Where is Lake Mountain?

Lake Mountain is 90 km east of Melbourne but closer for us! So we decided last weekend to take a day trip and show Master 10 snow for the very first time.

The drive itself is pleasant as you head up the Yarra Valley past numerous wineries. We in fact have our GPS set to ‘dong’ if there happens to be a nearby winery and consequently it was ‘donging’ every few meters which was a bit funny. A pity we couldn’t stop!

As you head through Healesville, which has become quite a bustling little town and many were out enjoying breakfast at the cafes or the famous Beechworth Bakery, you start the incline into the mountain area known as the Black Spur. The Australian wattle was just starting to burst into colour and everything was extremely lush and green from all the winter rain. Much of this area was devastated by bush fire back on 8 February 2009, known as ‘Black Saturday’ but the regeneration is coming along and there is now much undergrowth.

We arrived in Marysville. My first visit there in many years and certainly since it was wiped from the map from the bush fires which resulted in loss of life, homes and businesses. Marysville’s landscape is very different to how I remember it. The tree lined street is very open and you can see for some distance in either direction, obviously where there were once homes, buildings, trees and gardens which obstructed the view. There is still much rebuilding to be done.

From Marysville we headed on up to Lake Mountain where there was still a sprinkling of snow to be found. Well, enough for the children to toboggan and build a snowman!

Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills for Fun and Fitness

Map

TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Lake Mountain

One Great Reason to Visit Lake Mountain

One great reason to visit this travel destination is for the proximity to Melbourne for an easy day trip to the snow for some snowman building and tobogganing for the children and cross-country skiing for the bigger kids!

Lake Mountain Snow Report July 2011

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10 Little Gems in Sydney as Suggested by a Local

Born and bred Aussie, Isobel Daly has lived in Sydney most of her life: “It’s such a vibrant city, with so much on offer, one moment you can be sunbathing at the beach, yet just round the corner you can be lost in beautiful gardens or immersed in the business district; and this isn’t even touching on the harbour or attractions such as the hundreds of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops Sydney has to offer!”

Here, she spills the beans on her favourite hidden gems for eating, drinking and generally relaxing, resulting in some great advice for people going on Australia holidays.

My favourite hang out
I love hanging out at Icebergs at Bondi Beach. It has large balconies and windows from which you can see some amazing views across the beach. The place is stylish, sophisticated and relaxing making it a very popular hangout. I like to go there for evening drinks but if you fancy eating in there, I would advise you to book a table as it often gets really busy.
Tip: Try to visit around sundown as it’s a great spot to see some amazing sunsets across the beach
1 Notts Avenue, Bondi Beach 2026, Australia +61 2 9365 9000 ‎

My favourite bar
The interior of the Ivy Bar is amazing; in fact the whole building is gorgeous and it’s worth going there just to see the bar alone. Through eight zones and on different levels, the décor’s influence is a mix of very modern with very grand and all the soft furnishings and muted colours help to still give a sophisticated, yet homely feel. If you’re there early evening, I’d recommend their cocktails but it’s also a great place to end the night as they throw some awesome parties so you can dance the night away.
Tip: It’s more of a standing/dancing establishment so wear appropriate shoes and if you want a seat or there’s a group of you, you may want to phone ahead to book an area.
330 George St, Sydney, NSW, 2000 +61 2 9240 3000

My favourite restaurant
Tetsuya’s is a great place to go if you’re celebrating something special like an anniversary. Be prepared for a lot of courses as the degustation (set menu) has nine courses of fine food for you to devour, with influences from France, Japan and modern Australia. While eating you can enjoy views across a Japanese-inspired courtyard of maples and waterfalls which results in a really relaxed atmosphere. You don’t need to take my word for this one as Tetsuya’s has been included in The S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants for years!
529 Kent Street, Sydney 2000, Australia +61 2 9267 2900 ‎

Where to share cheap and cheerful drinks with friends
Zanzibar rooftop bar is beautiful for early evening drinks while the sun goes down. The joint has a vibrant chatty atmosphere, making it a great place for a relaxing night catching up with friends. It’s the type of place where the night seems to fly by when you’re sharing some sangria and yummy tapas style tasting plates.
Tip: They have great cocktail happy hours on Friday and Saturday night.
323 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia +61 2 9519 1511 ‎

Where to grab brunch with friends
To have a lazy Sunday morning, to get over a hangover, or just to catch up with friends, Vargabar is a cute and cosy café which is great for brekky or lunch. Whilst they have an extensive drinks menu, milkshakes, smoothies and so on, their coffee is always good and highly recommended. You can find it on Wilson St in Newtown. Being a converted old second hand clothing store, it has a funky vibe and stands out from other cafés.
Tip: The café is quite small and often busy. If you arrive mid morning you may have to wait a little while for a table but it’s worth it.
10 Wilson St, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia +61 2 9517 1932 ‎

Where to head for the perfect day out
My perfect day out, as stereotypical as it is, is a BBQ at the beach. If you visit Australia you have to throw at least one shrimp on the barbie! My favourite beach to recommend is Coogee beach. It’s less touristy than Bondi and if you fancy a walk, there’s a path from Bondi to Coogee. The walk takes about two hours, weaves around the cliffs of the coast and has fantastic views, rock pools and small beaches all the way.
Arden St, Coogee 2034, Australia

Where to escape from the crowds
When I really want to escape the crowds, I head off to the Botanic Gardens. Despite being in the centre of Sydney (just opposite the Sydney Opera House), it’s one of the most beautiful urban gardens I have been to. You can wander through; lose yourself in the exotic trees and spot wildlife such as cockatoos and fruit bats. There are also numerous lakes and benches which are great for relaxing with a picnic. From the gardens you can still see the Sydney skyline which looks fantastic, yet the gardens are so peaceful you’ll feel far away from the city.
Tip: Enthusiastic volunteers conduct free walks every morning at 10.30 which last 90 minutes and they teach about the vast flora and fauna of the gardens.
Mrs Macquarie’s Road, Sydney 2000, Australia +61 2 9231 8111

Where to find a relaxing cup of coffee
If I want to get lost in a crowd, I love to sit in one of the many coffee shops in the Queen Victoria Building and watch the world go by. Once a concert hall, the QVB is such a beautiful, elegant building which was built back in the 19th Century. It still keeps its elaborate Romanesque architecture, which was designed to resemble a Byzantine palace, has a cast iron circular staircase and you can’t miss the central copper dome and the glass roof.
455 George St, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia +61 2 9264 9209 ‎

My favourite bookshop
I love browsing the bookshops of Sydney and my favourite has to be Kinokuniya. In the centre of town, the enormous shop stocks every book you can imagine; from foreign or obscure to graphic novels or new releases, the knowledgeable staff can always find what you’re looking for. And of course, no bookshop would be complete without lots of comfy couches and armchairs to relax in while you browse the books.
Tip: Pop into the coffee shop where they often have art galleries and exhibitions.
Level 2, The Galleries Victoria, 500 George St, Sydney, NSW, 2000

Where to go for shopping
For mainstream shopping I tend to go to Bondi Junction – there’s a huge Westfield shopping centre there with over 300 shops so you’re bound to find what you’re looking for. However, if you prefer browsing boutique shops for unique gems, try the smaller shops in Queen’s Street in Paddington.
Westfield: Bondi Junction 2022, Australia and Queen’s Street, Woollahra 2025, Australia

If this has whet your appetite to visit Sydney, Austravel has some great deals on flights to Australia at the moment, with prices available from as little at £679pp.

From my bedroom window, if I stand on tippy-toes and cock my head, I have a fabulous view out to Mount Dandenong. Whilst not a big mountain, it is the highest point close to Melbourne’s CBD and I am right at the foothills making it very accessible to some favourite spots and all within a 15 minute drive! How lucky are we?

In the short fifteen minute drive from our home, the road weaves up the side of the mountain, past tree ferns, towering mountain ash gum trees, through the small mountain villages of Sassafras and Olinda to the summit. From here, there is a spectacular view eastwards over the eastern suburbs of Melbourne to the city centre which is clearly marked by the towering skyscrapers but is totally peaceful and far removed from the chaos of city life.

Throughout the Dandenongs there are some well-known landmarks that are frequented by both national and international visitors. The most well-known being the historic steam train ‘Puffing Billy‘. The journey carries its passengers along a 24km stretch of track from Belgrave to Gembrook through forests and over the famous wooden trestle bridge built in 1899.

Another well-know location is the ‘William Ricketts Sanctuary‘. A four-acre property purchased by sculptor William Ricketts during the 1930s ended up expanding by the 1960s when the Victorian Government purchased the adjoining properties. William Ricketts remained on the property and continued to produce his Australian sculptures that can be enjoyed throughout the outdoor gallery, until his death in 1993 when he was 94 years of age.

There are also many less-known and well hidden treasures dotted through the hills. One of my favourites for that true velvet escape experience is the ‘Alfred Nicholas Gardens‘. Set on a steep slope opposite Sherbrooke Forest is a magnificent garden of rhododendrons, camelias, azaleas and other exotics dwarfed by the surrounding mountain ash eucalypts.

Taking the path that meanders down the hill through the garden, you arrive to a small, secluded lake with small walkway bridges and families of ducks. At the end of the lake is a little, wooden boat shed framed by the garden and mirrored by its reflection in the lake. It’s an image that could be straight from a fairytale book. It’s not unusual to have this secluded spot all to yourself!

This post was originally written for Velvet Escape.

A List of Places We Enjoyed in the Gippsland Region

Boxing Day is the day the Christmas tree comes down, the house is tidied and bags are packed for us to head off the following day on our annual summer vacation. This year we drove 3.5 hours east of Melbourne and based ourselves at a tiny town called Nicholson. Nicholson has the push-pin marked on the map below. This was our base for the following week to explore the region. So I have now compiled a list of the 7 places we visited and most enjoyed.

1. Buchan Caves

Buchan Caves

From Nicholson we drove north through rolling hills dotted with farms, followed by National forests before arriving at Buchan Caves. There are two main chambers being the Royal and Fairy Caves. We took a 45 mins walking tour through the magical wonderland of the Fairy Cave. Frank Moon discovered the Fairy Cave during 1907 which was opened to the public later that year. The Royal Cave was discovered in 1910 by Frederick Wilson and after an entrance tunnel was excavated, it was opened to visitors in 1913. The Caves Reserve was set out and planted mostly in the late 1930s. The stalactites, stalagmites, helictite, shawls and twinkling of water droplets make for a wonderful display from a different world.

2. Marlo

From Buchan Caves we drove south through the logging town of Orbost to the coastal town of Marlo. At Marlo the great Snowy River meets the sea and is a popular place for boating and fishing in both the river and estuaries. The historic Marlo pub is a great spot to grab a drink and admire the river and sea views.

3. Nicholson River Winery

This lovely family owned winery was just down the road from where we were holidaying and I surprised myself by only stopping in there the once! After enjoying the tastings, we pulled up some chairs in the garden with a glass of the NR Chardonnay and enjoyed the views over the Nicholson River.

Leaving Metung!

4. Metung

Metung is a delightful town attracting many city dwellers to own holiday homes in the area. The town has two focal points being the water ways of the lakes, and the village green. A number of cafes and restaurants cater well for the visitors making it a trendy destination! From Metung we enjoyed an afternoon cruise on the water to Lakes Entrance. The return trip took nearly 3 hours and we were spoilt with a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles. I did notice it also attracted a number of international visitors also. It was a very pleasant afternoon!

5. Paynesville

Another coastal town we visited was Paynesville and is a little larger than Metung so it had more in way of services and shops. There were a number of jetties for all the boating and water activities. A car and pedestrian ferry took people across to Raymond Island which only has a small population of no more than 500 people. I’m not sure if this population are permanent residents or holiday makers in their holiday homes!

6. Nyerimilang Heritage Park

Nyerimilang Heritage Park

Nyerimilang Heritage Park is on the shores of the Gippsland Lakes and has divine views of waterways, islands and the ocean beyond. The land was first owned by Mr A Murray in 1884 and he later transferred it to Frank Stuart of Melbourne who built a home as a base for fishing and shooting holidays at the Gippsland Lakes. During the early 1930s, his son Frank Jnr extended the house, developed the surrounding gardens and lived in style at Nyerimilang complete with housemaids and a gardener. A display featuring the history of Nyerimilang and the natural resources and history of the Gippsland Lakes is on display in the homestead and is extremely interesting.

7. Narkoojee Winery

Yes, we are wine lovers and on the way home from our week away (and my digital-detox) we stopped at one of our favourite wineries. Not that we’d been there before but we do enjoy their wine and all the more reason to detour off the Highway for a visit. Narkoojee produces two of my favourite Chardonnay’s, the Lily Grace and Reserve. Narkoojee is located just north of Traralgon at Glengarry.

Map

TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Gippsland

Gippsland, Victoria

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