Conny, which was fantastic, and spent a lovely three days with them, catching up on news, and reminiscing about days gone by.   Such a special time.    It was very difficult to say goodbye at the end of our time there.  

One morning we had morning coffee at the cafe by the harbour in Queenscliff, where the ferry goes across to Serrento.      Lots of expensive looking boats in this harbour.

The main street in Queensliff, a very trendy area.

Rudolf and Conny live in a lovely retirement village in Point Lonsdale, with landscaped gardens, and a huge clubhouse which houses a cafe, library, swimming pool, meeting rooms, lounge.   Fantastic facilities.  

Some of the flowering trees were providing the first colour of the season.   I loved the pink flowering tree in the photo below.

The retirement village is part of the wider community, with spacious green areas and a lake.  Plus plenty of cycling and walking paths in which to explore the wider area.

On the second morning we had coffee at a lovely cafe which was part of Van Loon's nursery, which sold a variety of beautiful plants, homewares and clothes and it was difficult to be strong.   I bought a small succulent.  I think Walter was quite relieved, as he thought we might be carrying back an assortment of plants.

We ate giant scones, with cream and jam.    No need to have lunch after eating this beauty.

We were thankful to drive out of the caravan park without taking a post and bush with us, although Walter had to reverse the caravan a couple of times in order to avoid doing this.    He also received plenty of advice from men walking by, as well as from the driver of a large van blocking our way.    

Men in camping grounds love to give advice!

Three nights in a delightful town 'Nhill".

On the move again.   This time we are travelling through Victoria, destination Point Lonsdale and Werribee, which is on the western edge of Melbourne.    We are also catching up with Rudolf and Conny and Jackie.

We are mostly travelling on the main highway between Adelaide and Melbourne, initially called the Dukes Highway (South Australia) and the Western Highway (Victoria).

Nhill is about half way between Adelaide and Melbourne.

Nhill is a great place to stop for a night, or for a rest, but we have always been fascinated by the town so thought a few days here would be a great way to see the place, without the need to rush off, either to Melbourne or to Adelaide.

But first a photograph of the Murray River.    Our first stop at Murray Bridge Big4 Caravan Park.   Not overly impressed but we must return and have a good look at the town.

The camping ground in Nhill is a delight, with a revamped and luxurious ablutions block.   Luxury plus.   The Hindmarsh Council now manages the park and have certainly done a marvellous job.   Sadly I did not take any photographs.   Perhaps tomorrow before we leave.

Nhill is in the Wimmera region and is known as the 'Abode of Spirits' due to its Indigenous name.   It is also surrounded by an enormous grain growing area.

The main street has the usual number of empty shops, and shops that look closed but are open, but just with dim lighting.   We were fascinated with the dim lighting when we visited about ten years ago.

I counted four cafes, two of them bakeries, so they must get plenty of people stopping for coffee, cakes and pies.  We were not disappointed with our coffee and cakes.

                                              

The Western Highway runs through the town centre, which is a pity, as the big trucks are very noisy.   They are called B-double trucks and consist of a prime mover (truck) pulling two semi trailers.   They are big brutes.   I was impressed though with the wide gap (marked) between the parked cars and the road.  It means you can open your car door without the fear of it being swiped by a vehicle.   And you too, of course.

The public toilets.    Ten years ago they included classical music as well.   Walter informed me there was no music today.    There are no pedestrian crossings or lights on these roads!

 

The old Post Office building, still in use.

Many of the houses were built of timber and and have an ornate verandah on three sides.   

The local Catholic Church.

The wooden Presbyterian Church, named appropriately as St Andrews.

Underneath the protective roof there is a very old two roomed wooden house, which was the home of a local poet, called John Shaw Neilson.   Well at least he lived in it as a child.   It was actually situated in Penola in South Australia and moved to Nhill in 1972.    

Next to the camping ground there is a beautiful park.  No photos sadly.   However behind the park, is a large swamp area, which is home to many birds, plus a few snakes too, no doubt.   And through part of the swamp there is a very long high wooden walkway.   Most impressive.

There are also walkways around the edge of the swamp, with plenty of reflections in the water.

In the centre of it all there is a lake, partly used for swimming, and the rest for boating, on even numbered days for rowing boats, and on odd numbered days, for speed boats and water skiing.  However, only one speed boat at a time is allowed as there is limited space.

Such a beautiful area

The Saturday morning ParkRun uses these paths.    Now that is a picturesque route.

Today we drove into the countryside on very narrow bitumen roads, which were surrounded by grain fields.   They have obviously had some much needed rain here as the crops looked very green and healthy.

Tomorrow, a long drive to Point Lonsdale.   An early start, I think.