7.30am
clear sky though only 6.6 degrees inside and 0.8 outside. Some frost on the
ground too. Heater worked fine so hopefully we have fixed the problem.
Packed
up and headed into Maldon to get some milk and bread from the IGA as we headed
out of town towards Inglewood. In a few of the shops there is a handpainted
chook picture with a red X over the chook – we thought they were complaining
about roosters but as we headed out of town we saw a sign about No to Chicken
Farms – so that cleared that up!!
Lots
of cactus in one paddock and there was another handpainted sign saying it was
the ‘cactus control paddock’.
We
were running up beside the Loddon River but there was no water in it. Then we
crossed it at Bridgewater and there was heaps – they must have a dam there too.
Will have to check it out on the way back.
Lots
of wattles in full bloom.
Through
Inglewood (birthplace of Sir Reginald Ansett) then to Kingower (where the Hand
of Faith was found in 1980) and on to Kooyoora State Park to camp in the
Melville Caves Campground. Nice spot, plenty of open room so we should be good
sunlight for the solar panels here. We are at 380m elevation. Melville Caves
are a collection of huge boulders sitting atop a massive granite Tor. During
the gold boom in the 1850s a bushranger, Captain Melville (nee Frank McCallum)
is thought to have used the caves as a camp and a vantage point due to the
excellent views over the flat plains to the south, along which gold-bearing
coaches travelled.
There
is a picnic ground 1 km back down the road and there were heaps of cars there.
A few daytrippers in the campground having lunch and doing the walks.
Had
lunch sitting in the sunshine warming our bones. Then we headed up the hill to
check out the caves and the lookout.
Couldn’t
quite get Steve in the right spot to push the rock over.
Certainly
some amazing boulders around here.
Out
onto a huge boulder to the lookout.
A
directional cairn so I can work out what we are looking at.
Fabulous
view.
Mt
Tarrengower 55km away.
Mt
Moliagul 14km away – I drove up to the towers when I did a daytrip around the
area.
Lots
of boulders everywhere.
Around
to where the walk goes down the hillside to the picnic area pass Seal Rock (the
yellow rock on the left).
Followed
the track around to the caves which are actually cavities as they are large
fissures which have formed in the weathered granite. Steve is dwarfed by the
rocks as he pokes out his head from the entrance.
A
bit of a squeeze to get inside.
Half
had good light but up the stairs it is quite dark.
Lots
of glittering bits on the ground!!! Shame is isn’t gold.
Looking
up at a spit between two boulders.
I
put the flash on to see my way.
Out
again at the top.
Another
narrow area between the boulders.
Massive
boulders everywhere.
Found
a good example of a mistletoe and its flowers.
Make
down the lookout carpark are some great tree with their twisted bark.
Back
to the van for a cuppa then Steve headed off in his search for gold. I got the
fire going for our camp oven dinner. Unfortunately no gold but he found the
White Swan Quartz Mine which operated during World War 2, producing industrial
and ornamental quartz. Steve said some people have dug big holes recently
looking for some crystals. Will have to go and have a look myself.
The
fire was lovely and our ‘lovelies warmers’ were working well because by 7.30pm
it was only 4 degrees. The sky was clear and we saw a couple of satellites pass
over. Heard a strange bark so hopefully it isn’t a dingo or wild dog.
Back
in the van with the heater on – all good in here.
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