Cascading along pathways in The Grampians, these wattles, also known as acacia oxycedrus, are a brilliant decoration while you walk. They’re my entry in Cee’s FOTD.
Spike wattle
Tag: Victoria
Garden lines
One of the entrances to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens has some neat lines for Becky’s squares.
Victoria Valley lines
Gum trees, all lined up for Becky’s squares, in Victoria Valley, the Grampians.
lines from Pompeii to Ballarat
For Becky’s squares I’m submitting the geometric and curvy lines to be found in the Botanic Gardens of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
Black and White Fields
This week, Cee’s B&W photo challenge is field.
Five Chocolaterie facts to lead you astray.
I tried to position this destination at mid-morning, to optimise any sampling opportunities that might arise. Only a few minutes out of Healesville, on the Old Healesville Road, lies the Yarra Glen Chocolaterie. What is that? A place where chocolate is made and sold and you will get more than good chocolate.
- Great views.
Gorgeous ranges roll around the establishment and splashes of art and gardens delight the eye.
2. Colour
cof
cof
Most of it is edible or leads to such.
3. Chocolate exhibits
and samples. People took handfuls and came back for more.
4. Hot Chocolate with extra chocolate
5. Ambiance and other trappings for the chocolate-lover
Loads of gifts and produce are available and I defy you not to leave with any. Extraordinary varieties and diversions – we even bought chocolate lip gloss for a dieter. Plenty of staff on hand and we went on a Sunday when there was a constant flow of people of all ages.
Many people walked through the vineyards and orchards that the cafe looks out on to. Families played or set out picnic blankets in the sun, creating a festive mood.
Safe, chocolaty travels. Take a hat, but the shopping bag will be supplied.
122 m of Steavenson Falls
With an unexpected warm breeze blowing through the van and the Yarra Valley touring map spread before us, we chose which walks we could fit into an afternoon, from Healesville. Echoes of Westerns past prepared me for adventure as we headed out on Black Spur Drive, looking for Steavenson Falls.
We stopped at Selovers lookout for a quick gaze over the Maroondah Reservoir and surrounding ranges.
Then on to Marysville, and the turnoff to one of Victoria’s tallest falls. There is a well-appointed carpark (you have to pay) and then information boards to direct you.
It is an easy track, which could be completed in a wheelchair, or if you have more time and are up for a more difficult walk, you can branch off to the Keppel Lookout which is reported to have stunning views of the ridgeline and forests.
cof
cof
There is access to the stream at the base of the falls, but you have to take the main path to the first bridge,
from which you can take great shots.
It is where I experimented with trying to capture running water.
I thought the last one came close. Onward to the top of the falls, past yellow wattle and fallen tree trunks, hollowed with age.
cof
cof
cof
From the top you can try to capture the length of it, but in this I failed.
The downhill trek was much faster and before long we were heading for Lake Mountain. In the last rays of the day we made our way back to Healesville, along beautiful, fern tree lined roads, stopping at lookouts when we saw them early enough.
An excellent resource that I printed before we left home was https://visityarravalley.com.au/
Safe travels. Carry water and a hat.
