Moama NSW, Bendigo and Daylsford

The bridge to my fifth Australian state.

Counties are called Shires here and in New Zealand too.

I love driving in the country.

The mineral spa in the town of Hepburn Springs.

Sunday, May 8^th.

I woke up early to the sound of heavy rain outside. I stayed inside, ate my breakfast and read my new book that I borrowed from Graham: One Summer by Bill Bryson. When it let up a bit, I checked out. I went to the local grocery store and picked up some supplies of fruit and yogurt for the ride home.

The weather was still mild, but drizzly and misty so I decided to take my time driving home and visit two towns I had wanted to visit, Bendigo and Daylsford. I traveled on some lovely country roads to Bendigo and had a little look around. Nothing to much different from other towns, other than a really large statue of Marilyn Monroe in the famous blowing skirt pose. What that was doing in the town park I can't say.

From there I drove to Daylsford which I had heard was a pretty, artistic, gay community. It was indeed an attractive town with lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants. Just out of town was another small town called Hepburn Springs that had lots of public and private spas. The area is an area of natural mineral springs and they heat it for spa use. I went to the public baths and lounged in the warm waters for a couple of hours. They had a glass wall facing a wooded hill, and I saw two kangaroos bound up the hill and into the bush.

From there I continued to drive back to Melbourne through the mist and light rain. I arrived about seven, in time to grocery shop and get ready for school.