Travel report #24

Australia - Canberra and Pebbly Beach

Friday June 29, 2001

We got our Toyota HiAce Campervan at 9am. After sorting out all the practical stuff, we were on the road! Room for three in the front, and two in the back. First stop was Homebush Bay, the Olympic Park!
Our first campervan meal, a nice lunch right outside Stadium Australia. OA&B went on a tour inside the stadium, impressive. Specially the way the now rebuild it to fit all the different Australian sports as well!

(Our first picnic outside the Olympic stadium)

(The boys on a tour inside the stadium)

(The entrance to the stadium - OA enjoys these occations :-)
We set course towards Canberra. Stopped in Berrima, a nice little village with one of Australias oldest pubs :-) Our first camping was in a Nature Park not far from Berrima.

(Dart and a drink in Australias oldest continually licenced pub!)

Saturday June 30, 2001

Four people sleeping in that samll car, not easy but we made it! Not the best sleep, but we got up early (that is OA was up really early) and went for several nice walks in the area around.
Stopped in Goulburn and visited Australias oldest brewery before arriving in Canberra in Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the evening. Cruised around the city in the dark, very similar to Washington DC with its wide streets and tidy look.

Sunday July 1, 2001

Another cold night with all 4 in the van :-) OA made warm pancackes for breakfast, lovely!
Started the Canberra sightseeing with the Capital hill and the parliament. Saw the senate and the members house and even walked on the lawn roof! As we were on our way out, B was first, and just as he had walked out the doors the whole building was sealed off because of a protest outside! I, OA & IA was "trapped" in the Australian Parliament for more than half an hour!!
The protest was about Aboriginal land rights and was legal, all until the walked a bit to close to the doors and the police took no chances. But it all was peaceful, never any danger really, and we could continue on our tour of Canberra.

(Aborinal land rights protest outside the parliament house in Canberra)
Drove past the war memorial. They have used "half" the city to memorize on wars but not much about the "war" against the aboriginal people...
Got fantastic views of the city from Mt Ainslie and later we visited the Zoo to see all the native animals of Australia.

(Canberra in the background, the War memorial then Capital hill and the parliament house)

(IA is feeding an emu, with paper!)

(A cute and lazy coala :-)
Drove on in the evening, reaching the remote Pebbly beach late in the evening. Here we found many kenguroos that were partly tame! They jumped over to us, very cute animals!

Monday July 2, 2001

Woke up at fantastic Pebbly beach! Lovely beach, too cold for swimming though, with lots of kenguroos and parrots (or some parrot like bird)! Both birds and kenguroos have been fed by too many tourists, making them come to us and ask for food. The birds would sit on our arms and head! The kenguroos would jump after us, to us and were just very funny. Unforgettable experince!

(We met kengaroos at Pebbly beach!)

(Facinating animals)

(More than 30 of them, we walked in between!)

(Ingrid and a parrot, also at Pebbly beach)

("I don't want it on my head!!!!")

(Odd Arne and two friends :-) Drove far the rest of the day, made it south to Bairnsdale before we camped.

(Pasta, the favorite meal in our car)