ZfromWinnipeg

I checked the fire situation in Wilsons Promontory NP and it appears that most of the park was burned over. I am sure by next year there will be a recovery of the burned area, but my feeling is that hiking and scenery may not be that great. I am thinking of eliminating this part of the trip and rearranging.

Z

Bushranger

Yep, the fire was pretty extensive as they were in a few other areas too and though you do start to see some regrowth within 12 months it'll be minimal.

Lakes Entrance has a few reasonable walks in the area, quite a nice one from when you go across what is called the main arm footbridge to the ocean beach and there's like a long thin peninsula where yo can walk all the way up to the entrance itself, and then there's some in Lake Tyres area from memory and over on what is called the back or north arm too.

I think I also mentioned previously the area up around Walhalla and the Thompson Dam, which is on the northern side of the Princess Highway, some nice walks there too or you could look at heading back towards Canberra after just going as far as Merimbula, a backtrack a bit to just past Bega and up what is called Browns Mountain road that'll take you to Canberra via Cooma and you could side trip that way to Mt Kosiuscko NP - some good walks there too.

Bushranger

I should explain the last part of the last paragraph for you a bit more too.

After Merimbula, you have Pambula, sort of nearly an adjoining village and then another 20 km. or so on is Eden which is more of a fishing and fuel storage town, southernmost deepwater harbour if you like, and at twofold bay, about 10 km. around from Eden but just across the bay from it is http://www.seahorseinn.com.au/ a glorious old building in sea side gardens - I was at a wedding there once.

But after that you have very little for several hundred km. other than forest until you get to Lakes Entrance, there being a few coastal locations but unsealed bush roads to use - think I mentioned Mallacoota and the various routes back inland previously, and so basing yourself at Merimbula a few days you could have a look around and then make tracks for Canberra as indicated with minimal backtracking, about 40 km to just past Bega turn-off or take the road from Wolumla through Candelo [ nice sleepy older village] to come out near Bemboka, the road being fine and a pleasant enough drive.

ZfromWinnipeg

Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
Z

margo_oz

I'd agree with Bushranger about driving through to Kiama, rather than staying in Wollongong. Wouldn't recommend the Grand Hotel, though. I regularly stay in a friend's apartment just across the road, and the pub's a pretty rough and ready place, with noisy drunks. Better places would be Kiama Cove motel or Ocean View motel, both in Bong Bong Street. Lots of places to stay. Good cabins in the caravan park.

There's nothing at all to recommend Shellharbour - an especially barren place, residential and unattractive.