The Pelicans. Briefly.

11 November 2009

Last night in Victoria, and we've hit another gem. The tiny town of Mallacoota, 15K from the border with New South Wales, is charming and lovely, and for $18 we camped on a little promontory overlooking the serene waters of Mallacoota Inlet, home to some impressive and ginormous pelicans. Sunshine and green grass and an uninterrupted water view. A few drinks at the local, where the barboy showered us with brochures on hearing that we didn't know where we wanted to go next, and suggested beaches and parks. How quaint.



Next morning, along about 3K to spend a few
hours on a beach that in any other country would be crawling with tourists on such a hot day, but here is no novelty. Instead, we had the entire thing to ourselves, a mile of white sand and turquoise water and rocks so perfectly situated that you'd think there was a set dresser.

Aaaaaaannnnddd....back we come into New South Wales. Narooma for the night, yet another blissfully beautiful campsite, perched on a bit of headland over the crashing waves of yet another deserted, pristine beach. Rainbow lorikeets posing in the trees, sunset providing mist on the rocky outcrops, steak fajitas on the portable gas stove (which I have now finally learned to light all by myself, after 7 months of cooking on them. My parents went a little overboard on the fire safety when I was young and impressionable; thanks, Dad!).


Then up inland a bit, through the scenic Kangaroo Valley, home to yet more mountains that pop out of nowhere and create 30 degree hills that are not so cool. Also to a random castellated bridge someone though was a good idea in the 1890s, and to shops selling stuffed animals and potpourri. Lonely Planet talks it right up as stunning, and it is pretty, but having seen some truly jaw dropping places, I'd have to say Kangaroo Valley isn't up there with the Sunshine Coast, Litchfield Park, Mornington, etc. 

Stopped in the Morton National park there for Fitzroy Falls, pretty but mainly memorable for the signage at the toilets. Back we go to the coast, to Bulli and the fringes of Sydney itself. We're going to skirt the city a bit for a few days, though. Camping on the beach...again...though this one was nowhere near as blissful as Mallacoota and Narooma. Still. Mustn't complain. There are starving children in Africa who don't get to camp on the beach ever.