We took delivery of our new Goldstream RV from Mitch at Goldstream in Pakenham Victoria. Pakenham is on the other side of Melbourne. We arrived just after lunch after a 370k drive from Hamilton!
Checking wheel nuts and brakes
After a couple of hours pre-delivery training by Ryan the lads at Goldstream showed Steven how to set up the load distribution hitch and the trailer brakes and we were ready to go. The feeling is hard to describe when towing a new unfamiliar 2.5 ton caravan out of the showroom and into Melbourne city. A combination of excitement and trepidation Steven can only compare it to buying a new motorbike in Melbourne and riding home trying not to get hit or hit anything else.
Steven with the new toy – Lake Bolac
Lakeside Camp – Lake Bolac
Other than the van brakes grabbing severely when ever the brake pedal was pressed all went well (Steven later found the brake light and van electric brake wires around the wrong way).
We were soon on the open road West of Melbourne maintaining a steady 80 kph heading for Ballarat and our first fuel stop. Fuel consumption with such a tall van was higher than we expected.
Ducks enjoying the Lake Bolac Sunset
Our first overnight in the van was by the shores of Lake Bolac about 200k West of Melbourne between Ballarat and Hamilton. We enjoyed a spectacular sunset as the photos show.
Goldstream Shining Gold – Lake Bolac
Before the white man came, a tribe of aborigines known as the Boolucburrers regularly gathered around the lake which they called Boloke. This later changed to Bolac.
The freshwater lake was created when recent lava flows from the local volcanic cones altered the flow and dammed the former bed of the Fiery Creek, creating a depression which filled to form the lake. These lava flows also formed the bluestone banks to the north of the town.
Lake Bolac Camp
These eruptions were approximately 20,000 years ago, within the tribal memory of the indigenous inhabitants of the country.
The freshwater lake is 27 kilometres around the foreshore and covers 1460 hectacres. When full, Lake Bolac is about 6-7 feet deep and is a popular boating area.
The lake is noted for its abundance of eels during the autumn rains. We were to late for the Lake Bolac Eel Festival which is held on the 24 March each year
