We are not Tossers!

Wednesday 21st December 2016 - to Bairnsdale

Whilst moving from Merimbula we couldn't resist a morning swim.  At 9am we were back on the beach having a dip.  The waves weren't as good but still invigorating.

Our journey today was sticking to the Princes Highway, route A1. Our first stop was at the town of Eden.  In fact we went East of Eden to the lookout point where people watch for whales.

Today's game is...Spot the Humpback,

We had to travel another 100km before we found another town, it was called Genoa, it comprised of one cafe and one hotel and both were closed.  We moved onto a town called Cann River, it had four bakeries all selling coffee.  We were spoiled for choice.

We crossed the line from New South Wales to Victoria.  Immediately we were beset by public safety road signs telling us that tiredness kills and to fasten our seat belts.  There is a regular public safety campaign in Australia telling us...'Don't be a Tosser'.  We certainly wouldn't think of it.  The campaign is to stop people tossing litter from their cars and especially not throwing lit cigarette ends from a car to prevent fire risks.  Fair dinkum.

Our penultimate stop was at Lakes Entrance.  This is a popular town that had a long beach and also a long thin lake and a series of other lakes nearby.  If this beach doesn't win the beach of the year prize I don't know what will....

The waves were crashing in...wow!  Here's the view the other way...

It's called Ninety Mile Beach.  I'm not sure whether that is factually accurate, but it looks good to me.

Here is a view of the lakes entrance from an elevated position.

Believe it or not, the day started sunny, became totally overcast and then beautifully sunny again as we travelled south.  The temperatures were only up to about 22 degrees though and at times as low as 18!

Our destination was Bairnsdale.  Our hotel was lovely.

It really felt authentic and had some heritage, yet it had modern comforts.  Far better than the place we stopped at Mount Victoria.

The town looked pleasant too.  It is on a river rather than by the sea.  We walked to the Catholic church....

A proper brick built church that is getting some external renovation.  There was a bit of a surprise inside....

The ceiling and walls had been painted by an Italian painter in the 1930's.  Our guide book told us that he painted it at the request of the local priest....I wondered if other churches were painted by artists who sneaked in at night without permission?  It was quite special.

We had our meal out in the evening at the the Grand Terminus Hotel.  It wasn't grand but it was nice.   Back to our lovely hotel, in hindsight we should have stayed here longer just for the hotel.