The gale force winds that hit the rest of the state yesterday, finally arrived at Metung with a vengeance overnight.  We had to cling hard to the handrail on the external stairs as we transported our things to the car. We made a quick departure, hoping the wind would abate as we moved away from the coast.

We retraced our steps back as far as Sale, then deviated south to Yarram. The plan was to visit the Long Jetty at Port Welshpool, then Agnes Falls, and press on for San Remo from there.  We arrived at Port Welshpool in good time for lunch, amid still howling wind and the occasional rain shower.  Not exactly conducive to a stroll along the new, 800 metre jetty. I gave it a go but abandoned the attempt after covering less than a third of the distance (about as far as the red sign). We contented ourselves with eating sandwiches in the car and watching other hardy souls trying to stay upright.

Fortunately it was a lot tamer up in the hills. We took a narrow, winding road through dairying country, following tourist signs for Agnes Falls, described as Victoria’s highest single span waterfall.  The hills weren’t particularly high and we were wondering how this could be so.  To our surprise, the Agnes River meanders along benignly, until it reaches huge sheer cliffs, where it tumbles down a series of rock faces.  The viewing platform doesn’t afford a full length view, so the falls are much higher than they appear. It was very pretty, the sun came out and the wind died down for a while.

We wound our way back down through the wind turbine-strewn hillsides above Toora, and rejoined the highway, following signs for Phillip Island through Foster, Leongatha, past Inverloch and Wonthaggi.  The outside temperature plunged to 12 degrees, and the showers grew more frequent.  San Remo was a welcome respite, and the champagne marking our first family gathering for months, has gone down a treat.  We head for home tomorrow.