Mallacoota to Wilson's Promontory

Wilson's promontory is the Australian mainlands most southerly point and as it's a national park access is limited. So we register for the camp site at Tidal River, make dinner and head off down to the beach for sunset.

On our way out of the campsite we're stopped in our tracks by the ethereal site of two kangaroos about 10 feet away, mooching their way around. It's a busy campsite but almost no-one else sees them.

This is the closest I've been to wild kangaroos and it's quite a weird experience, they're not small animals, but they manage to bound quietly through the campsite effortlessly, almost without witness, then disappear into the bush.

Wilson's Promontory has that air of Gondwanaland similar to New Zealand. The pounding Southern ocean gives way to large flat beaches, massive sand dunes and then into scrub and bushland which climbs its way up mist covered mountainsides. It wouldn't be a shock to see Pterosaurs drifting above the cliffs, or King Kong rattling his way through the trees.

Bateman's Bay to Malacoota

Heading south from Bateman's Bay we make the obligatory stops; firstly at Mogo to pick up some choice beers from the excellent selection at Mogo Cellars, and then at Tilba to pick up some excellent cheese from the excellent Tilba cheese factory. Both essential ingredients for a good camping holiday.



We had planned to stop somewhere round Eden, but it's not great weather and Eden has that air you expect from an old whaling town, so we head across the border into Victoria and head for the weekend holiday spot of Mallacoota.

South to North Road Trip - Sydney to Bateman's Bay

Sydney hides its glorious geography under a dreich, wintry coat today. In an unusual display of modesty, the topographical tart hides all her glories in a sympathetic attempt to ease our departure; or maybe it's giving us a preview of what we're heading back to.

We packed the last stuff into the van, said our goodbyes to Florence, Gareth and Mark, then headed down to say one final cheerio to Theresa and Aaron and of course Lennox. There were mixed feelings all round. Everyone was quite jealous of us doing the great rite of passage that is the Aussie road trip, but we (especially Mandy) have heavier thoughts about leaving Sydney, however we are also chuffed about the upcoming travels.

Of course we're not going to do the classic east-west perambulation from Sydney to Perth. Oh no, we have a few more sites to tick off so our route is something like this.

And so with heavy hearts and windscreen wipers we head off to the unknown.