The Moas Blog

Here at the Denham Seaside Caravan Park, we keep moving the rubbish bins to a more convenient location for us and the bin-nazi keeps moving it back to a more central but inconvenient location.

‘Do you know who keeps on moving the bins?’ was the question. So I said with a dead-pan response – ‘Yep’.

He went on to say that they are in a more central and convenient location so that the happy campers can ‘walk’ to them.

I’m thinking, get real, there is only 4 sites that have campers and there are about 15 bins. So, why not make our stay a little more comfortable and have our own personal bin. Heaven knows, I dont want to ‘walk’ everywhere especially to a ‘more central and convenient location’ – I’m on holidays!!!

Now, he has taken our strategically placed bin and put it with the rest of them in the ‘more central and convenient location’. I’m going to do it again today and by the end of our stay I reckon there will be the complete set of 15 in ‘more central and convenient’ location.

You’ve just gotta laugh.

What a disappointment. To come out of the wilderness of the South West and into a capital city that is just a mess was a bit of a shock.

I’ve been there before, a long time ago, so I was kind of expecting something different. To use the word unkempt is an understatement. Perth is a dump!

Maybe it was all the roadworks (spending the royalties, no doubt), maybe it was the locals, maybe they are so entrenched in building new stuff, they’ve forgotten to clean up.

Unhappy Janet.

Finally, got to Esperence – very nice place, right on the Southern Ocean, the water was ffffrreeeeeeeezin!

Albany is not much chop, reminded me a bit of some of the NZ towns I’ve been to.

Margaret River – well I didnt expect what I was about to see. This place is covered by native forests and then theres the vinyards. Seems that farmer Joe has sold off his sheep paddocks to some smarties who thought they could grow some drinking grapes – and it has worked for the most part. The town of Margaret River is another touristy-trappy-type-o-town. We will of course be doing a local wine tour (cant sample wine by spitting it out and dont want a DUI charge) and this should see us through until we get back to the SA wine region in a month or 3.

Based in Busselton, well this is a go ahead place, new buildings and housing estates propping up everywhere – again farmer Joe must be laughing all the way to the bank!!

What a strange landscape. After what seemed like a thousand days, travelling through the SA wheat belt, we hit the Nubbalor, sorry The Numberlor, oops, the Nungalorn Plain, nope, sorry, thats not it. Its just so freakin bleeeek, not a tree in sight (Nulla from the Latin for nothing and Bor from the Latin for sylvan, etc (trees and stuff)).

And then the straight road for 146ks – oh my gord, I thought I’d seen it all….had the cruise control on and the ocky strap connected to the steering wheel !!

Dont think I need to do that one again.

After a very nice stay in the apple isle, it was time to get back to the big island. Bypass Melbourne and then to the lovely german village of Harndorf to sample some fine wine and tasty sausage.

What a nice place, although very touristy and of course all the shops are closed on Monday and Tuesday.

A bit cold and wet, up in the hills behind Adelaide, it reminded me of the Snowy region in late autumn.

Onwards to all points in the western region of our big and I mean big country.

Off to Tassie on the Spirit, an overnight crossing, a bit rocky. Well, rocky as in rolly overy the wavesie. If it was rocky we would be on the bottom of the Bass.

Devonport – a lovely little hamlet that welcomes a shit load of visitors from the mainland. Very european and very ozzie at that same time. Did you know that the farmers grow opium poppies here – fields of the stuff – and they have signs on the fence warning of death with the use of this crop. I named them the ‘fields of death’.

Topical, as the Tassie premier is currently talking up Tasmania as the food bowl of Orstralya.

Today, we are in St Helens, up near the top on the right hand side, having travelled from Devonport to Launceston and then across some very hilly and windy (thats wine-dee, like wind it up, ya mug) roads.

Even saw some hops growing. Surely this will become part of the ‘bowl’ food mix.

The state election is looking very weird.
Most of the players are quite young, compared to some national pollies, and are quite disturbing in that they all look like failed real estate agents or failed second hand car dealers. Heaven help us.

The Mornington Peninsular – water restrictions, very brown.
Whooda thunk it, but there are some really beautiful places down this end of the Bay. Very Mediterranean. Again with azure water. Lots of little hamlets as you travel down the road towards Portsea and its only about 70kms from Melbourne. Just like the gong (WGong, that is), people live and play down here and work up in the big smoke – commuters, I think they call them.

On Saturday night we are boarding the Spirit for our trip to the Rock in the middle of the 40′s…..

What a world away from the lakes district. Here the blue azure water was more azure-er than up in the tropics. Maybe its the fresh water from the mighty Bass Straight, dunno. This place is a sleepy little inlet (Anderson’s Inlet) just 10kms from Wongthaggi and about 50kms from Phillip Island and Australia’s premier motor racing circuit.

Wongthaggi – I just love the name.
Oh, just going down to the thaggs….how many thaggs does it take to change a light bulb? Won…..sorry, I thought it was v.funny…..

Goto this site http://www.laketyerscaravanpark.com.au/index.html – It has been described as ‘The Pearl of the Gippsland Lakes’ or ‘The Loch Lomond of the South’.

I totally agree with this, just a lovely place, pub across the road from the caravan park…..which is next to the beach and facing the mighty Bass Straight. There is even a couple of old blokes fishing from the beach. Don’t know whether they are catching anything, but, nonetheless worthy candidates for the title of ‘this is what I do now’……

On to Inverloch tomorrow…

Dont know why Marlo. It looked good on the map. “Where the Snowy Meets the Sea” is the slogan around here. Its actually where the mighty Snowy River dumps into the Southern Ocean/Tasman Sea.

One pub, one general store, 2 caravan parks and a fishing ramp. That says it all really. Oh, and, it is raining….nice one!!

As we all know, honey should not be kept in the fridge.

So now I’m in the nation’s capital after a blow-in visit to the Leisure Coast to celebrate an 18th birthday.
I cant get over how many people are in this place, I guess you just dont realise that to run a country you need a lot of peope and those people have to be housed and fed somewhere. It was very busy in the supermarket after 5pm!!

The honey? It is now in the cupboard.

It was fine one day and and then number 6 blew into town bringing the tropical weather – tha bastard.

Arrhh, beautiful Port Macquarie.
We are back in cockeroach country heading south.
Havnt been here for yonks and the place has spread out so much that you wouldnt believe it. The last time I was here was when I was ‘enlisted’ to work on my uncle’s paddleboat to front the bar on New Year’s eve. I remember it as I got my shins sunburnt during the day and was wearing some knee high boots (oh the 70′s fashion) and the boots kept rubbing on the sunburn – ouch. With two hours to go, the boss said to only pour half nips!!!

Still, it is a lovely place.

We now have to compete with the other nomads for our caravan spots – its amazing how many nomads are on the road. More amazingly, there are lots of French and German tourists !!!

Well, I got off the plane and it was 35 degrees, raining with 100 percent humidity.

I don’t get this Qld. thing. It’s nice for a day but – yukko. Boring. Couldn

All of our staff at Moas Central extend a Merry Festivous greeting to you, yes, you and your famil(y/ies).

Thanks for your support throughout 2009 and have a great 2010…..ed.

I’m on-line looking at my ‘charges yet to be billed’ section on My Account and I see 2 phone calls that I made to them (well Bigpond actually, but it IS the same animal) due to the fact they had not passed on my discount for signing up with Bigpond and had ‘full-priced’ me for the 1st 2 months. Continue reading →

Merry Xmas from your favourite council!

Here’s your Xmas News:

BOTANY BAY TO BECOME AN AQUATIC NATIONAL PARK!!!!!!

Yes, Council has realised the importance of Botany Bay and, in secret (shhhsss……..) has obtained 50 (YES 50) giant White Pointers…..we have released these magnificent animals into Botany Bay last night! Council implores all residents to “come on down” and enoy the mighty animals (the SMALLEST is 4.5 metres!) and swim with these animals.

All residents are welcome!!!

The pluses are we can use the vacant houses to put up more units every where!!!!)