Tasmania 2023 – the last bit – the trip home
Part I
Day 29
A smooth crossing was had across the Bass Strait last evening. The weather was kind and the stars shining bright as we emerged into the morning at about 6.00am this morning to find that the vessel was already in the Bay near our destination at Geelong. We were to disembark from 6.45am and that is exactly how the clockwork operation that is the Spirit of Tasmania worked. We were on the road from the Port at Geelong by just after 7.00am.
Today is the day we cross 3 states – having crossed from Tasmania last night, arrived in Victoria this morning and finished up in New South Wales tonight having started the day looking into the sun and ending it the same way.
We cover 626km over the course of just over 7½ hours of driving time, with a few stops along the way.
Coming into Melbourne from Geelong, it is most unattractive. Geelong is definitely a port and all that goes with it but as you move into Melbourne, there is so much construction and building work etc – it just is not attractive in my view. Navigating through Melbourne via the A1 and tunnels and toll roads, we find ourselves on the other side and wave at the favourite shopping destination of Kath and Kim – Fountain Lakes Westfield, yes it does exist.
There are so many strips of shops and lots of fuel stations as we leave Melbourne heading east. They thin out after about 150km. The road signs are very helpful including one that tells you how many overtaking opportunities there are between one main town and another – the names of which I now forget.
We take the highway for the trip home – having taken the scenic route down. It will make for 3 long days but you do these things, or rather we do these things. The highways are now designed to detour around the towns, with you having to make a conscious decision to exit the freeway – like some locations in Tasmania and the eastern highway in New South Wales (which we will start seriously traversing tomorrow).
It is interesting as we cross the border from Victoria to New South Wales – the tone of the signs changes from having a care for the driver (having taken photographs of the various signs telling you that you cannot drive if tired) to telling you there is mobile phone detection equipment operating and speed cameras, no ‘hello welcome to New South Wales” until about 3 km down the road after seeing these signs – as if it is an afterthought to welcome you to New South Wales. At least Victoria welcomes you and thanks you for visiting.
As we are making our way through Victoria, we spy a wedge-tailed eagle soaring above on the wind currents, such a beautiful sight. As we move through the easterly section of Victoria and into New South Wales we are in the sections that were absolutely hammered with bush fires a few years ago, you might recognise names like Marracoota and Bombala. You can see the impact on the trees, they have no branches but they do have a lot of growth happening and this goes on for tens of kilometres.
Rolling into Eden at about 3.30pm, we check in to our cabin. A quick explore to the lookout and wharf then an early dinner of fish and chips from a gorgeous café – Food Co. The moon is full again and bestowing her light. She rises to the east, where we can see her from the front of our cabin. We started this escapade under the full moon and we are ending it under the next. We can hear the sea crashing on the shore, just across the highway and over the way a bit. We sit and take in our surrounds. I suspect it will be an early night tonight – having started out at silly o’clock this morning with another of the same coming on each of the next 2 days. What a road trip it has been.
Part II and III
Days 30 and 31
These travel days are pretty long at 550km and 660km. They round out 4 states in 3 days.
We are on road at or before 6.00am each day. The air is so calm and peaceful and cold – the car tells us it is 4 degrees or less at various times as we set out on each day. The rivers are so reflective.
We are intrigued with the fuel price variations at some towns – where you think it should be less expensive, it is more. Where you think it would be more, it is less. We travel back by the A1 and M1 – no scenic drive home. We stop in to see friends and family which makes the duration of travel that much longer. It is something to be mindful of when planning such escapades.
There is mist hanging in the trees and across the road, almost fog. It can be enchanting. We are travelling on dual carriageway which makes this part of the trip easier. The roads are relatively boring when you consider the highways we travelled down on. There are no towns as they have been bypassed.
We are blessed to see an eagle. We are blessed with good weather back. We have been blessed with a truly fabulous trip. We arrive home at about 3.00pm Sunday 7 May – having made the most of the time away. Unpacking my bag is never my favourite task – that waits a week, just prior to finishing off this post.
Thank you for reading along with us. If nothing else, I hope you have enjoyed the travels and might just have been inspired to do a trip to Tasmania yourself.
