This day marks the beginning of out roadtrip from Victoria to Sydney in New South Wales. Our first stop was at a town at the south east corner of Melbourne called Tarwin Lower; the landscape completely changed as we got deeper into country, and so did the road signs, bringing about more Australian humour in the play.

Ahead of the town and enroute to the cape liptrap ocean park and across narrow roads through farmlands; completely disconnected from the mainland, was a magical place we were to call our home for the next couple of nights. It was an off-grid house, perched above a headland and over-looking a beautiful white sanded beach ahead of just cape liptrap ocean park. The synonym of Cape liptrap is wind chill, I reckon; because in the time it took from getting to the main door of the estates from the car which was parked adjacent, I felt like I was in a wind tunnel, being tested for my aerodynamicity. Literally had to count and recount my fingers to ensure they were all there.

It was gorgeous; quintessentially countryside, lush green and a little damp from the drizzle a while ago; you could smell the freshness. We drove through the estates to reach the main house. A long drive through forrest; deer and other native wildlife would blaze through the driveway on hearing our car, startled by the intruders to their home.

The house was the find of our trip. Absolutely stunning. It was off the grid alright, but it was plush – it had a library, a living area, a state of an art kitchen, a look out in the attic, a wood burning hearth, a barbeque , a pool, a deck amongst other things; the architecture, comfort, design was beyond impressive.

When we got to the house, we were greeted by a curious little baby kangaroo that had made Its way from the beach. There was a beautiful winding unpaved way that would get you to the beach below, the thud from the waves would intensify the closer you got to the beach; so pristine.

We stayed in for the rest of the day and the evening, by the cozy fireplace. For dinner, we visited the nearby town of Venus Bay.

Day 5

Morning arrived here in the most glorious of fashions. With the ascension of the sun, the immaculate beach below shimmered while the sapphire colored water dazzled. There was an air of freshness around. It was so calm. Only thing you could hear was the waves of the sea and the tune of the wind. Though you were far away and on an elevated headland from the beach, when a wave drew in the sea; you could feel the mist spray over your face.

We drove down to the Cape Liptrap coastal park today, the second most southernly point in Australia. The rugged windswept coastline of the Bass Strait, while being treacherous for vessels, looks sublime. At the end of the peninsula sits the cape liptrap lighthouse that has been standing here since the 1900s.

After gathering some supplies for the evening we were ready for a grand barbeque evening. It is a huge tradition in this part of the world; Barbie as they call it, is a quintessential Australian custom that dates back to 40,000 years ago. No wonder, it was the first country to get it to the social table.

Day 6

This was the day we had to reluctantly to bid adieu to this this corner of paradise and continue with our road trip. We drove down to Wakerville, which house the Walkerville lime kilns, the longest standing commercial lime kiln in the Victoria. In the early 1900’s the area was strewn with horse drawn carriages night and day as the limestone mined from the cliffs was hauled and burnt. The limestone was then bagged and sent off in ships to Melbourne to support the booming capital city that was undergoing a building revolution. Incidentally, the Melbourne’s iconic Flinders street station was built from the limestone here

Today, there is a monument here to commemorate the miners. While there is little left of the mines and the kilns, the beauty of the region is surreal.

After visiting Walkerville, we resumed our road trip. Our next stop was a quick lunch pitstop at Lakes entrance; after which we hit the road again. We had hired a cottage in Mystery Bay which we were to use as a base to explore the Eurobodallah region. The Eurobodallah is all about scenic routes, picnic spots, walks and hiking routes, ancient sites, a snorkeling and a kayaking heaven; beaches with dramatic rock outcrops, lookout points, bays and limestone cliffs, volcanoes, ancient headlands, nature parks, whale watching, seals, dolphins, wildlife parks, ; it is endless. You would be close to nature like no other. Every site as unique and as spell binding as the other. Literally endless.

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