Theaussiechallenge Post # 70 Harvey

Day 91 50 days to go. Distance today 95km total 6938km. It’s 7pm Saturday 6/10/2012 Harvey Rest Area. I’m listening to the ducks have their last say for the evening as it’s time for the frogs and crickets to have their turn. We’ve found the best rest area outside a tiny dot town called Harvey. I stopped in at their info centre as I haven’t been seeing the handful of rest areas we’ve past already according to the camp 6 and wanted to check if they’re sign posted differently and or been closed. As it turns out they’re rarely sign posted in this corner of the State and the tourist info centers are our best source for details. I’m chuffed to have fluked that one indeedy. The frogs are going off in socks!!! The rest area is right on the river that runs through the town and it’s grassed and shaded with wildflower and drinking water and just beautiful. The bugs and bities are full on so I have three coils keeping them at bay and doing the trick yay. They’re attracted to the head torch so I need some local bats to pay us a visit. Critters have been a highlight today and very much at home in the south west. It still blows me away what a contrast it is here. The barren stretches of semi desert have been replaced with rolling green hills very hinterland looking and much like our home in Maleny. There’s even a range that runs parallel to the roadway dotted with grand homesteads. The properties are access by the road but they are perched up on the range enjoying the scenic countryside. I catch a glimpse of them from time to time and it’s definitely a rich area for some. The homesteads are mostly cattle and horse studs with some winery groves, and sheep and wheat pastures. Although the weather is clear presently, it must get heaps of rain given the lush greens and plentiful running waterways, wetlands and topped up ponds. No wonder the animals look so happy and fat and calving or pregnant. ‘Tis the season to be mating clearly so good luck to them I say!!!! The area is home to Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. It is believed that May Gibbs drew much of her inspiration for her bush babies and stories whilst living in here in Harvey. Her family migrated from England in 1881 when May was four years old. They lived a farm life on the banks of the Harvey River and she was home schooled by her mother. She pursued writing and illustration when they later moved to Perth but continued to visit family in Harvey over the many years to follow. May died at 93 in 1969 and her books have never been out of print since released in 1918. That’s a bit of trivia I stole from the info centre cool hey!!! Someone else who loves the gum nuts are the black cockatoos. They feed on the nuts and the roadway is blanketed with chewed nuts from the gums. I startled so many today in the overhanging branches and the effect was breathtaking. The cockatoos were taking off just above my head and flashing their underwings with a red burst against the blue sky stunning stunning stunning. I lost count of how many I told how handsome they are!!!!! Actually I pretty much chatted to the local critters all ride long and loved it. The first hour or so was really hard work as there was this wicked easterly that blew up overnight rocking the poor grasshopper. It was tricky to cycle in but then stopped as suddenly it started during the night. Crazy stuff but I was happy for the change that’s for sure. I was planning to cycle on to Brunswick Junction today but it was too nice here not to enjoy the spot. Plus with the new seat I have a rub mark on the butt that’s ouchy. So it made for an early finish and I was able to do a spot of washing, play with gear and plan three weeks of itinerary. I got an email from Roxanne who I have met in our travels. Roxanne commented, ‘A huge congratulations so far! When will you be arriving in Warrnambool Victoria…I would like to organise an event as a celebration of your arrival in our seaside town!’ This is the bestest so I’ve been trying to realistically plan ahead to give her a day. I’ve just reached the South Australia/Victoria border roxanne so I should get that date to you tomorrow hopefully. Thank you again so much for your enthusiasm, kind gesture and help. It’s really cool to be a part of and an exciting plus plus for Rube and I yayayaya. It’s my sister Janet’s birthday tomorrow so I want to get an email off to her tonight so I might pull up stumps there. Great day and beautiful corner of the State to be enjoyed and savored more over the next days. Fingers crossed the weather stays good as forecasted. Talk soon x