Photo: Paul at Emerald Banks
June 28, 1978 After 44 hours on the road, I reached Melbourne at 7 AM. Melbourne was very smoggy today, mainly due to the train strike, so everyone was driving. I spent the day walking about the city. I especially enjoyed the zoo, where animals were shown as they would appear in their natural habitat.
June 29, 1978 Went to the Victorian Market, a large conglomeration of merchants. Also saw Peruvian gold exhibit at the art museum. Stayed the night at Robin’s house.
June 30, 1978 Robin called in sick to her teaching job before we left for Lakes Entrance. During the time I was in the Outback, the Gippsland region had received more rain and floods. The streams and dams were noticeably higher.
Photo: Typical pasture around Lakes Entrance
July 1, 1978 Paul & Bob had a July 4th celebration for friends, most who were teachers. Phil, a one room schoolteacher at Sarsfield, was one of those that started drinking beer early. While talking with Tony, a mobile librarian, I made the observation that it was getting to be a long winter for me since the seasons are opposite in the northern hemisphere. Tony then quite seriously asked “Are the months different too, so that it would now be January in the states?”
Late in the day, Phil invited us to a 21st birthday party for Carol, her teachers aid. Carol’s father gave a long winded talk on the relative merits of his daughter and the great significance of this point in her life. 21st’s are a big event in Australian families. After the talk, champagne was passed around, and we started dancing. Carol’s father and Phil took turns knocking over the stereo. We probably overstayed our welcome, departing at 3 AM and leaving behind a ragged looking rug.
Photo: Raneys backyard at Lakes Entrance
July 2, 1978 Saw Paul play soccer in the rain. Worked that night at Tres Amigos.
July 4, 1978 We ran into Bruce, the young man wanting to get married. He had called off his engagement to the much older woman.
July 5, 1978 Bob, Gen, her brother Tony, Mark, and I travelled to Mt Hotham in Bob’s Landrover. About 10 miles from the mountain there was no trace of snow, but by the time we got there we were in the midst of a blizzard. Bob and I did a little skiing but visibility was only a few feet. The chalet was first rate and a bargain price.
July 6, 1978 It snowed 18” during the night. Though it continued to snow, visibility was better. We skied most of the day and quit early enough to make the drive back to Bairnesdale.
Photo: Stacy, Karen, Mike & Derek Raney
July 7, 1978 Paul and I did some sight seeing in Bairnesdale area before going to Rameys in Lakes Entrance to watch the Wimbeldon tennis on TV.
July 8, 1978 Saw the aboriginal museum in Lakes Entrance.
July 9, 1978 Pauls soccer game was called off, but again no one told him of the cancellation. We played tennis instead.
Photo: Paul at Hanging Rock
July 10, 1978 Jogged to Phils to help load Robins desk in Bongo. We took the desk to Melbourne.
July 13, 1978 Paul and I went to Hanging Rock, an unusual rock formation north of Melbourne. That evening we saw 2 existential plays at the University.
Area Map
