The Grampians 17th-20th August 2006

Left Thurs at 8.45am and met up with friends just past Pyke's Creek. Arrived Halls Gap around lunchtime. Set up, had lunch and decided to go up to the lookout and hope it wasn't too cloudy or wet.














It cleared just as we got there and clouded over & rained again after we left. In the pic to the right are our caravans below.

Driving to the lookout it is very strange due to the fires and the regrowth makes it looks so much better then when the fires went through










Next day was wet and very low cloud so we decided to go south to Dunkeld, then through the Victoria Valley and then out to the west side of the Grampians and up to Horsham. Found a couple of dirt roads and tried to go up another which was closed. Ended up doing almost a circle of the Grampians. It certainly is quite a range.












Saturday was wet & cloudy and it was no good trying to get to the falls, so went to Ararat. The weather was good there and we went up to the scenic lookout which gave a great perspective on the Grampians and it showed the cloud was lifting. Did a little bit of 4x4 driving, had lunch at the RSL and headed back to the caravan park. Went for a walk into Halls Gap. It was like Bourke St compared to the previous two days. We had a cold night and of course in the morning it was beautiful blue skies and we had to go home. Was a good break though.

First Posting 11th Aug 2006

Hi Everyone,
This is Tonca, a 1997 Ford F150. We purchased this vehicle with the Tonca numberplates in January 2006.It has been converted to duel fuel in June to make the running costs cheaper. The conversion took longer than we thought as there were a few complications but all is well now.
We purchased our s/hand van in May 2006. It is a s/hand, like new, Jayco Heritage Poptop 18'11".

This pic was taken at Wellington Caves C/P at the Ford F100 Club National Meet Easter 2006. We hired a campervan thinking we might buy another one rather than a caravan. Ist night out was a definite no.

This was our first trip in the Heritage before Tonca was put on gas. We went to Echuca with friends and their new van. The pic below is also trying out the new tv screen outside. Worked well.

We stayed at the Rich River C/P and they give you an aerial cable.

o
We went to Angelsea for a couple of nights the first weekend in August to try outTonca towing the van now it was on gas. It towed well, the weather wasn't fabulous (after all it is winter). The nights were freezing and we had rain on the Sunday.
Hope to be going to the Grampians in a couple of weeks for 4 days with friends. Looking forward to some walking and dirt track driving in training for our trip to the Flinders Ranges in October.

Well it has taken a bit of a learning curve doing the first posting. Hope you enjoy it.

Owen & Lyn