Friday, January 31, 2025

Bellarine visit 2/2

When Mother used to visit Sister, she would set up office under the vine where she wrote her letters, notes and lists, with a cup of tea within reach. I did similar with my tablet. Although I needed one of Gattina's cleverly repurposed boxes to see the screen clearly. 

The vine grows under a clear Perspex type roof and when the sun is on the roof, it forms condensation on the underside with moisture rising from the vine and then dripping down on to the table and whatever is sitting there, including people. It is pure water and you do get used  to it. 


Breakfast with a view at Ocean Grove. I like the shark fin bollards. 


I've never seen an outdoor phone charging station. An ash tray is provided below for you to smoke while you phone fills with juice. 


Bone Doctor must have  something to do with Medecins San Frontieres.


Living the hard life.


The modest local war memorial, where Jo once sang at an Anzac Day dawn service. 


I've used these stairs in the past. 


Jo uses this occasionally for costume making. It sits in front of my grandmother's china cabinet. 


I used the tape measure to check the growth on a single tendril of the mock grape vine, and in two and half days it grew 25 millimetres, an inch. 


Alert but not alarmed. 


How sweet, a lovely present, I think from the other cat who spends more time outside and is more active.


I visited the large Lake Connewarre fed and drained by the marvellous Barwon River after it leaves Geelong. It was so peaceful, with a very basic boat ramp. There was one car with a boat trailer parked there. 



There was one Asian man fishing from a deck, being bothered by someone trying to engage him in conversation, to no avail. The talkative one left so there were there only the two of us. The Asian man was more talkative to me, so together we set off into the...


Is this what is called a framed photo? 


I think Victoria's second largest city, Geelong, is in the distance.


I went on to the Connewarre Wetland Centre, and while it is essentially for those who are serious about bird watching and those keen on environmental matters. I had a chat to the paid manager of the site, which was very interesting, as the organisation is continuing the restoration of the area began by the previous owners, but is kind of a hunters, shooters and fishers organisation, so where there is the restoring the environment and wildlife, for three months a year, they shoot wild ducks. The chat was so interesting and the person was quite candid. 

At Sister's local beach, the beach disappears at high tide. I sat on some rocks for about twenty minutes as the tide noticeably came in. It was fascinating to watch and I would have stayed longer but I could become wet from splashes on rocks, and a rock is not the most comfortable place to sit. 


There is a disused boat ramp, but useful for putting a canoe or kayak into the water, as Bone Doctor does.


Sister's tv sits above this unit and I had to think about the white things stuck on it. Do you know? I remembered it was some kind of system to stop Little Jo opening the drawers. 


Queenscliff was once a destination for wealthy visitors who stayed in grand accommodation like these after travelling by steamer across the bay, and later by train. This one is now houses eight apartments. I just checked and you can buy a four bedroom, two bathroom apartment for $2.6 - $2.8 million. The building is called Ozone, no doubt named after the steamer ferry that once carried tourists. 


This one is known as Lathamstowe and seems to be a private home undergoing renovation.


The Royal hosts events and receptions, with also an art gallery and cocktail bar within.  


Another what seems to be a private residence. It doesn't seem to be so important and is post Victorian. 


I crossed through parkland to see the view down to the beach. This is the pier.


And there is a closer pier. 


A few photos of nearby Fort Queenscliff. It is a very large site owned by the Defence Department. 



If the written laws aren't broken and redundant, I suppose there is no need to update them. 


The view from nephew's balcony in Torquay. A two bedroom apartment is not enough for two adults and three children under the age of five. I visited with cakes and packets of speciality lolly shop snakes. The twin boys and their older sister were very welcoming and so lovely. You can check out the apartment at https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-torquay-147058564  Believe me, it did not look like this when I visited. 

7 comments:

  1. I enjoyed trekking along with you on your explorations. The pictures were lovely. 'Framed photo'. Heh.
    Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com

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  2. It seems you spent very nice holidays in a beautiful place and the cat which sleeps on the steps looks like my Rosie, and you even got a gift from the cat what an honor !

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  3. Your sister lives in a beautiful location. I love those elegant old mansions too. Wish I could afford one as a holiday home.
    I hope you told that cat not to bring you any more presents. Yuk.

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  4. I seldom visit that region of Victoria, for the daunting traffic over the Westgate Bridge is most intimidating.

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  5. Ozone, Lathamstowe and The Royal all look terrific from the outside, and although we cannot see the interiors, I hope they are equally beautiful from the inside.
    But I would love fewer hedges and wooden slat fences, and more trees.

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  6. Cats love to bring their kills inside to show guests what they can do!

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  7. Cross the sentence out all you want, but you can't help but make me wonder about you and that Asian man.

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Bellarine visit 2/2

When Mother used to visit Sister, she would set up office under the vine where she wrote her letters, notes and lists, with a cup of tea wit...