Fri, 12th June, 2015 Joc & John’s driveway, Mt Eliza (Point Nepean National Park)

Good night sleep after our big day yesterday. After morning tea with Joc and John we headed south to check out the Port Nepean National Park that we missed last time. Looks like it is going to be a lovely day as we head into Frankston.

Turned off to check out The Briars Historic Park. In the Info Centre the lady told us about the estate. It was first owned by Captain Reid and called Checkingurk. The Balcombe family were living at their family property in St Helena, called The Briars. It was where Napoleon was banished too and they were given lots of gifts from Napoleon. When the Balcombes came here they renamed the property to The Briars also. Very interesting.

They had a vineyard here but the wine was no good so it was known at Balcombe Vinegar.

The homestead and other buildings were bequeathed to the National Trust and the land was handed back to the Council to preserve as a Reserve. There are a few walks. We chose to walk along the original driveway up to the homestead. It was bounded by English Elms, Oaks and Stones Pines.

Some lovely old trees. 

Unfortunately there was no volunteer today for the walk through the house so we just wandered around the verandah.

Peered in the window.

Great view over the orchard and vineyards. They have been replacing the old apple and pear trees.

Around the back was the vegie garden where the volunteers are growing the types of things that would have been grown in it originally.

Found some comfrey – mum’s favourite cream.

Further down was the pig pen with Berkshire Pigs which are a rare breed and are listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the Rare Breeds Trust. These pigs were common in pioneer’s home gardens, orchards and small holdings in Victoria and were introduced into Australia with the First Fleet in 1787. They are a hardy breed, best suited to free range grazing. After 1950, factory farming began to dominate food production in Australia and slowly, Berkshire pigs fell out of favour with small farmers. The Briars is helping to conserve our heritage by incorporating these pigs into the Briars Community Farm.

In the chook pen were Cochin Chickens – another rare breed from the 1850’s, also common in pioneer’s home gardens. They were a dual purpose breed - for eggs and meat. They are hardy, long lived and docile. Before factory farming became dominant in the 1970’s, there were many dual purpose poultry breeds that suited the home gardener. Many of these varieties are now considered rare or extinct.

 Someone left the gate open and we found most of the chooks digging in the dirt pile.

Wandered around reading the information boards. The South Wing.

The Hutch.

The dairy and laundry.

The barn area is now a fancy restaurant called ‘Josephine’s’. Lots of wedding receptions etc are held here.

The apple store.

Another view of the homestead and the hatch.

In the barn were a few old sulkies, wagons and an old Furphy water cart.

A lot more vines have been put in.

Back on the road heading south was stopped at Rosebud for lunch.Texted Roz and Janet to let them know we are here. Will meet up with them tomorrow. Ordered a Terriaki Chicken pizza which had a bit of Tabasco. I said hold the Tabasco but I think he heard ‘double the Tabasco’ because it was very hot!! Sat out on the ‘green’ where the council was trying to save the sand from being washed away with rock walls etc. The magpies joined us for lunch and were very well behaved. Amazingly the seagulls just waited patiently on the ground.

Got down to Point Nepean National Park about 3pm so drove as far down as we could. Stopped at the Gunners Cottage.

Picked up the park notes pamphlet and headed off to find the Fort. Didn’t stop at the cemetery as we are running out of time then realised we were taking the long way down via Observatory Point. This is the site of the cattle jetty, built in 1879, where they unloaded all the animals for the Quarantine Station. One of the ferries heads back to Portsea from Queenscliff.

Looking back to Portsea then down to the entrance of Port Phillip Bay.

Zoomed in on the lighthouse at Point Lonsdale.

Headed back along Coles Track following the telephone line poles. Nice easy walk.

Back onto the main road where a bus goes - $10 each to go to the Fort.  Past the turn off to walk up to Cheviot Hill where there is a gun emplacement near the top.

Looking across Bass Strait then to the other side of the point to Nepean Bay and Port Phillip Bay.

Along the way was the Harold Holt Memorial. He disappeared from Cheviot Beach, below us, while swimming in rough weather on 17^th December, 1967.

Lovely view and no rough seas today.

Further around we see another gun emplacement facing out to Bass Strait.

Zoomed back over the hill to Cheviot Hill gun emplacement.

Looking back to the other gun emplacement we saw before on the ridge then along the beach to the next gun emplacement on the next ridge.

That one was below Fort Pearce which is buried under sand on the top of the hill.

Amazing how they built all this in the 1880’s.

Pearce Barracks.

Narrow strip of land as we head down to Fort Nepean.

A boat coming in the entrance through The Rip.

Walked up the boardwalk to the top of the other gun emplacement at Fort Pearce.

Looking back to the other gun emplacement and the one below Fort Pearce.

Along the beach on each side they built walls. Bayside then ocean side. The big waves have been knocking the capping off the wall.

Arrived at Fort Nepean. The tram tracks they used to move the ammunition etc around with.

Looking back up the peninsula from the Upper Barracks area. The soldiers living here slept in blocks of four men on bunk beds made of iron with straw mattresses, separated by a decency board.

Headed into one of the tunnels – amazing and fascinating.

In the bomb proof room there was an audio presentation and this board.

There were no electric lights here until World War 2. Before this, candles and then kerosene lamps were housed in special glazed and sealed recesses to provide light in the tunnels and magazines. The naked flame lanterns had to be completely isolated from gunpowder dust to prevent explosive disasters!

Up the stairs to a viewing hole but the sand has built up so we couldn’t see much of the sea.

Down another tunnel to the site of the Disappearing Gun Emplacement 1.

Upstairs to the parade ground.

These are the two big guns that fired the first shot in WW1 and the other in WW2.

The Battery Observation Post.

What’s coming Captain Steve.

Load up the guns!!

A rangefinder.

As the sun is setting it is making unusual colours in the sky.

Across the way there was another tunnel and another hidden gun emplacement. There is so much here we need more time. Might have to come back again.

The shell lift – looking up the shaft too.

 The doors at the top of the shell lift.

Ammunitions Room.

One of the big gun emplacements.

Great view over the entrance to Point Lonsdale lighthouse.

The Magazine is buried under the gun emplacement.

The site of the other big gun emplacement which fired the first shot of World War 1 in 1914.

This photo was taken here at Gun Emplacement 6 (1914) as a record of the first shot fired in the entire British Empire in World War 1.

Steve pointed out how they got fresh air through this hole which was protected outside.

We are running out of time as the sun starts setting.

Headed down the steps to the Engine Room. First was another gun emplacement that was changed to the searchlight station in 1910.

The top of the Engine Room was covered in tar. It still smelt of diesel.

Down the worn stairs to the Lower Engine Room.

 This is where the old kerosene generators were.

Poked the camera through a grill and got a picture using the flash of another tunnel.

Outside the sun was making the peninsula glow orange.

The latrines for the engineers just emptied straight into the bay!!

Their barracks were located at the base of the stairs. Obviously the area has been washed away as there are new rocks here protecting the banks.

Now for a quick jog up the stairs!! Should have counted how many there were!

The old jetty.

Made it to the top, puffing.

Into another gun emplacement site and more tunnels (now covered). During the war the guns were manned 24 hours a day using a three watch rotation system.

A shell.

Muzzle loading guns.

Hooks.

Another information board where the bus stops.

The sun is about to set – spectacular.

Heading back along the road looking up the peninsula.

The concrete wall protecting the sand on the Bass Strait side.

Back to Fort Pearce for a last shot of the sunset.

Quick stop at Eagles Nest info.

Good signs to deter people from going off the beaten track!!

Back to the truck in the dark. As we head out the gate automatically opens and we have to drive over spikes that don’t affect us as long as we are going out. They must have had problems with people trying to sneak in to put this into place.

It is only 5.45 but dark as we head back to Mt Eliza. Rang John to let them know we were heading back. Lovely dinner of swordfish and vegetables followed by plum pudding and icecream.