{"id":1422,"date":"2019-03-01T07:35:33","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T07:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=1422"},"modified":"2026-08-20T09:28:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T09:28:55","slug":"myanmar-oz-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=1422","title":{"rendered":"MYANMAR & OZ. 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

We leave behind Melbourne and Jeff’s signature dishes of excellent, elaborate, icecream-based puddings (of which, sadly, I don’t have a photo) –<\/p>\n

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Oh yes I do!\u00a0 Thanks Jeff!.<\/p>\n

We head for the Warby Ranges behind Wangaratta.\u00a0 But who wants to use the fast, convenient Hume Highway, when there are slow, winding byways through the country?\u00a0 Getting out of the city was easy enough.\u00a0 A combination of the 47, 44, C726, 731 and the B300 should get us close…<\/p>\n

First stop was Yea for lunch.\u00a0 Lucky we booked!<\/p>\n

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Unlucky we chose the roast pork special!<\/p>\n

Anyway, onwards and upwards.\u00a0 There’s a lot of evidence of gold mining in the area (like the towns of Mansfield and Beechworth) and lots of evidence of the Bushrangers who were renowned for relieving prospectors of their new found wealth.\u00a0 Although glamorised somewhat, they were a fairly murderous bunch.\u00a0 We visited Power’s Lookout, a panoramic viewpoint where Mr Harry Power hid out in the 1870s.\u00a0 He would certainly see any gendarmes approaching his hideout from the North, coming up the King Valley.<\/p>\n

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However, I’m guessing Harry didn’t have ladders and handrails to assist access to his caves.<\/p>\n

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Our little place in the country – Warby Cottage – was a little gem.<\/p>\n

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About 15 minutes drive out of Wangaratta it was a REALLY great place to relax and do nothing.\u00a0 So we did.\u00a0 For hours!\u00a0 With a view of the hosts’ three horses, a cup of tea, followed by a glass (or two) of wine and a boiled egg was all we needed.\u00a0 And here’s an amazing thing…<\/p>\n

We were watching the horses when all three of them pricked up their ears and determinedly started looking at something in the distance.\u00a0 We were watching them watching whatever it was that had their attention, when suddenly a massive section of a tree about 200 metres distant came crashing down.\u00a0 The horses had obviously heard early warning sounds that were inaudible to us.\u00a0 We now know that some eucalypts shed branches with no warning (to humans) when under water stress.\u00a0 For this reason they are called “Widow makers”.\u00a0 Best not to rest in the shade of these trees in dry weather …\u00a0 You can learn something new every day if you want.\u00a0 And some of those things might be useful – one day!<\/p>\n

Sadly, we only had one night here and in the morning we had to leave this peaceful oasis.\u00a0 What we didn’t know until we stopped for fuel was that we had picked up a hitch hiker.\u00a0 In the garage, a hunstsman spider appeared from under the car and ran all over the side and roof before disappearing.\u00a0 I guess it had joined us in the leafy shaded garage where we parked last night!\u00a0 Anyway he scooted off when I tried to photograph him (or her?).<\/p>\n

Driving quickly under all overhanging branches, we headed for Beechworth (another town with a gold mining history).<\/p>\n

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Glenda is standing outside Beechworth Gold, the old gold exchange and strong room (above); and a reconstructed goldminers cottage (below).<\/p>\n

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We read that our new mate Harry Power spent a large part of his life in Beechworth.\u00a0 In Beechworth Jail to be precise!\u00a0 Often with the then young Ned Kelly and his brothers.<\/p>\n

Next stop Yackandandah.\u00a0 Yet another gold mining place.\u00a0 There’s a lot of it about – or at least there WAS!\u00a0 The town was another interesting collection of historic buildings.\u00a0 But as it’s Tuesday, most places in town are shut for the day – and as it’s February, the few that are open are closing early.\u00a0 We just snuck into the tea shop five minutes after it closed!<\/p>\n

That night we stayed at Albury, a town on the NSW side of the Murray River.\u00a0 The view from our veranda at the Golf Club Motel was pretty good in a green and golf-coursey sort of way.<\/p>\n

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… and the ISS passed high overhead again that evening.<\/p>\n

Wednesday was programmed to be a busy day.\u00a0 We had to get to Curryong by 10 am so we could “do” the Man From Snowy River Museum and still have time to get across the Snowy Mountains themselves before nightfall.\u00a0 I do like early starts.\u00a0 Up before “sparrow-fart” as Rob might say.\u00a0 Back into Victoria over the Murray and after a two hour pleasant drive we hauled into Curryong half an hour early!\u00a0 So, a visit to the tourist office to see the famous statue…<\/p>\n

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… and hear the even more famous poem by Banjo Paterson (better known as the author of Waltzing Mathilda!) … and, sadly, not see the plaque with John Brydon’s name on it acknowledging his contribution in aid of the statue.\u00a0 Sorry Robyn – we didn’t know to look.<\/p>\n

Opening the tailgate of the car – guess who we found.\u00a0 Where the opening door meets the roof.\u00a0 Our hitch-hiker.\u00a0 Persistent little devil!<\/p>\n

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The museum turned out to be more of a general museum of the area around Curryong – and, sadly, had almost nothing to do with the Man From Snowy River himself!<\/p>\n

So after an excellent lunch in the cafe opposite the tourist office we were off on phase two of the day’s journey.\u00a0 Across the Snowy Mountains to Jindabyne.\u00a0 \u00a0We chose not to use the highway.\u00a0 Of course!\u00a0 Not when there’s a winding mountain road attractively named The Alpine Way to go at.\u00a0 It skirts the mountains on the west side before turning best part of 180 degrees and passing South of Mt. Kosciusko at Thredbo.<\/p>\n

We were expecting panoramic views of the mountains.\u00a0 What we got for 90 minutes or so were endless views of tree trunks!\u00a0 I need to go back a bit.\u00a0 This road passes right through the Mt. K. National Park.\u00a0 Park entry fees apply.\u00a0 Except the notice at the park entrance said free to drive through (no stopping) and free for seniors.\u00a0 So we swung straight through, as you would!<\/p>\n

Ten minutes later we would have had to stop at the local hydro-electric station for a quick tour.\u00a0 Starting in five minutes.\u00a0 I’m sure it would have been good – even though only one of the generators might have been running.\u00a0 I don’t think we would have understood the technical explanation of the works.\u00a0 Although the film might have been very educational.\u00a0 I’m told their ice creams were good too!\u00a0 Shame I can’t show you my photos – cos, of course, we didn’t stop!<\/p>\n

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Don’t know where that plan of the scheme came from!<\/p>\n

We did stop for the loo a couple of times and hesitated in Thredbo to check out the cable cars.\u00a0 Then straight on to Jindabyne and our next home from home, The Mowamba River Lodge.<\/p>\n

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But more of that later…<\/p>\n

GOAT JOKE<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A couple were walking in the woods and came across a well.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wondering how deep it was, the man picked up a pebble and dropped it in. There was no sound of a splash \u2013 so it had to be deep.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then he picked up a large rock and dropped that in \u2013 still no sound \u2013 so it must be REALLY deep.<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking around the man found a railway sleeper. With a lot of effort and a great deal of grunting the pair managed to lever the huge baulk of timber up on to the edge of the well. A little shove and down it went \u2013 but before there was any sound of a splash a goat jumped into the well.<\/em><\/p>\n

Shortly after a farmer arrived on the scene and asked the couple if they had seen a goat around. Not knowing what to say, they said nothing.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAh well\u201d, said the farmer, \u201che won\u2019t have gone far \u2013 he\u2019s tied to a railway sleeper!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We leave behind Melbourne and Jeff’s signature dishes of excellent, elaborate, icecream-based puddings (of which, sadly, I don’t have a photo) – Oh yes I do!\u00a0 Thanks Jeff!. We head for the Warby Ranges behind Wangaratta.\u00a0 But who wants to… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-myanmar-2019"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1422"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8148,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1422\/revisions\/8148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}