Hall’s Gap

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This morning I was up with the sun and others in the campsite were also stirring, mostly cyclists preparing for their race today, a Time Trial. We were packed up and in Mansfield before 8:30 when the Farmers’ Market officially opened.

See, I WAS up with the sun!

Sorry pals, you’ll have to hit on someone else for carrots now.

Need a coffee to kickstart the system.

Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ Market

Cyclist warming up on rollers before the race start.

Our intention was to make it to Hall’s Gap today and we left it to the cyborg to get us there. By Tullarook we were ready for a break and something to eat since we’d forgone breakfast in favour of the early start. Alex was able to get something in a nice little General Store but it was GF muesli bars for me.

Three VW Beetles! They’re icons.

Lovely old Tullarook Pub

 

Unfortunately we hadn’t told the cyborg we don’t like motorways so that’s where she took us as the fastest way! We were staggered by the number of new housing estates replacing agricultural land on Melbourne’s fringes. Eventually we were directed off the Hume Freeway and via the M1 to the M8 to Ballarat where Alex was looking forward to a stop at a “Greasy Spoon” we’d stopped at before. He was startled to see it had changed ownership and morphed into a healthy fast food place.

BIG mistake, we’re on the Motorway!

Site of the statues, Ballarat

Another Ned, Ballarat

Gold digger, Ballarat

No longer a “Greasy Spoon”, now a very healthy eaterie.

Next stop was Hall’s Gap where we didn’t get a suitable caravan site until the third Caravan Park because they were all so busy. We’re booked in for a couple of nights but might stay longer.

Mural in Hall’s Gap town centre

In rural Victoria? Why not?

It’s the restaurant which has the tableaux.

Brilliant panel in front of the toilet block.

Wallabies on the town centre lawns.

This could have been the Delands in 1956. Historical photo, Hall’s Gap.

Emus at the campground.

 

You should know there would be some birds too.

Unknown Mansfiled Caravan Park

Emu -Caravan Park HC

Galahs -Caravan Park HC

Possibly a Pardalote – Caravan Park HC

Unknown -Caravan Park HC

Sulphur-crested cockatoos – Caravan Park HC

Pied Currawong – Caravan Park HC

Kookaburra – unfortunately with a fried chip. Caravan Park HC

Wattlebird – Caravan Park HC