FAREWELL FORT COURAGE... HELLO LOCK 9 'LAKE CULLULLERAINE' VICTORIA

Wow! What a big trip... again we made some miles from Wentworth to get here but well worth the trip. We drove through the small township of Cullulleraine... The road was straight and dusty and we went of for a while, then we saw a sign at a "t" intersection, old mail route to the left, lock 9 lodge to the right (with the historical water pumping station) and lock 9 straight ahead. I saw trees in the distance, and said "are we going there? they look like red river gums" Dad said that was correct and told me if I ever got lost (please! I'm a wombat, indigenous to Australia and if I ever did get lost I would just dig a hole to be safe and have shelter and a place to sleep) "Look for the trees... and you'll find water", ok so that does makes sense... We turned onto a graded road with the GPS telling dad we still had another 9 kilometres to go. There was no sign of the river but in the distance I saw a long line of trees. "That's where the river is!" We went on there were a lot of curvy, bendy bits and two river crossings... dad looked at the first river crossing that was very muddy and decided to look at the second one, it was steeper but dry. Dad always looked for the more practical route... clever dad! It was so I could see the back of the Penguin van higher than the back of the Patrol but it was made to go off road, and that was exactly what we were doing. Mum pointed and said.. "there". Dad pulled in we looked around and all said this was a great place to camp. Great clear area for fishing, a beach like place for us to swim in... and let me tell you, there were the most amazing birds! Eagle Hawks... they soared high above us and the river and watched mum and dad as they fished in the afternoon. Wouldn't you know it? Nothing but feral fish, carp and the river was thick with them! Dad caught fifteen of the smelly things in the first hour. We put the fish high up on the bank to bury later, but when we returned to bury them, they were GONE! It was then mum decided to set up her video camera on the tripod and just video after we put some fish down in a good area. Mum put the tripod and video camera behind some branches on a branch that had fallen down off a tree. The clearing allowed whatever it was to come in get the fish and be videod without getting afraid. When mum and dad went back to get the video camera after dark the fish were gone. Mum loaded the video onto her laptop and we watched.. for a long time, then crows came in and started to peck away at the fish, their preferred cut of fish being the eyes and the gills (ewwwww)! The cry went out that free food was available and dinner was served.. then "FLASH" something went across the camera.. it was an Eagle Hawk! Mum and dad were very excited. Swoop went the Eagle Hawk, and with one fluid movement picked up a carp and flew off. Mum started to whistle their call in the morning and the afternoon. We fed and videod them at about 11 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon. The Eagle Hawks started to soar above dad and then perch high in a tree and would watch him. When he could a fish and put it in the bucket, the Eagle Hawks would call out... mum remembered this whistle too and then added a long straight high whistle when we walked over to the clearing to place the fish. Eagle Hawks are smart! They flew over to the site and just waited for the crows to land and to let the Eagle Hawks now that it was safe. Mum said "there is an idigenous story from the Dream Time that tells how the Crow and the Eagle Hawk were best friends". Dad said "there aren't any crows in Australia really... but there are Ravens". I asked dad, "What's a Raven"? Mum gave dad a sideways glance and raised one of her eyebrows.. Dad said "never mind".

Whoa! Did I mention Joanna Goanna? A lace monitor lizard, the second biggest lizard in Australia. Scared the living whatsit out of mum at first... but the two of them (yes, there were two) one was bigger than the other the smaller one being around the 5 foot mark, and the other easily 7 foot long from tip of nose to tip of tail. They enjoyed getting a fish off dad too occasionally when they would wander into the campsite. We got used to them and they got used to us, but the two of them had a little 'spat' when they decided on the same tree to have a sun bake.. there was hissing and rustling, mum told dad that it was going to be "on" whatever that is and rushed out with her camera and filmed a very short video of the to do!' I will ask mum to put it on here as well to show you. There was a lot of bumping and shoving, but hardly any nasty bites... in the end the one that got shoved the most decided to climb back down and find another tree.

We all went swimming, three times a day, everyday and mum would swim at least a kilometre a day, dad not so far but it's so good to see him getting his strength back and his swimming is getting so much better he can swim further now than he ever did before! He is proud... so he should be. We swam, we walked, and talked, we had camp fires, and took lots of videos, there's even a couple with a huge fox coming in to get a fish! Once again, we were only going to stay for five days but ended up staying for a full two weeks! If mum and dad keep on doing this... We won't be home until November! (joking! will be home before then.... ).

Hope you enjoy the pics and the videos of this magical place!

Until then Have a wombatty day!

Tahune xxx