Find all my books on my BWL author page |
My next book is due out in December, and I await its publication date with trepidation—as always. Because I lost my little dog not long ago, I decided it was time to go on a short road trip before I considered whether to get a new companion or not. The original idea was to take the ferry to Tasmania for the umpteenth time as my next work in progress will be set there and I figured it would be worth another visit to Port Arthur, site of the penitentiary where my book will begin. Unfortunately, as the ferry terminal has changed locations the trip to Tassie had to be abandoned, for the available dates did not fit into my travelling companions’ time-table or mine.
So off we went instead along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. The last time I made this trip was quite some years ago, in fact 22 years, and I was amazed at how our southern coastline has changed through the years. The coastline is slowly but surely eroding and falling into the sea. Where once we could leave the car in the carpark and walk a few paces to take in the view, now the road has been relocated so far back from the coast that it involves a long trek. This is the same wherever you go along Australia’s southern coastline.
Some visitors to our country may have taken this road trap, perhaps to view what was once the Twelve Apostles and is now drastically reduced in numbers—or perhaps lovers of surfing would hone in on Torquay. It still remains one of Victoria’s most scenic drives in parts.
On the way back inland, we had a surprise when we spotted a koala sitting in the road. The poor chappie looked slightly dazed, and we wondered if perhaps he had escaped the floods that are currently sweeping through our country. Of course, we stopped with the hope of encouraging him/her back into the trees, and soon two other carloads of travellers had stopped with the same idea. To our complete surprise the creature decided to climb up one man’s trouser leg and cling to his shirt. Eventually the man was able to place the koala on the trunk of a nearby tree. We can only hope that it returns to its favoured habitat safely. The numbers of these little creatures are in such decline every one saved is a blessing.