We spent the passes two days in Wilsons Promontory at the southern edge of Gippsland, which is simply breathtaking.
Day 1: After a nice breakfast outside Leongatha, drove the two hours down to the "Prom." For the first leg of our hike, which was about 7.5 miles, we took a easy walk through Eucalyptus trees, before veering into a sandy plain, cut by moist fern forest (where we spotted our first kangaroo) and arriving at a wide, wild, unnamed and empty beach. Tracking it back north, we thought we were on the trail, despite the fact that we were climbing over and between enormous boulders over the ocean. Realizing this could not possibly be the path, we doubled back, found our path and were at Little Waterloo Bay within 30 minutes, where we set up camp for the night. As we approached the beach on the bay for a sunset dinner, we saw our second kangaroo of the day just feet from our campsite.
Day 2: we awoke at dawn for a 15 mile hike. No sooner than we packed our site up did it become clear that the weather was unsettled. Within 20 minutes of setting out, the skies opened up and held steady for the first 2.5 hours. After the first deluge, the rain would stop and sun appear just long enough to allow us to start drying, before the rain returning. And as if the rain wasn't sufficient, the wind was blowing storm force gales the entire hike. But despite all that, the hike was still beautiful. Our first leg took us up over the ridge protecting Little Waterloo Bay, into a gulley, over another crest and into Refuge Cove, which is an idyllic shelter harbor with a small opening accessible to a few small sailboats (we have no pictures from here because our electronics were stowed away from the rain. The next leg had us proceed further up the coast, up and down a few prominences before hitting Sealers Cove, which is another sheltered bay, this one with a mile long crescent beach rounding it out. As was a problem the day before, we were unable to find the path to our next destination. After some time we realized that we had to cross a tidal creek to get to the other side of the bay. After settling on a section to cross, which was going to require wadding through thigh-high water, Amanda got half way through before slipping and taking a small dunk (we were just starting to dry for a fourth time before this). Once we made it across, our final leg was 7 miles through fern gullets, up through forest and over a ridge that really emphasized the force of the winds...and windburned us. About 2 miles from the end of the hike, we hit a small clearing where Amanda all but had it. But we made it out essentially on schedule and can't say enough for how beautiful and unspoiled that park is.
Day 2 Night: we took a 3 hour ride to posh seaside area around Portsea and Sorrento and collapsed into our hotel/hostel.
Day 1: After a nice breakfast outside Leongatha, drove the two hours down to the "Prom." For the first leg of our hike, which was about 7.5 miles, we took a easy walk through Eucalyptus trees, before veering into a sandy plain, cut by moist fern forest (where we spotted our first kangaroo) and arriving at a wide, wild, unnamed and empty beach. Tracking it back north, we thought we were on the trail, despite the fact that we were climbing over and between enormous boulders over the ocean. Realizing this could not possibly be the path, we doubled back, found our path and were at Little Waterloo Bay within 30 minutes, where we set up camp for the night. As we approached the beach on the bay for a sunset dinner, we saw our second kangaroo of the day just feet from our campsite.
Day 2: we awoke at dawn for a 15 mile hike. No sooner than we packed our site up did it become clear that the weather was unsettled. Within 20 minutes of setting out, the skies opened up and held steady for the first 2.5 hours. After the first deluge, the rain would stop and sun appear just long enough to allow us to start drying, before the rain returning. And as if the rain wasn't sufficient, the wind was blowing storm force gales the entire hike. But despite all that, the hike was still beautiful. Our first leg took us up over the ridge protecting Little Waterloo Bay, into a gulley, over another crest and into Refuge Cove, which is an idyllic shelter harbor with a small opening accessible to a few small sailboats (we have no pictures from here because our electronics were stowed away from the rain. The next leg had us proceed further up the coast, up and down a few prominences before hitting Sealers Cove, which is another sheltered bay, this one with a mile long crescent beach rounding it out. As was a problem the day before, we were unable to find the path to our next destination. After some time we realized that we had to cross a tidal creek to get to the other side of the bay. After settling on a section to cross, which was going to require wadding through thigh-high water, Amanda got half way through before slipping and taking a small dunk (we were just starting to dry for a fourth time before this). Once we made it across, our final leg was 7 miles through fern gullets, up through forest and over a ridge that really emphasized the force of the winds...and windburned us. About 2 miles from the end of the hike, we hit a small clearing where Amanda all but had it. But we made it out essentially on schedule and can't say enough for how beautiful and unspoiled that park is.
Day 2 Night: we took a 3 hour ride to posh seaside area around Portsea and Sorrento and collapsed into our hotel/hostel.
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