Gladtidings

Yesterday was a drab day but we were cheered up to see this little family.

We woke up to a better morning, and took advantage of the good weather and walked along the promenade.

The six World War 1 Memorial Sculptures that are located along the Esplanade are carved from the original Cypress trees that were planted as an Avenue of Honour for the servicemen that gave their life in the First World War. Seventy years after the planting the trees became weary and limbs started dropping and they became unsafe.

After much deliberation the Returned Serviceman’s League decided to commission local chainsaw artist John Brady to carve these sculptures from the trunks of these trees. They now stand as a permanent reminder of the sacrifice made by these brave local people.

From the lookouts on the Princes Highway just outside town there’s a fabulous view of the entrance.

The Lakes Entrance affording access to the Bass Strait from about 600 sq km of the Gippsland lakes.

The forecast rain didn’t materialise, so we had a dry and sometimes sunny run through mainly treeless landscape reminiscent of our trip through the Dakotas in the US of A in 2010. Miles and miles of grassland with sheep and cattle in abundance.

Stopping at the little township of Cann River, taking in the community centre and Opp Shop. A popular stopping place for travellers, there was a lot of choices for lunch and we ended our visit at the Bakery with a freshly cooked bacon and egg roll each, sitting outside under a veranda for shade as by now it was sunny and 24°c.

A town of only around 200 inhabitantsOpposite the cafe this wooden church stood on the corner. https://www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/denominations/uniting-church-in-australia/directory/7990-st-john-the-evangelist-anglican-church-co-operating

Another journey break at the Nowa Nowa boat launch Just off the Princes Highway, to stretch our legs.

Lakes Entrance is a seaside resort and fishing port situated approximately 320 kilometres (200 mi) east of Melbourne, near a managed, artificial channel connecting the Gippsland Lakes to Bass Strait.

The township was originally named Cunninghame, the Post Office of opening on 5 February 1870. It was renamed Lakes Entrance on 1 January 1915.

We spent the morning at the Hydro Scheme Visitor Centre in Cooma.

The Snowy Mountain Hydro-Electric Scheme employed more than 100,000 people from its launch in 1949 to its official opening in 1972. Migrant workers from more than 30 countries made up about 65% of the labour force.

The scale of ‘the Snowy’ was enormous. Over the course of the project 16 dams, 1,600 kilometres of roads and railway tracks, 80 kilometres of aqueducts, were constructed.

The Snowy remains an important source of power and irrigation water today.

In all a thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating experience.

Jindabyne

The afternoon drive was very enjoyable and the scenery stunning, although the town itself seemed between the winter and summer seasons.

Jindabyne is a popular alpine town that sits on the shores of the picturesque Lake Jindabyne at the edge of the Snowy Mountains. A bustling hub in winter for skiers and snowboarders heading for the slopes, in summer Jindabyne attracts plenty of people for hiking, mountain biking, fishing and water sports.

After lunch in a Dudley’s Café, we took a stroll along the lakeside to the memorial statue to Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki.