After (very) early morning 10km run along the coast, we returned for a quick breakfast. Then it was all hands on deck to tidy up the house so graciously loaned to us by John and Kirsty Henderson. We then saddled up for a pleasant cross country drive to Halls Gap in Grampians national park, via Cotac, Mortlake and Penshurst, before breaking north through the mountains at Dunkeld. The trip was interrupted for a pleasant picnic at Caramut, with the open roads, cool winds, cloudless skies and panoramic vistas stretching to the horizon in all directions a stark contrast to the humid, noisy and claustrophobic conditions back home in Singapore. 
On arrival at our cabin in Halls Gap, our immediate priority was to provision up for the days ahead – which ostensibly involved a trip to the local liquor store only! During the walk back, we encountered some very cute wallabies, who were obviously very habituated to the presence of campers, and loved having their necks scratched just behind the ears. That said, when startled, the larger males quickly assume very aggressive upright postures, towering menacingly over unsuspecting onlookers.
While Nick prepared a sumptuous curry back at our cabin, the remainder of us drove up to Reed Lookout car park and then hiked the short route to The Balconies. Watching the sunset over the Wonderland Range in the central Grampians from this elevated vantage point, overhanging a large cliff face, was truly breathtaking, with songs and chatter from thousands of exotic birds filtering up on warm air thermals from the valley below.
On arrival back at the cabin we gorged on Nick’s curry, washed down with some local plonk, before finishing off the day with yet more episodes of Benidorm.
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