Ned Kelly Statue Glenrowan

Replica of Ned Kelly's Armour

Mountains between Whitfield & Mansfield

Before Bonnie Doon

Pa cooking tea camp style (like the wine glass)

3/4/2012 - I have decided to go by date now instead of day as it is getting harder to remember how many days it has been!!!  Anyway we left the caravan park at Wangaratta about 9.15 and it is another beautiful day.  Thought we would go down to Glenrowan and check out Ned Kelly country.  We went through the Museum there and it was really interesting.  Even though Ned was really a thief you had to feel sorry for him and the events that made him what he was. We then followed the Major Mitchell Trail (the backblocks) down to Lurg, Whitfield and Cheshunt where there were lots of wineries, black Angus cattle and sheep.  Had lunch at Whitfield and as we were leaving got a call to say the van was ready so we went from Whitfield to Mansfield all the while still climbing up and down mountains.  Only got to 910 metres above sea level today (just think yesterday we were 1000 metres higher) Amazingly a lot of these mountains don't have any crash barriers on them and not a lot of shoulder so there are no room for errors.  Then Mansfield to Bonnie Doon where there is a huge lake.  The countryside all the way has been absolutely spectacular with lots of green rolling hills and valleys, beautiful cattle, sheep and some lovely old buildings and vineyards.  Then to Bonnie Doon down to Yea and on to Seymour where we stayed last weekend.  We fuelled up there and headed on down to Epping to pick up the van.  Drove in to Vanguard and there she was - our home and so much higher.  She had a whole new suspension on as well as a few little things we got to them to do in the interior and they had weighed her again and she was definitely 200kgs overweight for the old suspension.  After the run down from them we headed north  out of the rat race and on to Kilmore.  We stopped in Wallan at Coles and got some snags and baked beans for tea.  Got to the caravan park about 7pm and set up.  Our step doesn't work and keeps shorting out so something is wrong there.  Pa finally got the step to go down by wriggling it. At least it is down for now so it is not like climbing a mountain trying to get into the van without a step. (It really is a lot higher)  He will have a look at that tomorrow - we have run out of light. Then hooked up the hose for the water and had a leak under the van - they hadn't hooked up the water hose properly.  Lucky Pa knows the plumbing very well and he fixed it. (This trip round the Block has definitely not been boring) Anyway we cooked tea on our little butane stove and had our wine in our travel coffee cups.  This is what you call camping in your caravan and we reckon sausages never tasted so good. At least we have our bedding with us and some clothes so all is good.  On to Leongatha tomorrow to reload the van and give the car and van a really good wash.  Will head west after Easter.