Melbourne, Marysville, Beechworth
April 2025

20:06 Sunday afternoon we left Shepparton after Alex won Div 2 nationals with Surge and I cam 20th from 24 with Kronk. Ayla slept the majority of the drive and we arrived at The Cornish Arms for some vegan schnitty before continuing to Lyf hotel in Collingwood where we got upgraded to a larger room since the first one had a funky smell. Monday morning Smith and Daughters was shut so we headed up to 2T cafe for a breakfast Banh Mi (vegan lemongrass chicken 🐔 and vegan roast duck 🦆), very good. Then spent the morning looking through a few shops (The Memo, Bonds outlet, Patagoo outlet) and got a vegan Bento box to bring back to our room for lunch. Had the best time playing some baby acrobatics and giggling. We drove out to Williamsdale to visit Maddie, walked along the harbour then back to Tom's house for a play. Then back to Collingwood to grab lunch at Bowl Bowl Sichuan (dandan noodles, crispy eggplant and dumplings in mala sauce).

6:53 Yesterday we finally went to Smith & Deli for Alex's tuno 🐟 toastie and a warm pesto and deli meat Turkish bread toastie for me. Before we left we picked up a container of egg salad for lunch before packing up and heading to Marysville. We stopped at a park in Healesville for some egg 🥚 salad sandwiches on the picnic rug and a little play on the swing. The drive between Healesville and Marysville was amazing with the road lined by task eucalyptus, we wound down the window to breath in the scented air. In Marysville we went for a walk to Steavenson Falls and took the track up to the upper lookout. We had some burgers at the local pub and then back at Peppers hotel Alex took a sauna while Ayla slept and I read some book.

20:11 This morning we had some weetbix in the room and then left for a short walk around the park in town, the gravel put Ayla to sleep. Alex grabbed a coffee and then we left for Beechworth. We stopped for a picnic lunch at Benalla by the river to finish the egg salad and had a quick look in the art gallery. Arriving in Beechworth we dropped of our stuff then drove to Woolshed falls and then over the dirt road to Mt Pilot for an awesome view atop a granite slab with Ayla in the backpack. We came back via Bridge Road Brewers for a pizza+focaccia and shared a pot of Beechworth Pale Ale.

18:48 This morning we started at a bakery for a scisilian vege pie before heading to the bike hire shop. We set ourselves up for the day with two bikes and a trayla for Ayla. We set off down the bike rail trail in one direction for about 5km to a view down the valley and then back into town to grab some scones with jam and vegan cream. We then grabbed some chipwich supplies and rode to Lake Sambell (which was unexpectedly nice and a good place for a swim of we brought gear) for a picnic. Then rode off in the other direction from the morning to the back bike entrance to Pennyweight Winery where Alex tasted some wines. On the last leg of the ride back to town we visited Last St Brewery/Billson's for some cordial tasting, picking up a bottle for Birthday Cake and Lime & Coconut. Then we left to drop off the bikes and went back to Bridge Road Brewers for dinner again, this time Focaccia, Margherita and a chilli cucumber salad. Big day, Ayla liked the bike trailer as long as we were moving. Hopefully she has a big sleep tonight.

18:51 This morning we packed or bags and then had a short walk around the area of the motel before heading into town to grab a toastie from Tiny. We drove to the Chinese Garden to eat it on the picnic rug. That marked the end of the trip, from Beechworth we drove to Royalla, stopping at Gundagai for a weetbix and peanut butter roll picnic before arriving in the afternoon. The highlights of the trip for me were Melbourne bahn mi, Mt Pilot and Ayla learning to say piggy piggy piggy.