A few weeks ago, I escaped the house and headed out into the Yarra Valley. Warburton is a village sitting in a nook surrounded by dark mountains with the Yarra River gushing through. For some reason I’d never been there. What a delightful surprise.
We were in a small breathing space between lockdowns, so plenty of people were taking the opportunity to also escape their houses, though you had to buy your pie from the bakery through a hole in the wall, rather than going in. And you had to walk on the correct ‘in’ and ‘out’ arrows. I don’t know what would happen if you walked out on an ‘in’ arrow or in on an ‘out’ arrow. I might try it. I digress.

The river begins its journey on the southern slopes of the Great Dividing Range, travelling through the forested valleys and quaint regional towns of the Yarra Ranges to Melbourne, entering Port Phillip Bay at Hobson’s Bay. I wandered along it for ages, relaxing and breathing in the pure air.
Believe it or not, this is the golf course. Pretty challenging by the look of it, not that I know anything about golf but aren’t they usually flat?

Cottages climb the hills around the town. While getting some pretty good exercise up there, I met a man in his very quirky back yard.
He grew up in Noojee, a logging town in West Gippsland, not far from Neerim North, where I often stayed with a school friend’s family. We used to go to mass in Noojee. I remember it because of my car sickness winding round the hills. He ended up living in Warragul where I went to high school and we had a lovely time exchanging memories of those days.
Warburton is a very pretty spot, with plenty of cafes to refuel in between walks. Only an hour from the city, it’s an easy day trip, and a lovely place to unwind and get away from it all.
It looks a pretty little place to visit. We have a golf course near where we live that is very hilly and very popular too because of its challenging nature.
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Thanks, Marion. You’d imagine the water would sit around too. They get a fair amount of rain there so, yes, pretty challenging.
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Hi Coarl. I like your trips, but you say ‘I wandered along it for ages, relaxing and breathing in the pure air.’ Was this area not devasted by bush fires just two years ago? (2019–20 Australian bushfire season, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Australian_bushfire_season#Victoria.)
Nature does return quickly.
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HI, Richard. The fires were further to the east so Warburton was lucky enough to miss out this time, though they had a bad time in the 2009 Black Saturday fires. Nature has done her job since then, thank heavens.
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OOPS CORAL!
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What a delightful trip you’ve taken us on, Coral, a really enjoyable visit to one of your small towns/villages. The scenery looks delightful and your photographs do justice to the place. Keep on travelling while you can, things seem to be getting worse all round the world and although I’d hoped to start travelling again next year, it looks as though that’s out for now. I even feel unsure about travelling in my own country (UK) as the Delta variant seems quite vicious now and we haven’t cancelled festivals and County Show which are just spreading Covid.
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Thanks for those lovely comments, Marie. I’m glad you enjoyed my little trip out to the bush. Just a thought as to the Delta variant. I was listening to a brilliant scientist the other day who said it’s only 0.3 (or some such) different to the original and so your immune system will have no problem knocking it off. I don’t know if this is any help. Anything to avoid more worry, don’t you reckon? Hope I can get back to the UK some time in the future, anyway. Can’t get enough of those cathedrals, canals, history, etc. All the best, Coral.
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What a lovely place to break out of lockdown! I’m dreamin’….Take care down there.
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Thanks heaps, Mel. The same to you.
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What a peaceful looking spot to visit. 😊
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It is, Glenys. It’s just gorgeous walking along the river.
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I would enjoy that.
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Hi Coral looks so lovely. Glad you took us there always the magic of natures healing balm. stay well warmly Nadine
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Thanks so much, Nar. Been keeping my head in order by going out and finding picnic spots in nature. I hope you’re well. All the best. xx
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Looks beautiful Coral, a place I’ve never been. I have seen some of Victoria when I visit my son in Melbourne. Will put that on my list for when we can travel again.
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Great, Alison. There are some nice drives out into the bush as well, waterfalls, etc. which I haven’t had a chance to do yet.
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Looks like a lovely little place. By the way, that golf course IS flat, compared to the one behind my house 😜
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Oh, right. Haha. That must be a challenge.
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Looks fascinating! Puzzled that your guitarist chum seems to be wearing gloves.
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Yes. Don’t know what that’s about. Thanks for reading.
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