Day 20
Finally another hiking day, but only 10.5 km Pinnacle – Sundial Peak double-loop (recommended). Very nice weather, very relaxing and on quiet trails most of the time (a lot of people at Pinnacles). Lazy meandering between interesting rock formations to lookouts with panoramic views.
Pinnacle-Sundial Peak
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We were rewarded for slow walking through forested part of Sundial Peak trail: we got to watch echidna snouting around on the trail edge. We heard more suspicious sounds coming from the bushes but we saw just one.
Echidna on Sundial Peak trail
We had enough time in the afternoon to visit MacKenzie Falls, we walked down the stairs  to the bottom and a bit along the creek. On the way back, we stopped at Reed’s Lookout for view in opposite direction to what we could see most of the day. We came back to Halls Gap, parked the car and walked again to watch hundreds of kangaroos on the green behind Brambuk Centre. We also saw five emus and a large herd of dear (not native in Australia). Joanna grilled Australian lamb chops and veggies for dinner and Angus beef burgers for lunch next day.
Day 21
Our last day. Â We are returning to Melbourne, but on the way we stopped in Ballarat for five-hour visit to Sovereign Hill and Gold Museum (recommended). We liked the open-air museum, despite some doubts and fact that it was built almost entirely from scratch in late ninety-sixties: interesting collection of antiques in reconstructed buildings that once stood in Ballarat. Many of the old machines are still working, although most are powered by electric not steam engines for practical reasons. Demonstrations are interesting and live, not just talking about still objects. Our favorite was wheel making. Costumed guides/instructors were very engaged.
We arrived at MEL around 7 pm, with plenty of time to return rental car and get ready for long flight home via SFO. We drove 1280 km on Victoria leg of our trip.
Ballalrat machines video clips
