East Gippsland

Friday we travelled south from Eden through the last of NSW, mostly forest. Huge logging trucks and road names like "Broadaxe Road" told the story of this area. It seemed pretty remote, underpopulated and wild. Nothing but basic roads and forest with that "managed" look. But cross over the border into Victoria and what happened? Well, the road quality improved straight away. There was a better surface, fog lines on the side, and a barrage of signs assured us the Victorian government was doing everything imaginable to keep us, our fruit growers, our children and the environment safe. There were advisory traffic signs, rest area signs, speed signs, signs about the wildlife and even a little set of seats just inside the border, in case you were so overcome with relief to be in Victoria that you had to get out of your car and rest a bit beside the road. The sun came out, and David began to whistle "Camelot"...Yes, I was coming home: Victoria is my birthstate. But even I gagged a bit on the HUGE roadside billboard that read "You'll Love Every Piece of Victoria" Suddenly my double-entendre mechanism snapped on and new meanings for that message began to present themselves to my consciousness in a rather disturbing way.

The forest began to change subtly with ironbarks (e. sieberi?) becoming interspersed with mountainous Victorian ash and the biodiversity picking up. This is a very pretty part of the country.

Today we left Mallacoota and travelled via the Princes Highway to Bairnsdale, just past Lakes Entrance. Lunch stopover at Marlo. Some Glenn-Hume history here. Marlo is where the Snowy River meets the sea. The story of our life together began in the high country around Charlotte's pass where the Snowy River begins. Isn't that romantic? But romance aside, it was freezing at Marlo so we got out, looked at the water, had a quick hug and cantered back to the car.

Rainforest revegetation project underway on the banks of the Snowy

Lakes Entrance is very polished, very topiarised and cafe latte. If Mallacoota caravan park is where thousands of basic thongs-and-stubbies Victorians go in summer, then Lakes Entrance must be where the Havaiana and Billabong set go. We stopped at one of the lookouts above Lakes Entrance, because you just have to. Its the most amazing view. This is a picture of the bit just after the most amazing view.

Lakes Entrance - eastern shore

Out to sea were some eighteen Bass Strait oil rigs and I took a photo of one I could actually see: "Schnapper" 18NM away. Ironically. a rainbow was plunging into the sea just to the west. There has to be some meaning, some message to be derived from that image. Australia's pot of gold? The drowning of colour in an oily sea? You have a go.

Bass Strait oil rig from Lakes Entrance