Magnificent rural countryside

Much to our chagrin, it was time to start making our way back home to Melbourne. We had a few stops planned along the way, but we also found ourselves taking a few unscheduled detours to view some stunning scenery.
As per our mantra, we endeavour to never travel on the same road twice if at all possible. Thus, our route home took us along some beautiful country roads. On one of these roads, we noticed a sign saying and pointing to a lookout. Of course, we took the opportunity to check it out. The drive up the small single lane roadway was very steep and even my powerful car struggled a bit getting up the slope. >br> The view from the top was breathtaking and the vista reminded me of the English countryside as I remembered it 45 years ago when we were living there for a couple of years. The greenness, the river and the small winding roads added to the wonderful scene.
A little further on we stopped to photograph a scene where you could see how the cliff faces had been excavated during the gold mining years. THe surrounding countryside has recovered, with only the eroded cliffs giving any clue of the past history.