Up the coast highway, then back in-land.

When I leave my campground at Princetown I follow the coast highway to Apollo Bay, and Lorne.  Very good views along the way, the highway winding its way east along a rugged sharp rise on my left, the ocean on my right.  Constant U-bends force a slow speed, the road straightening only through the townships of Apollo Bay and Lorne.  Both towns quite obviously favourite places to spend your holidays if you live in Melbourne.

When I check the local caravan parks I can see that tents and caravans are stacked tightly side by side, testimony to a good holiday season.  Lorne is also full of holidy makers, many sitting in Cafe's by the waterfront along the highway.  After Lorne I turn left, away from the coast, once again, a steep and winding road that will take me up the mountain range and beyond.

Lake Colac at sunset

When I come out of the hill country, its grasslands again, all dry and yellow, many of the fenced properties have either cattle or sheep grazing.  I keep on that highway north to Colac and from there another 10km further where my roadmap tells me, is a rest area wher I will spend the night.  Only about 10 other caravans there, located on the shore of Lake Colac, which is only about half full so we are quite a distance from the shore.  Its quiet and during the night turns quite cold, as I have to get another blanket.  In the morning, a lovely sunrise paints the sky for me once more.

Sunrise at Lake Colac

I drive on to Ballarat, a large town further north, explore the town, pick up mail and also go to see Sovereign Hill, the old Gold mining site that offers tours into the old Mines, with quite a few of the historic old buildings still intact.  I take about 3 hours to discover the 19th century Gold Mining Town of Ballarat.

A Mine worker's 'Home'

This is what it looked like inside

Street scene with a Cobb & Co. coach

Lincoln inaugurated as President of the US...

The local class room