Today has been a better day to explore the mountains without the crowds. Climbing back up the Great Dividing Range passing through the huge turpentine, brown barrel and gully gum forests of the Macquarie Pass National Park and continuing along the beautiful Southern Tablelands stopping at Fitzroy Falls.

It’s thought that the track through Macquarie Pass followed a traditional path used by the Wodi Wodi people to travel between the coast and the highlands. Made into a track in 1863 and a road in 1898, it was so rugged that the brakes and radiators of the first cars had trouble coping. At least one went straight over the embankment.

The walks and lookouts at the Fitzroy Falls allow a great view of the water plunging over the escarpment.

After the falls we make our way to Canberra, which is our camp for two nights catching up with family and visiting the iconic venues.

Lieutenant Colonel Vivian Bullwinkel, who was the sole survivor of an infamous World War II massacre, has become the first female (Nurse) to be memoralised in bronze at the memorial.