Let’s have a look at this week’s suggestions from Sepia Saturday-
Running Away – in a nice sort of way √ Check
Escaping the Crowd √ Check
Off to the Beach – well, some of the time √ Check
And to these add
Married for four months
What better reason for saddling up a pack horse, running away, escaping the crowd and heading off into the bush in the Otway Ranges of south west Victoria.
Four months ago they were honeymooning in the snow at Mt Buffalo and now in January 1930 Charles and Vera Fricke are at the Fricke farm on Barham River Road at Apollo Bay ready for a few days bushwalking.
Timber Mill in the Otways, 1930
At one stage on their trip they passed this timber mill. Timber had long been a natural resource of the Otways.
In the Otways, 1930
They camped one night near this farmhouse and were able to buy meat and milk there.
We have seen Charles and Vera before boiling the billy for a cuppa on the beach during this trip.
The extensive network of sealed roads had still to be developed so much of the trip would had been done on unsealed roads.
Looking down on the Aire River valley
Overlooking the Aire River, and then a bridge over the Aire River. It is just a short river with good river flats for farming.
A bridge over the Aire River
Getting closer to the ocean at Princeton, a small town a little further along the coast from the Aire River.
Princeton 1930
And finally Port Campbell, another tiny coastal town. The story is that they put the horse in the Police Paddock that night. Unfortunately the paddock was only fenced on three sides, a swamp forming the fourth side. The horse managed to make its way through the swamp during the night and disappeared and they had to ring home to Apollo Bay for someone to come and get them.
Port Campbell 1930
Port Campbell 1930
So ended the bushwalking holiday in the Otway Ranges. And nine months later ——————
More running away and escaping from crowds
in the links on this weeks Sepia Saturday
Bound for Australia 
Seems Charles & Vera were very well matched in what they thought was fun to do & luckily so!
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Those photos are priceless B, historical treasures.
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How lucky you are to have such photographs. A lovely family story that fitted this week’s theme so well.
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My first thought was that it is a long was from Mt Buffalo to Apollo Bay. Even today it would take a long time and there is no direct public transport. It makes me wonder how they did it?
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I think the pictures of Charles and Vera and the horse are the most interesting. I wonder whether they eventually found the horse.
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Oh yes, great check list, and even better photos to go along with this!
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Great story and accompanying photogrlphs. Your parents ? Charles and VEra were certainly an adventurous couple. I assume that the honeymoon at Mt Buffalo and this one were separate trips. Bad luck about their horse escaping though!.
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Perfect mix and match of family photos with the places they’d have travelled to as well. they look young, fit and healthy and good news re 9 months later….
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Perfectly told and illustrated, and a funny anecdote as well. Check!
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What an adventuresome couple. Memories for a lifetime. It’s good to get out and explore and experience those things that often get pushed aside nine months later.
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