Snippets from our 2013 Victorian Holiday

Greg & Kathie Haar

“In 2013 due to the generousity of my brother Phil & sister-in-law Ruth, we were able to enjoy a fantastic holiday in Victoria staying

at two luxury Wyndham resorts”

This is an experience we will remember forever.

“Torquay is a magical place offering a wonderfully relaxed lifestyle whereYuppies and Surfies exist together against a backdrop of natural beauty.”

If we had a spare million or two it would be a nice place to live.

Staying at the resort situated only a stone’s throw from the beach was a great laid back experience.

We made good use of the kitchen facilities and I took the opportunity tohave some early morning walks on the sand with my camera in hand.

There was a good selection of local cafes and restaurants plus several well stocked supermarkets.

Our day trip to Angelsea & Bells Beach was a real highlight bringing back childhood memories for Kathie.

Liselle & Simon also drove up from Melbourne and visited us for a day.

Despite its many pot holes the coastal pathway was a pleasure to walk on and the best way to take in the scenery, sea breeze included.

“Leaving Torquay we were both feeling a little sad. There was also the question of how we would find our way to our next accommodation in Ballarat”

Also note the issue with the flat battery which we will try to forget.

Ballarrat, a cosmopolitian city, boasts all the artistic and cultural wealth that comes with its spectacular rise from a humble mining settlement to a world famous city. Money flowed into Ballarat with the discovery of gold in the mid-19th century, giving us elegant architecture, broad tree-lined streetscapes and cultivated gardens.

Thanks to this illustrious heritage, we have the best of both worlds - a captivating history and a contemporary urban lifestyle with outdoor escapes of all kinds. It’s a place where you can sip coffee in a chic city cafe, then, minutes later, be walking a bushland trail surrounded by the majesty of nature.(source - City of Ballarrat website)

“Our Ballarat resort was a restored Victorian bluestone mansion and former orphanage surrounded by extensive park-like gardens including its own lake”

The frosty mornings were cold, but also great for photographs.

We appreciated all the little details of the decor in the mansion - especially the unusual ceramic tiles that lined the stairways. They all added to the genuine historic feel of the place.

“Sovereign Hill re-enactment village”

Sovereign Hill is a place that surrounds you with historical sights, smells and sounds.There are real Cobb & Co carriages, sprukers, maids, miners, marching soldiers, teachers, blacksmiths, town drunks and roving policemen.

“We loved the beautiful old theatre / concert hall”