Return to Ararat

View of Halls Gap from Reids Lookout

Last weekend Lucy and I returned to Ararat armed with better maps and a goal to finally see a waterfall in the Grampians.  We had taken a wrong turn last time and ended up travelling for miles on a dirt road.. this time we were prepared.

The Balconies

Friday we drove straight to Halls Gap and saw Reids Lookout, The Balconies and a little bit of McKenzie Falls (track to the base was closed).  However the track to Broken Falls was open and more our style (suitable for the fitness challenged).

Broken Falls

Broken Falls are quite pretty, and I could see why they were named so, the water plunges over the top but splits into several separate falls... was quite hard to get a good shot from the viewing platform though... quite a few trees blocked our view...(where's a chainsaw when you want one lol).

Our little cottage looking towards the Golf Course

We were booked in at the Links Retreat B&B again... very nice little bluestone cottage alongside the golf course..we'd sit on the veranda and watch the golfers go by... and try to putt around the kangaroos who were lifetime members.

We had taken our art journals to work on... two big suitcases of supplies and a small bag of clothes each... I should have taken a pic of the table as we worked on them.. hmmm maybe not...think our hosts would have had a heart attack at the mess we made (but we cleaned up before we left)

Our little house

Saturday we headed back to McKenzie Falls via Stawell for breakfast, was sunny but cool morning but unfortunately it was raining quite a bit up in the hills and I didnt get a shot of them (Lucy did using my tripod which we were sharing but the rain came down in buckets as she finished so we packed it in) and we returned to Ararat for lunch.  At least that was the plan.  Ararat shuts at 1pm on saturday.  Almost nothing open... except McDonalds which we were sick of... no nice cafe's... so we comprised and had a very nice Subway lunch before returning to our cottage to art for the rest of the day.

Sunday in Ararat... bustling town of 8200 very sleepy people it seems... as Ararat was totally deserted and dead at 11am... few shops were opening but it seems there is very little sunday trading in Ararat.  Its not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

Sunset from One Tree Hill 

  Sunday night the sun shone so we headed up the road to One Tree Hill... odd name for something that is covered in trees, but thats country folk for you.  We had timed our visit to coincide with sunset and the view was beautiful

Monday morning was back on the road home... our art journals had quite a few pages done... we had a lovely time... and made a two new resolutions (never visit somewhere with bad internet access and make sure the town stays open past 1950)

New Year, New Plans

Melb from Eureka Tower on a hot summer night

Doesnt time fly lol.. it seems like yesterday I last posted and it was October.. not that we havent been out photographing - just havent been away... which will be remedied soon

In March Lucy and I are heading back to the Links Retreat (so called because its right next door to the golf course.. not that we will partake.. though we may sit on the lovely bluestone veranda with a wine or two and watch them chug by lol ...this time no hunting for elusive waterfalls.. we will head to the well signposted, easily found one!  We plan to visit Mackenzie Falls, then onto The Balconies, Boroke Lookout and possibly Reeds Lookout

As usual we will be taking art supplies with us - knocking off a couple of swaps we have signed up for on Arty Oz.  The princess (Maggie is coming with us again)  its so nice to find a pet friendly place :-)

Southbank Melb, from the Riverwalk (near Crown)

This Sunday I am off to do the Old Melbourne Ghost Tour with my sister.. wandering around the city after dark with a guide where we will "Journey back to old Melbourne, a time when the spices of China Town masked the smoke of  the opium dens, poor houses supplied bodies in the name of advancing medical science & famous opera singer Federici gave his most dramatic performance." sounds nerdy but we have been planning to do it for ages and are finally getting around to it

In early Feb I was honoured to be part of the photographic team recording Hanna and Wes's big day.... such beautiful couple, so right for each other and an absolute joy to work with.. 

Bigger plans afoot for the years to come.. DJ Pettitt is coming back to Australia and we will do another photo safari.. at this stage (though we could change our mind a dozen times before then) we are looking at the Warlu Way trip and the year after I am heading to the US where DJ and I are going to trek Oregon (very exciting!)

Ararat in October

Iris blooming at Cottage Garden Cafe

Last weekend we headed off to our weekend away in the Grampians... we were staying at Ararat and planned to take a tour of the infamous J Ward, photograph waterfalls and view the majestic Grampians from 'The Balconies'

As they say in the classics, the 'best laid plans of mice and men, often go astray'... add women to that too vbg.  We headed up the Western Highway towards Ballarat, veered off towards Horsham, drove through very cute and quaint Beaufort (plan to go back there, lots of old photographic worthy buildings), lunched at the Cottage Garden Cafe in Beaufort ... scones with jam and cream..yummy... and arrived in Ararat around 12.30pm

As we couldn't book into our accom until three, we decided, armed with all the maps, directions, info from the Internet I had printed out, plus Lucy's Tom Tom to head off and see a waterfall.  Originally the plan was to see Mackenzie Falls, but as the Parks Victoria site said the base of the waterfall was closed due to storm damage, and its not worth seeing a waterfall just from the top, we drove off looking for Beehive Falls.  And were still looking an hour later.

Like the fabled Utopia, its out there somewhere, but hidden behind the mists of time and lost travellers.  We drove down Roses Gap Road (dirt road all the way)  for over half an hour, never found the 'Roses Gap Car park  that was on that road (according to the directions printed out) and never found Beehive Falls.

Roses Gap Road with Grampians in distance

We did see some great views of the Grampians as we drove its length and breadth... but that's as close as we got :-(  As it was by now around 2.30 we turned around, headed back to Ararat and after  brief but obligatory stop at MacDonald's for a late lunch we arrived at our cottage around 4pm and loved it on sight.

Golf Links Retreat Cottage

We were greeted by our very hospitable hosts Merren and Peter, who introduced us to the gorgeous cottage Golf Links Retreat we were staying in.  Set in beautiful gardens its a Bluestone brick exterior, old exposed brick walls and timber ceilings inside, two storey, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom.. breakfast basket, Coonara heater.. heaven!!  We took the princess too and she took to it straight way... it was 'home' for three days and that's just what it felt like..home.  We do plan to go back and find those waterfalls next time too!

Morning - the neighbours from the golf course next door came to visit 

Which Maggie was none too sure about :-)

As Saturday was very wet and rained ALL day we decided to stay in and do some 'arting'.  We had taken supplies with us and spent the day making gazillions of chipboard tiles that we will be adhering to large canvases.

Sunday was just as overcast and cool.. but only brief showers so we decided to head off to Aradale Mental Hospital  It started life named Aradale Lunatic Asylum and take the tour (link will give you all the info on it)

Aradale, built in 1866 and closed in 1998

The outside of it was beautiful.. huge huge complex of around 70 buildings.. but inside it had suffered from renovations in the 50's and 70's and wasn't what I was expecting.  It was more interesting once we got into the older parts..

Old calendar from 1993 corridor window overlooking the grassy area

After the tour we headed back to our cottage and continued with our tiles.  Monday, we were heading home but stopped off and took the tour of J ward.  J Ward started out as a gold fields prison back in 1859 and when gold ran out the 'Lunacy Department' (I kid you not) acquired it as a prison for the criminally insane.  It housed the most dangerous and violent offenders that were deemed unfit due to mental issues to stand trial, and here they were detained 'at the Governor's pleasure' under the highest security (and lowest conditions).  One famous inmate was Garry David Webb

Main Cell Block - above the netting is the original gallows from when it was a Gaol.  Three men were hanged here

J Ward Kitchen

J Ward, original bathhouse -  windowless dungeon like room under the complex.. and ONE bath used by all inmates

After our tour (very interesting with a very informative guide)  we continued our journey back home.  As I said, we do plan to go back again to both Ararat and the Golf Links Retreat...find those waterfalls and take the ghost tour of J ward!

Otway Ranges

Lucy and I are planning another trip in October - we are off to Ararat this time, plan to visit and photograph Halls Gap, Mackenzie Falls, The Balconies.. and esp J Ward at Ararat Lunatic Asylum!

I lurve waterfalls... esp now that I have finally got my head around F stops and slow shutter speed... havent mastered it, but at least now I understand the concept lol.

I went down to the Otway Ranges with sister and niece in June for the nieces birthday.... all Canon girls... it was pouring rain most of the say (in a rainforest who would have thunk? vbg)  We made sure we kept our camera's dry but we were all soaked to the skin!

Hopetoun Falls in Otway Ranges

One of the streams flowing off Triplet Falls (very dissapointing falls, like Hopetoun better)

Travels with DJ - our last morning

It was time to pack and head home to Melbourne for me.. and back to the States for DJ.  We had been in Cairns for six days, had covered almost 900kms in that time heading north up the Captain Cook Highway as far as Daintree, as west along the Bruce highway through the hills and valleys of the Atherton Tablelands.

View Larger Map
(our driving route)

We had crammed as much sightseeing as we could into our days and nights, had paddled on deserted beaches, saw the sun rise over quite a few of them, and set over others. 

7.14am: Sunrise at Port Douglas

We had tramped national forests, seen wildlife that we'd only seen previously in zoos, stood below roaring waterfalls, walked in gentle tropical rain, motored silently down magnificent rivers, sat under the amazing canopies of 500 yr old trees bathed in the sounds and the life of forest and wandered the streets of vibrant cairns after dark revelling in the warmth of the climate and the genuine friendliness of its inhabitants.  

8.57pm: The Cairns Esplanade

8.30am Cairns Esplanade

Mark Twain said: "I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them." 

How right he was.  I had left Melbourne with a friend and through the good times on the road we talked, photographed, laughed, took many a wrong turn that led to another wonderful spot....and bonded through our love of Australia and photography, returning with a 'sister'.  I don't think I can ever top the holiday for the wealth of friendship and experiences it brought to me  (I get 'mushy' thinking about lol) ... but I'll try!  DJ will be back in 2015 and we are planning a bigger and longer trip.  

Three years seems so long away.

Travels with DJ Pettitt - Day 6 -Strangler Fig Trees and Waterfalls

It was our last full day in FNQ.... we had both had the best fun - and while looking forward to seeing our furbabies and man babies again... it was a bittersweet last day... one we decided to cram into as much as we could (and this was different you ask? LOL)

Water Fountains at the Esplanade Lagoon

We had been up since 5, taken morning pics from the famous balcony, showered, chatted, perused maps and planned our route.. and it was that without hurrying we still called for our car and headed off around 7.30am in brilliant blue cloudless skies.... we were making for the Atherton Tablelands  again as we wanted to (a) see the famous Strangler Fig Trees and (b) take some waterfall shots.

Our first stop was the Cathedral Fig Tree - a gigantic 500 year old tree located in the Dunbulla State Forest.  It was 5 stories tall and had a huge circumference with a great boardwalk around it.  Absolutely stunning... Thousands of people before us stretching back hundreds of years had also walked around this tree ... felt very small in the great scheme of things.

Leaving the the Cathedral tree we headed for the Curtain Fig Tree at Yungurra...to quote the Cairns website:

Curtain Fig Tree - click HERE for video with bird sounds!

This is the most amazing tree you are ever likely to see. It is a picture of a century of natural history – a unique example of nature's unpredictability and power.

The fig tree is from the strangler fig species Fichus virens. The curtain effect results from one tree leaning against another tree on a 45-degree angle. The strangler vine then grew along the oblique angle of the leaning tree, dangling 15 metres to the ground to create the curtain affect.

A wooden boardwalk surrounds the tree so you can see it on any angle. As one of the largest trees in North Queensland, the Curtain Fig Tree is fascinating and unusual. If you're in the Atherton Tablelands, make sure you stop by an have a look.

Like the Cathedral Fig Tree this one was amazing..... I think the Cathedral one was more impressive (re: shape) but they were both jaw dropping.. and the Curtain Fig Tree was in a forest with the most amazing bird sounds and calls.

Millaa Millaa Falls

From here we headed for the waterfall circuit.. our plan was to do Mt Hypipamee Crater and Dinner Falls.. totally missed it... ended up on the 'other' waterfalls circuit.. which was opportune.. and I'm glad we didnt miss it.  Our first waterfall we came across was Milla Milla (pronounced Mil-lay).

Stunning single drop waterfall into a large pool... with lots of tourists from a tour bus swimming in.. we got off a few shots, then out of the corner of my eye I saw a watery hair flick!  "OHHHH Can she doe that again!!!!"  ooops.. did I say that out loud?  :-|  ............ yep, I did, they heard me... but yes, two lovely german girls were more than happy to do it again.. giving me their camera to take one on theirs as well...

DJ and I shot off some quick shots before the girls had to get back on the bus and continue their tour (we have their email addy to send them the shots) :-)

Frolicking Frauleins

After Milla Milla we headed to Zillee Falls.. didnt like that much as we couldnt get to the bottom so we moved onto Ellinjaa Falls... (tip want to photograph a waterfall?  make sure there is access to the bottom pool)

Ellinjaa Falls

OMG  amazing place.  Definitely IMHO the best waterfall of our trip...

We spent an hour their in the thunder of the falls and spray before calling it a day and heading back to Cairns... little doodlebug was running on the smell of an oily rag by the time we finally made the servo... but it got us there.. and boy did we have a fantastic last day!!

Travels With DJ Pettitt - Day 5 - Patronella Park and Josephine Falls

We had been very lucky with the weather thus far and it was still holding.. the day dawned with another beautiful sunrise and a predicted 30C to the sound of bats screeching as they headed back to the hills around 4.30am (yes we're weird, we loved it lol and Joe got to hear it as DJ was on the famous balcony talking to to him at the time)

Sunrise and 30C coming up

We had decided today that as we couldn't do the Kuranda train (closed for maintenance) that we would go to Paronella Park.  This was on both our wish lists but we had figured there wasn't enough days to get it done, with Kuranda Railway out of the equation we called for our car to be brought around and headed out the door around the customary 6.30-7am (I gotta love valet service LOL)

Dunbulla State Forest

Josephine Falls in Dunbulla State Forest looked a promising stop, and was on the way so we headed there first.  Was more than worth the stop.  Stunning walk through rainforests full of tall trees, little streams and rocky pools, past tall trees supporting ferns growing on their branches to an amazing high volume waterfall.   It just pounded over the top like a mini Niagara.

Josephine Falls (a three tier lava  rock flow)
click the link for a short video

We took some photo's from the top then made our way via the walkways to the bottom.  Came across lots of 'young things' swimming and using the waterfalls like water slides.. ahhh to be young again LOL.

good if you're young!

We spent a  very enjoyable couple of hours in the cool of the forest before we headed back to the green doodlebug and made tracks for Paronella Park.

Paronella Park Fountain - fed from the waterfall and hydro

We arrived at Patronella around 12.30pm.. the green doodlebug AC worked great so it was a bit of a shock when we parked and stepped out of the car!  Was quite hot by now... we were welcomed by the owners Mark and Judy (lovely friendly  people) who filled us in on the history of the place and made us feel very welcome. (We weren't important they were doing it to everyone... soooooo friendly, informative and helpful).  We had a delicious lunch of chicken and sun-dried tomato foccacia's and then headed off on the tour.

Jose's decaying spanish castle roams over 13 acres

Our tour guide was Yeng..  very personable young man, full of humour and knowledge who made the tour both informative and fun.  what is it?  hard to explain briefly.. its 13 acres of amazing Amazonian rainforests created  from nothing by Jose Paronella  who made his fortune in sugar cane in the early 1900's.  He originally intended it for his bride Matilda but after working for 11 years to amass his fortune when he returned to Spain she had married another (11 years?  severe lack of patience that girl LOL) So he married her younger sister Margarita and brought her back to Australia where he, with Margarita's;s help, created the amazing Spanish castle in the rainforest.

Paronella Park Waterfall.. supplies their hydro scheme

After the tour we were free to wander at will.... taking some more pics before heading back to cairns late afterrnon. Our clothes were literally sticking to us by this stage (helped in no small way by the camera gear in backpacks)  in the heat and humidity and showers were definitely big on the wish list as we drove... even with the heat we had a ball.  If you ever get to cairns you MUST do Paronella Park....

Two Canon 7d girls.. still hot in the shade! (and I mean the weather! LOL)

We even stopped at a roadside 'honesty' stand on the way home and ate fresh bananas from the fields as we drove... what a day!!