Portland

 I love Queensland - it is always warm in Queensland even when it rains - not true of Victoria.  We had a lot of plans but did have to change quite a few of them due to the rain.  Looking on the bright side it allowed me time to catch up on our blog.

Portland was only a 50 minute drive along the coast from Port Fairy so our plan was to stop at Yambuk and see the lakes before heading into the tourist information office at Portland to get a local map and plan our coastal visits in more detail as we knew there was a lot to see.  We had left by 8am and the sun was shining.

Yambuk

A very quiet little town not much more than the caravan park at the lake really.  We drove and parked and walked down onto the beach.  What a lovely place to visit with your family.  Best of both worlds, lakes and ocean.

Portland

The further West we drove the darker the weather got until we arrived in Portland and it was beginning to rain.  We went into the Visitors Centre, got a local map.  Were told the tram wasn't running the day before because of the rain so might not today either.  They had a small museum there so we went in.  They had the carcass of a male sperm whale which was impressive.  Our hope was the rain might ease off.  

Sadly it hadn't stopped raining but it was light so we decided to see the things that we didn't want to miss just in case the weather got worse.  

Discovery Bay Coastal Park

We love the way waves crashing into the shore.  This piece of coast is made of basalt and scoria and the blowholes create spectacular spouts of sea spray during high seas.  Also further along the cliffs is a seal colony but it is a 5km walk to the end and we knew we wouldn't be able to do it but thought we might spot some seals if we were lucky.  

What we didn't know before going was that there is also a petrified forest there on the cliff top above the blow holes.  When we arrived it was still spitting - some other people were there and a lady said it was amazing and worth the effort.  So rain coats on and our hats over the top we walked the 300m or so to the blowholes.  I have to say best lad out paths and boardwalks we have been on which is just as well as the weather turned just at we got there and it poured.  As we were already wet we decided we might as well walk the extra 200m to the forest - never having seen one I wasn't too sure what to expect but wow it was gorgeous, even in the rain (some pictures unfortunately were too fuzzy).  The steps higher up were now filling with huge puddles so we didn't go to the top lookout as I was concerned with coming back down - my knee is not behaving very well and by this time our denim shorts were soaked and we have rivers running down our legs.  

We now had the problem of what to do next.  We couldn't get in to our hotel room for another few hours, we couldn't go to a cafe as we were too wet.  I had seen some walkers changing at the tourist office and so we took our dry jeans into the tourist office and asked them if we could change.  As we didn't want to get soaked again as we still had wet feet, the only thing to do was find somewhere nice for lunch until we could go to our hotel room which is what we did.  We did see some "different" things on our drive.  A house had statues of animals outside.  A motorbike helmet as a post box - cool.   Oh and on the way back from the restaurant we saw the tram was running.

The next morning was much of the same but supposed to clear up at mid-day.  We decided to go back to the blowholes as high-tide was at 12Noon and David wanted to try and see some seals in Bridgewater Bay.  As we got out the car it started spitting again but this time held off.  

Sadly no seals.  The new video I took was excellent but too big so have included a shorter one from the day before.

Cape Bridgewater

You pass through the town on the way up to the blow holes and petrified forest.  The 5km cliff walk starts here  We did stop the day before to watch people surfing in the rain but today we went and had a look at the lookout in search of our elusive seals.  This town seems to be expanding as the whole waterfront is new with a new big surf club.

We decided against the steep walk so headed off for Cape Nelson - the other end of Bridgewater Bay.

Cape Nelson 

The Lightstation

Another lighthouse.  We almost missed the lookout as we went for the one right in front as you followed the path.  It was OK but nothing spectacular.  Then as we were walking back towards the cafe, David saw some people up behind the lighthouse.  Sure enough there was the real lookout and boy were we glad he saw it because there in the waves in front of us was a seal frolicking in the surf.  Quite made our day.  She is hard to see.  In the lower half of the video just above the breaking surf.

Pinnacles Lookout and Eastern Ramparts Lookout

We have been used good car parks at lookouts as in room for at least a dozen cars.  Not so here - two if you were lucky and rather tricky to get in and out of.  Therefore quick look, photo and David stayed with the car.

Yellow Rock Lookout

This one at least had room to turnaround and reverse park so David came along too.  This beach is great for trainee surfers apparently and there were steps all the way down but we didn't.

As we pulled away it was beginning to rain again so we decided to call it a day.  The gannets at Point Danger were sacrificed for a warm hotel room.  Off to Mount Garnier tomorrow and South Australia; Victoria will be in our rear view and so hopefully will be this English weather!!