5^th December 2016 - Melbourne to Lake Entrance

We had breakfast, packed our bags and said good bye to my two cousins and Brendon and then headed north east towards Lakes Entrance where we would spend the following evening. The land we saw was largely farm land with cattle and cereal crops and extending as far as the eyes could see. This was the first leg of our journey up to Hope Island just south of Brisbane to meet up with my Australian cousins, Helen and Carole, their partners and my uncle.

Full planned journey from Melbourne to Hope Island

Malvern, Melbourne to Lakes Entrance

On route we stopped at “Stratford on Avon”, the UK version of which is where Sheila was born. There are apparently four in the World, one other in Canada – no idea where the fourth one is located. The Victoria version of Stratford on Avon prospered in the 1860s as a supply centre of diggers at the Omeo and Dargo gold fields.

Australia's Stratford upon Avon

The local Avon Hotel had a great sign outside.

Husband Creche

Lakes Entrance is in Gippsland Lakes and apparently Australia’s largest and most beautiful inland waterways of marshes and lagoons covering 600 sq kms. Lakes Entrance is on the Tasman Sea and has a fleet of over 100 fishing vessels.

Some of Lakes Entrance Fishing Fleet

We decided that we had better have fish for an evening meal so took advice and purchased fish and chips from Reggie’s Slipway.  Sheila had Blue Grenadier and I tried flathead tails, neither of which we have had before – I think Sheila got the best deal.