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Bairnsdale via NRMA park, plus chocolate mousse
Arrived in Bairnsdale at the NRMA cabin/caravan park. Dessert was chocolate mousse from OzMex Restaurant 😋.
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Daylesford to Bairnsdale, 400 km in a day
Breakfast in Daylesford, dinner in Bairnsdale, Victoria, over 400km apart. We’re off to look at some houses on the far south coast of NSW, starting in Tuross Head. It was a last minute decision, when we stopped for lunch in Knoxfield, to just keep going. Autopilot took care of most of the highway driving. A quick charge and loo stop in Moe, and a drive past the carbon spewing coal fire power plants, which will hopefully be phased out soon.
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Borealis AU light show by Lake Daylesford
We drove down to Lake Daylesford with a cheese hamper from Winespeake for dinner, followed by the Borealis AU #borealisau light show. Lasers onto mists of rain fog and dry ice, with a mystical sound track background. Erie and beautiful.
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A house-inspection lunch at The Convent, Daylesford
In between house inspections, we grabbed lunch at The Convent Daylesford. They were booked out, but Stephen was kind enough to call us a few minutes later when a table freed up. After a walk along Lake Daylesford, I searched through the main street of town for a cafe that served scones. You would think that they would be everywhere in this place, but no! In the end, it turns out that the only person serving scones here, is me! With help from Bakers delight Daylesford and Coles Daylesford for the ingredients.
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House-hunting in Daylesford
Off to Daylesford for the weekend. You guessed it – looking at potential homes. We drove by a few houses, through Spring Hill, Trentham, then back to Daylesford. Beautiful region. Probably a bit too consistently wet and overcast for us, however. We stayed at Hotel Frangos, for sleeping, a dinner, and brekky. Lovely country hotel, friendly staff and friendly dogs (not part of the hotel, I think). The car park has an iconic metal gate, but it’s quite narrow, and we just managed to escape bottoming out on the dip. Francis took precautions against the Italian meatballs.
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New tyres for our Tesla Model 3
Booking through the app was seamless, as always. I asked previously, via the app, if I could have a loan car while they serviced ours, but they were all allocated. When I arrived, however, I asked again, and said I’d sit in the waiting room until they found one. A few minutes later, a Model Y became available. This was the first time I was able to pair my phone with the loan car, which makes using it much easier. The process created a new profile, linked to my Tesla account, which later also appeared in our Tesla Model 3, so I will use that profile from now on, to share my preferred settings between cars. The air con in the Model 3 has a “recycle air” button. But the the Model Y also has the “biohazard defence” button. I think it helps when sitting behind diesel spewing utes taking off at the lights 😉. While waiting, I set up office in the Model Y in nearby Jells Park. The tyres cost $427 each (Michelin Pilot Sport 4). The car has driven nearly 39,000km. At my request, they fitted the…
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Brunch in FTG, plus a 1 TB Tesla USB upgrade
Visiting Ferntree Gully: Brunch at lorna cafe. Hair courtesy of Ruby Red Salon. Walk around the Tim Neville Arboretum, including public herbs, it seems. Replacing the Tesla’s supplied 128GB USB drive with a 1TB drive. Eight times the capacity for Sentry Mode recordings and dash cam recordings from the eight built in cameras.
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Tyre rotation — and a recommended replacement
Slightly overdue for another tyre rotation (16,700km since previous check, but due at 10,000km intervals). So, I booked one in via the Tesla app, which quoted $71.28. Mobile service came to me. Amar, the Tesla technician, was very friendly, efficient and helpful. All his tools were in the trunk and frunk of his Tesla Model S service vehicle. He showed me that the tyres had unevenly worn, so the inside tread (on the right in the photo) was below spec on all tyres, requiring the replacement. He said he could cancel today’s call-out (so, no cost to me) and book in a tyre replacement at the Tesla service centre (big cost). I asked him to make it so. Follow up: See the post about the subsequent actual tyre replacement at the service center, here:
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A baked-potato day in Lillydale
A short trip out to Lillydale (Victoria) to look at some houses and to grab a baked potato for lunch by Lillydale Lake. We didn’t find a house, but Francis nearly adopted a couple of the house cats.
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Through Gembrook, back to Scoresby
We drove from Lakes Entrance, back to Scoresby, in eastern Melbourne. We popped in through Gembrook to look at a house. The air hand dryer in the park in Gembrook had a familiar brand name. It bucketed rain at one point along the Princes Highway, which seemed to wash off all of the bugs. It pushed the AutoPilot to the limit, but it managed to keep on steering us through the lane. I suspect the rain impacted our range a bit. Because of the rain, we looked for somewhere sheltered for lunch, and headed into Traralgon shopping centre. We tried, but failed, to find the chargers there, until we were leaving, so didn’t bother. Shopping centers should have better signs and arrows for visiting EVs to find them. As we were leaving, David and Sam flagged us down in the car park, showing a picture of us from our posts. Sam commented to Dave “He’s got bare feet!”. I’m not sure if that’s how they identified us 🤔. We chatted a bit about our travels, their off grid setup in Rawson, and small town…
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Big Bear Donuts, finally
Arrived in Lakes Entrance, Victoria. We had been thinking about the Big Bear Donuts from a week ago at the donut van in Sale. So, in transit today, Fran preordered donuts from their shop in Lakes Entrance, for pickup at the Tesla navigation’s predicted arrival time. High pressure driving! We may have a problem 🍩. We stayed in a great cabin at the Eastern Beach Holiday Park. I caught up on a little bit of work (and wine). We chatted to the couple in the cabin next door, who also had an EV. They were on their way from Tasmania to family on the NSW Central Coast, in Empire Bay, just across the water from where we used to live.
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Free Bega coffee on the way to Victoria
Starting our trip back from Tuross Head in NSW to Victoria. First stop at a service station to clean the windscreen, and _not_ buy petrol. A quick stop in Bega for a coffee and free top up electric charge. A rest stop in Timbillica to expel the digested coffee. Our first time stopping at Cann River, to use the new Tesla superchargers and try out the pies (recommended by Daniel Rond). Beautiful and convenient place to stop. The charging was finished before we were.
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Thai by the water in Narooma
Day trip from Tuross Head to Narooma, on the NSW south coast. Beautiful clear water under Narooma Bridge. Thai lunch special by the water’s edge. Watching the sea lion and stingray near the boat ramp.
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Stalking kangaroos at dusk in Tuross Head
More cruising around Tuross Head. Made our gourmet peanut butter and banana on toast for brekky. Bought coffee from the local Lure Cafe Tuross. Found different office views from which to work. Stalked the local kangaroos at dusk.
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800 followers — thank you!
Thank you all for continuing interest and support. 🎉 ❤️ If you haven’t already, please tap `Follow` and `Like` 👍.
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600 km of bugs to Tuross Head
After driving over 600km in seven hours today (and hitting a few hundred bugs) from Yarragon in Victoria, we arrived in Tuross Head in NSW. We visited some friends for dinner and marvelled at the moon reflecting over the ocean in the distance.
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A quick stop in Bega
Quick stop for a wee in Bega. Last stop before our destination in Tuross Head.
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Salad sandwiches and a metal bird in Orbost
Our stomachs demanded something more healthy than the donuts we had devoured in Sale. We grabbed a couple of salad sandwiches in Orbost, and wandered past the giant metal bird sculpture.
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A loo stop, and the Big Bear Donuts van
Time for a loo stop. Found a nice rest area next to the channel, and the Big Bear Donuts van!
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Eggs and a hilltop view at Rosewood Park, Yarragon
We stayed last night at a Rosewood Park Guest Suite, on a hill overlooking Yarragon Victoria. We cooked up some (supplied) eggs and muffins for breakfast, grabbed a coffee (down the road in Yarragon), and hit the road. This morning we’re heading towards Tuross Head in NSW – 600km, 7 hours of driving, along the south east coast of Victoria.
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Wednesday parma at Turfside Bistro, Moe
We stopped briefly at Coles in Moe to get some milk. Followed by Wednesday parma dinner special at the local Turfside Bistro Moe.
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A picnic-area meeting near Blue Rock Lake
Beautiful drive from Healesville, south past Blue Rock Lake. Due to have a meeting with a client and Apple at 4pm. At 3:50 we spotted a picnic area turn off. Quickly set up a picturesque “office”, ready to get my head into work mode. Unfortunately, the cell reception dropped from three bars down to one by the lake. It was just enough to maintain the video call. Love the office decor.
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House-driving, then lunch at Watts River Cafe
We set off from our one night stay in Knoxfield Victoria, towards Tuross Head, back in NSW. First we stopped in Mount Evelyn and Healesville to drive by a couple of houses for sale. Lunch was beautifully presented at Watts River Cafe and Store. Tom was thrilled with his favourite combination of chocolate cake, berry coulis and fresh fruit, on his birthday.
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Off to see Barbie at Westfield Knox
Off to see Barbie the Movie in Westfield Knox.
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House-checking in Yarra Junction
Final leg of our trip to see a house in Yarra Junction. Nice house and view of the mountain, but a bit close to the neighbours. We stayed last night at Castle Creek Motel, in Euroa. Dinner at the Euroa Pub. Lunch in Yarra Junction at Red Relish cafe with, as you might guess, a delicious red relish.
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Diverting to Yackandandah for lunch
We diverted off the Hume Highway to grab lunch in one of our favourite towns, Yackandandah.
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Dog on the Tuckerbox, then The Coffee Pedaler
We stopped briefly next to The Dog on the Tuckerbox, at Oliver's Real Food Gundagai. We had just eaten Oliver’s for dinner last night, in Goulburn. Then on to The The Coffee Pedaler - Gundagai for coffee and cake.
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A Goulburn night at Bakehouse Motel
Sunday evening: First overnight stop, on this trip, at the Bakehouse Motel Goulburn. Breakfast the next morning at the adjoining Trappers Bakery Goulburn, and continued the drive past the Cullerin Range Wind Farm.
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Setting off, again, for Yarra Junction
Sunday afternoon: Started driving from the NSW Central Coast towards Yarra Junction in Victoria, to look at a another house, on Tuesday. As you do 😉. Tonight we will stay somewhere around Goulburn.
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House-hunting at Murray's Beach and Caves Beach
We continued our search for a new home, this time looking again in Murray’s Beach. Then we popped down for a walk beside the Swansea Bridge, and then as cuppa and cake on Caves Beach. 24°C – much warmer than -2°C in Cooma a couple of weeks ago and 15°C near Melbourne a week before that.
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Family time on the Central Coast
While on the NSW Central Coast, we managed to catch up with our kids, and grandchild. One is living and working in Hamilton Island, so Fran flew up there for a few days. Love you all 🥰
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A charging spot near Sydney Airport
I drove to Sydney Airport to pick up Francis, coming back from Hamilton Island. Found a convenient charging spot in a nearby suburb, to park while waiting for her plane to land.
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Killcare Beach Kiosk, and the Bouddi Coastal Walk
Lunch at Killcare Beach Kiosk followed by a walk along the Bouddi Coastal Walk.
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Margaret's villa, and an EV-community legend
We arrived on the NSW Central Coast on Tuesday night, July 18. A very generous friend, Margaret, offered us her villa while we’re staying here for a couple of weeks ☺️. Margaret is a bit of a legend in the EV community. She bought a Kona EV several years back and made the occasional road trip when there was less infrastructure than is now available for us. Other residents in Tarragal Glen Retirement Village started to take notice. One day they told her "did you see that Hugh Sykes up the road has bought a Tesla?" She thought she'd best go and meet the new EV owner on the block. They soon fell in love and got married! They now do a few speaking circuits to tell others the benefits of driving an EV. You can see their story here:
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Toes in the water at Terrigal Beach
Finally got to dip my toes in the ocean again, at Terrigal Beach. Then a walk along the boardwalk to Terrigal Haven for brunch at The Cove Cafe.
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Pie in the Sky, by Tesla this time
Last stop before reaching the Central Coast, at Pie in the Sky. This used to be a favourite stop of ours when out for a ride on the motorbike. Great to take a spin in the Tesla along the familiar curves of the old Pacific Highway.
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Doughnuts at the Berry Showgrounds
On the final leg of our trip, from Milton to the Central Coast today. We stopped at the Berry Doughnut Van, then took the doughnuts to the Berry Showgrounds, to have a stretch and find a loo. I did spot in the Tesla’s sentry camera that Francis had already started on the doughnuts before I got back to the car! 😉. Doughnut cam!
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Italian dinner in Ulladulla, overnight in Milton
We're staying overnight in a unit in Milton. Dinner in Ulladulla at Tony’s Italian Restaurant https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090048066600&mibextid=LQQJ4d
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Pooh Bear Corner, in Monga National Park
We headed east from Braidwood towards the coast, when Pooh Bear Corner. Monga National Park caught our eye. Someone has set up a bunch of Winnie The Pooh characters in a cave by the road. Cute. A bit further down the road, we spotted a couple of fallen logs (one pictured) with more toys on them. Weird but cute.
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Out of Cooma's fog, east to Milton
We left the freezing foggy morning in Cooma, climbing above the clouds (well, the fog) into the sunshine. We decided to head for Milton, on the east coast, near Ulladulla. We entered it into the Tesla navigation and proceeded along the “fastest route”. But the maps don’t seem to tell you what kind of road to expect along a particular route. Initially, I laughed at the sign we passed that read something like “No petrol for 160km”. Then we passed by some grading work on a dirt road stretch, where I thought the driver waved, but later thought maybe he was pointing to say “go back”. The navigation showed 97km along this road before the next required turn off. The dirt roads probably went for 60km of the trip. We only passed a handful of vehicles. As it turned out, the road was pretty good, dirt and all. We’ve been on much worse. The issue is just not knowing, along the way, if the road will deteriorate, so you should turn around. We arrived in Braidwood at the end of it. Time for lunch.…
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A visit to Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre
Monday morning: We visited the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre. Very interesting wide screen video presentation, models, and other exhibits. Amazing how we can generate electricity from rainfall and melting snow.
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Ice on the car, in Cooma
Cold start to the day in Cooma. Ice on the car. From the app, we preheated the car before the morning coffee run. The cold reduced the tyre pressures from 42 to 38 psi, until the car got moving.
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Hiring snow chains for the Alpine Way
Venturing from Corryong to Khancoban, we decided to keep going east, through the Snowy Mountains along the Alpine Way, past Thredbo to Jindabyne. The road has signs that require all two wheel drive cars to carry snow chains. So we hired some from Khancoban, which could be returned in Jindabyne (“one way hire”). In the end, we never actually had to fit them, since all the roads were cleared. We stopped a few times along the way, including a rest stop next to the origin of the Murray River (pictured). I left the cap/cup from my thermos on one of the garden border markers near the toilet block, so I wouldn’t drop it as we clambered down to the river. But I forgot about it as we walked back to the car and drove off 🤦♂️. If you happen to be driving past Mount Kosciusko, please keep an eye out for it 😉. We returned the snow chains on the other side of Mount Kosciusko at in Jindabyne. The service stations were packed with people queuing for petrol, I guess on the last day of the school…
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Lunch at The Black Sheep, Corryong
We stopped in Corryong, heading towards Mount Kosciusko. We shared lunch at The Black Sheep, with a couple of black sheep watching.
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Lake Hume drive: Yackandandah to Corryong
Driving from Yackandandah, along Lake Hume, through Tangambalanga, Tallangatta and Shelley, Victoria, just south of the border, towards Corryong.
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A second night at Motel Views Yackandandah
We stayed Saturday night at the Motel Views Yackandandah. I think this is the only place where we’ve stayed twice, in our road tripping. Lovely spot and host (Jackie). For dinner, we ate Thai from Grace’s Place Café. Great food but ordering is a challenge. Maps and TripAdvisor show a website link that doesn’t exist. There’s no online ordering. Phone goes to voicemail. I was lucky enough to have them reply to a text message. Cash only payment. Brekky at Beechworth Bakery. Choice of pies, toasties and wraps. We strolled through the town, checked out the markets, ferrets and patted numerous dogs.
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Made it to Bright
Absolutely stunning town by the Ovens River. Picturesque walks abound, caffeine options aplenty and it was cold enough for Tom to wear shoes! Love to come back in the summer and watch people tackle the rapids of the river. We enjoyed a scrumptious American style burger (so named because of the orange coloured plastic cheese therein) and crunchy curly fries. We have taken to going halves for lunch, partly to cut costs and also …….. we’re getting too fat!!!!
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Through alpine fog, Eskdale to Bright
Driving from Eskdale to Bright, in country Victoria, through the morning fog. Such greenery. Hard to believe there were devastating bush fires in the region just a few years ago. Alpine forests cover mountain after mountain. Great to see them replanted and harvested side by side. I didn’t realise that cows could read, let alone obey signs. That is impressive!
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An Eskdale Airbnb, further than we thought
Friday afternoon: We looked on Airbnb for somewhere to stay near Bright. Our search showed a homestead in a farm “nearby”. So, we booked it. Rookie mistake: it was in Eskdale, about an hour and a half drive from Bright. Our second mistake was thinking we had booked two nights when in fact we had only booked one – an error we didn’t realise until the next morning when we received a goodbye message from our host, as we were driving to Bright for the day, with all of our stuff still back in the accommodation. A U-turn, quick pack up, and an hour more driving, and we were back on track. I say “quick”, but we also couldn’t get the key to work in the door, so I had to climb in a window. Charming stay, in a valley, with long valley views, cows over the fence and green as far as the eye can see. Our hosts left us a cheese platter, bread, cupcakes which made for a lovely night in.
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Fruit, chocolate, and a Myrtleford Supercharger
Quick stop in Myrtleford for some fruit and dinner supplies (ok, maybe also chocolate). We needed to stop for a few minutes to get better organised and to stretch my legs, so we drove a bit further up the road to the Tesla supercharger in the town of Ovens.
Formerly: Tesla Tripping
Come along on our EV road trips around Australia and Europe, and follow as we progressively electrify our home in Emerald, Victoria.
Join us on the road. We set off in late 2022 and drove eastern Australia in our Tesla Model 3 — Sydney, Dubbo, Armidale, Brisbane, Cape Tribulation, then down through Queensland and back. We've since upgraded to a Model Y.
We've kept exploring — Uluru, the Snowy Mountains and Gippsland, and a longer run through Europe in 2024. There's plenty more on the map, so come along for the next leg.
At home in Emerald, in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges, we're progressively electrifying everything: rooftop solar, a home battery, a hot water heat pump, air conditioned heating and cooling, and EV charging straight from the sun. We're going fully electric, off the gas.
Got questions, or insights of your own? We'd love to hear them — please drop a comment on any post.