Bendigo

Thursday morning we headed for Bendigo to catch up with an acquaintance from the world of poultry. We did a double take when we saw these - so much so that we turned around and went back to make sure they were real. Someone was planning a good feed.

We spent hours looking at the gardens and chooks and talking as the rain chased us inside. It's always nice to visit someone else's place and see what and how they do what they do. It's motivating and you pick up new ideas. G and L are pensioners; he spends hours each day tending the chooks and garden; she breeds canaries. We took them out to lunch and we all enjoyed the day.

Apple tree.

Hothouse tomatoes.

Tennessee Woman.

We left mid-afternoon and drove to Camperdown where we had a coffee in a shop where the owners told us they had been up our way earlier in the year; we even had to get the map out so they could show us. We had more food and wine at the local bistro then fell into bed.

Daylesford

We arrived in Daylesford on Tuesday afternoon and drove up and down the main area a few times looking for somewhere to stay. We decided on an unobtrusive little retro place that was filled with big studded leather chairs and couches and decorated with memorabilia from the 1950s. It was warm and welcoming and most importantly, our room was gently heated and there was a bed.

After a late start on Wednesday we took a walk up the main street where we ran into Meg's philosophy...

did a load of washing then walked to The Mill House Markets - an enormous old wool mill converted into - markets. Hundreds and hundreds of market stalls. A small area is rented to a stall holder and they fill their area with old and antique goods. Gibbo thought he was on Bargain Hunt. The stall holders weren't all there during the week but volunteers man the front desk area. On the weekends the place is packed. There was so much to look at - too much really. After walking through half the barn I'd had enough.

After a bit of investigation the previous night I had thought we'd go to the "smarter" end of town for the spa/massage experience but after some advice from our host we ended up at a place a short walk up the road. The spa was peaceful but 45 minutes was a bit long. I was looking for a book after 20 minutes and G suggested an iPad mounted on the wall would be a good idea. The aromatherapy massage was excellent; I think all my stress and worry sits in a little ball just above my left shoulder blade. The masseur did a lot of work in that area. Gibbo thought it was all pretty good too.

For dinner that night we went to The Farmers Arms where I had the best lamb shank I've ever eaten.

Tripping Around Victoria

Due to the generosity and kindness of some people we know we have been provided with a car to drive around in. Here's my chauffer. The car is a british racing green 2007 Jaguar with champagne leather seats and only 9000km on the clock. It's European so every time we want to turn a corner G turns the windscreen wipers on instead of the indicators.

We left Geelong on Monday morning and drove 20 minutes north to the place where we were to spend the next two days/nights. Even though we're on holidays we spent the first two days looking at agistment, backgrounders and feedlots.

The countryside here reminds me of our trip to England in 2010.

This was our taxi for the two days. We flew a five hour round trip from Victoria to NSW to look at a feedlot and inspect some backgrounders that are due to come to us over the next twelve months. I've been in light planes before but this was my first helicopter experience. It was great. The country is awesome from the air. We flew from very green pastures to rice paddocks to (what looked like) barren sheep country. The contrast was amazing.

Hay, waiting to be baled.

Pigs.

Patchwork.

Rice fields.

Backgrounders.

We had a delicious lamb roast lunch cooked for us by the feedlot manager (a versatile man)! This is just one of the views from the house - about 25m from the back door.

More pigs. I don't think our little pork enterprise will ever look like this.

Some views of the garden where we spent the first two nights (owned by the Jag/helicopter couple). The garden is tended by a 78yr old woman. Puts me to shame.

Potato plot.

On the second day we flew to Hamilton to inspect some agistment; G is desperately trying to find homes for cattle from CQ. It was a two hour round trip with a diversion to another property thrown in to look at more backgrounders.

An aerial view of the property where we stayed, about to land for the final time, day 2. We had a cup of tea and fresh scones with home made jams then drove an hour down the road to Daylesford to really begin our holiday.

Black Tie

Here we are at the gala dinner. I asked the BC photographer if he'd take a picture of us as we don't often dress up. Shame about my hair though. The walk from our hotel to the end of the pier was undertaken during gale force winds - hence the mess. G looks good though.