If New Zealand is the land off the long white cloud, the Victorian east coast lives under an army blanket. Taking decent photos is a nightmare. No amount of software can make a silk purse out of what I’m looking at. Of course, I’ll stick around for the next predicted sunny day (in about a week), after all, it is Wilsons Promontory. But I almost feel compelled to put some kind of disclaimer at the bottom. Something like, ‘actual view may or may not contain sunshine’ or ‘for sunny days, please visit our website. T’s & C’s apply’.

I shouldn’t bitch-up too much. I was lucky to get out of Sale when I did. That spare part was almost not coming till Monday (according to the PO), but the Aus Post tracking app was speaking truth and I was back on the road before 2pm. The kicker in all this is that I still have the original wrong side, spare part with me. The wreckers hadn’t arranged a pick-up and, on the suggestion of Christian at Repco, decided it was fair compensation for the inconvenience. So, do I figure out how Ebay works and recoup my outlay, or wrap it gently in bubble wrap for the not entirely unlikely scenario that it may come in handy? Show of hands? For those curious, it’s a wrap around tail light – don’t ask……
I’ve set up camp at the Toora boat ramp on Corner Inlet, about 2klm from town and about 40 minutes from Wilsons Promontory. It’s very quiet location at the end of a dirt road. The only noise apart from the birds is the arrival and departure of several boaties to launch on the tide, which can be at anytime. The usually arrive in a lump and same when they leave…and quietly. So, I’m looking around for things to do. On a hunch, took a trip up to Agnes Falls, about 20 minutes into the hills. It’s picture postcard .


Out of shot and out of view, the water plunges into the gorge below. Apparently , there are/were plans to build a skywalk, which would be awesome. But based on how faded the project diagram looked back at the information shed, it’s been a long time on the drawing board. The general area reminded me of the hinterland behind Byron Bay. Tiny villages like Mt Best, with a local hall and some trendy abodes nestled into the hills. I don’t know if it’s ‘undiscovered” or an established weekend playground of the nouveau riche.
There seems to be a daily pattern to the weather emerging. The heavens part at around 4pm for about an hour. It’s never dark the rest of the time, just dull. Bumped into a local grazier who comes down to the ramp with his dog every ‘arvo, who raved about historic Port Albert, and I should go there.

Well, it became apparent that ‘historic’ can mean so many things. Now, Port Fairy near Warrnambool, THAT’S an historic town. You can see, feel and touch the history and everybody is on board. Port Albert has been there since 1844, but you just wouldn’t know it. Still, a great place to visit. The boardwalk and marina were cute and there was a steady trickle of runabouts heading out to or back from a few hours fishing.
If you can’t find history anywhere else, there’s always one place that’s worth a wander through, (especially when your ‘quiet news week’ post needs some kind of ‘stocking filler’ ) – the local cemetery. Port Albert cemetery should be on every goths bucket list. They could really throw some kind of party here.


The graves were scattered in clumps, sometimes as little as three. Most of the dying seemed to be between 1860 and 1920. The few, more recent departures were confined to the front section. The oldest headstone I could find dated back to 1864. That’s 170 years of transient immortality. Grey days and cemeteries DO go well together, especially when your only company is a black crow.

Waiting, waiting…lookin’, lookin’. Still, I haven’t just been focused on the weather. The van originally came with a TV in the ‘bedroom’ that, before the media hub was installed, you could swivel around and watch from the ‘loungeroom’. Since that alteration, it had remained largely unused. TV reception is the first thing to go when your on the road, Tamika and I would resort to watching Netflix on her mobile phone if we wanted the luxury of in-bed movies. Now the only thing worse than my mechanical aptitude, is being the only person around with any and a problem to solve. But with no other distractions, came up with a concept, a plan and then how to install it. Now, it’s no Sydney Harbour Bridge, but for a guy that appears to be wearing boxing gloves when he’s holding any kind of tool, I’m just a little chuffed.


Aaaand…the remote mouse works from the bedside table. All I need now is a little inverter and I can plug it into the 12v plug, conveniently located just behind the computer. Happy days!!
Tomorrow appears to be THE one and only day to capture the best of Wilson’s Prom. I’ll be up at sparrows for a long day. Wish me luck people.
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