Queenscliffe, Barwon Heads and the 13th Beach Golf Links

 26th Feb 2023

After breakfast our first priority is to find a chemist and stock up on antihistamines and allergy eyedrops. Fortunately there is a shopping centre in Belmont, only a few minutes drive from our motel, The Hacienda.

Across the road from the shopping centre is a Sunday Market. We are not in a hurry and cannot check in at 13th Beach till 2 pm, so have a wander over to see what is on offer. It is the usual market fare that you see anywhere. 



There was a large crowd there


Poppy the Fortuneteller still had her Gypsy Wagon hooked up to he car, perhaps hoping to leave early

It didn't take too long to get around the market, and head back to the car to drive to Queenscliffe to fill in a bit of time.

Of course it is Sunday, and Victorians are out for the day enjoying the beach and sunshine, so there is a decent crowd pretty much everywhere we go. Queenscliffe is no exception and there is a good choice of coffeee shops, restaurants and bakeries in the main street (where parking is also at a premium). We find a nice cafe which is also a providore of fine Victorian and  Tasmanian produce. The coffee is very good and we move on to explore the town on foot. It is getting close to lunch time, and we decide it is probably easier to get a meal here than wander off down the road in hope of finding something down the road later.

Almost back at our car we see an important notice on the local "Rolling Pin" Bakery sign - Australia's Best Pie 2021 and 2022. I know everyone makes these claims but advertising always sparks curiousity, and before we know it, we are in the bakery with many others in a long queue to test their claim. I have ordered the Thai Red Curry Prawn Pie and Carole has ordered to 2022 winner, the mushroom and truffle pie. The pies were great !


Continuing on to Barwon Heads, and our accommodation at 13th Beach Golf links, we are amazed at how busy Barwon Heads is. We arrive at the golf course at around 1.15 pm, our room isn't ready and there is a light rain shower, so we take shelter until 2 pm when our room is ready. The golf course is humming, car park full, people lined up to go out on the tee and commence their round, and lots of people practising. 


The Clubhouse


Our golf side cabin

The accommodation is excellent, a veery large room looking out over the golf course and a short walk to the clubhouse, with our car parked out the front.

On site eating is a bigger issue, as the club restaurant only operates limited hours and for the 2 nights we are here it is not open for dinner. We just went into town, got a BBQ chicken and pre made salads from IGA , a bottle of red and had a nice dinner in our room.

Tomorrow morning breakfast is included, and we are on the golf course for the final round of our trip. Carole is currently 1 point ahead, so it will be a competitive event. The course looks to be a very challenging links course which recently hosted the Victorian Open, so we are looking forward to it.


A view of the first hole from the tee





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