Warrnambool

Last Sunday we came along the Great Ocean road and enjoyed all the iconic sights which were very picturesque. We thought it was a windy day, but the locals said it really wasn't that windy considering what it could be! We stood firm in the gale as we viewed the Twelve Apostles, the London Bridge and the Arch!

We thought it was fantastic to see the waves crash upon the rocks as the ocean swell came in and out, slowly they wear away the limestone rocks as time goes on, and the cliffs really do put up with a hammering from the ocean! Their ability to stand firm in the midst of the storms reminds me of the grace that the Lord gives us to stand firm in the midst of our trials and difficulties on this earth. Thank goodness He is our ROCK, our fortress and our deliverer, He is our rock in whom we can take refuge. (Psalm 18:2) He also lifts us up and places our feet upon a rock, He gives us a firm place to stand and puts a new song in our mouth, Psalm 40:2. As our rock He will not change like the shifting sands and He will not fade or wear away like the limestone, His faithfulness endures forever and great is His love towards us, Ps 117.

After travelling the Great Ocean Road we headed on in to Warrnambool. Friends had suggested this was a nice place and we found out they were certainly right. Warrnambool sits on the coast but is edged around by rich farm land. It is a fast growing rural city and has all the facilities needed along with the feel of a country town. We have spent a week here, sitting out the rain, and then enjoying some days of sunshine and warm temperatures (up to 27) before it was back to the cold and showers today (15 degrees).

The caravan park we are staying at (thanks to a tip from another travelling family) is right opposite the best Adventure playground we have found. It has several different playgrounds and two super long Flying foxes, one for little kids and one for big kids, it is great (even I had a go on the big kids one!)

Some of the things we have done this week include;

We visited Fletcher Jones Gardens, which are stunning in the spring time and even Mum remembers visiting here many years ago. Unfortunately there is no factory here anymore (clothes made in China, much to Dad's disgust!!), only a FJ Clearance store, but we found the gardens to be the best part of this area by far.

A drive out to Tower Hill, a National Park set amongst some Volcanic craters which made for some nice steep walks! It was lovely to see the spring wildflowers out in full at the moment.

We went for a walk along the 5km boardwalk which borders the beach and enjoyed the sun and we went to the beach for a while as well.

Today we visited Hopkins Falls which had a heap of water flowing over it after all the rain that has been around in Victoria lately -we just wish we could bottle it and send it home to WA as they so need the rain at the moment!

We have felt very at home in Warrnambool, probably due to the lovely green paddocks that border the city, it reminds me of the North Midlands during winter, all lush and green, although it is probably a little more undulating than the flat farmland I came from. We must say the smaller towns and countryside are much more to our liking than the capital cities which are big and busy. Onwards west we go, to Mt Gambier tomorrow!