Toorongo Falls, Noojee Victoria

August 27, 2018 Geoffrey O'Hearn

About a two hour drive from Melbourne is the town of Noojee. The name is taken from the Aboriginal word meaning 'a place to rest' or 'contentment.' The location lives up to its name. Nestled south of the Yarra Ranges and on the route to the Baw Baw ski fields, Noojee is surrounded by picturesque lush rolling hills.

As you pass the town, take Toorongo Valley Road, which will take you to a car park where you find the walking track to Toorongo Falls. The track is quite accessible and only requires a basic to moderate level of fitness and no experience. The track itself is quite solid and has some steps and gentle hill sections. The loop is about 2.2km long and will take about 1 - 1.5 hours.

Along the loop is Amphitheatre Falls, the path to these falls from Toorongo Falls is a gentle and reasonably level walk. The good news is, once you have reached Amphitheatre Falls, it is all down hill from there.

Along the walk you will be alongside the Toorongo river and will be able to enjoy the view of the water as it cascades through the forest. Also notable to look out for is the bird life and in the winter the fungi.

At the car park there are toilet facilities and picnic tables so that you can recharge and refresh before returning to Melbourne or travelling onward to your next destination in wonderful, Victoria Australia.

Charlies Auto Museum on the Mornington Peninsula

June 13, 2018 Geoffrey O'Hearn

Charlie's Auto Museum, Arthurs Seat, Victoria, Australia

Charlie's Auto Museum is located on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and is a must for the auto enthusiast, especially if you like some of the old British and American Cars. The address is 175 Purves Road, Arthurs Seat and is approximately an hour and a half drive from Melbourne.

Charlie opened the museum in 1988 and over the years the collection has grown to over 80 vehicles and a wide range of paraphernalia.

Entry is a reasonable $15 for Adults with children $8. A family ticket is also available for $40. The staff are friendly and there is a cafe onsite for refreshments.

Located nearby is the Enchanted Adventure Garden which features a hedge maze and zip-line as well as the Arthurs Seat Eagle scenic gondola ride. Make it a full day trip and enjoy some of the local wines from the numerous wineries or head down to the beach to refresh on a hot day.

Ship Rock Falls Victoria Australia

May 22, 2018 Geoffrey O'Hearn

Ship Rock Falls, Hoddles Creek, Victoria, Australia

On a cold and drizzly day I found myself at the Ship Rock Falls in Hoddles Creek, Victoria. Located on Gembrook-Launching Place Road, it is wise to use GPS navigation as you can easily miss the entrance if you are not paying attention.

There is a picnic site and a very basic toilet that drops to a septic tank. A short walk of 170 meters will bring you to the viewing platform. From there you can see an "off track" path that will bring you closer to waterfalls. Follow the path and you will have a choice to climb up for a closer view, or climb down for a more overall view of the falls.

Caution: This site is not the easiest to walk around and there is very little in the way of defined tracks. You will need some effort to get around this area. The rocks can be very slippery, even more so when they are wet. I thoroughly recommend having at least one other person with you in case you get into trouble.

The reward is the ability to take some great photos. Long exposure photography with waterfalls is a must, so bring your ND filter with you to get those photos with silky water streaming over the rocks.

Warburton Redwood Forest Wonder

May 17, 2018 Geoffrey O'Hearn

About an hour and a half drive east from Melbourne, near the Yarra Valley, is the Warburton Redwood Forrest.

The car park is down a small dirt road suitable for all vehicles. Adjacent to the car park is the entrance and wondrous view of the 1476 Californian Redwood trees arranged in geometric symmetry. Row after row of tall timber lined up perfectly has you looking in all directions, appreciative on the clever planting and majesty of nature to grow and keep these majestic pillars erect in such an order.

Dragon's Nest and the straight lines of the forest

As you walk through the forest you are greeted with the remains of woven "dragons nests" which are believed to be part of an artwork and add to the mystique of this forest.

Further down the hill as you walk through the forest are some walking tracks. These walking tracks will take you to Cement Creek. Bring your ND filters and there is great opportunity for photos of the creek with silky smooth water.

If you like nature and want to do something different then the drive to this forest is well worth the effort.