Actually, this is the road trip from Melbourne but the freeway is mostly boring and even when it is not (like passing the big bird at Gumbya Word) there is no opportunity to stop for a photo as you speed by. These photos are from when we got right out of town and into the countryside, with the small town of Garfield included where we stopped on the way home. But let's start on the road from Traralgon to Walhalla.
The above photo is of a Tyers Lookout. There was a plaque to the surveyor called Charles Tyers about about his achievements as an explorer and surveyor. Nowadays I see the gaps in this "heroic" stories. Did he show respect to the First Nations people? Did they help him? Did he harm them? These stories so often have a dark side but we don't hear it. But for all my dislike of what was done to First Nation people and their land, I still feel a sense of awe when I see the gigantic smoke stacks of the power stations that depend on coal to provide us with electricity. But let's not spiral down into politics of climate change and Indigenous people. Instead you can just admire the view of Latrobe Valley from the lookout.
Driving on from Tyers towards Walhalla, we also stopped at Peterson's Lookout. The above photo was taken on the walk from the carpark but it looked quite similar to the drive along a narrow gravel track (W2) to get there from the Tyers Walhalla Road. We were a little freaked when we passed a car on the track. There was not quite enough room between the rockface and the drop. When I steered the car slightly to the drop, Sylvia thought the end was nigh.
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The view from the lookout was not so great - a few boulders with masses of trees. However this view along the walk downhill to the lookout was spectacular. We then drove back to the sealed Tyers Walhalla Road by the Boola Boola forest.
After the turn off the Tyers Walhalla Road, we drove the winding lengths of the Walhalla Rd. So many hairpin bends. It was slow going but beautiful scenery. In my childhood this would have made me very nauseous. Fortunately concentrating on every turn of the road in front of us helps prevent carsickness. The photo was taken by Sylvia!
When we took the Walhalla Goldfields Heritage Railway we had a much better view of the scenery but also a much better sense of how high the road was and how steep the drop over the edge was. In the above photo you can just make out the road about two fifths of the way down the photo. On the road I loved all the tree ferns. Sylvia disliked the signs warning of rock falls where the road was cut into the side of the mountain.
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There were two options when driving home from Walhalla. Either back to Traralgon and then on the freeway. Or we could go on the back roads which would take as long but be more scenic than the soulless main road through the Boola Boola Forest. Yes, we went on the back roads. Lots more curvy roads. Firstly we went on the Moe-Walhalla Road and then on the Old Sale Road. We travelled 108km to Garfield with only 13km on the freeway!
Garfield was chosen by Sylvia for its op shop and Luna's Cafe. Both were closed because it was a public holiday. (These things are difficult to work out with just a quick web search.) We were very happy with our brief visit nevertheless. Most amazing was the second hand brick-a-brack from estate sales at the front of Buddha and Birdcage Nursery (57 Main Street). Lots of great stuff for a song - jewellery, picture frames, plates, teapots, candlesticks etc. And of course lots of plants outside. With the occasional magnificent piece of antique furniture. We could not resist buying a few pieces such a beads for $1 and a small casserole dish for $2.
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The real reason to stop at Garfield was to have a bite to eat on the way home. With our cafe of choice and the bakery closed, we went for lunch at 12pm at Brewsters Food Store and Cafe just along the street at number 81 where Main Street became the Nar Nar Goon - Longwarry Road. As you can see from the sign above, they liked their coffee.
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This suited Sylvia well. The day was warm (forecast 36 C in Walhalla and 42 C in the inner North of Melbourne). She had an iced soy latte. Country towns have made great progress since I grew up in a country town that had probably never heard of a coffee machine. I had a bottle of ginger ale. We shared a very nice Apricot Danish. (We asked for it to be warmed slightly because it had been in the refridgerated display). It was served first.
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Then came our savoury pastries: a vegan chickpea and potato pie for me and a pumpkin, leek and feta quiche for Sylvia. Yet again I was impressed at the food we were able to find in the small town.
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Then it was time to get back on the road and drive the next 87km home. I took a photo of the above fine piece of street art at the local post office before we left town. Garfield is near the outskirts of south eastern Melbourne so, once we were on the freeway again, it felt like we were back in the fast paced roads full of impatient drivers in big shiny cars. I love the city but I missed the quiet green country roads as I passed the suburban sprawl. It was lovely to finally find myself on familiar roads and at last pull into our driveway at home.
More posts on our holiday:
Beautiful greenery! Love the food options in that little town. It is hard to find meatless options here in smaller places.
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