February 20 & 21, 2010

We left Yarram, a pretty little town, very well kept at 9:00 and we only went a short way before we stopped at a waterfall, had to get out to take some pictures it was in the Tarra Valley.  When we came up from the waterfall there was a local family out for a morning walk with their dog so we stopped for a chat.  They told us about some places we should not miss.  Our next stop was to see a suspension bridge and saw another waterfall - Cayalea Falls - very nice and we only had to walk about 1/2 hour to see it.  

 This was a funny little waterfall, we had to walk down to it, instead of up, very pretty though

The foliage is so different, the ferns seem to grow out of anything.

 

 Cyalea Falls

The walking paths are so nice, look at the stairs in the woods!

 

 Look at the size of that tree!

A suspension bridge in the middle of the forest.

A canopy of ferns below the suspension bridge.

 We stopped for lunch at a little place, especially for tourists, it was 42 degrees at 1:45 - we left town in a hurry.

The roads were extremely narrow and winding. They don't have shoulders on lots of the roads and I spent the entire drive white knuckling it.  I have always felt safe and secure when Dalton is behind the wheel but this vehicle does not instill confidence.  I don't know if it is because I am so close to the front of the vehicle or, if it because I am so high up, whatever the reason, I don't like it much.

We stayed at Healesville and were parked beside a couple from France.  They live very close to Ron(Dalton's cousin) and Beate's  summer home.  

We left the campground at 9:00 because I wanted to go to the Healesville Sanctuary.  They have a Platypus House there and I finally got to see what a Platypus really looks like.  There were two, one small one and one big one.  What a thrill that was.  They are very shy little fellows and not many people get to see them, they usually hide.

We stopped at Marysville today, that is the town that was nearly wiped out by the fires last year.  They are doing a marvelous job of rebuilding.  We were hesitant to go there because we didn't want to seem to be gawking at other people's misery, however, the lady at the Information center said that they liked people to come.  The only building that survived was the Bakery and it does a booming business.  Tourists are flocking there by the dozens to help with the rebuilding by showing their support.  We bought a couple of smoked trout which we had for dinner, yum yum!

We are staying at Bendigo tonight, it is in the heart of gold country.  Dalton went to bed early and I am heading there myself, free WiFi so had to get as much done as I could.  I am now being eaten alive by those pesky mossies.