วีดีโอ

It’s coming. I’ll do a comparison to 6 months ago and also the entire track. I’ll admit I rushed this video trying to get it out.

😂 if it’s 2 lanes and bitumen I really don’t care, if it’s a dirt road then I do my best to pass on the info about what’s coming behind me. But hey maybe next time you pass me and I stick up 2 fingers you’ll be thinking there’s 2 cars coming behind me.

@thewanderingnewbie1 not sure what you're on about. It was bitumen rd and your having a sook about people not knowing etiquette. I managed to drive down the Princess highway and didn't need someone waving fingers either.

Lots coming in 2025. I’ve got a back log of videos to edit now!

We watch Star Trek 😂

My trouble is everywhere has so many hidden gems that I run out of time!

@@thewanderingnewbie1 so true 👍🏻

I think I’ll walk it next time I’m at O’tooles too. At the moment Steve’s new car is in several pieces seeing as he chopped it in half with an angle grinder. Maybe 2026 it will hit the tracks!

Tell Paul I'm glad he shared it.

Thanks for the tip. I’m not the best fisher haha.

Oh yes. It looks very messy! It actually been quite interesting to hear where different people think ‘old flats’ is. Had at least 3 different options that were wrong. One reason for the video! Hopefully I made it pretty clear where the ‘old’ bit is.

Yeah Steve is building a car. We’ll go back when it’s done. It will have all the bells and whistles.

Yeah I don’t mind showing me chickening out. It’s amazing how much I’ve not been on given I live 2 hours away. So much to do!

Thanks for the offer but I am one busy human! Only just manage to squeeze in the trips I do now. I’m sure you’ll make a great video though. Tons of history. I’m actually thinking of redoing a trip I did all round Aberfeldy looking at the history.

@@thewanderingnewbie1 All good, this one will be a remake to mark 10 years since I lost my brother. Looking for a few people to jump on board for all or even part of the filming. th-cam.com/video/39t6XRylklU/w-d-xo.html

I’ll go back one day. Even at the very start I was diffing out.

Her tyres are too small too.

Most definitely

Sure is, that’s why I filmed it. Hope it helps someone decide not to do it. I occasionally pull a trailer away camping but I’m not a fan of even single track roads. I see big caravans go into merringtons, the stress would kill me.

Summer is coming so I’ll be out more. 😆

Yeah I should take it off. If I’m going through deeper stuff, definitely. I probably should try to build that habit by doing in the small creeks too.

No dramas. Not been there for a bit so let me know how you go. Always interested to know if it’s changed much….gives me an excuse to go back.

Glad it was helpful!

No idea why it keeps disappearing. Yep not the best idea the government have had.

Glad it helped. I really enjoyed this drive but then again I love rocks hahaha.

After biting the bullet and putting myself out there with the incab I wouldn’t go back. I think it gives so much information, the movement, the look on my face, the sound. You do have to put up with me blabbing on though haha.

@thewanderingnewbie1 worth it!

Yeah it wasn’t even that hot and we bailed at the top of the hill!

@thewanderingnewbie1 Can't blame you!

Thanks!

Great info. Always good to know where the fish are biting! I think I’d spend a lot of time retrieving my lure out of bushes if I fished here!

Yep I reckon. Try and get away at least once a month. It helps that I can do multiple campgrounds in a day. It’s a hobby really, collecting campgrounds. I struggle to go past one if I’ve not recorded it!

@ ❤️ your work

Glad you liked it!

Makes for something a bit different

Lovely big space so will look great with some grass

Sure did. Can’t say the word nandos and not think of chicken

I’m amazed the hut survived given the tree damage!

Yes. Don’t think the trees are as tall.

Glad you love it!

No worries! I hope you get to go there sometime

The river sure is beautiful but gosh I struggled fishing. Only caught fish down by simsons landing and they were all juvenile salmon.

Didn’t see any but the northern campground was covered in cans. My son and I picked up over 40.

Depends on time of year. How high your air intake is. My friend in a ranger crossed it with no snorkel ok. In winter probably no chance, in summer, maybe but you might want to walk it first to check depth.

Thank you so much!😊

Are you a regular? Is it regularly windy?

@@thewanderingnewbie1 I think the first thing you may wish to look slightly closer at, is your opening still shot with the headings. It appears to me to be showing a wind farm in the distance. 😇 Yes it is a windy place and we have camped there a few times, usually one nighters but once for a few days. While I wouldn't say the wind was relentless, it was reasonably constant. That said, there are areas (small pockets really) where you can almost get a no wind campsite. From Melbourne and shortly before Ballarat, the highway peaks around 560m to maybe 600m. The area does drop slightly after Ballarat, but in general, the surrounding areas are reasonably high above sea level (for Australia) and the plethora of wind farms west and south west of Ballarat are there for a reason.

Haha I definitely saw all the wind farms, can't miss them, just wondered if it ever eased off down at ground level. I camped at Smythesdale recently and the arvo wind was constant.

@@thewanderingnewbie1 Well the wind sometimes lessens considerably getting near dusk, but not always. With regard to Smythesdale being windy I've been there 10-12 times, twice this year, March and June in fact. I would have thought the surrounding tree canopy, which is sort of heavy, would have lessened any major winds. We are in a truck camper, so wind really doesn't worry us unless it becomes cyclonic............. The worst thing about Smythesdale is camping down the back in the centre if it rains overnight, one needs to drop air to get out; been there done that. Other than that, Smythesdale is nearly perfect with only a short 10 minute walk to cafés, interesting restaurants and excellent pub food; all in the main drag.

I rarely go over west just because I hate driving across the city after work.

@thewanderingnewbie1 Even when l lived in Thomastown l hated driving any further west on that Greensie hwy!!

That sounds like a great trip down memory lane haha.

Awesome info. Thanks for sharing.

Yes a bit more green in a blanket of brown.

Only just! Hopefully they all grow back, you can see them trying. I find it weirdly beautiful.

Oh god. What have I left at the end?! Haha I’m away camping so I’ll have to fix it when I’m back.

Thank god it’s just black. I’ll do that thanks for letting me know. Teach me not to rush!

There’s always comments when those two are around 🙄😂

Apparently VR and camping don’t mix. He tried though.

Apparently there’s an extra bit I missed right at the furthest point apparently you can cross the river again. Damn I’ll have to go back haha.

Yes I thought that. Must have had some heat going though there, not one tree escaped.

I can imagine once the trees grow back it will feel very closed in. Mugwamp is coming up and looks fairly similar.

@@thewanderingnewbie1 We just stayed here last weekend. Had the whole place to ourselves. Our ep will be live in a few weeks but it certainly was different. Loved seeing Mugwamp Hut still standing.

The hut must have been protected to survive. I bet it’s quite eerie camping where a bush fire has recently gone through.

It was surreal but peaceful. The eerie thing was that there were no other people around on a weekend.

Nope.

No I didn’t. The kids were already bored and then with the constant road closures they were getting a bit feral so we missed a few spots. I’ll go back haha.