The Great Lap of Australia

In a burst of madness, Julie and Alex have decided to lap Australia before heading to Europe Read more

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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Bay of Fire, St Helens, and Scalamander
April 15, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
The scenery continues to provide a photo opportunity every time we stop to drop a line, lots of photos, still no fish! Saw a giant Mantaray today, suspect he hoovered our fish.
TravelerNo sign of a line!
4/18/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Back to the mainland.
April 16, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
After far too short a stay in Tassie, we're heading back to Ballarat and Bendigo for a spot of gold fossicking. Anticipate finding tonnes of gold and becoming rich overnight!
Spent the last day meandering our way to Devenport exploring some more of the beautiful historic homes and rose gardens of Tasmania - Woolmers Estate. Another art purchase made for the Ngawi Bach.Read more
TravelerWhere's a pic of the art work?
4/18/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Bendigo, VIC
April 18, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Farmers - don't look, new meaning to dry and drought. More roo poo than grass here! Owners gave up on the farming, they now herd campers instead. Located right amongst the gold mines and prospecting areas, so off to do some gold prospecting tomorrow.Read more
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Prospecting, near Bendigo.
April 19, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
Exact location top secret! Learning to use our new Gold Monster detector. Alex prospecting, I'm on lookout for slithery things. My job involves less beeping.
TravelerSo which of the two is more profitable. Looking for slither things or gold?
4/18/25Reply
TravelerWe haven't found either yet, so it's even - although the equipment for fossicking costs, my beady eyes come for free!
4/18/25Reply
TravelerThat's so exciting, particularly if you strike gold.
4/19/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Bush Pizza.
April 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Magic night in the boonies. Woodfired Pizza, craft beer, and company of some neighbouring campers.
TravelerBrilliant.
4/19/25Reply
TravelerWhat fun! It looks idyllic.
4/20/25Reply
Looks fun and fabulous. [J Colton]
4/20/25Reply
TravelerWas very cool, Jocelyn
4/22/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Easter Sunday, Bendigo
April 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
No need to move from my comfy bed.
TravelerWhy would you?
4/20/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Freaky skies, Bendigo, VIC
April 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Freaky!
Traveler Look at the colours ... fascinating!
4/20/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Lake Eppalock, VIC.
April 20, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
More 'not' fishing. Gorgeous spot. Lake level is a bit low in the drought.
TravelerNo fish, you are sure you’re holding the fishing pile correctly? Plus are there crocodiles?
4/20/25Reply
TravelerAaron fish avoid me
4/21/25Reply
TravelerLiterally,... there are no fish in Australia.
4/21/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Not a Roo Proof fence, Bendigo, VIC
April 21, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
A toothache and 6hrs in Bendigo hospital for Alex. Home now for a quiet night in. A walk around the property offered up the standard great photo opportunities.
Traveler It's soooo daaaaaark!!!!!!
4/21/25Reply
TravelerAlex, hope you're feeling 100% very soon. There ye gold is awaiting!
4/21/25Reply
TravelerWas horrible! Had to go into hospital again at 7am and have the abcess lanced. Feel like I've been kicked in the head! Or perhaps Julie did when she couldn't get to sleep........
4/22/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Talbot, VIC boomtown,... then bust.
April 25, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 18 °C
Sometimes it's those spur of the moment left-hand turns that lead to a nice surprise. Talbot, once a bustling goldrush town, boomed in the 1880's - everyone was gone by 1890.
Super cute houses, real estate buyers catching on, prices aren't cheap.
On our drive through the land was about to get a well needed drench of rain.Read more
Traveler“There are no wrong turns, only new adventures we don’t know we needed”
4/25/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Snake Valley, VIC
April 26, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Alex assures me the name relates to the serpentine like diggings of the goldmines, I'm not so sure!

Spending the day prospecting. Alex on the 'Gold Monster 1000', me vigilent for aforementioned slithery things.

Comfy night in a classic old country pub, "The Royal Hotel" 1857 - less of the royal these days, but a cool little place in boondocks Victoria.Read more
Traveler Great picture!
4/27/25Reply
Traveler Alex, you really look the part. I think just when you're about to stop, try one more time, then shout: "Eureka!".
4/27/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Prospecting treasure!
April 26, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Lots of finds today.
Unfortunately, none of them gold.
Alex found an old-timers goldpick, a fragment from a bronze pot (we're claiming Chinese origin for a good story), and a handful of spent .22 cartridges.
They call this area the forgotten goldfields of Victoria, shame the diggers didn't forget to leave some gold for us.Read more
Traveler Very authentic Chinese!
4/27/25Reply
Traveler Don't give up, we're excited for you!
4/27/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
City fix. Melbourne & a few sweet rides.
April 27, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Cowboy went to town. Alex ogled a few shiny cars.
TravelerStill have the cool hat!! Keep on rocking!!
4/28/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Lorne, VIC
April 28, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Fishing drought broken.
Size, does not matter!
TravelerWho says?
4/28/25Reply
Traveler Sushi or is that bait?
4/29/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
12 Apostles, Great Ocean Road, VIC
April 29, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Stunning landscape.
The edge of southern Australia. Next stop, Antartica. Big, rolling ocean swells, ... then,.., more ocean.
Vast, beautiful, ..., a must see, tip of the bottom of the world.

Mother nature and spectacular landscapes, turning it on.

Overnight at Yambuk Lake - moody, blowing a gale - mercury about 10°, but great to be in the company of ex- Shooting Butts mate's Nic and Allan.

Steak always tastes best when grilling in the sub-antarctic!Read more
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Yambuk Lake to Robe, SA
April 30, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
Crossed the boarder into South Australia, Boarder crossing monumental,.. small yellow bin where we surrendered our Melon, grapes, and banana.

Stopped off at the Blue Lake in Mt Gambia, fast-tracked it the rest of the drive. A few cute towns along the way - if you're into cute cottages and 1840's pubs, then Port Fairy is the town for you.

Check out the 1840' to 1900's couture,... ladies dressed mighty fine back then.Read more
TravelerHowever, it would take some time to dress and undress...
4/30/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Robe,SA
May 1, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Sunrise and coffee, set for the day.
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
BushRanger Beijen
May 1, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Local BushRanger lore - Irish Midget took to the roads robbing the locals astride an Ostrich (for a quick getaway through the marshy ground) Bizarre, but true!! Alex looks to recreate the scene.

Thought Ngawi could do with a Crayfish like this!Read more
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Barossa Valley, SA
May 2, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Chilled day sipping wine and enjoying the sunshine. Shiraz is #1 in these parts. Took a bit to tune in our Pinot Noir taste buds , but I think we're getting the hang of it.
Full tummies and tired bodies, an early night before some exploring in Adelaide tomorrow.Read more
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Adelaide, SA
May 3, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Oh dear,.. you shouldn't take a foodie girl to the market, so many delicious things had to come home with us!

Alex found more rodeo animals!
TravelerThe market looks amazing!
5/3/25Reply
TravelerAlex, you're starting something here! What will be your next ride on! 😂
5/3/25Reply
TravelerHaha. Wait for it...... the Loch Ness monster!
5/4/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Lake Bumbunga at Lochiel
May 4, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 25 °C
Lake nearly dried up but they used to harvest the salt by dray horses and scrapers in the 1800s.
Found a small sea creature too....
Traveler Come on, Alex. I want to see you riding it. 🤣🤣
5/4/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
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Adelaide to Kimba, SA
May 4, 2025 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 24 °C
Driving, driving, driving. Another day when you realise how big this place is! Fun drive, Bruce just ate up the kms.

Alex worked on taming a random dragon.

I found a Willy willy ( dust storm).
Traveler K
5/4/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Ceduna, SA
May 5, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Modeling our latest fashion accessories. Glamorous, but oh so good at keeping the damn flies off. Coastal again, loving the warmth.
TravelerYou're trendsetters!
5/5/25Reply
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The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Nullarbor, SA
May 6, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
A whole lot of empty,..., except for the 23 gazillion caravans!
4 likes
The Great Lap of Australia Traveler
Nullabor Roadhouse.
May 6, 2025 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Overnight, come 4.00pm all the van's and trucks roll in. Fine dining at the Roadhouse, portions were small.
On route, attractions not to be missed,.. "Comet & Southern Cross'', Australia's biggest Windmills, a lot of impressive straight roads, and,..., lots of big open emptiness.Read more
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