The Nomadic Explorers | Australian Travel Blog

The Grampians National Park is not only about hiking and bushwalking (I’ll tell a little bit more about it in my next posts as well). Thickly forested land with lakes, creeks, and waterfalls is in between each range of this region (you’ve probably seen photos of some lakes in my previous posts).

Today’s story is not about lakes, but about one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever seen: MacKenzie Falls. This waterfall should be on everyone’s shortlist of must see attractions in the Grampians.

White Night Melbourne came back in 2016 to put on the biggest all-night art party the whole city could join in on. On February 20, the free 12-hour art-venture was pull out all the stops with visual art, projections, music, food, theatre, film, design and performances set to bring the city to life from 7pm until 7am.

For the fourth year running, main strips, laneways, and shopfronts were lit up with projections and artworks, while the streets came alive with live performances. The city's main artery – from the Royal Exhibition Building straight down Swanston Street into the Arts Precinct – was split into five main areas and its crowning cultural jewels opened their doors all night to showcase highlight events.

As next long holiday (Labor Day, 14th of March) is nearly in 3 weeks, I’d like to give you more ideas where to spend it if you decide not to stay at home. So let’s go back to Grampians region. Today’s post is a flash-back about one of our walks in that area - Mount William. At 1,167 metres, Mount William is the highest point in the Grampians National Park and provides great 360-degree views of mountain ranges and open plains. The walk is steep, but great views make it a definite must see for anyone thinking about checking out the Grampians.

The Grampians National Park allows you to get away from it all and ensures you can recharge your batteries.

Today’s story is about our walk to the Pinnacle Lookout via Wonderland Loop.

The Grampians National Park in Victoria was created in 1984 and includes four mountain ranges. These ranges are composed of sandstone which was created around 400 million years ago when sand was deposited in a shallow sea. Over time these deposits were compressed and hardened and subsequent earth movements tilted and raised the sandstone beds. Erosion has left the hardest sandstone layers exposed as tall cliffs - of of the tallest and longest cliffs in the Grampians is at Mt Rosea. The summit is poised on the cliff edge and being one of the higher peaks it provides an extensive view of the national park.

We spent a lovely weekend at Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm in Daylesford, Victoria, celebrating its lavender harvest. There was an exciting festival when visitors were welcome to learn about the lavender process from cutting in the field to watching the flowers being distilled for their precious essential oil. Hundreds of bunches hanged beneath every available verandah and, of course, their fresh lavender was available for sale.

Compare to 2014, 2015 was quiet. During the year we all were very busy studying, working and running our small business. We stayed in Melbourne most of the time. However, we made some major trips as well: from Darwin to Adelaide, from Melbourne to Broken Hill and back and two trips to Adelaide.

Here are results of our 2015 year in more details:

The site of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens were established in the 1800's. The municipal council petitioned the Department of Lands and Survey to make this segment of land bordered by Dickens Street, Tennyson Street and Blessington Street a Botanic Garden. Today the St Kilda Botanical Gardens are recognised by Heritage Victoria for their cultural heritage significance as one of Victoria’s earliest botanical gardens.

The Gardens is a the perfect place for a family gathering, wedding, kick of the footy or picnic with friends. We've already been here in winter, but this visit was different. The Gardens are truly beautiful in spring, when everything is in full bloom.

Are you ready for Christmas? Santa is coming to the town in less than 24hours :)

Today's theme is 'Christmas Decorations in Melbourne - Part 2': Crown Hotel decorations, Town Hall Projections, City Square and Lego Christmas Tree at Federation Square. If you haven't seen them - read no further and head up to the city :) It is worth to visit :)

For everyone reading these lines, we wish you all the love and happiness this season can bring, and may it follow you throughout the coming new year! We really appreciate you taking the time to read our articles, leaving comments and sending us personal emails.

Safe travels, and we hope to meet many more of you in person next year.

Wilsons Promontory National Park is one of Victoria’s most popular parks, and arguably also one of the most beautiful national parks in Australia. It offers many great walks for all different fitness levels, as well as stunning vistas of pink granite boulder mountains, turquoise water and squeaky-white sand.

That is why we chose Wilsons Prom for our first-in-Australia overnight hike.

The whole idea was to check are we able to walk with food, water, tent and all other hiking things for 2-3 nights. If someone says ‘hey, guys, what are you talking about, it is easy!’, I’d like to remind him that we have a 9y.o. son who physically cannot carry 15+ kg backpack, but needs water and food as an adult (I am not saying that he need clothes, a sleeping bag and some other stuff as well). This basically meant that we, as parents, had to carry some of his belongings, as well as ours.

Again, this overnight hike was more a training hike rather that a real one. We successfully walked it from the Tidal River campsite to the Oberon Bay, returning next day back to the base camp via Telegraph Track.