Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Very nice pics. Just like England. :D

Though of course minus decent pubs, beer and geographically in the middle of nowhere. Also, not really "outback" Australia is it.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

There's heaps of nice pubs around my area. Some examples...

http://www.holgatebrewhouse.com/
http://www.farmersarmsdaylesford.com.au/
http://www.royalgeorge.com.au/

Victoria has a lot of historic pubs, there are quite a few that haven't fallen to the pokies/TAB virus and offer high quality dining. Several that brew their own range of beers too, Holgates is very highly regarded for this.

Geographically in the middle of nowhere, from a European perspective maybe, it depends on which way you tilt the globe though doesn't it. You can center it on anywhere you like.

My area is certainly not the outback, neither is 99% of where the Australian population exists. ;) USA and Canada have some pretty dull outback of their own, and even Europe has its dry 'wild west' type areas. Most of the 'spaghetti western films' were shot in Spain because parts of it resemble Arizona. Every continent has it's flat/dry/brown/empty boondocks areas.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Nice places. But how far are they? If you cant walk back then pointless (I am a firm believer in not drinking and driving. Not even a spoonfull). Its like Margaret River for me. There are some lovelly places, but cant get there for a drink. The pubs in the rest of WA are vile.

There is no escaping that Oz is isolated. That will always be one of its main drawbacks.

Actually, i did part of my training in the area where the spaghetti westerns were filmed and it is stunning countryside.

Oh, and the comment was about the outback. Not Oz in general.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

If you tried to walk across any of those paddocks with a wooden leg there would be nothing left of it in 15 minutes for termites.Lay down and read a book?No you can't unless you're wearing a wetsuit for fear of the bull ants and ticks!.'Is that a snake in your pocket or are you happy to see me?'.'Right first time,it's a snake':eek:

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

The outback does absolutely nothing for me and my wife would rather have teeth pulled than go and see it again.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Close enough to be worth a visit from the Northern Subs of Melbourne. Woodend and Kyneton are both less than 80ks from Coburg. Got to say I never knew those places existed :o So thanks Proud Vic :thumbup: Daylesfords a bit further.

I used to go to a big bluestone pub for my Country fare.... It was off the Sunbury Lancefeild Rd, supposed to be haunted.... Ah just remembered Clarkfeild. that still going ?

I reckon you could give some decent tips for places to go around the Macedon Area PV, as your the main person that posts from this very underrated region. It's also close enough for everyone in Melbourne to consider a trip to. Personally I prefer to go there for my "Mountain Fix" to the Dandenongs as it's so much easier and far less hassle to get too. Usually we just drive up to the top of Macedon and walk up to the cross, take in the fantastic views then back home again, easy to do as a morning or arvo trip. So it's good to see some tips.


BTW how far up the mountain are you ? Used to know some Subury nurses... in fact a lot that lived up around the Township.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

That's a bloody long walk for a beer. :D

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Got to say I'm slightly worried about my reaction to our long anticpated and still 6-7 years away (Sooner if our 13yo son is fully independant before then) 18month plus retirement trip of lifetime around Aus for similar reasons. I think it's something Aussies do when they reach retirement and most people enjoy it. So may as well give it a go..

I guess if we stay close to the coast and have trepedatious trips inland on route the outback may grab us. . Most people I've met that have done it have throughly enjoyed it though... So I'm remaining positive. I do know what your wife means though. I still havent got over my last big trip... Which still amuses me for the things that stick in my mind.

When you see a car door stuck high in a tree 300 to 400k's away from a place called "The Door" and then see random car doors stuck in strange places signifying your approach to a depressingly disappointing shack like pub/eatery and thats the only thing of interest during that part of the of a 6 hour trip. You tend to really reflect on where you are.

. When I really put some thought into this retirement trip of a lifetime it doesnt fill with me as much excitement as one would anticipate. . Especially when I think those car doors were probably slightly more interesting than looking at another one of the 100,000's of termite mounds...

That was in FNQ in the 80s BTW.. I did wonder about my move to Aus at that point, I must admit. Luckily we ended up back in Melbourne.


We are going to sell everything... House...Belongings, whack the house dosh and super in a safe investment/s then see where we end up. Could be anywhere... including Europe. Personally I think it will be Tassie... even my Aus wife complains about the heat now.

.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Don't rule out the Illawarra mate. I know you like the look of the place and if can get a home on the coastal strip then the climate is excellent.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Yehp that is actually 2nd after Tas on my list of places that I could be tempted to settle on retirement.

.

.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

I've not heard of a termite problem around Macedon .... your thinking of a different region methinks.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

The Coach and Horses Inn is the pub in Clarkefield, it's still going strong.

The Mountain Inn in Mount Macedon closed down for a long time, but some one has bought it and is doing the place up. I'm not sure exactly when it will be open again but it looks like it is getting pretty close. The Macedon pub closed down as well but also has new owners and is being done up.

I'm in the foothill part of Mount Macedon, 520 metres above sea level. I know a lot of people living up here have links to the airport, most though are commuters to central Melbourne.

The general Dandenongs area is much more developed than here, higher population, and more suburban, also a lot more tourist facilities I guess, where as the village atmosphere has been retained here, although formerly quiet towns like Gisborne are now rapidly becoming urbanised. :sneaky:

I love the historical link to the gold rush here and the proximity to Castlemaine, Maldon, Bendigo, Ballarat, etc. There is some fantastic history, some of the towns are preserved relics of the era that more or less made Melbourne into the city it is today with a lot of Victorian era architecture even in the smaller towns. Also a legacy of the acclimatisation movement of the late 1800s with all the botanic gardens and private gardens here.

It is genuinely like England/Europe here, not exactly the same of course (lots of Australian bush, a more open landscape and a bit hotter and a fair bit drier in summer), but very similar in terms of the general climate, the history, gardens, architecture and settlement patterns of the towns.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Yeah, I'm unaware of it as well, haha. We do get swarms of them flying around in November/December but they are not that big a problem. There are no termite mounds dotting the landscape, only the tropical termite species do that!

We do have jack jumper ants and bull ants which are a bit of a problem around Macedon/Mount Macedon. I have been stung a number of times in my life, they are quite nasty and some people in rare cases get allergic reactions and die from them (but then this is no different to honey bees and European wasps). They are not absolutely everywhere though, I mean you can still walk through and lie down in paddocks quite safely. It's not that bad!

As for snakes. They certainly do exist but I have only seen about two in my life. In southern Victoria they tend to prefer swamps and grasslands that dry out in summer. Some other species are out in the bush but they are shy and reclusive, you don't see them very often at all. Very few people get bitten in this state.

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

The town that is intriguing me the most these days is Kyneton. When I first used to travel through it, pre calder freeway to the wifes folks in Bendigo in the early 80's it was the last place en route you would stop. Now it seems to have lifted it's game considerably. I can seem to recall my younger BIL's saying it was a rough place at one time.

BTW PV... do you still get the magic mushroom tourists in the Autumn ? I used to know a few people do that in the Macedon foothills. Easy to spot, a car stopped randomly down a side road on the edge of the bush for no apparent reason... if you manage to spot the inabitants they'll most likely in their 20's..

Re: Is Australia Overrated?
 

Oh deary deary me.