Lakes Entrance | Diary of an Adventurous Retiree

It was windy and cool at Lakes Entrance today and we decided against a guided boat trip of The Lakes deciding instead to explore on our own.

Lakes Entrance

We probably chose to drive too far but it ended up being a very worthwhile trip when we discovered Sale Nature Reserve on our way back. Earl, of course, was in search of harbours and boats but the sea was not visible from the roads we drove along as the coastline is lined with trees and bush and very few houses were on the beach front too. We did get out to look at the 90 mile beach and found a lone fisherman trying his luck.

90 Mile Beach

As usual we looked everywhere for bird life and found plenty. Rainbow lorikeets flew overhead but eluded photographs, galahs were noisy and arboreal birds called tantalisingly from the trees granting us only the occasional glimpse for their beautiful colours.

There are many lakes and rivers hosting waterbirds and we stopped to watch them too. The Australian Purple Swamphen which got us all excited in the beginning is so common that we hardly give it a glance now! There are also myriads of coots and white-faced herons. We were pleased to find the Pacific Heron today.

Yellow Wattle Eye

Purple Swamphen

Coots for Australia

Pacific Heron

Covered by Red Gum woodland and grasslands, the Sale Common State Game Refuge off the South Gippsland Highway covers approximately 300 hectares. Over 70 percent of the refuge consists of freshwater marsh where myriads of water birds make their home. There are boardwalks for visitors to walk along as well as one or two bird hides. Vandalism even in this pristine place has reared its ugly head and one of the shelters is in the process of being dismantled because of it. We were delighted to find two Rufous Whistlers in a mating sequence in the trees above our heads. He sang to her tunefully while she bobbed and spread her tail feathers in a mating dance then they swapped places and he spread his feathers and sang some more. He must have hit the wrong note because after a while she got bored and flew off leaving him still singing but with less enthusiasm.

Rufous Whistler birds courting

Male singing and displaying

We were looking intently into the trees for birds when a young girl came running back along the track she had walked, specially to inform us that there were ring tailed possums in full view. This was the highlight of the day for me. They are supposed to be nocturnal so to be out in the middle of the day was quite unusual. We were able to get right up close to them and took tons of photographs and they were not fazed by us at all.

What beautiful eyes

Note the ring tail hooked onto the branch

Two at play

The wetland

Welcome Swallows

Another Rufous Whistler

Back at Lakes Entrance we found a gull that looked very familiar but it is not a Kelp gull and Aunt says she has not seen these in Australia before. There was only one but the book tells us they are often seen in this area.

Pacific Gull -red tip to both upper and lower bill and black tail

I couldn’t resist taking a photograph of some teenagers at the skate park – looked like lots of fun.

After our lovely day we decided to have an early supper. The local fish shop provided us with ready cooked prawns which we had with salad followed by ice cream and fruit salad, cheese and biscuits and then Earl went down and got us ‘real’ coffee and truffles from the restaurant. A perfect end to a glorious day!

Our Delicious Supper

Cheers till tomorrow

Today we had to leave Yarra Valley and our stunning accommodation. This is a photograph of me in the shower/spa bath which has a clear glass window to the lounge – there is of course a curtain for modesty!

View from the lounge through to the kitchen – bathroom is transparent!

The weather was cool for travelling today. We left at 9:30 and our drive to Lakes Entrance took us just over four hours with a couple of loo stops and one coffee break. The latter was an interesting ‘in the middle of nowhere’ diner with an outside loo just off Princes Highway. There were a few homes hidden among the trees and this place was probably owned by the people in the house next door to it. It was pretty busy too – trucker, tourists and locals obviously find it a convenient place for to break their journey or take a break from normal life. Once again we found the people friendly and efficient. I thought the loo might be dodgy, perhaps even a long drop – but it was perfectly clean and had a well-maintained flush system! The wash basin was outside and the only tiny complaint was that the soap had run out and there was no towel! Luckily I carry my own waterless hand-wash wherever I go! Besides my fetish about clean ablutions I also require my coffee to be ‘just right’ and I get grumpy if I’m served a bad cup of coffee anywhere in the world I find myself. Australia – you have passed the test – I love your “long blacks” and haven’t had an inferior one yet – not even at this odd little place in the middle of the bush!

The Diner

The Diner

Coffee Menu

The Loo

The kitchen is in full view – everything is immaculate

The past two days of luxury are over – but our new accommodation is not half bad. We have a comfortable two-bedroomed apartment with excellent cooking facilities – but it is not serviced – horror! We do have a view and are close to the lake and the beach. There is a washing machine, iron, ironing board and all household gadgets needed. This is the norm in most Australian hotels which is really cool.

We settled in and then went shopping – we intend to self-cater – and we’re finding the quality of the supermarket food quite remarkable. At home I only shop at Woolworths – here all the supermarkets have excellent quality fruit and vegetable and the staff are all very helpful. The interesting thing about Australia is that there seems to be very little class distinction. Any job is a good job and folk are proud of their jobs and do them well and other people respect what they do too – well that’s our experience so far anyway. Also everything is clean and well maintained. We have seen very little litter, lawns are trimmed, fences are fixed and our accommodation has been fantastic be it luxury or budget, everything works and there has been little or no cause for complaint. So often at home we find something doesn’t work – usually the plumbing or electrics. The worst we’ve had here is a problem getting the key card to work – but that was due more to our ignorance rather than technical error!

After a pleasant shopping experience we took a walk along the promenade to check out the beach and boats, watched a couple of lads fish and photographed some carvings that commemorate and honour those who were injured or killed in The Great War.

Lakes Entrance

Earl loves this place

Boats in the harbor

Pied Oyster Catcher on the shore

One of the carvings done to commemorate those who were injured or died in The Great War

Young boys fishing for Bream

Earl is cooking dinner tonight – lamb chops, baked potatoes and vegetables. Could life be more complete than this – a fabulous setting, a divine husband who cooks and an aunt who loves me.! How lucky am I!