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Our last stop in the caravan on our little South-west Victoria road trip is Casterton Bowling Club on our way back to Penshurst. We might divert to Dartmoor while we're here. We'd never heard of Casterton before so are looking forward to seeing it. The caravan park and our van are just a few steps away. We looked in the clubhouse. We liked the red chairs. Apparently the bar is open Monday and Tuesday with a barbecue. We'll be there! They are trying to raise money to save the club. People buy a brick. The red chairs inside match the seats on the verandah. They are all donated in memorium. There seems to be some kind of court next door - perhaps Croquet. And there's the old grass green. It's overgrown but looks cared for. The main green is a synthetic. It looks about ten years old. We liked the old roller outside the shed. There's a community garden next door. Jean chatted with Marjory who said it's hard to keep it going. There were lots of people interested initially but they've all left and she's too old. Jean got going - bowling left-handed with her new bowling arm. She did OK. Mal went next. He did OK but he said he was in pain. Mal said "My back is f*@^ed." His bowls went everywhere! He nearly got a shot but not quite. Jean said "I haven't been keeping score. Did I win?" Mal said "Yes!" We went back to the caravan. Mal said "There's a lady rolling up with a bowling arm." Jean went over to meet her. Her name is Anne. She told Jean that the local pubs aren't good at hospitality and were closed Monday and Tuesday. The locals had nowhere to drink. The bowlers got together and decided to open the club and put on a barbecue Monday and Tuesday nights. Anne said "You should take a photo of my husband Mick. He's the workhorse!" We came back around 5pm to find things humming. We met Margie who asked us what we thought of the green. Peter Ligaya, Eddie and Colin were sitting at the table. Peter is the barman. He and Colin are bowlers. Teresa cooked the barbecue. We enjoyed our sausages. Casterton - great hospitality!

The furthest north we get on our little south-west Victoria road trip is Edenhope Bowling Club near the South Australian Border. It's a little bit exciting! It's a tiny little clubhouse. Again we were all alone so we just got a peek in through the window. Like other clubs there's a nice little verandah out the front to watch the action. Mal looked at the Pennant information. With a town of just under 1,000 it's impressive they have four Pennant teams. Mal was pretty impressed with the stand-up drink stands. There used to be a grass green but it's now been left to the maggies. The club has a beautiful lakeside outlook. It's also next door to the caravan park. The green is synthetic. A little better than some we've seen lately. A pussy cat stands guard and an owl looks out from the shed! Jean started out with her bowling arm - left-handed as usual these days. She was impressed to pick up a shot first end. Then it was Mal's turn. He did the same but Jean was happy to be in there learning her new skill. Jean called it "Three to one!" but (as usual when we roll up) Mal had to measure. He said "Lucky I did!" It was two all. That was all Mal needed - he was off and away! Edenhope - we bowled better than the Magpies!

Our second stop on our little south-west Victoria road trip is Balmoral Bowling Club. We're just here overnight so hope to make the best of it. We were all by ourselves again. We thought there'd be someone there on a Saturday. The clubhouse looks interesting. The sign out front says it's the old 'Balmoral Mechanics Institute' It looks like an old hall - it even has a stage! Jean's been watching 'The Crown' so had visions of Balmoral Castle. Like other clubs we've visited recently there's a nice verandah. In this case - with fans! There's really nice hand-made tables/drink stands. The front gate welcomes bowlers. The synthetic green is pretty old. Thirteen years in fact. It's very, very sandy. Jean stepped out with her new bowling arm - left-handed. Mal started with three - hard to beat! Mal was on fire. Jean was happy to be close by. We only did a few ends because it was muggy. Jean got two in the end but not enough. Balmoral - no castles on the bowling green!

We're on a short road trip around the south-west of Victoria. We were supposed to stay at Lake Bolac but have done all the clubs around there but one. We decide this morning to drive up to Edenhope. Our first stop is Coleraine Bowling Club. We were all alone for our rollup. We're getting a bit tired of our own company. As usual when there's nobody home, Jean peeked in through the window. There's a nice verandah out front. We don't know who Jim is but he has his own hut! It's a nice looking synthetic green - a little old but ok. According to the sign it's thirteen years old. Jean started out with her new bowling arm. She got two shots. Then Mal took his turn. He kept scoring shots. Jean didn't want to take any more photos. It was pretty hot so we only did a few ends. Not enough for Jean to catch up though even with shots on the last end. Coleraine - hope we get a game soon!

We were supposed to be in Lismore for a week but we already managed to do all but one club here. We decided last Friday to go to Maryborough for five days. We came back today to do Cressy Bowls Club. We had tried to ring the club for hours to no avail. We drove out to find out if there's social bowls today or tomorrow. Sadly the club was deserted. Then Neville and Ann drove up. They saw a strange car and decided to check it out. Ann said they removed the landline. She said there are no social bowls but we are welcome to roll up. Even though they had ice-cream in the car they had to get home, they stayed and chatted for a while. We liked the entryway. We felt welcome. The front door leaves one in no doubt. The verandah is a nice spot to watch what's happening. There's a tiny little outdoor area with a barbecue. Jean couldn't get a good photo for inside the clubhouse - she found a break in the blinds through the fly screen. It's a nice carpet green. Ann said it was put in a year ago. "It's very slick" she said. The sign said 16.5 but Mal reckons it's more like 17.5. It was slick! He was impressed though. "It's immaculate. Beautiful. Loved it!" Jean queried Neville and Ann about Wikipedia saying there are only 175 people in the town. Ann said "Only about 5 people live in the town. The rest of us come in from farms." The advertising bears that out. We were impressed there were about thirty names down for Pennants. Jean stepped out first for our rollup. Jean was happy with where her bowls landed sixth time out with her stick. Mal went second. He was all over it! He said "Check out that grouping!" Jean was still in there. Jean wanted to stop and work on the blog she told Mal to put all her bowls down. He said "That's your best end yet!" Last end Jean was impressed "That's a pretty good head for a bowling arm learner!" Cressy - all the clubs around here done now!

When we met Matt at Maryborough Highland Society Bowls Club the other day he told us Avoca's synthetic green is the same as theirs. He said he'd meet us there Tuesday for a rollup. It's a golf and bowls club so shared facilities. It was hard to get a meaningful shot inside. Matt was waiting for us when we arrived. He told us he bowls at Talbot where weet him. He's a big fan of T'shirts! The weather started to roll in. Thunder and lightning. We had to stop because it started to pour down. We didn't get any shots of our good (or bad) bowls because Matt outbowled us! Matt said he'd keep us up to date with his trial for the State Bowling Arm team. We're rooting for you Matt! Avoca - darn the weather!

We're off for a morning rollup at Carisbrook. We are told it's all locked up but we are sorted! Yesterday when we were at Highland Society Bowls Club we met Matt who rang Carisbrook and put Mal on the phone to a guy who gave him the code to get in. It appears to be in the middle of a sports vicinity. Jean peeked inside. It's all pretty new. Here's the lock. Luckily Mal remembered where he wrote the code! We were lonely all by ourselves. There's just one carpet green. We remembered to roll up north-south. First end Jean didn't quite get the weight. On the third end Mal had six and Jean finally got a couple. Mal was really annoying Jean with his good bowls. Then Jean scored a beauty but pushed the kitty over to Mal. Jean remarked that she needs to stop lifting her bowls into the bowling arm with her right arm because it's painful. She said she should do it with her feet. Mal said "You should stand up all your bowls!" Jean got a pang of guilt. Yesterday at Highland she kept wiping the sand off her bowls and laying them flat. She was getting annoyed that she'd turn around and Laurie would have stood them up (and got sand on them). Now she realises it's a new bowls etiquette thing to stand up bowls of Bowling Arm bowlers. Derrr. He was being nice! Last end Mal put the kitty on the plinth then drew to it. He said "If we were playing that game the boys played yesterday I'd have 12 and you'd be minus twelve!" All alone for a rollup at Carisbrook.

On our way back to the caravan from Maryborough Highland Bowls Club we stopped in at the Golf Club. We'd been told their greens are out so we wanted to take some photos. There are two grass greens. One is definitely out. The other didn't look very used. If we come back this way we'll drop in again for a game. Maryborough Golf - maybe next time!

We're staying in Dunolly for a few days. It's a short drive to Maryborough so we're off to check out Maryborough Highland Society Bowls Club to see if we can get a game. Jean walked in to the Bowls Room and Matt came in to see what she was doing. We met Matt when we went to Talbot a few weeks ago. He told us he won the District Champion of Champions Singles this year. Matt phoned Carisbrook to arrange a rollup for us tomorrow. Matt introduced us to Treasurer Alan who sorted us out for a rollup. The club has two greens either side of the clubhouse. One is grass and the other is synthetic. Matt and Mal started rolling. Laurie joined us so we played 2-4-2 up to ten. Laurie and Matt Against Jean and Mal. Jean was impressed with the shades. Laurie said they usually all have seats but they've been taken to the Highland gathering which is on Monday in Maryborough. Jean could feel her Scottish blood bubbling! Mal and Jean started well and led for several ends. Jean didn't like that the green put sand on her bowls. Matt and Mal had a real tussle . Jean was happy (bowling with her new Arm) if she could put them within a metre. She gave Mal a run for his money. Mal was a good partner. Jean said "I think I'm bowling nearly as well left-handed with the arm after five outings as I do with my right arm!" Greg from Match Committee came for a chat. Laurie says he's the best bowler in the club. Last couple of ends they got ahead of us and won by four. We had to roll back so the boys played this game where you put the kitty 1 foot from the ditch and everyone draws to it. You lose 4 points if you go in the ditch (Jean lost 12!) And you get points if you put kitty in the ditch but don't follow it. We said goodbye and told Matt we'd see him around. He said he'll see us at Avoca on Tuesday. Maryborough Highland Society- a nice Gathering.

We were supposed to stay the week in Lismore Victoria but we've done all the clubs there. We told the caravan park we'll come back Wednesday and decided to come to Dunolly to do all the Goldfields clubs. They welcome strangers. We walked in and Keith and Christine said an excited gidday. Keith was waiting to play the Singles final. Christine rang Barry to ask about social bowls in clubs around, Jean spoke to him on the phone. Then Barry came and opened the bar. Friday night is a thing here. They were all sat around the bar. The verandah out the front is inviting. Lots of people sat to watch. There's a painting at the end of a river. There are two nice grass greens. The front green that we rolled up on had a flood on it recently. There was some damage they are repairing. While Jean took photos Mal started to roll up with Jim. Jean joined. She put two on the kitty but the boys kicked the bowls away before she got a photo (really, truly!) Mal did well, but Jim kept him honest! Mal said "The green is running really well!" Mal put them in - Jean was close - but we didn't score because we had to vacate for the matches. Jim's dog Ruby kept Jean busy throwing the ball. 4pm they started the men's and women's singles finals. Peter vs Keith and Alice vs Karen. They put snacks out for the spectators. We sat and watched. It was pretty exciting! Then Mal went in and chatted at the bar. Keith played a brilliant game and took it away. Pete had a comeback in the end - just not enough. (Peter and Keith) Karen just beat Alice. It was a thrilling game. (Alice and Karen) We had a lovely afternoon. Welcome strangers at Dunolly.

It's our last day in Geelong after Christmas. We've now done all the clubs we missed in February but one. We're off for a Thursday afternoon game at Drysdale . Jean got in touch via Messenger and someone gave her Danny's number. Mal rang him on Wednesday and got our names down. We're looking forward to our last Geelong district game. We walked in and met Ben and Daniel (Danny) who said "You're super early!" John (Macca) took our money. People came up ind chatted with us and asked about our trip. They were very friendly. They made us feel welcome. The clubhouse is nice and airy. They have a photo of the old clubhouse which is now a doctor's surgery. Also a painting of the old clubhouse. There's a bell we are told from an old ship that ran aground at Clifton Springs. There is a nice verandah out the front. We're glad it's cool today because there are only a couple of shades. Jean's contact on Messenger explained: "Just a side note in hot weather we would always play the other direction so it aligns with all the shade down the middle and opposite ends. We are just trying to change the traffic on the green during our off season." There are two grass greens and the Croquet is out the back. The front green is being repaired. We played on the far green. We liked their home-made Pennants scoreboard. It's 2-4-2 - three games of six ends. Jean played with John. First game was against Mal who played with Danny (Deputy Director). There were five rinks. It was a joy playing on grass for a change. The grass was beautiful. Mal likes the grass. He and Danny got two. Jean got shot (with the bowling arm) next end - for a moment. Mal and Danny won by six. Second game Jean and John played John's partner Vicky and Geoff - The oldest member in the club. Mal played Len and Rosemary. Jean was happy with the way she bowled with her bowling arm. She and John got a five but lost by three. We went inside for a break. When we came back Jean played Wayne and Kevin. Mal played Ian and Pauline. Jean accidentally got three! Mal put in the bowl of the day. Then did it again - twice. John and Jean won their last game. Mal had three for three. Mal and Danny won the money. Drysdale - a very friendly club.

We've had a few days off over Christmas. We had a lovely lunch with Laura, Dwi and Zeke. Now it's Wednesday and we're busting for bowls. We came to Bannockburn for a rollup. We met Greg who's been bowling just 7 months He helped us with mats and jacks. Jean peeked inside. The clubhouse is still decked out for Christmas. Mal said he liked that it's neat with a nice feel. "It's like we could come back any time!" There's a tankstand painted with bowlers. And a nice verandah under cover. Jean remarked that it would be a nice place to come for a tournament. We were intrigued by the English Lion boxes. They have chairs in them. There are two different synthetic greens. The old one is out the front. It's plastic. There is the obligatory fake wildlife to deter birds. We rolled up on the new one. It's carpet. Jean was having a good time with her new bowling arm. She took first blood. And again. Mal was struggling with weight initially. Then he got his groove back. Going into the second last end it was Jean six and Mal three. He got two. Jean said "You only need one to draw!". Jean then put down her best bowl of the day. Bannockburn - perhaps we'll return one day for a tournament.