Sorry we are closed

So let us start with a couple for Dom from when I was waiting for Marjan to make me breakfast. Don't tell her I said that!

Once we were fed we headed north up the Mt Zero road. We decided to give the subie a 4WD try out. All was going well it was handling the sandy track magnificently. However, we decided not to risk this creek crossing. I know it looks tame but up close it did not look as if the only slightly higher clearance would make it. Besides that Marjan was giving me her "we are all going to die!" look and breath intake.

Still, it was a good spot to look around. The fires had ravaged through here recently and as you can see the trees were only beginning their recovery. What that meant was that the understorey was starting some profuse fecundity  (good phrase........for plants, not people) in the ash enriched sandy soil and the grass trees were loving the sun.

Back on the road, the scenery was much the same, very sandy soil an very burnt trees.

Our first planned stop was at the Hollow Mountain car park, where we were going to skip Hollow Mountain, bad previous experience, and instead visit some aboriginal art. Sorry we are closed! said the sign. Bushfire damage and we do not pay enough taxes to fix things quickly.

So off to Mt Zero, where we had no recent traumatic history and hence were able to ascend. Mt Zero is the very last hill in the north of the Grampians and has a magnificent vista over the Wimmera and off to Mt Arapiles. I however, perversely perhaps, have decided to show you the view back to Mt Stapylton and the rest of the Grampians.



and to show you the olive grove we were planning to stop at for some oil and coffee.

We trekked back down and took a slightly different route. Marjan loved it.

We lunched at the Mt Zero picnic ground and after a fine repast of pre-prepared sanggers headed off to the second aboriginal rock art site. You guessed it. Sorry we are closed!

Nothing for it but to soldier on to the olive grove for a coffee. Sorry we are closed!

It just wasn't our day. Still on the drive back to the highway we saw a mob of roos travelling along and across the road, jumping fences and generally making us travel slower. Quite a sight!

I can see why farmers have fences like the one below and gardeners in Hall's Gap have variations on the prison compound. The roos made small work of normal fences.

So off to Stawell (an onomatopoeia or a synonym for stall?) for a bit of a shop. I had forgotten how oddly narrow and closed in the main street shopping area is. Also we spotted perhaps the ugliest building we have seen.....ever...no qualification. The Diamond motel, check it out, I refuse to pollute the blog with its photo.

Marjan decided to have a slow afternoon, so I headed off to take a few more. Nothing special, an emu, Mt Sturgeon, Mt Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt and finally sunset at Lake Bellfield.