Another long weekend to make the most of in the great outdoors. And again we headed towards Mansfield.. been our 3rd time this year. Must be something about the area we love. Most certainly is. A lot to see and explore and never enough time to do it all.
Well we can only get access to most of this area in the dry season as the roads are closed over winter/spring due to the snow that falls there. So it gets very cold up there.
Left on Easter Saturday and stopped in Mansfield for lunch. I think everyone else had that idea as every man as his dog was there (as the saying goes). Later mum told me that they usually have a Easter parade and craft market on the Saturday. So that explains the crowds then.
Headed towards the King Valley after lunch. Our first stop for the night was Lake Cobbler. A lake in the middle of nowhere, but dense bush of snow gums. A 2wd can get up there as most of it is logging roads and driving thru little farms that were dotted along the roads. Such a beautiful area.
Cars all packed and ready for some adventure.
Got to Lake Cobbler in good timing (as it looked like storm clouds were heading our way). A lot of people seemed to be camping or having day trips there that day. So was a bit harder then usual to find a camping spot. Other times when we have been 4x4 we have had some places to ourselves.
Found a lovely little spot and quickly set up camp and then had dinner at 4:30pm. No sooner as we sat down we could hear thunder in the distance but it was getting closer. Then it started to rain lightly. Then a little heavier. Then the thunder and lighting was just above us. Something none of us really like when camping. So with nothing else to do ( Renee had taken some snaps of the area ) but to get into our tents and hide.
The kids were great about the thunder and not scared at all. Tahlia was funny and kept pointing to her fore head and saying "not hurt!" everytime thunder boomed above us.
What an amazing show we were given while safe and dry in our tents. It was like being in a cinema and having surround sound and the light show was amazing.
Our campsite at Lake Cobbbler
Tahlia playing hide n seek with poppy
Lake Cobbler
Lake Cobbler Hut
Somewhere over the rainbow
Finally stopped around 8:30pm, but now was dark so nothing better to do then sleep. Was a long night though when you had been in bed at 5pm. I remember mum and dad waking at 8pm or thereabouts and thinking it was at least midnight. But no where near it.
Was a long night though. Tahlia thought 9pm was a great time to wake up and giggle till midnight. And then some other campers thought it would be fun to sing and play loud music. Thats why we go bush to get away from all that. But we are not free from it anywhere.
So all a bit tired and cold when we all woke around 6:30am (thanks kids). But it is such a beautiful time of the morning when the sun is slowly rising and you are surrounded by God's creation. Lake Cobbler was beautiful, so still and a mist slowly moving over the lake. The odd duck calling and then a kookaburra laughing somewhere nearby. The air is so fresh and crisp (and cold), you do not get this in the city.
A cold misty Lake Cobbler
Ate a quick breakfast and then packed up the wet tents ( a job we hate as it means getting them out once at home to dry). But the weather looked a lot better and seems we were in store for a lovely sunny day. Great, means we can continue the trip and where the fun really begins (4x4).
The road from Lake Cobbler was a 4x4 track and meant for 4x4. Headed up Lake Cobbler track and met a few other 4x4'er. Headed up to Mt Speculation track. A very interesting track, with puddles (the big boys love driving through these), and rocky tracks. Got half way up to Mt Speculation and came around a corner to find a car in the middle of the track and 3 guys hanging around it. We wondered what was happening and thought these guys may need a hand. But as we got closer Nige started to laugh and stated that the car was in fact a 2 wd. It was Toyota Kluger. How did they get up here.
They had planned to do a 3 day walk to the Viking which started at Mt Specualtion and thought they could get their car up to the car park. They had gotten this far but the battle had been lost as they could not get their Klugar past this rocky part of the track. So pulled to the side of the road and planned to leave the car there.
They had churned up the track a bit but we managed to get thru with no trouble. Of course we would we are a 4x4 after all. Don't try to do what only a 4x4 can do!!
See part 2.
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