Lake Eildon

So after going back to bed, and rising again, and eating breakfast, the plan for the day as we can't go into forests or national parks is to drive around Lake Eildon and have a picnic and a swim.

Lake Eildon on arrival is not looking too fresh... although quite picturesque from a distance it is clearly denuded and reminiscent of how our lakes in Brisbane looked a couple of years ago with a ring of dessicated barren ground above the current water line, showing where it used to be in the "good old days."

In fact it's so depleted that in many places dead trees are poking out - we theorised on how they got there and came to the conclusion that they must have been flooded when the dam was first built.

The drive around the lake took is high into the surrounding hills and afforded us views of expensive looking houses dotted around the place as well as panoramic views which stretched for miles underneath a sun which wasn't as hot as the day before. The wind was windy though - as we found out when we descended to try to find a picnic spot.

Spot one proved unsuitable, so we headed further round the lake on some gravel roads before finding a little spot by the lake side for lunch and a meditation in ignoring flies. The wind was blowing the trees behind us quite considerable though we were sheltered by the coppice behind.

Lunch completed we drove around the headland for a bit to find a place for the promised refreshing swim.

Location one was a marina for house boats. I say marina - well it might have been once, and there were house boats, but you had to cross a lunar landscape of dried-up lake bed to get there and the wind was blowing clouds of dust up which kind of detracted from the already sparse natural beauty of the place.

Location two was by the spillway and not that much better in my book but at least you could get to the water and dip your toes in it whilst ignoring the clouds of sandy stuff in it which were probably churned up by the wind.

Determination was in the air to varying degrees however and I watched the others having their little swim before getting out again.

I saved my energies for a swim in the river when we got home. Chilly spring water, mmmmm.