Our First Short Break to Country Victoria following our extended Lockdowns over 2021 with Covid Pandemic.

We decided that March 2022 would be an ideal time of year here in Victoria to venture away from home after almost 2 years of being locked down through the Covid-19 Pandemic. We feel fortunate that our State government has done a wonderful job in the face of constant media hectoring to protect the population of Victoria and then to ensure an orderly vaccination process when the vaccines finally arrived..

The Federal Government has been responsible for the procurement of the Covid-19 Vaccine and unfortunately appears, despite the regular bleating that this isn’t a race, to have dropped the ball. Australia has been too slow in ordering and acquiring vaccines. This is not a political comment , rather a candid admission that we are late in facilitating the ordering and the vaccination process.

Our Vaccination History 2021 and early 2022

Jeanette and I had our first 2 vaccinations in May 2021 and August 2021 then our first booster in Early February 2022 and will have our second booster in June 2022 as well as the influenza injection.

So we feel that we have done as much as possible and escaped the virus and its after effects to this time in early March 2022. We remain reticent as to overseas travel , although we travel to Europe and Scandinavia via UAE in August 2022 and then cruise to New Zealand in November.

We decided that we would go to Country Victoria for several reasons:

• there has been little virus in these country areas;

• -Access to medical treatment would be easier and first class.

• We felt safe and comfortable only 2-3 hours from our home in Wheelers hill.

• It is a beautiful area in the wonderful March and autumn changes in colour throughout the area.

Booking at Peppers Resort Marysville - Country Victoria 2-3 hours drive from Home.

We booked at Peppers Marysville for 3 nights and as such we will have a full 4 days away.

It is many years since we have holidayed in this part and Marysville was one of the epicentres of the Black Saturday Bushfires and much of the township was destroyed.

The day was a balmy 23 degrees Celsius and after a couple of days of showers the Autumn colours were arriving in our trees and bushes at home. In particular, the Crepe Myrtles are stunning so our trip promises some beautiful colours and scenery.

Our departure was after an early lunch with the idea that we take 2-3 hours to travel check in and enjoy the area with a scenic walk.

It is a picturesque drive through Lilydale and then into the lower mountain areas. The Colours are changing with many trees beginning the transition from green to leaves of a variety of colours from yellow though orange and a few with bright red.

We take our time, stop for a drink and eventually arrive in Marysville at 3.10pm . We check in quickly and then transfer our luggage prior to parking the car. This is a lovely resort with quality fittings and facilities. The exterior is rustic in terms of the timber colour and the interior is very much the bush colours with an Autumn (Fall) colour pallet.

Jeanette is delighted and we are excited to be away for the first time in 2 years.

Dinner is in the Restaurant attached to Peppers. It is simply a superb meal. We enjoy two courses and drinks with a beautiful Heathcote Cabernet Sauvignon. Tomorrow we will do some local exploring.

But most importantly is to venture away from home and return to some normality in our travels.

We had earlier walked though this small village/ hamlet township. We stopped for a coffee at the Bakery. It remains a stunning scenic experience especially in Autumn,

A very Cool morning with a Frost will bring a beautiful day!

Following a very good night’s sleep in a very comfortable bed we woke to a morning which was cool ( Could be termed cold and frosty) with temperatures of 12 degrees Celsius and a little light mist.

Breakfast was included in our account and was located in the Cafe part of the Peppers site. We enjoyed an very good full continental breakfast.

Following breakfast at 10.30 we decided to drive some 10 km through the centre of the township and to Steavenson’s Falls, which surprised us with the significant amount of water flowing over and down tree falls. We walked the 800 metres to the park area and to take photos. From here we then traversed the path and the various viewing platforms.

Drive to Lookout overlooking the High Country.

Mid morning we travelled to the Keppel Lookout trail and walked from the car park to take in the superb views from this lookout.

The weather is warming, there is a beautiful smell in the air from the Eucalyptus and gum trees. We take in the superb views and realise how blessed we are with the wonderful expanses of large National Parks which have been created by. Successive State and Federal governments.

As an observation, the impact of the 2 major Bushfire experiences seems less of a consequence here with major Re growth, but that is totally different to the aspect of the losses and impact of the tragedy of Black Saturday some 10 years ago when 117 people lost their lives.

So there is a lingering sadness as well as recognising the preservation efforts and the significance of the bush. There are several people looking at something in the stream. It is a platypus but we are unable to get photos. The guide says it is another stunning reflection of the recovery of the land from the catastrophic fires. We comments on the beauty and majesty of the nearby mountains which inside 6-8 weeks will be covered in snow as the snow season arrives in winter from mid June - late August annually. This small township is a hub for accommodation and the provision of ski equipment for the visitors. Of course the area has had its last 2 seasons decimated by the virus lockdowns.

We have a luncheon picnic, very enjoyable. Then a short rest before walking and taking photos of the tower and the various bicycles which are decorated and very much symbolise the recovery.

Tomorrow we will visit the lake and the Spectacular memorial as a symbol of the Survival of the Township and its people and a look to the future.

But before this day is completed we venture to the “Duck Inn “ the local hotel and tourist hub fir dinner. Good pub food, but a symbol of the township survival though the horrendous fires.

After the enjoyable meal there is a change in the weather on the way back to Peppers, with cold wind and heavy rainfall arriving. We are pleased that we drove the short 300 metres distance from the resort to the hotel.

We both feel almost celebratory as our trip has been enjoyable and usscessful in us venturing out from the local and confines of home and shopping in Wheelers Hill and Glen Waverley.

We are in bed by 10.15pm surprisingly tired from the fresh air and the walking. We both comment as to the beauty of our country, the wonder of the plains and the Forrest’s and the stunning beauty of the nearby Mountains.

The Spectacular Marysville Memorial beside the lake- Stunning.

A Memorial of Tragedy and Future Hope!!

We left the most significant element of our 3 days to the final afternoon. We visited the Marysville Memorial with its stunning symbolic reflection of the tragedy of the Black Saturday fires and the loss of so many people from this area, including the firefighters and emergency service workers.

The memorial was constructed to remember and reflect and is based against the serenity of the beautiful lake and then encompasses stainless steel symbols recording the people, the events and the trials and tribulations of all involved. It is a stark memory yet a symbol of hope and life after. We felt blessed to be able to visit and take in this shrine.

We also had failed to appreciate the sheer size and scale of these Victorian bushfires, the magnitude of the area, the geographic challenges and difficulties in the face of 40degree temperatures and winds of over 100km per hour with the front moving at 30 km per hour and with embers being carried some 5-8 km in front of th major front and just flying over older buildings, jumping containment lines and exploding through fields and forrests.

Again we also find the challenges of nature and climate change daunting!

A Final Celebratory Dinner at Peppers Marysville.

After our afternoon visit to the Memorial here at Marysville we drove back to Peppers for a drink. It was a somewhat sobering experience and the walk through the town prior to driving back also reflected the courage, grit and determination of these people to survive and overcome the trauma of the Saturday bushfires.

Then we went back and showered and changed and then went to dinner.

This has been a wonderful break, we are fortunate to have each other and able to enjoy and see so much of our home state and then to travel beyond Australia. We have thoroughly enjoyed this break.