Castlemaine and Victoria 15th to 29th January 2014

We arrived at the start of the heat wave in Victoria. Out of Melbourne airport into a fan oven, 40 degrees plus. High temperatures inland in the Castlemaine area are common in the summer but very unusual for Melbourne where it's usually fresher. Arriving in Castlemaine, we found ourselves sheltering inside for the next few days. High temperatures and then lightening storms which started sporadic fires nearby. Fortunately not serious this time but gave us a sample of the real thing and the challenges faced. In the cooler days that followed we enjoyed seeing Sarah and family, revisiting old haunts and catching up with old friends. We also managed a wonderful trip with Sarah to a nearby wine growing region called the Pyrenees with historic gold mining towns, similar to Castlemaine and national parks. We stayed at one small vineyard, and yes we did some wine tasting. Then next day visited another on a hilltop, a rambling ranch-like timber building and a terrace for coffee and cake tasting session overlooking the vineyards. The wildlife like us were mostly hiding on this visit, but we did see a lovely large group of kangaroos grazing in the bush on our last evening.