Macedon

The adventure didn't end with Barmah Lakes. Leaving camp, the dusty track gave way to a smooth, almost disappointingly easy bitumen 'highway'. The Victorian National Parks website, it seemed, needed a refresh. We giggled at the sudden shift in terrain and pressed on, eyes peeled for the next chapter in our journey.

Along the way, a tumbledown homestead snagged our attention. Walls slumped against the sky, whispering stories of lives once lived. Only the trusty fireplace remained, a stoic sentinel amidst the ruins.

Our lenses, hungry for stories etched in time, devoured the weathered beauty of the homestead. With a final click, we bid farewell to its whispering walls and pressed on, anticipation simmering like campfire embers, towards the verdant embrace of Lerderderg State Forest.

And what a welcome it was! Nestled amongst towering gum trees, our new campsite unfolded like a familiar Aussie postcard. Yet, each stop on this journey had held its own unique charm and this was tonight's haven.

As the symphony of raindrops danced on our roof, a cool sigh swept through the bus, lulling us into a slumber deeper than a moonless night. Each rhythmic tap resonated like a secret whispered by the clouds, painting the air with a crispness that invigorated the soul.

Leaving Lerderderg the following day, we encountered a friendly park ranger. His eyes widened in surprise as our trusty Coaster bus rumbled past. "That hill?" he exclaimed, "I've seen plenty of vans give up on that one!" Anth grinned. He'd prepped the bus for the unexpected, adding a rear locker that, as the ranger's words confirmed, would prove invaluable on the road ahead.

The open road beckoned, and with it, the promise of countless stories yet to be written. The adventure, it seemed, had just begun.Read more