>Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
(>Pictures at the bottom)
The summary of the last 19 days of the year that is coming to an end can be told in a few words. Warm temperatures greeted us as we entered the harbour and we were able to enjoy the warming morning sun on deck. But even in Victoria, we were soon caught up by what we had experienced so far…
No sooner had we set foot on solid ground than we headed for the nearest supermarket to restock our supplies. We weren’t allowed to take any fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables with us from Tasmania. Fully loaded, we set off for the nearest national park, where we spent the next few days planning our itinerary. Melbourne was only a few kilometres away, and we couldn’t – or didn’t want to – miss out on this metropolis.
So the next day, we plunged into the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle of Melbourne and were somewhat surprised by the hectic pace. Crowds of people were strolling through the city centre and the pavements were so crowded that we hadn’t seen anything like it in a long time. The white-painted Christmas trees and shop window displays attempted to convey a Christmas atmosphere on this warm day, when everyone was out and about in shorts and light clothing. It was somehow impressive and at the same time a little confusing.
The hustle and bustle of the city did not captivate us for very long. We had other goals and wanted to get back out where things were a little quieter. On my wish list (Tom) was, among other things, the southernmost point of the Australian mainland. At Wilsons Promontory National Park, you can reach this point on a hike lasting several hours. So we booked our spot at the park campsite and hoped for lots of sunshine. But there was neither sunshine nor a nice campsite; Chantal just mocked this mass processing in nature. The crowds around the tents and caravans were not quite what we had in mind. The hike on my part (Tom) literally fell through due to the weather, so we left the southernmost point without visiting it.
Our onward journey was once again a zigzag course through the hilly state of Victoria. The lonely roads through the vast state forests were our next destination. We soon drove through the southern part of the Alpine National Park, which is located in Victoria, and to top it all off, we visited Snowy River National Park. A lot of timber has always been felled in these vast forests, and what is not protected today is still regularly used by the timber industry. During European settlement, gold discoveries briefly revived entire valleys. From this golden age, we roamed several small towns, which are now maintained at great expense for visitors. We soon reached the Tasman Sea and the eastern tip of Victoria. The holiday season was in full swing and even in the most remote valleys, the campsites in the parks were already very busy.
Taking back roads – we didn’t want to give away all our vegetables again – we reached New South Wales and the sea. Yes, the Aussies’ holiday season had reached us; there was a holiday atmosphere everywhere and the possible places to stay kept our pulses racing, wondering whether we would find a suitable spot for the coming night. We don’t particularly like planning ahead and tend to take things as they come, which may not be the right approach during the high season.
We followed the Tasman Sea northwards for a short distance and enjoyed the exuberant pre-Christmas atmosphere to some extent. The hustle and bustle on the coastal road was somewhat unusual for such a large country. If you don’t drive at or slightly above the speed limit, you’ll find that Aussies are like little race car drivers with daring overtaking manoeuvres. It’s crazy what sometimes happens on the roads; the main thing is to get past somehow!
We left the coastal road and headed inland towards Canberra. Shortly after the turn-off, the traffic calmed down and the countless animal carcasses on the side of the road were no longer omnipresent. On our way to the Australian capital, we passed through countless small nature reserves, vast farmland and countless villages.
It was very quiet in the Australian capital, Canberra. As there were no major political issues to deal with in the run-up to Christmas, there were only a lot of tourists in the city and around the seat of government. This meant we were able to move around the parliament building almost freely and marvel at this fascinating new building. The largest Australian flag on the roof is also intended to illustrate how huge this country really is.
Where images of the Apollo moon landing and Neil Armstrong’s first steps once reached Earth – NASA operated a station in Australia, among other places – we found a free spot outside the capital in a national park. Further reservations were soon impossible. We wanted to roam through Kosciuszko National Park, and Tom’s wish list also included hiking Australia’s highest mountain. But all possible camping options were fully booked far and wide, and private providers are nowhere to be found in the national parks.
Somewhat disappointed, we left the region and headed west, with the Murray River as our guide. This river is the longest in Australia; after leaving the mountains, it meanders westwards. In addition to many barrages, there are also larger sections that are protected nature reserves but may be used for tourism. It’s actually great that you can park for the night on the many floodplains and natural river bends. But it was holiday season and the Aussies love spending time in nature just as much as we do. So we were always happy to be able to book a free parking space online, somehow and wherever we could.
The year was coming to an end and we found a free spot west of Albury on a wonderful bend in the river. According to the online booking, it should work out. On site, everything was different from what we expected; a dense crowd of caravans and tents, and the many cars and boat trailers made the available space even more cramped. People were already in a New Year’s Eve mood and there was a lot of motorboat traffic on the river. Somehow, we didn’t care about any of this. No sooner had we parked our car between two caravans than we jumped into the water and enjoyed cooling off on this hot December day.
When we arrived at this spot, we didn’t notice the slight humming noise at first. But the longer we stayed there, the more noticeable it became; emergency generators were humming everywhere, providing air conditioning for the caravans and the necessary power for the cool boxes. In any case, beer was being consumed in abundance on the riverbank. This rambunctiousness did not appeal to us. It was hard to imagine what it would be like on New Year’s Eve!
The next day, we packed our things again and drove back east. East of Albury, we were ready to spend a night in a secluded forest, which was our desired location for the end of the year. Our expectations were high, but our wish came true; we had a secluded and quiet spot where we were only visited by two brushtail possums. And, as there was a high risk of fire and forest fires, there was not even a sign of fireworks in the distance. That’s how we like it!
And, by the way, we were once again very close to Kosciuszko National Park. Maybe I (Tom) will still be able to hike up Australia’s highest mountain. You never know!
Chantal and Tom/(December 2025/) January 2026
>Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator