This Adventurous Age

Adventures travelling and working around Australia.

Author Archives: wendyviney


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1998 Travels March 5

THURSDAY 5 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

Still cool.

I did a final wash.

In the morning, John changed the wheel on the van – he was not happy with the way the valve was sitting on one of those on the van.

In the afternoon, John went to bowls. He got diesel in Healesville  – 70 cpl.

I did some packing away inside the van.

We left in time to be at the farewell function venue, at Mt Burnett, beyond Cockatoo, by 5.30pm. It was an excellent occasion. John was really happy with it. I am glad we stayed on, to enable this to happen, because it has provided a positive conclusion to his career, rather than the anti-climax it earlier seemed. John was presented with the farewell gift of a set of Pentax binoculars, the same as mine. I’d earlier suggested this, when asked for ideas about what he would like. His younger daughter R was there and gave a good speech and a present of a tiny clock for the van.

I was to drive back to camp, so John did not have to count his celebratory drinks through the evening. I drove quite cautiously for the 50 or so kms, that was mostly through bushland. Did not want to have any unplanned encounters with wildlife, in the dark! It was after midnight when we got back.

A great way to finish up the Melbourne time.


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1998 Travels March 4

WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

A cooler day.

Drove home with the last of the things we are not taking with us. Then had a bistro counter lunch at the York on Lilydale, with my work friend. More news of the place, from a different perspective.

Went to H and R’s to pick up a mouse for John’s computer, and mouse pad.

Back at camp, packed away the annexe that we’d put up for S’s visit, took down the awning, packed the back of Truck which had been unpacked to sort the things we wanted to leave at home.


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1998 Travels March 3

TUESDAY 3 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

Another hot day.

I drove to the shops to get supplies for morning tea, from a bakery. It cost me $13.50, for special cakes as two of John’s former colleagues were coming to a late morning tea. They stayed a couple of hours. It was quite a sinfully indulgent spread – and there were leftovers, too! John caught up on all the news from his old school.

In the afternoon, we visited the nearby Healesville Sanctuary. We had been hearing the dingoes howling in the late afternoons, and it was years since either of us had been here. Cost $20.80 for entry.

The Healesville Sanctuary was set up in the 1930’s, through the work of Melbourne doctor, Sir Colin Mackenzie, to research and conserve Australian animals. Although the land was a grant from the State government, he put a lot of his own money into it. In the 1970’s, it became a branch of the Melbourne Zoo. It is now an extensive establishment, in natural bushland, with the Badger Creek meandering through.

It was great to wander the Sanctuary, just the two of us. It is so well done, and worth every cent of the admission. We particularly enjoyed all the bird displays – given our new interest in bird spotting. I was quite taken by the bush thick knee, or bush curlew, that was standing frozen in some grass, pretending we couldn’t see it. The display said that they were rare in the wild and we were most unlikely ever to see one outside of the Sanctuary.

03-03-1998 02 bush thicknee hiding Healesville Sanctuary.jpg

Bush thick knee, pretending it isn’t there

Went to the raptor display, which showed several birds of prey in flight and gave interesting details about them. That was excellent.

The platypus display was the best, we thought. It was fascinating to watch this unique creature swimming about, hunting for food, surfacing for air. The glass wall of the display area allows a side-on view of a creek and under the water, so one can view the animals submerged. We watched that for ages. Also watched the dingoes for a while – beautiful creatures.

Back at camp, John replaced the tyres on my bike.

Tea was salads – still full after morning tea! But we squeezed in some of the sinful leftovers


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1998 Travels March 2

MONDAY 2 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

Weather hot again.

Today was a driving day, going around to clear up a lot of oddments. It was also a spending day!

Had to visit our bank to arrange some investment details. We went to Knox Hospital so John could have yet another blood test – this one would be a final check so that his “donated” hip could go to the bone bank. Rather a gory thought.

After that, going to the Miners Den shop was a pleasant experience for him, because he bought himself a new metal detector – much improved on the one he bought back in 1993. What did I say earlier about having all the gadgets? John plans to use the detector to look for gold, when we are in those sorts of areas, but also has thoughts of maybe finding coins on beaches, in camp areas, and the like. He thinks he will have more success with this one.

At the RACV Shop, I bought some maps and a book about Tasmania; only $6.50 for the lot. Office Works yielded some computer programs for John. From a camera shop he bought a carry case for the new digital camera. Bought new tyres for my bike.

We visited home.  Farewelled P and K, for the last time for a year. They are not able to come to John’s farewell dinner, as K is rostered to work. P already has her wedding dress, a whole year ahead. They have firmed up plans for a USA honeymoon. The pool has gone a pale tinge of green, but K assures us that this will be rectified soon – that his future father-in-law, who “knows about these things” has it all under control. Hmmmm. K has had plenty of instruction from John, over the years, so should be doing it himself. Anyway, out of our control, now.

We went back to the van, after driving 150kms doing all these chores.

Friends G and N came out to look at the van, as they are thinking ahead to retirement travels. They stayed for a couple of hours. I then phoned another friend, and arranged to have lunch with her on Wednesday.

Tea was left over risotto, and fruit.


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1998 Travels March 1

SUNDAY 1 MARCH     HEALESVILLE

A hot day again, for the start of autumn. In my original travel plans, did not envisage that we would STILL  be around Melbourne as the season changed, eight weeks after setting off! I  rather feel that we really have yet to get started “properly” on our travels. But – has been necessary. Although the medical appointments that brought us back here are now done, we will stay a few more days in order to attend a farewell function from John’s school. Because of his illness last year, he did not get back to work before the end of the school year, and now the staff and community want to say goodbye properly. He is pleased that they want to do this.

The time here makes for some fairly mundane diary entries, with very few photos to liven them up. But we will soon be properly on our way, and things will become more interesting.

Had to drive to the shops to get some supplies for tea and rolls for lunch.

Drove around to Badger Creek Weir Park and went for a very pleasant walk through the bush. It was just enough , in the heat.

John’s younger daughter came to tea, again. She was not in a happy mood, so the evening was not a comfortable one. She left fairly early. I made tomato and mushroom risotto for tea.


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1998 Travels February 28

SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

A pleasantly warm day.

I drove to the shops quickly, after breakfast, to buy the paper and a few groceries.

Then John headed off to play pennant bowls, filling in for his usual team. He bought diesel on the way – 68cpl at a Fast Fuel place.

In the afternoon, friend T, from my old work, came to visit. I caught up on all the “goss”, so far this year. It all seems frightening familiar – the same old intrigues and personality clashes. I am interested to hear about the people – but definitely not interested in going back. It is already starting to seem a long time ago. My great fear that I would be bored, after the constant mental stimulation of work, has not eventuated, which surprises me a bit.

I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. As did John, who had played well and was happy.

Tea was pork chops with apple sauce, followed by fruit.


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1998 Travels February 27

FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

Cooler today – last night’s storms have cooled things off.

Drove towards the city to drop S off at her mother’s place. S had to sit on the one remaining back seat,  which meant we had to unpack the stuff that usually travels on it and in the footwell.

John had an appointment to see his physician, at Knox Hospital. He does not have the vital test results yet. Bugger! However, he is happy with the way John seems to have recovered from the clots in his lungs, although the worst affected lung will never be quite normal, it seems. John is to phone in another two weeks for the test results. This could create some problems if he has to go back on Warfarin, but guess we will worry about that if it happens. John is convinced there is nothing wrong with his blood.

We called in at H and R’s place for John to collect his new laptop – a Twinhead, scanner and the digital camera he had coveted. Getting them through R was the most economic way, but they still cost over $4000. Still, it was money he had earned.  Now he has all the gadgets he wants – for the moment!

We went to the bowls club, so John could practice his bowls for an hour and a half. I sat in Truck and read.

Went home to drop off some more things we’d culled from what we started out with. Included in the cull has been the chainsaw that John thought we should take, and which he had stored in the front boot of the van. Now, he feels the extra weight is really not worth the slight chance we might need it. We are quite sure now that the ball weight of the van on Truck is substantially less than when we started out.

Saw the pets again. Not sure what dog makes of the coming and goings. I feel bad every time.

Back at the caravan park, I phoned our broker and put in orders for more shares that I’d decided were worth having – a mix of good dividend payers and ones I am speculating will rise in price so I can sell them and make a profit.

Tea was fish and chips, from a different shop this time, and not so greasy.


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1998 Travels February 26

THURSDAY 26 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

It was a very hot and windy day. Bushfire weather in these parts.

John went to the skin specialist, who burnt keratoses off his hands, nose and forehead. He then collected his elder daughter, who had been staying at her mother’s place, and brought her back to Healesville.

While he was away, I made the necessary phone calls to arrange the purchase of some shares I wanted.

We looked at S’s photos and heard her stories about her recent overseas posting connected with her Foreign Affairs work. Sounded really “different” and a great experience for her.

We put up the full canvas annexe outside the van, for the first time, to make a “room” for S to sleep in. It all works! Moreover, it was pretty straightforward to put up. Her bed is the fold up banana lounge that John insisted we carry with us, for eventual lazing on a beach somewhere……..

I made a creamy chicken and mango salad for tea. It was delicious.

There was a massive lightning display, after dark, and then some rain – the culmination of this run of hot days, I think. It is this sort of thing that starts bushfires in these parts – and I certainly would not want to be here if there was a fire in the area.

At least we established that the annexe is waterproof!


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1998 Travels February 25

WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

It was a really hot day. We needed a quiet one.

We both pottered about. John put up the new aerial. He had to drive home to get some bits and pieces he needed, from his shed, so the project occupied much of his day.  At the end of all that, we receive 3 channels – a result he is happy with, given the hilly and treed surrounds here.

I read and sewed, and did some more research on shares.


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1998 Travels February 24

TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

We were up really early and left the park at 6am!  It was still dark. The reason for this unlikely behaviour was that Truck was booked in for a service at the Frankston dealer’s, where we bought it. John is also getting mudflaps and Polyair suspension airbags fitted, and the tyres rotated. Frankston is a long way from Healesville. At least, we were so early that we were before the worst of the traffic, and we had Truck there by the required 8am.

We had several hours to fill in somehow, and without our own transport. John’s first idea was to visit one of his sisters, at Seaford. He thought we could walk it – turned out to be about 4kms, and by the time we got there, she was not home. He had not contacted her in advance.

Rather than walk back to Frankston, we managed to catch a bus to the centre.

Spent over an hour browsing in an Office Works shop. Actual shopping had to be very limited because of having to carry anything we bought, for hours. Had a coffee. Then to Lincraft so I could browse – but there was some pressure on me not to take too long! We bought rolls for lunch and ate them outside the shop.

John wanted to go to the cinema. We saw “As Good as it Gets” and enjoyed the film. Jack Nicholson was very good; the dog was excellent!

Took a taxi back to the Landrover dealership, about which John was not particularly happy, but I was tired and it was just too much effort to walk, or try to find a correct bus. I needed easy mode! The taxi only cost $7.50, anyway.

Work was all done. It all cost $650, which we were satisfied with. But we are starting to suspect that nothing associated with Landrovers is cheap!

Also bought some coolant for Truck – to be emergency supply. The “recipe” is 3 bottles of this into radiator and fill up with water. Hope we don’t need this.

It was a tedious drive back to Healesville, through the building late afternoon traffic.

John’s younger daughter was expected to tea tonight – only time she had available, but not the best timing for us.

I cooked steak and mushrooms, served with salad. Fruit to follow. Not particularly fancy, but time was restricted.

While I was preparing tea, I heard a great crashing noise outside. Further along the row of sites, a large branch had fallen from a gum tree. It fell neatly between two adjacent vans, with the only damage very slight, to a car. Very lucky in the way it fell – would have squashed the vans had it landed on them. I am pleased that there are no sizeable trees hanging over us.

Pleasant enough evening, and R did not stay late, which was good as we both needed an early night.

We drove 185kms today. Two big days of driving in a row.