Geelong & District Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia
	HONOUR THE DEAD AND FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING

Walk No.1 (25 August) Distillery Creek to Moggs Creek (Aireys Inlet)

Distance 7.5 km. A great first walk with 17 walkers in all. Having assured everyone that it was not too difficult for our first attempt I only got an earbashing from one or two (none of the wives complained). An absolutely beautiful day following a few days of rain with our first break on the shores of the picturesque Painkalac Dam. After that it was uphill for a kilometre or so before a welcome downhill for the last kilometre and a half. A very pleasant picnic lunch was nearly spoiled by Frank insisting he didn’t have the keys to the bus. Back on the bus for the home trip Nigel was asleep within seconds.

Walk No.2 (22 September) Sheoak to Upper Kalimna Falls (Lorne)

Distance 8 km. Once again a perfect day for bushwalking. Fifteen walkers this time for a not so hilly walk. Once again the spouses showed they were no slouches with everyone commenting on the fact that while most had lived in Geelong all their lives they were unaware of such great places right on their doorstep. Lots of Manna gums, towering tree ferns and babbling brooks. A rare glimpse of some Australian Minnow (native fish) and even a carnivorous Otway Snail. A pleasant lunch was held at the Sheoak Picnic Area before the scenic trip back along the GOR. As with the first walk the interest was in how long it took Nigel to fall asleep (not very long!!). All in all a satisfactory day in cheerful company.

Walk No. 3 (20 October) Lake Elizabeth Circuit (Forrest)

Distance 4.5 km. You may have seen Lake Elizabeth on Coxy’s Big Break or The Great Outdoors within recent weeks. A truly beautiful place which is becoming increasingly popular with tourists. This was a great day out, beautiful weather, great scenery, good company and a relaxing barbeque to follow. A quick detour via Birregurra on the way home for an ice-cream and cool drink ensured a pleasant end to the day.

Webmaster Note: This was a great day -see pics below

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Walk No. 4 (17 November) Allenvale-Phantom Falls-The Canyon-Henderson and Won Wondah Falls-Sheoak (Lorne)

Distance 6.5 km. Started with a scenic stroll up the St George Rive from Allenvale before a very steep climb to Phantom Falls. After that the going got fairly easy until our path was blocked by a recalcitrant tiger snake just before Henderson Falls. Our leader had picked the right time to replace himself as forward scout and it was left to the eagle eye of our treasurer, who is always looking for money on the ground, to bring the group to a screaming halt. After some gentle persuasion the tiger eventually headed bush. Passing back that way some twenty minutes later, there was no sign of the snake and our hardy walkers relaxed somewhat before our erstwhile trek guide spotted another critter of similar ilk. Waiting until the creature removed itself from the scene, the group headed up a gentle rise to the finish area at Sheoak. The highlight of the walk was undoubtedly The Canyon which is an extremely unusual feature, quite like something out of Jurassic Park. We will definitely make a revisit to the area. (Photos coming soon).

Walk No. 5 (23 February) Eumerella Scout Camp - Clifftops - Pt Addis and Return (Anglesea)

Distance 7 km. Eleven hardy walkers set off from the scout camp at around 10.00am and were led on a meandering walk through typical Anglesea heath lands. While the temperature was expected to reach the mid-30s, the morning remained mild and somewhat misty. After concerns about the availability of loos from some members, the team found the availability of the camps bush toilets quite comforting. Onwards and upwards to the cliff top area, we paused to take in the great views back towards Anglesea before heading on down to Pt Addis beach where lunch was taken in the shade of a stand of casuarinas. By now the day had really started to warm up and the solid 1.5km uphill on the return journey tested our fitness levels. The last kilometre was down hill and we arrived back at our cars around 1.15pm. If the group keeps going at the pace they do, I will plan on extending the walk a bit or throwing in an extra hill or two. A big welcome to the Staggards and Bruce Ellis who joined us for the first time.

A likely looking bunch!	Too tired to eat ?	Bruce & Ted's quiet moment!
Mick & Ann Marie take a breather!	This was great fun, hope to see more members on the next one.	Its all uphill from here!