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Year off around Australia
  • Andrea McClure
  • Andrea McClure

Year off around Australia

Roger and I setting off in the Dmax Ute with our Goldstream caravan in tow to explore our country もっと詳しく
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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Notley's (Whipstick) Camping Ground

    5月29日〜30日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Only one stop on the way here from Echuca, that was in Elmore for fuel. As we got closer there was quite a bit of gravel road to travel to get here. Good spot, so it's worth it. We arrive at the campground to find there a quite a few other caravans and campers already staying. Not to worry, still room for us. We drive around the area and choose our campsite. We back in beside a row of caravans - we are on the end. We get ourselves settled - not unhitching the ute as only here for 1 night - putting out the awning so I can rehang out our washing as it needs more time to dry. Next it's lunchtime - we reheat, on the caravan stovetop, the pasta leftover from last night's tea. Big servings so very filling. Now relax about camp - meet one of our camp neighbours, lovely friendly fellow, Ken a retired gentleman who now enjoys gold prospecting with a metal detector - his grandchildren got him into it! Turns out that most of the campers here are prospecting too. I go for a short walk just to keep moving and look around where we're staying. On return, Roger has our fire pit going - we're going to use up all the wood we've been carting around with us as we figure this will be our own last campfire for this trip. Tea tonight Roger is making up his sausage surprise casserole, and I make up 2 flatbread and a small date damper to have as well - all done on the campfire. Needless to say, we're very full after all this lovely food so we only sit out with our campfire for a little while. Before heading inside our caravan for Roger to have his shower, and for me to wash the dishes. Roger dries and puts them away. Now to our usual routine of relaxing before bed.
    30/05/25 Friday Wake up to a very fresh morning (light frost). Get up around 7.30am and get dressed to go for a run. There are trails all about this camp ground - I decide to follow signs to Tom Price Mine - and end up at Shadbolt Picnic Ground (shorter distance 8km return). Glad I find my way back to camp - could easily get confused with the trails! Roger's got my porridge waiting for me, so I'm quicker to have breakfast. We get ourselves organised to leave and drive off at around 9.30am.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Bendigo Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show

    5月30日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Roger drives us straight to the Bendigo Showgrounds, where this event is being held, from our camping spot of last night. We go in and find a suitable parking spot for us with our caravan. Then Roger and I go and enjoy 3 to 4 hours of looking at new caravans and a hall filled with camping accessories. I made a few purchases in the accessories section - mainly thinking of gifts - extension cord keepers, socks and a magnetic knife holder. During our time here we bought some lunch from a Hamburger vendor. We had a good time looking - but we're quite happy with our own set up at present. Our Goldstream van - is doing all we need it to do.
    When we've had enough here - we drive to Marong to get ourselves settled in our booked caravan park.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Big4 Marong Holiday Park

    5月30日〜6月1日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Get here and check in - we're staying here for 2 nights. We go and settle on our site No. 35 - we both get a surprise at how small the sites are here. No 'wiggle room' that's for sure. Once we're set up and get the chance to look around - we're happy, it's a very neat park with lovely facilities. The afternoon disappears quickly as we just relax at our camp. Around 5.30pm, a staff member comes and lights the communal fire pit, which we are very close to. So Rog and I quick to go and sit beside it, to have our pre dinner drinks. We have another camper wander over to say hello - turns out that he's from Portland. He and his wife with another couple (2 caravans), have come here for the weekend to go to the Caravan Show. He goes back to his camp for his dinner. We're ready to eat too - so I go and reheat last night's sausage surprise - to have beside the communal fire. While we're having our tea, a few families with young children come and toast some marshmallows at the fire - all lovely and offer if we'd like some (did take up 1st offer and toasted 1 marshmellow each). They don't stay long - children young and be heading for bed. This leaves Rog and I enjoying a lovely fire to ourselves. We eventually decide we'll head back to our caravan. Time for Roger to go have his shower and I start the dishes. Rog gets back and dries them to put away. Relax until bedtime.
    31/05/25 Saturday Very fresh (cold - almost frost) morning, Roger up around 7.30am, I have a lie in until 8am. Get up and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then go have a shower (great park facilities). Before tiding up and doing the dishes I decide to make a batch of Anzac biscuits as the camp kitchen here has a good oven. Get the biscuits and dishes done. Roger waiting for me to get organised to go meet up with Latarsha (Tarshie) Blair and family. We're going to watch Sophie play netball (her game starts 11.40am) then go to their home for lunch. As we're happily supplying the bread rolls for this lunch, we leave abit earlier to get into Bendigo to do some shopping first. Get underway around 11am.
    Return after a lovely day out at just after 9pm. Roger off for his shower, as my mobile is flat (now recharging) I go to bed same time as Roger - we both read before sleep.
    1/06/25 Sunday Both get up around 8am. It's Levi's 25th birthday today - so I send a message - will try and call later. Roger is preparing our cook up breakfast - using the provided BBQ and we'll eat over in the camp kitchen area. I go and help by doing the toast and cuppas, and cutting up the 'cold stuff' in my PJ's with dressing gown. Once we've had this yummy breakfast, I go and have a shower. Roger gets the dishes done, then we organise our pack up to leave - gone just before 10am.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Bendigo - catch up with Blair's

    5月31日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We drive into Bendigo and go to the Marketplace shopping centre to Baker's Delight to get some fresh bread rolls for lunch. I also get some cash out - wanting $20 notes to gift to Tarsh and Will's three children - thank goodness Bendigo Bank ATMs allow that denomination withdrawal.
    Next we drive (following directions Tarshie has sent me) to where Soph is playing netball. When we arrive, Sophie's team have already played their 1st quarter, we get to see the rest. Roger and I enjoy meeting JJ for our first time - she's such a cutie. Will's Mum, Meg and his Dad, ?? are both here (though they're separated) to watch Soph play too. Will and young Eddie arrive a bit later into Soph's game (Will had been at home with Eddie - so Eddie could have his morning nap). Lovely weather - makes for a very enjoyable time at the netball. Once Sophie's game finished, we head to Tarsh and Will's home to have lunch with them. Got the tour of their home - their latest renos have created a beaut family home for them, and they're happy with their location and neighbourhood. Tarsh is now studying at TAFE to be a nurse, while still working 2 other jobs. Will is about to have a change - he's resigned from his current employment of 15 years (commercial and domestic roofing) - time for a change. He's got 22 weeks of long service to give him the opportunity to have a break and find his next direction in work. Have a lovely lunch - chicken, coleslaw, cheese in bread rolls, and I have brought along my yoyo and Anzac biscuits to have as well. Very nice time with this gorgeous family. After lunch we leave them to get on with their usual routine, and we go back into Bendigo's CBD to have a look around. I've booked us to go on the Groove Tram which departs at 5.30pm nearby from where we've parked. So we have a couple of hours to fill in. We do this walking about - check out the Art Gallery, an extensive Antiques shop and the gardens beside the CBD.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Groove Tram Bendigo

    5月31日, オーストラリア ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    We walk to the tram pick up spot - near the fountain beside the CBD - with 15 minutes to spare before the tram arrives. Nice to sit and wait with other patrons - chance to pick up on the excited vibes, should be fun. It is - we have a good time enjoying good music (live music from one musican/singer) and drinks on our 'mobile bar'. The hour and a half onboard the tram goes quickly - there is a mid break to get off for a loo stop in this time. We are returned to the place where we boarded just on 7pm.
    Roger and I now ready to go and have some dinner. Going to where Tarshie is working tonight, very convenient for us as it's just down the road from our caravan park.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Marong Family Hotel

    5月31日, オーストラリア ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    As soon as we walk through the door here, we see Tarshie. She is quick to come over and greet us and get us organised and seated at a good spot. Great to have Tarshie's recommendations on the meals too - thanks to her I have a very delicious Lamb Rump with vegetables, and Roger enjoys the Crispy Pork Belly. I also get a dessert of Chocolate Lava Cake (I share with Rog) when Roger decides to have a cappuccino afterwards.
    Lovely place for Tarshie to be working as part of the team of wait staff.
    We finish up here around 9pm - we've had a beaut day out - time to get back to camp.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    St Arnaud VIC

    6月1日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    After leaving Marong Holiday Park we drove to the IGA in Maiden Gully to get some groceries (and some Bendigo Brittle- for gifts) before driving to here. We stop to have a stretch and a look about. I walk in the Queens Gardens, then join Roger at the lovely Cafe utilising the historic shire building. Next I check out the nearby visitor centre - get 'loaded up' with plenty of things that can be done around here! I know Rog and I will only do a couple today. We manage the Railway building - being used as a gallery and for local produce sales, I purchase some jam, a relish and salt. Then we drive back to the mainstreet to go to the Bible Museum (yes - we're not religious - still worth a look!), it is run by a mother and daughter, Ellen and Jean, and it's Ellen's collection - they also breed butterfly's. I'm so intrigued to see the butterfly's hatch that Ellen sends me off (when we are ready to leave) with a Wanderer chrysalis that is due to hatch today. I feel very honoured. Roger has disappeared, off looking around elsewhere, so once I pop the chrysalis in the ute I go looking about too - end up in a lovely store full of gifts and knicknaks- alot of vintage and 2ndhand and repurposed things - I purchased 2 bee garden ornaments. Return to the ute to find Roger's on his way back too. Now to resume our drive - with me nursing on my knee the butterfly chrysalis.もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Leigh's at Marnoo.

    6月1日〜3日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    As we arrive in Marnoo - pull up out front of Leigh's place - the Wanderer butterfly hatches. It really happened quite quickly - I noticed the chrysalis had a crack in it - next thing the butterfly (all very crumpled) has emerged. Leigh comes out to greet us - and finds me settling my butterfly in our caravan - it needs a quiet, protected spot to plump up its wings, which will take 2 to 4 hours. Once Leigh and I have had a good inspection - just watching - of this emerging butterfly, Leigh takes Roger and I on a tour of his back yard to see if it's suitable for our caravan to set up in. It sure is, Roger will be able to back us in between the sheds and the cars (Leigh's collected) and we'll be able to hook into Leigh's power. So Roger gets this sorted, and once we're in our chosen position, we get to settling ourselves in. We're not unhitching the ute, the awning is pulled out to dry. I now relax in the caravan, watching 'my' butterfly and catching up my budgeting books. Roger goes and visits inside with Leigh. Later I go inside as well to discuss tea plans. We decide to do our own thing this evening - with me offering to make up a pasta dish for all of us tomorrow night. I return back to the caravan as Leigh doesn't really have the seating for us all in his lounge area, Roger returns in a while to prepare our tea - pork steaks and vegetables. We follow this with yoghurt for dessert. Roger showers, I wash the dishes. Now relaxing - I'm catching up on writing this (missed yesterday's as my phone was so flat last night). Bedtime.
    2/06/25 Monday We get up around 8am. Have our breakfasts and tidy up. No plans for the day.....on going and checking with Leigh - he's got no plans either, so it'll be a rest and relax day before the 'storm' of arriving home in Dunkeld tomorrow. I go for a short walk down the main street of Marnoo.
    Return to the caravan, waiting for the sun to come out, so I can put the Wanderer butterfly outside when it's warmer. Really wanting it to fly away today.
    I enjoy making some 'check in' and catch up phone calls with my besties - Barb and Jenny. I've already texted with Sharon, and know she's travelling today back from a weekend away in Mannum SA.
    Lunch today, I make open toasties for Rog and I (Leigh had already had his own lunch) - with relish, avocado, tinned asparagus and cheese. Tidy up, then spend the afternoon reading, and also catch up with Levi (finally - tried to call for birthday twice yesterday and messaged - had no response then) via texting. Levi having a tough time with something - but not ready to share yet. I check that I've got Levi's bank account details correct and send some birthday money. During the afternoon - the Wanderer butterfly did launch and fly away. Now spend time on my phone - sorting my photos into albums.
    On chatting with Leigh, have decided we'll have our tea together tonight in our caravan, so I get the Thermomix cooking the Creamy tomato and salami pasta, to be ready just after 6pm. Leigh comes and has tea with us - we manage the 3 of us in the van OK. After our meal, I get a fabulous phonecall from Barb - re Adrain's getting movement back in his leg muscles - yippee! Long road ahead - but so wonderful the effort will be rewarded, so thrilled for Adrian and his loved ones.
    Leigh heads back to his home at around 8pm. Roger has his shower, and I start writing this up. Next do the dishes before retiring to bed - Roger already sleeping.
    3/06/25 Tuesday We're awake at 7.30am so we both get up. I strip and remake the bed with fresh sheets - ready to do washing later today (once we're home - woo hoo). I set my porridge going in the Thermomix, and have my shower (in our van) while it's cooking. Once dressed - help Roger get us ready to leave. Perfect timing, Leigh arrives just as we're stepping out of our van as we've finished our pack up. Say our goodbyes to Leigh - it's been great to stay a couple of nights. We're driving out of Leigh's yard around 9am.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Home in Dunkeld VIC

    6月3日〜10日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Well we're back! Not quite our full year away - thanks to me deciding I wanted to participate in this year's Dunkeld Serra Terror Hike. We're planning to continue to 'live in' our caravan - probably up to the 'year away' mark - as with my Serra Terror team coming to stay here at this house with us - makes sense to keep the beds available in there.
    Roger quickly, so well, gets our caravan backed into our driveway and into our yard. I go and let us into the house, wow, can't complain, pretty much how we left it. Robert and Stacy have done a good job, keeping an eye on the place for us - and delivering mail into our bedroom walkin wardrobe, ready for us to go through. We'll do that this evening, right now, I'm keen to get our indoor wood heater going (cold day) and start doing some dusting etc. Roger reheats the leftover pasta (from last night's tea) for our lunch. Once we've eaten, I start some clothes washing ( ends up 3 loads) and then get outside, sweeping and picking up leaves. Our 1 tree in our immediate backyard has got leaves happening everywhere. Roger is happily unpacking the ute, sorting and cleaning as he goes. The afternoon just disappears, with us both busily tidying around the place. Roger also goes for a drive in the Focus, to look around Dunkeld and go to the Post Office. Tea tonight, Roger does some crumbed fish and homemade chips in the airfryer served with some boiled vegetables. We follow this with yoghurt and banana. Now time to tackle our mail - Roger looks at the letters, I play with my parcels. I also enjoy the 'novelty' of watching TV - tonight's episode of Farmer Wants A Wife, owww abit cring worthy! Get all the washing drying near the heater on our clothes airers. Put on the dishwasher (woo hoo, missed that!), and now writing this up before heading out to the caravan to go to bed. Roger has already had his shower (in the house) and gone to caravan bed. I'll stoke the wood heater, then head to bed too.
    4/6/25 Wednesday Day at home, cleaning and organising.
    5/6/25 Thursday. Roger goes over to Woodbank, to get a load of wood and to check in the shipping container for items that Tegan is hoping he'll find for her.
    I stay home to make a couple of jelly slices and to continue cleaning (dusting).
    At around 5.30pm we meet in Hamilton at Robert and Stacy's home. We're having a 'Mingle' dinner (from Rog and my Christmas gift to Wishart family) with Stacy's family - wonderful evening of good company and good food. Roger and I drive (separately) home - get back around 10.30pm. Have a cuppa and relax, Roger has his shower, before we head to our bed out in the caravan.
    6/06/25 Friday Getting ready for visitors and making sure my food is organised - checking my Serra Terror Team groceries list. My casserole is the easy (my Mum's recipe) Tuna Mornay. I make this in the morning, then after lunch I head into Hamilton to do my grocery shop for the weekend ahead. Roger stays at home 'pottering', doing his usual amazing preparations for support crew and helping make sure the place is ready for our visitors - it sure is! I get back from Hamilton around 4.30pm. Roger is relaxing - Stephen, Mary, Judith and Gabe have arrived and dropped off some of their gear - now gone for a quick drive (to visit Brown's Mum's grave). We're to meet them at the Serra Terror briefing..... I unpack the groceries, then get ready to go to the briefing. Roger and I leave for this just before 5.30pm.
    Return from the Serra Terror briefing. Now have our team of 6 (including myself) and 2 support crew (including Roger) back here. Stacy comes around too - with a couple of her team members (their team a full 8) to do their lunch and snack prep for tomorrow. Their support crew, Robert, isn't available until later - he's at his work finish up/ send off today. Once the Serra Terror Slayers meal prep is done, the other team members leave for their own beds. I'm happy Stacy is staying out here. Turns out with my crew set up, I've got a spare bedroom that Stacy (and Robert, for the next night) can use - instead of being out in the shed.
    After some drinks and discussion on plans - we all head to bed (by 10pm) as alarms are set for 5am start (mine 4.45am as I'm cooking porridge for 4 of us).
    7/06/25 Saturday Day 1 of Serra Terror Endurance Hike event.
    8/06/25 Sunday Day 2 of Serra Terror Endurance Hike event.
    9/06/25 Monday Recovery Day and Abs Fab team celebrating another successful weekend of challenge and comraderie.
    10/06/25 Tuesday Dunkeld house has returned to just us - we stayed sleeping in the caravan last night. Now get up around 8am and have a leisurely breakfast and get ourselves organised to have our last camp away for this trip. We're heading to Halls Gap.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Briefing Serra Terror Dunkeld

    6月6日, オーストラリア ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    Gather at Stirling Place Community Centre in Dunkeld. Roger and I meet up with the rest of the Abs Fab team, Gabrielle Baudinette, Emily Baudinette, Mary Auchterlonie, Judith Reynolds, Mark Arnold and Stephen Brown. We all enjoy the pasta dinner and try to take in the briefing on this year's hike. It's going to be cold and wet! This finishes up around 7.30pm - time to head back to our place.もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Halls Gap Lakeside Caravan Park

    6月10日〜13日, オーストラリア ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Drive here from Dunkeld. I'm surprised with the location of this caravan park - I had no idea it was here - tucked in beside Lake Bellfield. We go to the office and check in - everything is lovely and well thought of. We are allocated site 154 - at the back of the park beside Fyans Creek. We settle our caravan onto our site (it is quite small), and unhitch the ute. I go for a quick walk around to check out the park facilities - all good, and I enjoy all the framed 'sayings' about the communal areas - good fun! This is a very pretty and scenic park - the back drop of the Grampian mountains spectacular. It's time for lunch - so we heat up in the airfryer the tuna mornay leftover from the weekend - we have this on toast. Roger is keen to drive into Halls Gap, so we do. Check out the Visitor information centre and walk along the main street. We return to this park - Roger goes for a swim in the heated pool, I stay and have a rest as I'm still recovering from a cold. Later in the day Roger lights up our campfire - we have to use the park's provided fire drums (cost $10 per stay) and cooks up a casserole 'surprise' using up some of the sliced beef (sandwich meat) in with lots of vegetables - delicious. We follow this with packet custard for Rog with fruit, while I have yoghurt and fruit. Roger has had a shower after his swim, so we sit around the fire for a while (fantastic calm evening - turns out a frost next morning) before heading into our van to do the dishes and tidy up. Rog off to bed, I stay up a while longer catching up on the budget books - then bed for me too.
    11/06/25 Wednesday Have a nice lie in - frosty morning so no hurry to get up! Roger out of bed around 8.30am, I follow closer to 9am. We were going to have a cook up breakfast, but we discover we didn't bring eggs! We end up having our usual breakfasts - porridge for me, cereal and toast for Roger with our cuppas. After this we go for a walk to look about Lake Bellfield - very enjoyable. By the time we get back, time for lunch - we finish off last night's casserole which we reheat on our caravan stove top. We drive into Halls Gap to buy some eggs and we go for a walk that ends up with us looking about the oval. We're checking holiday accommodation around this area - thinking of next year's Grape Escape. On looking - think we'll stick with Gariwerd Motel! Return to our caravan - Roger goes for another swim, I again relax in the caravan, before lighting the campfire. Roger returns, and I serve up cheese and biscuits for nibbles - this turns out to be our tea, as we're both full. Relax at the fire, Roger heads into the caravan to have dessert (custard and fruit) and washes the dishes while I continue to enjoy the evening beside the fire. When I come in, I dry the dishes - Roger goes to bed. I'm now writing this up before I head to bed as well.
    12/06/25 Thursday I get up at 7.15am to go for a run. Leave Roger still snug in bed. Return just before 9am after doing a 10km+ shuffle into Halls Gap and back. Roger is waiting - with our cooked breakfast prepared- ready to cook on our caravan stove top. I do my part, cooking toast and adding cold stuff to the toast. Enjoy our breakfast, now time for me to go and have a shower. When I return, Roger is about to head off for his appointment to have a massage - work on his aching back etc. I'm happy to stay at the caravan park - tidying up then going to the communal lounge area (with wood heater going) to catch up budget books and to get Torvill and Dean ticket swap with Sally Reynolds-Johnson organised. Once Roger gets back, we decide to walk into Halls Gap so Roger can have an icecream for his lunch! We're both happy from our breakfast, and knowing we're eating out for tea tonight - we're not taking lunch too seriously. I have to smile - twice today that I'm using my legs to go into Halls Gap - wasn't expecting that! Not going to knock back Roger though when he decides he'd like to walk in! When we get back, we relax about the caravan until we both go for a swim in the heated pool - very nice. Both have showers and get ready to go out for tea - I've booked us 6.30pm at Barney's Bar & Bistro in Pomomal. We have a short relax in the caravan before it's time to go. Take the drive steady - as it's prime 'roo time'. In the 17km trip we have a deer run across the road in front of us - not too close, so all good. Have a wonderful meal and return to our caravan by 8.15pm. Roger gets ready for bed straight away, I do too but stay up to write this. Looks like we'll both be in bed by 9.30pm.
    13/06/25 Friday Have a relaxing lie in - it's another frosty start this morning. Get up and have our breakfasts, then pack up and get ready to head home. We leave around 9.30am.    もっと詳しく

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  • Andrea McClureYear off around Australia旅行者

    Barney's Bar & Bistro Pomonal VIC

    6月12日, オーストラリア ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    Arrive here, after a cautious drive in prime 'roo time'. It's already dark, so hard to tell the exact outside appearance of this place. What I can make out is neat and tidy 'shed like' vibes. Inside is warm - surprising well - for a big open shed feel. This place is clean, welcoming and rustic shed feels. Our wait staff is lovely and friendly, happily showing us to our table and attentive to our requirements. We have a bottle of bubbles on our table in no time - and our order is taken in a timely manner. It is a very quiet night here - we are the 2nd couple - and no more arrive after us! We order a Mushroom Medley to share as entree, Roger has an American snitzel for his main and I have Kangaroo Loin. The food is terrific!! I can see why this place is getting such good ratings on the local scene. We finish up, moving from our table to sit comfortably on a sofa beside the wood heater to have a cappuccino (Roger) and a port (me). All very nice and relaxed - and happy for our early night, we're gone by 8pm.
    Hope we get back here one day! Lovely place to have celebrated our 'last night' of this 'year off' trip.    もっと詳しく

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