In the paper ...

Over the past few weeks the Sunday Herald Sun has been running a holiday snap competition. We entered a few photos and here is the result.
No I didn't win anything but it was nice to see my photo in print!

An amazing sight ...

Out of all the destruction we found this extensive soak / spring. It was close to Tolmie on the Benalla - Tolmie Road. In all the years and the many times that we have travelled along this road little did we know what was hidden just off the edge. The most amazing thing about it is that here we are in the middle of an extreme drought and it is still functioning very well. Mother Nature certainly knows how to surprise!

A sign of the times ...

The intensity of the fires can be seen in these signs...

My kind of junk mail ...

This is the letter box to the house in the previous post!

Oh to be so lucky ...

Travelling through this area over the past few years I have been intrigued with this house. It is just off the road about 5 kilometres from Tolmie on the Whitfield Road. I don't know what they do for water - maybe there is a small creek behind. It was a lovely setting BUT surrounded with far too many trees. And it was for sale...

Now it will need a little TLC...

A close inspection reveals just how lucky these people have been...

Toombullup ...

Toombullup is an area between Tatong and Tolmie. It is dear to Graham's heart as it was in this forest that the small timber settlement of Toombullup once existed. Graham's parents and older siblings live there for a number of years. All that is left is a huge sawdust heap and some scrap metal. Until the fires it was almost impossible to access but now maybe it will reveal some hidden treasures!

This sign, at the Archerton end of the forest, also became a victim of the fires!

One lightning strike ...

One lightning strike and tinder dry scrub and forests has caused havoc in our nearby hills (Tatong). Over 33 000 hectares has been burnt in this latest fire. A drive through the area produced some eerie sights...

It's serious...

Fire, drought, water restrictions... Where will it end? These pictures show the Upper Ryans creek (left) and the Hollands Branch, both vital steams that feed our water supply system. Both are very dry. The spot on the Holland's is where as a child I spent many a happy hour playing in the water with my family. It was last totally dry in 1914!