Sunday 20 April 2014 I woke up to so many wonderful birthday messages on my phone, facebook, email and twitter pages and they kept coming throughout the day.
Keith took me out to breakfast at our favourite little café - Trading Post, Mt Macedon, it is a short drive through beautiful country forest and takes about 10 minutes from here, going past the award winning Lloyd William's horse stud park.
The Mt Macedon Trading Post is the hub of the Mt Macedon community, specialising in excellent coffee, award-winning pies, tempting housemade cakes, local produce & wines and beautiful giftware. We are also the home of
Mount Macedon Kitchen preserves and biscuits.
The small township of Mount Macedon lies part way up the mountain of the same name, located between the town of
Macedon at the base and the actual mountain peak which soars to a height of just over 1,000 metres above sea level.
The Mount Macedon town centre includes a hotel, general store, a church and several plant nurseries.
Stanley Park, accessed via Waterfalls Road or Salisbury Road, contains a native grassland area, diverse vegetation, and several picnic areas. Turitable Creek, which runs through the park, cascades down a rocky ledge into a dense bush gully. While there's a lookout platform at the top of the waterfall, the best views are from the gully below.
In the Mount Macedon area are a number of historical grand Victorian homes with exquisite English gardens that most attractive in autumn when the leaves of the many deciduous trees transform into bright and blazing colours.
The Macedon Regional Park surrounds much of Mount Macedon and features a number of attractions. The most popular is the Memorial Cross Reserve, located at the end of Cameron Drive, which includes picnic and BBQ areas, and the Top of the Range Tearooms. A short walk along a sealed path from the tearooms takes visitors to the 21 metre tall Memorial Cross which was erected to honour those Australians who lost their lives in wars. Good views can be enjoyed from the cross and also from the Major Mitchell Lookout, which is located on a side-track before the cross.
The Camels Hump is the highest point in the Macedon Ranges, located near the start of Cameron Drive. Several walking tracks depart from the Camels Hump car park, with the most scenic being the steep 500 metre path that ascends to the peak. The viewing platform at the peak offers panoramic views to the north and west.
Sanatorium Lake is accessed via Lions Head Road which is almost opposite the entrance to Cameron Drive. The drive along this gravel road passes through the attractive Days Picnic Ground and then to the car park at Sanatorium Lake. A 250 metre walk from the car park along the Eco-Tourism Walking Trail takes visitors to an information shelter and the adjacent lake. Other picnic areas and walking trails are located near the lake.
We returned home after a lovely breakfast. While waiting for family to come at midday for my lunch celebration I cooked roast lamb with vegetables and set the table giving it a birthday theme.
An enjoyable lunch was had by all, then a lovely home made carrot birthday cake (thanks Cheryl) with the lighting of candles and me making a special wish and blowing them out! I think everyone knows what my wish is!!
Next across to our neighbours/good friends for a celebratory birthday drink then home where more birthday wishes were waiting for me via the phone and social media.
I would like to say a big thank you to family, friends and those on social media who sent/phoned and in person with birthday messages - I am overwhelmed and thank you from my heart - you inspire me, keep me enjoying my life and fighting for the cause! I will never give up!
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