Two interesting things.
On the Saturday Mary had dropped one of her thongs somewhere in the six or so kilometres and we found it washed up on the beach the next day, which could be regarded as somewhat lucky. And, on the Sunday, we also got hit by a strong southerly change with gale force winds and rain and got thoroughly drenched on the way to Barwon Heads, so we actually returned via the road that runs along the top of the dunes past the Thirteenth Beach Surf Club. They had sensibly closed the beach because of the bad weather so they didn’t witness us striding purposely along the road being grateful of any shelter provided by the coastal scrub. The wind was so strong that I was nearly blown off my feet into the path of a car coming at high speed behind us
The round trip for the day was sixteen kilometres in shocking weather, which wasn’t a bad effort for a couple with a combined age of one hundred and twenty seven, and when I had also been ill for most of the week. But we both love walking, we both like walking the coast, and we actually prefer the weather to be interesting rather than the sunny prettiness that most people seem to prefer.
Even being so close to Melbourne there are still some sections that are rarely traversed and are not yet tired and worn by overuse. But the government and developers have this earmarked as part of a conurbation that will spread from Geelong to Torquay in an interrupted sprawl of water deficient, public-transport-free architectural mediocrity.
We know the area very well as we spend summer in the Torquay Pubic caravan. We have watched the township grow into something that is only just surviving the rise of the development, ranging from the hideous Sands Golf course estate at the northern end of the town, with its colour palette selected by someone in need of a strong anti-depressants, to the acne of development on the hills above Spring Creek.
More is planned and I cannot see the point, unless total ruination of a once pretty seaside town is the intention. Torquay now has two supermarkets, more surf shops than surfers, and other retail outlets echoing exactly what you can find in Melbourne. It is being loved to death. The only positive benefit is that the coffee is better.
The nudist section between the Sands and towards Breamlea will probably have to go, along with its predominantly male strollers that prove that nothing grows in the shade, despite a pelvic thrust walk that does nothing but contributes mightily to the general ridiculousness of male genitalia arraigned for inspection .
It is apparent that the Government has still not got the point that proper city design and urban planning requires that people use public transport. It is, when properly designed, more time and energy efficient. It reduces pollution. It should be infinitely preferable to sitting in an traffic jam for hours on end.
But every Victorian government is more intent on sabotaging the system than improving it. Rather than build a rail-line they would rather build a road and encourage ever increasing urban sprawl. It is not Connex, our much maligned local train operator that is responsible for buying trains or extending the network, it is the government. Despite a thirty percent increase in customers we are getting one new train this year, which is a great example of forward planning for the people who can’t get into a carriage as it is already totally jam packed when it reaches them.
The only horror we face is that the Liberal Party, currently in opposition, appear even more bereft of talent and enterprise than the incumbents who are worse than pathetic being apparently criminal, criminally stupid or incapable knowing what the truth is.
If they actually do represent us we have some serious soul searching to do.
When the time comes I shall vote Green unless Winnie the Pooh is standing.
