Millie’s Adventures - A Wander-ful Millie Day

A Wander-ful Millie dayPhotos & Words by Ken Roberts

SOMETIMES ON A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY IN A GLORIOUS PLACE LIKE GIPPSLAND IT’S SO NICE TO JUST TAKE OFF AND WANDER AND SEE WHERE THE DRIVE TAKES YOU.

Millie and I headed off, carefree and aimless, to roam up the Highway towards East Gippsland. It seemed no time at all until we reached Bairnsdale. When I usually go there its with a purpose and once I’ve done what I needed to do I would usually return home straight away. This trip though time and purpose had disappeared and I was free to see the place in a new light.

It’s a busy regional country town, always full of people and travellers. I made a point this time of looking at it differently and enjoying some of the features that in my rush I usually miss. The town gardens are beautiful and meticulously cared for and we walked through the central island of expansive lawns and garden beds until we reached the historic and well preserved rotunda. Built in 1910 it was restored in the 1990’s and continues to be used for many community events. Another centrepoint of the town is St Mary’s Catholic Church. Not only can the tower of the church be seen all around town the offering inside the church is quite unique. Built in 1913 the ceiling and walls of the church were painted by an out of work Italian artist in 1931. I hadn’t been inside for decades and so made a quick stop to view this hidden treasure. The amount of effort involved was certainly very impressive and a visit there is highly recommended.

I have always been so impressed with the variety of choices available in Bairnsdale, as well as regular stores there are also many Op shops, vintage and specialty stores to explore, including a large warehouse of individual antique/retro stalls near the river. On this trip though Mills and I headed past the historic fairytale looking courthouse down to the riverside park along the banks of the Mitchell River. On a glorious day such as this it was the perfect place for a sunny stroll and to sit and relax. There is plenty of seating available and a couple of wharves to get a view of the river. Tucked away I wondered whether visitors to the town ever found such a pleasant hidden oasis? Still without a destination in mind Millie and I headed out of town up the highway with just a vague idea of going towards Lakes Entrance. The drive along the Princes Highway winds its way through picturesque farmland past the little towns of Nicholson, Johnsonville and Swan Reach. It was at Swan Reach that I saw the sign announcing the turn off to Metung. I can’t remember the last time I had ever been there, it was many, many years ago and so I clicked my indicator on and, turning right, we headed towards Metung.

Its funny returning to a place that you have vague recollections of but in reality have no idea of what it is like. As we drove into this tiny lakeside hamlet I was impressed at how neat and tidy it all was. It’s a very popular tourist destination with many accommodation and hospitality options available. It reminded me of the affluent seaside Portsea area but on a smaller lakeside scale. As it was midweek the place was quieter than normal which was perfect for Mills and I as we wandered around the jetties looking out over the glass like surface of the water. Sailboats and swans with chicks floated past silently as we enjoyed the calming serenity of this wonderful place. It really felt as if you shifted to a different pace as you entered this lovely village.

Millie and I enjoyed a lovely walk along the waterside to Shaving point and I liked the sculpture of the “Charles Edward” paddle steamer that was designed to still appear as it was paddling along the lake. Another on my google list of things to see was “Legend Rock”. Not so easy to find but after another walk along the boardwalk, we finally found it tucked away near boat moorings.

The information board read, “One day some fishermen, who had hauled in many fish with their nets, ate their catch around a campfire. The women, guardians of social law, saw that the men had eaten more than enough but had not fed their dogs. As a punishment for their greed, the fishermen were turned to stone."

The story is one of many Gunai (Kurnai) stories that were told and retold, to show that greed would bring punishment.

There were once three rocks relating to the legend but two were destroyed by roadworks. The remaining Legend Rock is now protected.”

I like to have a drive around a place like this and see the houses and the gardens, some were very modern and impressive. I was happy to have rediscovered this little gem, an ideal place as a getaway for a few days or even a day trip as we did. Millie and I stopped in the park for a rest and bite to eat then began our trek home.

In our slow wander-ful way we returned via the back road, turning off the highway just outside Bairnsdale towards Meerlieu and Bengworden. Recent rain had turned sometimes dry country in lush pastures of waving grassy green blades. My Bedggood ancestors, early settlers in the area, lived at Perry Bridge. As I was in no hurry I stopped to admire something quintessentially Australian, a tiny church in a paddock. The tiny Perry Bridge Community Church sat there, well maintained and cared for as it had since 1905. It has witnessed so many events in its time. It was from this area that I took Gum leaves to my great, great uncle Tom Bedggood’s grave on the Somme in France.

More fantastic aussie images greeted us on our way home, the typical roadside vegie stall and the row of letter boxes, sights that cheer my heart and nourish my soul that they still exist.

Millie and I returned home refreshed and reinvigorated from our nomadic day trip, determined to do the same again, wander across our wide region to discover hidden treasures and magical places in our wonderful Gippsland home.

Millie