Bush camping in Ruby...

Last Saturday we headed off on a mystery camping trip - our leader was the only one who knew where we were going...
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The weather took a turn for the worse...
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Then it fined up a bit...
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Nearly there...
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We arrived at Mount Eccles National Park (Victoria) and we were greeted by a few kangaroos...
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This is the camp ground - a real bush setting...

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We set about setting up camp, erecting campers, chopping wood, getting the fire going - it was going to be a bit chilly...
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Gus got Ruby set up. By this time it was starting to rain so we were lucky to have the awning to put our table under...
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Gus got his OzPig stove going to help keep us warm...
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Oh, dear! More rain so we erected a tarpaulin to give us more shelter...
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I prepared some S'mores for late night supper...
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Gus got dinner going in the Cobb... 1/4 chicken pieces stuffed with risotto (from Lenards), moroccan spiced potatoes and a tossed salad...
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A bit over an hour later and voila - cooked chook!
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The others cooked barbecue sausages and steak over the open fire...
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We sat around the fire, keeping warm, enjoying the company...
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Toasting marshmallows...
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We had a few visitors - possums! They would come in close to grab some food - one even took food off our table!
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The perils of camping in the Australian Bush! This wolf spider made an appearance and I was chased around by someone until I threatened to cry! This is a zoomed in pic of it before it was um, despatched!
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More cute possums...
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This one was hanging by his tail...
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We eventually all went off to bed for a snug, peaceful nights sleep. I think I awoke at about 5am to a chorus of cackling kookaburras then some black crows chimed in with their Ark, Ark, Ark song! Why so early?
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Breakfast was toast made over the gas burner and we had bacon and eggs on the open barbecue...
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Yummy!
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The ladies of the group decided to take a walk to see Lake Surprise - a crater lake which has formed on Mount Eccles (volcanic). As we headed off, one of the girls spied a koala up in a gum tree - so cute - it was just sitting, watching us!
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Off we headed on the 45 minute walk...
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Tess and Alice stopped for a photo opp!
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Lake Surprise - not sure why it is named that but I guess it is a surprise to find a lake at the top of a mountain...
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There was plenty of bird life - ducks etc...
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When we got back to camp, David had made some damper in his camp oven...
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It was delicious, slathered with margarine and golden syrup...

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Then it was time to start packing up for our trip home...
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It really was a great camp ground - I wasn't expecting any amenities at all but there was a mens/ladies toilet block with proper flushing toilets and hot shower...
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We were cosy in Ruby - we have Swag Bags to sleep in which were lovely and warm and we were all zipped in so no nasties could get in... wouldn't want a visit from one of those spiders! We must have had a visit from a possum because it had left a ... deposit... on the bonnet of Ruby - cheeky!
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We are off on another adventure this weekend so stay tuned...
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Cheers - Joolz