Warrnambool

After a night at Lake Colac - a peaceful free camp a few km's out of Colac we made our way to Warrnambool where we checked into Surfside Holiday Park in the Lake Pertobe area. Our spot is just a few metres from the steps over the dunes to the beach of Lady Bay. Across the road from the caravan park is the Adventure Playground that the kids have had fun on, from the giant slides, swings, maze and flying fox...

We spent most of Monday at Flagstaff Hill historic area - a lovely little 'village' and Maritime Museum. The kids enjoyed the 'Treasure Chest' hunt where they had to solve puzzles and riddles all the way around, putting the information in their 'passports'. They solved all mysteries! The local ducks were obviously used to the tourists feeding them, and feed them we did as they virtually chased us up the main street, ironically from the Steam Packet Inn... what had those ducks been drinking?

Here are the kids searching some barrels for the next clue in their quest...

We returned to Flagstaff Hill for the night laser and light show 'Shipwrecked' - based on the historical ship wreck of the Loch Ard. The museum part of Flagstaff Hill has many of the items salvaged from the wreck including the remarkable statue of a peacock. The museum bought this a number of years ago for around $4000 and now it is estimated to worth around $4 million! It was on the Loch Ard en route to the Exhibition Buildings but never made it - but survived the shipwreck with just a small bit of damage to its beak. 

The light and laser show was very good - gave us all a scare a couple of times, like when our seats all started moving to emulate being on the ship! Then the music began quite loudly a couple of times. Ethan spent some of the show with his beanie over his eyes! 

Here's our caravan site...

Also at Lake Pertobe we enjoyed a go in one of the noisy motorboats - Zac & Jet in one, with Daz and the other two in another...

The weather was great for an afternoon of boogie boarding - the water was cold but with wet suits, the kids stayed in for a while.

We were treated to a colourful sunset after being awoken early by a group of German tourists trying, unsuccessfully to fold up their motor-home awning in the dark. They had someone on the roof, some muttering all sorts of profanities in German... so Daz set off to look at the sunrise!

Back at the Adventure playground...

There is a terrific bike / walking trail that goes for about 7 km's along the foreshore, from the Breakwater to the mouth of the Hopkins River. We rode it several times, and stopped and found a number of geocaches along the way. Daz also rode from Port Fairy back to Warrnambool (41 km's) while Jet and the kids walked around Griffiths Island.

Tomorrow we leave Warrnambool and head about 165 km's to Casterton - just as the crowds descend on Warrnambool for the Easter break. We have 4 days there too.