Nov 18 to 20  We catch the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry and head down the Great Ocean Road for a 3 day stay in Warrnambool. We stay at the local showgrounds. Again, great value at $20 per night. Having played the local course when we visited last year we decide to have a game at the close by Port Fairy club. What a beautiful golf course, right on the ocean with spectacular views. Of course, the wind blows a gale as well but that does not spoil a lovely experience. (For the Irish followers of this blog Port Fairy lies inside Belfast Cove).

              

Just a quick note for Siobhan’s mother who showed Bob how to make soda farls when Bob and Siobhan visited in September. Well, here is the first effort from the caravan – not bad.

 

The event consists of a one day event of mixed four balls at Rosebud Country Club, then the championships proper with 3 stroke rounds at 3 of the best golf courses on the Mornington Peninsula – Moonah Links, The Dunes and The National (Ocean Course). All the courses were spectacular but very tough to play. The Pelican Waters contingent did well with daily winners Matt Schlotterbach, Don Craig. Aileen Craig and Siobhan. Siobhan also finished as runner up in the Division 1 ladies event, a great effort rewarded by a golf bag and vouchers.

     

Nov 4 to 17  A short overnight stop in Seymour sees us arriving for a 2 week stay on the Mornington Peninsula for the Annual Australian Veterans Golfers Championships. We settle down on the foreshore at Rosebud right next to the ocean and close to town on a council owned campsite which is great value at $19 per night. The amenities are better than some caravan sites we have stayed in. There are a number of golfers attending the event from Pelican Waters and we enjoy playing some practise rounds and getting together for drinks and food.

      

 

Oct 30 to Nov 4  Leaving Nelson Bay, we stop for a night in Miranda (Sydney) to catch up with Siobhan’s best friend from Ireland, Sheila and her family. Our next stop is for a few days at Howlong on the NSW side of the magnificent Murray River. On the way we pass some interesting sites – ‘The Big Marino’ in Goulburn and a quite unbelievable site of a full size submarine in the middle of the NSW country town of Holbrook.

   

Howlong Golf Club is a typical country golf (and bowls) club that is extremely friendly and also helps travellers like ourselves with a cost effective membership that enables us to retain a formal handicap and veterans membership. Howlong is our adopted club and we enjoy a couple of games whilst we free camp on the Murray river.