163.-172. Day 25.02. - 06.03. Roadtrip in NSW / VIC

Monday 25.02.

In the morning, we slept peacefully and enjoyed the warm morning sun until it got too hot in the tent. Then we had a relaxed day with some small errands. It was laundry day, as well as cleaning and doing a big grocery shopping. At noon, I made a huge portion of fried potatoes with onions, bacon, and beer on the BBQ. In the afternoon, we also went to the nearby beach and splashed around in the waves.

Tuesday 26.02.

In the morning, we drove a bit further north. There we saw the Sea Cliff Bridge, a truly impressive bridge built along the coast. Then we continued to the parking lot of the Figure 8 Pools, where I had already been before. We hiked for 2 hours barefoot through a palm forest and over cliffs, and finally reached the Figure 8 Pools, and there were significantly fewer people than last time.

After a refreshing swim in the various pools, we hiked back and drove south to take a shower at a beach shower. In Kiama, we had dinner in the early evening and marveled at a blowhole, a rock formation that shoots a fountain into the air with big waves. At night, we slept in the car again, right across from the police station.

Wednesday 27.02.

In the morning, we drove a few kilometers to Jervis Bay, one of the places that was highly recommended to us. At Murrays Beach, we hiked a small circular trail of 6km, which was rather dull. However, the white sandy beach was all the more fantastic, and we enjoyed the afternoon there. In the evening, both of us were probably a bit sun-damaged and quite exhausted, so we just showered and slept in the car on a side road.

Thursday 28.02.

We were already drawn to the hiking trail around Steamers Beach, Kitty Bay, and a few others with a total of 17km on the previous day, so we walked for about 5 hours through the forest, along stairs, through the sand, and over rocks, and saw some breathtaking spots. In the afternoon, we once again enjoyed the sun at the beach before we continued to the next campsite.

The road to North Head Campground was a 4WD track and quite fun to drive.

When we arrived in the evening, it was already dark, and we had only prepared some snacks. We didn't get to eat much, as several possums arrived, crawled onto the table, knocked over the table with all the food on it, and one even bit my big toe (probably looks tasty). But all in all, it was very entertaining. We chatted with an older Australian couple by the campfire before going to bed.

Friday 01.03.

Friday was quite relaxed because we didn't do much except for reading and going for a walk. Babse and I decided to continue our journey through Melbourne, Adelaide, and back to Brisbane, and spend a few more weeks in New Zealand before flying back home to beautiful Bavaria. In the afternoon, we went snorkeling at a wonderful natural rock pool recommended to us by the two Aussies the day before. That was really an experience.

Saturday 02.03.

In order to count the kilometers, we shouldn't have driven so far. We spent a lot of time on the road and only stopped in Batemans Bay. There, we saw a sea lion and 2 huge stingrays right in the water in front of us.

We also went to see two famous rock formations, the Camelrock and Horse Head, which to me rather resembles an elephant. In Bega, we visited a showground, which is a racetrack, and enjoyed a few beers in the sunset with 10,000 bats (yes, I counted them).

Sunday 03.03.

We continued driving to the Potoroo Sanctuary, a sanctuary for many injured animals. It was all arranged in a very family-like way, and it felt completely different from a zoo. Barbara fed kangaroos for the first time and clearly enjoyed it. I saw large emus up close for the first time. The road at the southeastern end of Australia leads to the next state, Victoria, with its capital Melbourne. However, the journey across the border was long and very tiring, so we found a secluded free campsite somewhere in the bush shortly after the border and made ourselves comfortable there. There was a small clearing at the Ada River, just 3 RVs and us, and many birds, possums, and bats around us at night.

Monday 04.03.

In the morning, we drove to the south coast and then to Lakes Entrance, a cozy little fishing town. On the way, we saw a dead wombat on the road.

I received a tip on my journey to buy fresh seafood directly from the fishing boats there. However, that was no longer possible, so we had fish and a crab risotto with a whole crab on top at a restaurant. Before that, we both played mini golf, which was a lot of fun on the crazy mini golf course.

We continued driving and arrived at a golf course where you can sleep and use the sanitary facilities for little money. In the evening, we went for a run and then to the pub in town for a beer. In the pub, a resident from Maffra approached us with his Aussie slang, so we could only understand half of what he said.

Tuesday 05.03.

In the morning, we continued along the south coast towards Wilsons Promontory, one of the most beautiful national parks in Australia. However, the park had been closed to tourists 3 days earlier because a bushfire had broken out in the middle of the island. So we continued to Phillip Island, an island below Melbourne, where Monika used to work for a long time in a restaurant. But since it was raining most of the time, we played table tennis in a common room at the campsite. I even got a cut on my head when getting up, which gave Babse a big scare. In the middle of the night, there was a big thunderstorm as well, which caused our awning to flip onto the roof of the car. Great...

Wednesday 06.03.

What do you do on Phillip Island when the weather is bad? Of course, you visit the chocolate factory!!