River Deep (-ish), Mountain High (-ish)

It was all very sudden, driving for hours through the ever flattening, burnt brown hills of South Australia, turned a corner and there was the Murray River - and beyond it mile upon mile of bright green irrigated vineyards, orchards and cattle pastures! As soon as irrigation could not reach then it was back to brown scrub or grasslands.

The Murray riverlands feed masses of Australia (wine is a food in my book). The problem is that even this 2,700 km river is suffering from lack of rain in the mountains that feed its sources, added to which is the ever increasing demand from farmers and populace alike.
It is one hot political potato over here with each state it flows through accusing the others of mismanagement and pinching too much as the massive drought continues. However it is still one big river which, with its sister river - the Darling, used to be the only trade route to the inland areas - gold, wool, meat then later fruits and wines flowing out with supplies coming upriver.
The former mining and trading cities and river ports now depend on agriculture and tourism but reveal very prosperous areas still. Those same trade routes became the hot spot for bushranger (outlaw) ambushes - Ned Kelly's gang being the most famous.

The river plain stretches for hundreds of miles until the foothills of the highest mountains in Australia begin, and natural greenery, forests and rivers (low) start - and the stories of gold boom towns, now returned to small villages or disappeared completely.

The Australian Alps and neighbouring Snowy Mountains reach 2,288 metrres at Mt. Kosciosko (sp?) and ski resorts just about survive with the tops that get above the tree line - limited areas but if that's all there is, it causes huge demand in short seasons and a few ski areas all within a day's drive from the majority of Australia's population in Melbourne, Sydney areas.

So, not dramatic like the Euro or NZ Alps but beautiful views all the same, and especially as so near to the coasts and rainforests.

The sea!! Finally made it, after weeks of deserts, plains, forests and mountains - and very beautiful it is too - reminded me of south of France in parts, then south-west England in others. Loads of beaches, harbours and space (except on the roads at Easter!) - boat, shellfish and beach fishing is huge here. Everyone brings a boat and rods with them on hols.

Ans in between all this a visit to Canberra, the purpose-built Federal capital. Laid out around a lake and hills, and still a small city - which was shut on Easter weekend, literally. Even pubs and internet cafes (all 2 of them)! Except every campground was full - WHY??? Because the bloody National Folk Music Festival was on!! Thousands of them, Morris dancers, hats, the lot!! Why me? Left to hide back in the hills then the coast again.

Thoughts for the day:

• Hair - I can still grow it, finally had a cut after 3 months - it was an impressive head of hair, an impressive mess but...and still no beard in sight
• Internet cafes are bloody rare here, and if they do exist they don't have CD drivees because they are too scared to manage the potential risks, so take them out!
• Been to Victoria's only legal brothel! It shut in 1880's. Oh well.
• Lindie has a new windscreen, but no other dramas, she's going really well - so far, apart from bits of her insides falling off. Her buttons need pressing gently these days! We've done over 7,000 miles now
• Beer! Victoria state has a complete micro-brewery industry, and a trail between them! And the beer is mostly pale ales and stouts plus Euro-style pilsner lagers, plus Chestnut Lager, real ginger ale and Blackberry Stout (ace!) - hours of fun (for educational purposes only). Add the wines, and even local port (lethal)!
• Food! The meat, fresh fish, local bakeries and fruit are ace, many more independent shops still here, not just supermarkets. Good local cheeses too - very naughty for me.
• Cold! Autumn has arrived big time in the mountains - forosts and ice on the van! Time to head for the sun and beaches methinks
• Rocks - an amazing mix of ages, volcanic and old seas, lava flows
• Gum trees - grow from almost seawater to snowline and have adapted to climate, fire resistance and soil change, very impressive
• Public holidays - Aussies have the same lemming instinct as the Brits - chaos and road kill of a very different type. Strangely, one radio news broadcast was timing the deaths, so you had to only 12 hours, etc to go if you wanted your road kill to count as a "Long Weekend" one!

So, one final push up the coast to reach Sydney, and a BED for a few nights! Cheers! Mike

Photos link at http://picasaweb.google.com/laurentmik/Aus_Rivers_Mountains_2009