Video Features

This is what we’ve been up to lately. Mostly we’ve been out and about doing the family thing and recording it on video.

Lake Elizabeth, Great Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia

Lake Elizabeth is in the Great Otway National Park just outside of Forrest in Victoria. The lake is on the Barwon River East Branch a lovely 45 minute bush walk from the campground car park. The walk isn't too challenging. The track undulates along the river going up and down the in sections but not much is very steep. It is one of the prettiest bush walks we've done. Lots of tall timber and tree ferns as tall as... trees. It can be quite dark on the trail below canopy because of the trees and ferns in some sections with only some dappled light coming through. When you arrive at the lake there is a wooden boardwalk and a boat ramp for the canoes locked in place. As we were leaving a couple of people arrived with oars and life jackets for an evening paddle. The lake is what is called a "perched" lake. It is a natural dam. Back in the 1952 the area saw some heavy rain which caused a land slip that block the river. Then the lake was formed. A few months later a natural spillway formed and washed away much of the blockage leaving the lake as it now exists - about one fifth the size of the original lake. Dead tree trunks stick out of the lake reminding up that this was once a river valley. Now nature has formed this beautiful lake.

The walk to the lake boardwalk takes about 45 minutes. We still had plenty of daylight left thanks to daylight saving so we thought we'd continue on to Elizabeth Beach. The walking trail loops right around the lake. We didn't think we had enough daylight to do the whole thing.

The "beach" is similar to a beach if you define a beach as a flat land meeting the water. No sand here. Just mud, reeds and grass. Another beautiful spot though. Even though we were there in the middle of the summer it was a cool day so the kids didn't do much more than stick their toes in.

The walk between the canoe ramp and Elizabeth beach has some scenic lookouts along the way. You get higher up the valley on to the side of the hill looking over the lake so there are some very pretty views of the lake. The setting sun's golden glow just made the view more spectacular.

In the morning or evening you may see some platypus but to Georgia's disappointment unfortunately we didn't see any. They don't call them elusive for nothing I suppose. We didn't see the glow worms either but I suspect it has to be very dark to see them. Except for the canoeists and campers we only saw a few people, maybe half a dozen, walking back from the lake but we didn't see anybody else for the rest of time we were there. So if you're into seclusion it is a perfect place to get away from it all. We were there on the 2nd of January, right in the middle of school holidays, and it was still quiet.

Lake Elizabeth is perfect for a family day trip from Melbourne for a picnic and a bush walk. There are a number of walks and water falls in the area. This is one of the parts of the National Park where dog's are allowed as long as you have it on a leash. Lake Elizabeth is about 2 hours from Melbourne in the Great Otway National Park and just few minutes from Forrest. There's loads of other places to see in the area too, including the Great Ocean Road, a bunch of other waterfalls, and the beautiful Otway Ranges. Forrest is is a cute little village on the Forrest Apollo Bay Road. We had lunch at the Forrest General Store and there is a chocolate shop, Platypi Chocolate, in town too.

Phantom Falls, Lorne, Victoria, Australia

Phantom Falls is in the Great Otway National Park just outside of Lorne in Victoria. The falls are on a the St George river a lovely 45 minute bush walk from the Allenvale Mill car park.

The walk isn't too challenging. There is one steep section that had me puffing and panting but the rest of the mostly uphill walk isn't bad at all. From the car park you follow a trail till you get to a private farm, an apple orchard. Here you just follow the marked track through the farm and back into the bush. I'm not sure what happens if you get off the trail at the farm. I didn't see any angry farmers brandishing pitch forks. We even sat under the trees in the orchard for a little while. The farm is one of the things that make this walk unique.

The trail to Phantom Falls follows the St George river as it meanders through the valley. We were there on New Year's eve and could hear music echoing across the hills. I thought it might have been noisy campers or four wheel drivers but I am certain it was the Falls Festival which is held in the area every year.

We saw a few people, maybe half a dozen, walking back from the falls but we didn't see anybody else for the rest of time we were there. The falls themselves cascade about 15 meters down into a deep pool of dark water. Even though it was the middle of Summer it was very cool the day we were there so there wan't much chance of me taking a plunge into the water myself. The base of the waterfall is surrounded by tall shady eucalyptus, ferns and rocks.

On the way back we saw about a dozen kangaroos cavorting in a paddock. There was another big Kangaroo in the apple orchard too. It was close to sunset. They mostly come out at sunset. Mostly.

Phantom Falls is perfect for a family day trip from Melbourne for a picnic and a bush walk. There are a number of walks and water falls in the area. This is one of the National Parks where dog's aren't allowed so we had to leave Cassie home. I'm pretty sure she would have loved to go for a run with the kangaroos.

Phantom Falls is about 2 hours from Melbourne in the Great Otway National Park and just few minutes from Lorne. There's loads of other places to see in the area too, including the Great Ocean Road, a bunch of other waterfalls, and the beautiful Otway Ranges.

Note: This video was shot well before the current Covid-19 pandemic so no social distancing measures were in force then.

Check out the Allenvale Mill to Phantom Falls walk on Visit Victoria

Maroondah Reservoir, Healesville, Victoria, Australia

Maroondah Reservoir Park is in the Yarra Ranges just outside of Healesville in Victoria. There are a couple of picnic grounds and a walk across the dam wall to the lookout over the reservoir. The gardens are extensive with a variety of native and exotic vegetation. There are a few rotundas and the public toilet facilities aren't too bad. The picnic and barbecues areas are quite popular when it is warmer.

There is plenty of wildlife. You may see the odd kangaroo or possum and you you'll definitely see a whole variety of native birds - cockatoos, galahs, parrots and rainbow lorikeets - just to mention the most colourful and noisy. Part of the reason so many birds are attracted to the park is because they are native. They are endemic. Duh. But many people feed the birds. For the record, DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS. We saw people who had brought boxes of bird food. It is a really dumb idea to feed native birds. Please don't. There are signs up but you may easily miss them. We did.

The reservoir is part of Melbourne's water supply so you're not able to go into the water. Maroondah Reservoir is perfect for a family day trip from Melbourne for a picnic and a walk. It is open daily during daylight hours. The park is dog friendly but we've since discovered they're not allowed up on the dam wall.

Maroondah Reservoir Park is about an hour from Melbourne in the Yarra Valley. There's loads of other places to see in the area too, including the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary, a bunch of wineries, the Beechworth Bakery, and the beautiful Yarra Ranges.

Note: This video was shot well before the current Covid-19 pandemic so no social distancing measures broken.

Check out the Maroondah Reservoir on Parks Victoria:

Sherbrooke Gorge, Victoria, Australia

Sherbrooke Falls and walk is near the small Dandenong Ranges towns of Kallista and Sassafras. There is a lovely 2 and half kilometre round trip walk that meanders to the falls from either of the two picnic grounds - O'Donahue and Sherbrooke.

The falls aren't as spectacular as say Trentham Falls or Turpins Falls (see my other videos) but the walk through the rain forest is gorgeous. Mountain Ash, Australia's tallest and world's second tallest tree, are a highlight but the underbrush is stacked with loads of species of beautiful towering ferns.

Wildlife abounds. Sherbrooke is a habitat for lyrebirds and a variety of parrots. You might see swamp wallabies, brushed tailed possums and wombats too. You'll enjoy bird song the entire time you're there. Sherbrooke Falls is less than an hour from Melbourne. There's loads of other places to see in the area too, including Olinda Falls, which we've been to previously (check out the video), and the pretty Alfred Nichols Gardens.

Sherbrooke is perfect for a family day trip from Melbourne for a picnic and a bush walk. It can be quite cold in the Winter and even when we visited in the Spring it was very cool. It isn't the most grandiose waterfall in the world but it is worth a visit for the beautiful walk.

Check out the Sherbrooke Falls on Visit Dandenong Ranges

Lerderderg Gorge, Victoria, Australia

Lerderderg State Park is only an hour from Melbourne but it feels like it is a million miles from anywhere. The Lerderderg River carves a gorge through the middle of the forest splitting the park in two.

There are a couple of picnic areas - O'Brien's Crossing, where we visited, and Mackenzie Flat. There are a number of hiking and bush walking trails leaving from the picnic areas that lead to some very picturesque and dramatic views.

We strolled up the river from O'Brien's Crossing and made friends with an Australian Pacific Black Duck. Georgia ended up calling it Admiral. We also saw a huge Wedge-tailed Eagle. The river bank has a veritable armory of small stones perfect skipping stones across the river. Do you calling it skimming stones or skipping stones? Maybe just chucking rocks.

Lerderderg is perfect for a family day trip from Melbourne for a picnic and a bush walk. It can be quite cold in the Winter and even when we visited in the Spring it was very cool. It would make a great swimming spot in the Summer, but be warned the river can dry up completely in the Summertime.

Check out the Lerderderg State Park on Parks Victoria.

Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Historic Ballarat in less than one and half hour's drive from Melbourne and is chock full of things to do for families. There's Kryal Castle, Sovereign Hill and the Eureka Stockade. But we didn't do any of those things. We went to the Art Gallery of Ballarat to see Into The Light - collection of French masterworks - mostly impressionistic paintings from the Musée de la Chartreuse in Douai in Northern France. On display were works by Renoir, Sisely, Signac, Sidaner and some Australian artists living in France in the late 19th century.

This exhibition has now closed but the Art Gallery always has something on the go so check it out. After visiting the gallery we went down to Wendouree Park and lake and played in the playground, strolled by the lake, and talked to the black swans.

Check out what's happening at the Art Gallery of Ballarat here.