Hobart

29th Jan, 10.
We arrived in Hobart and our very first trip was to the Cadbury Factory...Yummy!


30th Jan, 10.
We went to the famous Salamanca Markets, the vibe was great! We had a nice relaxing day shopping and walking around the wharf.

Friendly Beaches/Freycinet National Park

27th Jan, 10.
We travelled to Friendly Beaches Campground in the Freycinet National Park. Our camp site was just metres from the beach :)
We went for a walk along the pristine beach...

And went for a drive to Coles Bay and Bicheno.

28th Jan, 10.
The kids started back at school and there were no complaints about their new classroom...


School work was completed by 9am, so off we went for a difficult 11km walk to the Wineglass Bay Lookout, then down to Wineglass Bay, over to Hazards Beach and finally back to the carpark. The walk took a total of 3hours to complete and we were stuffed at the end, but all agreed that it was worth it.





We went to Richardsons Beach for some lunch, a swim and a kayak ride.

St Helens & Scamander

25th Jan, 10.
We arrived in Tasmania this morning and drove to Longford and had breaky.
We then drove to NE coast and stayed in Scamander (just south of St Helens).
We went for a drive/walk to the Bay of Fires... OMG just gorgeous!
The most white and powdery sand and clear blue sparkling water...:0 Just breath-taking!



26th Jan, 10.
We went for a few lovely walks today.
Halls Falls...


Anchor Stampers, where the original stampers can still be seen from the tin mining days...


Mt Poimena...


And St Columba Falls...


We completed the day with cheese tasting and purchasing at "Holy Cow Cafe".
What a great way to spend Australia Day?!?!?!?! :)

Melbourne

First stop - Romsey
We stayed 2 nights with Michelle, Darryl, Christie & Kane.
We went for a bushwalk at Hanging Rock.


Daniel & Kane went to play golf, while Chantelle and Christie went shopping.

Then we stayed a few nights with Nicole, Jamie, Alex & Sami in Sunbury.
The kids went swimming, they played Australian Idol, dressups etc.


They also went Yabbying.


We went to Aunty Colleen's for lunch, then afterwards Michael took us on a tour of Melbourne. The kids were happy to be catching a tram...


We spent a day with Louise, Andrew, Mia and Nicholas.
We were visited their by Berni and her 5 gorgeous girls... Molly, ALice, Georgia, Grace and baby Eliza. We ate lunch and had a swim in the pool.


WE had a lovely time catching up with the extended Shaghnessy family and appreciate their lovely hospitality. xxxxx

Benalla & Stringybark Creek

15th Jan, 10.
We met the Pace Family at the Rocket Park in Benalla...



Then they came to the caravan park for a BBQ.
My beautiful neice dislocated her elbow and broke her arm just above her elbow... she spent the next 2 nights in hospital. POOR MAKAYLA!

16th Jan, 10.
We went for a trip out to Stringybark Creek... where the Kelly Gang had a shootout with the police in 1878 - which led to Ned Kelly's execution in Nov 1880.



We then drove to "Power's Lookout" - Harry Power was the bushranger that took Ned Kelly under his wing and taught him bushranger trade secrets. This was site was where Harry Power had a lookout over the King Valley.

Beechworth & Benalla

13th Jan, 2010
We went to Beechworth.
Of course when we got there we ate at the famous Beechworth Bakery...
Then we went to the old Beechworth Courthouse, where Ned Kelly was tried in 1878 for a horse receiving crime and then held in the cell there in 1880 before being sent to Melbourne for the trial of the murders of Constables Scanlon & Lonigan.



This is Chantelle sitting at the Judges Bench...



And this is Daniel sitting at the exact dock where Ned Kelly once sat during his own trial...



In the afternoon we arrived in Benalla (3 days early) and surprised the Pace Family.
We all went out to dinner at the Royal :)

14th Jan, 2010.
Today we booked our passage over to Tasmania.
We go over on the 24th Jan and return on 15th Feb... Can't wait!

Tawonga - Mongan's Bridge

11th Jan, 2010
We spent the entire day at camp and swimming in the river.
It was another hot day!!!
Here are some photos of Rod and the kids jumping off the swing:







12th Jan, 2010
We planned to spend the day at Mt Buffalo but when we got there it was closed due to fire risk. The kids were happy to go back and play with their new friends.
Rod and I rode 2.5km to Ceccanti Winery, we had a lovely Tuscan lunch and drank a bottle of Merlot. We were glad the entire trip back was downhill :)
We also rode on our surf mats down the river with the trip taking approx 30mins.