A Good Friday on Puffing Billy

Good Friday arrived and we had everyone together we were in search of something to keep the whole family busy for the day. We decided to pack a picnic and head into the Dandenong Ranges where Puffing Billy, a century-old steam train that through the help of volunteers and donations still runs on its original track on the mountain from Belgrave to Gembrook.

One of the best and most fun things about this train is that you get to sit on the railing with your feet hanging off the side.

There was lots to look at along the way, and people stop all along the track to wave at the train as it passes by.

We stopped for a picnic in Lakeside before heading back to Belgrave. It was a great adventure for the whole family.

A Kid Free Weekend Means Wine of Course!

Grandma and Grandpa are in town for a visit so Scott and I took the opportunity to take a short trip that Scott has had on his short list since we got here.

After breakfast on Saturday morning we took a drive out to the Mornington Peninsula and saddled up for a horseback winery tour.

The weather was perfect and the scenery fantastic. There was even a point we could see the ocean from the trail we were following.

Of course there was also a little wine tasting.

Next up to ease the sore and tired muscles we weren't used to using, we paid a visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs.

I wasn't allowed to have my camera there, but for those of you who have been to le Nordik, it's a similar concept.

We treated ourselves to a lovely dinner out and a night at a local resort before heading home on Sunday.

It was great to have some time away to ourselves, but now it's time to get ready for our first big trip of the year - Perth and Western Australia.

The Golden City of Ballarat

It was time for another ITA organized weekend, so we packed up on Friday and headed north to Ballarat. 

Ballarat earned the name of The Golden City through the gold rushes of the mid 1800's. Thousands of miners lived in the city at the time, many of them quite prosperous despite the dangerous conditions.

Our activity for the day on Saturday was to visit Sovereign Hill, an open air museum depicting Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold there in 1851. 

I love this shot, but they seem a bit happy to be from the 1850s!

There were lots of things to check out including a bakery, the undertakers, the post office, the candlemakers, and of course a little bowling. But only if you bowl with two hands!

There were tons of these old signs around the town. Advertising was definitely more wordy back in the day!

And what would a gold rush town be without a little gold panning. Every year Sovereign Hill puts $45,000 worth of gold flecks into this river for people to pan out! We saw lots of people with jars that they've been bringing back for years to keep filling with what ever gold they can find. 

The kids gave it their best shot, but there was not gold to be had for them that day. 

On Sunday we headed out to the Ballarat Wildlife Park. It was a bit cold and windy so there weren't many people around which meant we got to get up close and personal with lots of the wildlife.

Seeing koalas and kangaroos never seem to get old for the kids. 

There were some new animals to see on this trip too, Emus, wombats and tasmanian devils.

And these naughty tortoises. One minute there were two tortoises minding their own business, and then the next this is what we see. What you can't hear are the naughty tortoise mating sounds that he's making!

This weeks vocabulary lesson: Budgy Smuggling

We've learned a lot of new words since we got to Australia. I can't believe how much the kids have soaked up. Sometimes Tyler gives me a whole sentence and he then has to explain it to me since I didn't understand him the first time.

This weeks lesson we thought was worth posting. When you hear the words budgie and smuggler you probably think of some combination of this cute little bird and an unsavoury type person who gets pulled into tertiary screening at the airport. Right?

Well here...not so much.

This is a Budgy Smuggler (trademarked by Speedo)

And this is a G rated picture that I found. From the front the name makes a lot more sense - but this is a family blog...

Yep, every day we learn something new!

The Great Ocean Road and the Apollo Bay Hospital

This past weekend was the Labour Day long weekend for us. Not wanting to waste a minute of an extra long weekend, I spend all day Friday packing up and when the kids and Scott got home from school we headed off to the Great Ocean Road. More specifically Apollo Bay as our home base for the weekend.

Most of our drive looked like this:

Saturday morning was a big day. The kids have been looking forward to this activity since we landed in January. We were going to ziplining! Along a good portion of the drive is the Otway National Park.

Full of rainforest, waterfalls, majestic 300 foot mountain ash trees, ferns and koalas, it's an amazing place.

And in the middle of it is Otway Fly. This is a place where we can zipline safely through the rainforest without damaging the environment, and the kids can go too! 

The kids though that this was the most fun ever!

This was our only day in the Otways so we managed to get in a short hike to one of the many waterfalls in the park. 

Upper section of Triplet Falls

I think we look great for having done a 5 km hike in 40 degrees!

Sunday was another busy day. First up, the Otway Lighthouse. The only remaining working lighthouse on mainlaind Australia. Great tours and activities for the kids and an amazing views for mom and dad. The drive into the lighthouse is surrounded by mountain ash trees and so we saw lots of koalas hanging out in the trees along the road. 

Cape Otway Lightstation, 1848

This pic cracks me up...looks like a creepy forest out of Harry Potter!

Then we were off again on the road to Port Campbell National Park to see the Twelve Apostles. Due to erosion of the limestone stacks there are only 8 of them left now.

The Three Sisters

Next was Loch Ard Gorge named for the the clipper ship the Loch Ard which was shipwrecked in 1878.

This is a beach we walked down to in centre of the gorge. 

Loch Ard Gorge

On Monday we packed up our cabin to head along the Great Ocean Road for home.

First we made a quick stop at the Apollo Bay hospital where I had to have my finger looked at after Hannah accidentally closed the car door on it. Luckily it's not broken, but for $7 cash I got 30 minutes of undivided attention, some meds and an ice pack.

Our first stop was Lorne. Just one of the many gorgeous seaside towns along the way.

View from the Lorne Pier

The McEwens looking cool out on the pier

Our last stop of the weekend was Torquay. The town is great. It's the home of surf city and Bells Beach where there are world class surfing competitions held every year.

If there's a beach and some ocean, Tyler can't resist!