After the epic week of rain we’d just had, the falls were putting on quite a show

The Morton was giving off a distinctly Blue Mountains vibe – if you didn’t know where you were, that plateau in the distance could be the Jamison Valley’s Mt Solitary

This prompted me to visit the Jamison once back in the Blue Mountains to investigate the damage from the recent fires

I also popped over to Blackheath to see how the Grose had fared – if you’re interested, you can check out my insta post from back in Feb for edits of these pics in which I have highlighted the evidence of burn

This burnt out patch is directly below Govetts Leap, which shows just how close the fires came

Grassy overlook looking south towards Coledale

View north from the same vantage point

I paid a visit to the Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple as I passed through Wollongong

You can participate in calligraphy, chanting and meditation in the central pagoda …

… or take a walk through the lovely grounds, complete with a sculptural mob of kangaroos

Enroute, I spent some time (and money) in the communities hardest hit by the fires – this is the Courtyard at Mogo

My mates Kevin and Lee have been telling me about Australia Rock at Narooma for years …

… so I finally went to see it for myself

The rock formations were striking

This was followed by a quick dip at one of my favourite swimming spots on the south coast – Bermagui’s Blue Pool

I think it was probably glad to see the back of me.

Gillards Beach

Mimosa Rocks

Very cool rock formations…

And one of the most spectacular sunrises I have ever seen

Peaches and cream

The gift that keeps on giving!

Polly getting ready to face the new day

More evidence of recent burn just out of Eden

The regrowth was fantastic to see, but the recovery is going to take a long time, and the burn stretches almost all the way to Orbost on both sides of the highway, as far as the eye can see

Then you come across signs like this (just across the Victorian border)

It is a disquieting stretch of highway at present

Imagine being in the path of this kind of heat

Intense

Historic Railway Trestle Bridge near Nowa Nowa

You can no longer walk across it – when I got to the top I could see why …

Raymond Island koalas – such cuties

… and this one is pretty good at cuddling itself

Raymond Island Community Garden …

… and foreshore walk

Sunrise at Lake Guthridge in Sale

Port Albert

Tiny house goals

The historic Long Jetty at Port Welshpool – the jetty was still being renovated last time I came this way in 2017

The project ran out of funds before the refurbished jetty reached its intended original length – so rather than leave the pylons until some future funding body could complete the venture, they cut the remaining 300 off below low tide level (!)

It’s an impressive structure all the same, with lots of fantastic interpretive signage replete with information about the history of the place

I drove my van on the beach for the first time at Shallow Inlet (fear not, I have since washed it with a high pressure hose)

Walkerville Foreshore

View from Walkerville Foreshore towards Cape Liptrap

Boardwalk to Pyramid Rock, Phillip Island

Pyramid Rock – no access to beach!! (*you don’t say!)

Nobbies Lookout Boardwalk

This is where the penguins come in during nesting season

Weatherworn and wild

There is actually a penguin in that little burrow

Cape Barren Geese in nesting pairs – these beautiful creatures were everywhere at Summerland!!!

Flinders Pier, Mornington Peninsula

Point Nepean National Park

Flotsam and driftwood at Point Nepean

Spent the day on the Mornington Peninsula before the night sail to Tas

Read my book for an hour or so and watched the (gentle) waves roll in

My friend Wes said that some of these driftwood shots put him in mind of a Dali painting

The stroll back to my car took me through this beautiful scrubland

Lady with a letter – woman after my own heart …

Sorrento – how’s the serenity …

Jetty at The Baths, Sorrento

This is a ‘walk at your own risk’ kinda jetty

Here’s another pier in Dromana. No diving or jumping. Where’s the fun in that?

Elwood Bathers – on the menu: crispy skinned Ocean Trout and a sneaky glass of pre-sail rosé – don’t mind if I do!

Boarding the Spirit of Tasmania

They take their bed linen seriously on the Spirit

5:30 arrival in Devonport – Tasmania delivers yet another spectacularly welcoming sunrise

What a place!