Reflections at Rocklands

Posted on by Miriam

We’ve recently returned from a long weekend at the tip of the Southern Grampians. Our destination was past Dunkeld, near Balmoral, at the Rocklands Reservoir, a huge water catchment area that supplies water to the Grampians and Wimmera area. And, as it’s often the case with us, adventure followed.

We spent four cool, crazy, culinary, unpredictable days there, experiencing everything from fine dining, mountain walking, river fording and getting lost amongst hundreds of bleating and possibly confused sheep. Oh, and did I mention we got bogged on arrival?

Our trip started sedately on the Friday morning and by early afternoon we’d arrived at Glendinning Campground at Rocklands. It was there we went off the beaten track, weaving through side tracks to reach the sandy foreshore. That’s when the action ramped up.

It was a precarious moment getting bogged with the van hitched on. One that tested not only our winch but our nerves, marriage and hub’s skill in getting unstuck. Fast forward 24 hours and we were enjoying an amazing meal at the award winning Royal Mail hotel at Dunkeld, a post in itself. Yep, this was a weekend of extremes.

But let’s backtrack to our campsite. Have you ever visited a place that had a profound effect on you? That’s how camping in this landscape affected me, once the drama passed. It made me reflect on what’s important.

How do I explain the feeling of oneness I felt during the weekend as we drove through rocky mountain ranges? How can I explain the sense of peace that enveloped me at dawn and dusk? Those trees, I swear they were talking to me.

I know that I prayed to the “tree Gods” as we winched ourselves off a solid trunk that saved us on Friday afternoon. They must have been listening!

“If we surrendered to Earth’s intelligence we could rise up, rooted like trees.” Rainer Maria Rilke

God felt close here. Close to our camp site where hundreds of trees poked up from the water. It was stark and eerily beautiful, especially when the shadows fell. In the distance we could see the Grampians mountain ranges.

Each morning nature put on a show, the sky changed from gentle pinks to orange hues and dazzling light as the sun rose. Limbs gracefully bent towards the sun, as though doing yoga with the light. At night the silhouettes danced further across the water. Brief rain brought fleeting rainbows and within the dusk light I half expected pirate ships to come sailing out from between the tree skeletons.

This is a place that fuels the imagination.

Nature feels like home. Wherever you are, step outside and let it seep into your core.

As Autumn temperatures drop, the days are cooling here in Melbourne, so when the sun hits my face it’s like a lovers warm kiss. The cool breeze on my cheek feels like a caress from nature. Chattering birds and trees remind me that everything is connected. We’re alive to our five senses but the most important one is our 6th sense, our intuition, our consciousness and what we allow into our thoughts.

When I think of the mayhem that’s been orchestrated in the outside world, I remind myself that we have a choice. We can become engulfed in the division and the illusions or we can put our attention on what we want to create. We can let go of the injustices and the crazy world events by understanding that it’s our reaction that fuels our reality.

Hundreds of sheep bleating at us

Not everything is perfect, far from it. There are so many distractions in our world right now, so much that’s going on underneath the surface. Not everything is as it seems. But when we open our mind and intuition to a new level we regain our inner peace and serenity. And we step into our power.

When we quieten our thoughts through meditation, and turn off the negativity (and news) we stop feeding the chaos. We drop the anger, blame and fear. We visualise something better, a world that’s kind, blissful and free. Gratitude gets us back on track and love feeds a grateful heart. But WE have to create it, no one can do it for us.

One day we’ll wake and see the world in a different light. Perhaps you already do. The flowers will look more beautiful, the grass greener, the sky bluer. In our everyday lives, the most ordinary tasks, when done mindfully, will take on deeper meaning.

Everything has its place and its purpose, just as these dead trees provide shelter and habitat for wildlife.

When we let our inner light guide us, life opens up and we can overcome any obstacle. But we have to be brave and look deep to find that inner strength. We have to look beyond the surface. So keep your vibration and energy high and love deeply, as we continue this bumpy, crazy but always extraordinary journey of life.

In love and light

For one minute, walk outside, stand there, in silence, look up at the sky and contemplate how amazing life is.

78 thoughts on “Reflections at Rocklands”

  4. Glad you managed to free yourselves from getting bogged Miriam and what a fabulous, medidative landscape to spend some time in nature 💚

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  9. Thank you for your confirming thoughts on letting go of the mayhem and focusing inward. I sometimes, oft feel that I’m off the track (well I am but …) out of step (and I am!) with the world. But my inner world looking out feeds me Thank you for encouragement not to cave.
    This place looks glorious. As to your big I absolutely hear you. We got comprehensively bogged by going off the beaten track (off the Birdsville track) to camp. And then that sickening sound of spinning wheels. I get you!!! But you remember those adventures.
    We’re now on the road for 6 months zig zagging back and forth across our amazing island continent. Who knows what adventures we’ll face but it will always be fun.
    Looking fwd to your next adventure.

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    1. How wonderful to hear from you Heather and to know that you’re on a similar path to me., at least with regard to our inner worlds. So important and so freeing.
      And wow, six months on the road sounds fabulous. We’re heading off in a couple of months so who knows, we might meet somewhere out there in this great land of ours. Enjoy.

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    2. Miriam thank you for following me but I haven’t really got the WordPress blog up and running. Still learning . But you might like to check out my current ‘working one’ which dates back years hwheat8.blogspot.com (having a few issues loading pix of late – of course ! But that will get sorted – or else)

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      1. That’s ok Heather, I wasn’t sure and thought that it wouldn’t hurt! And yes, I’d love to check out your blogspot one when I get a chance.

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  10. Hi Miriam! As always, your photos are stunning! I love the black and white one of you and the trees. Sounds like an amazing weekend. I’d love to hear more about your meal at the Royal Mail hotel! Love what you said… our reaction fuels our reality. Absolutely!

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    1. Thanks Jeni, it sure does. And I love that black and white pic too, compliments of hubby. Yes, I’ll definitely be doing a write up on the Royal Mail hotel in the (hopefully) not too distant future. Have a great rest of the week.

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  13. It is good to get away and grateful that we can. Glad you had a lovely getaway recently. We stayed at the Royal Mail with the kids years ago. Beautiful food. Did a few lovely walks. Up of course. Lovely words about nature. Reading the comments – which part are you heading off to in the coming months?

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    1. Hi Louise, great to hear from you. We absolutely loved our meal at the Royal Mail and I’m looking forward to writing about it. The whole area around Dunkeld is gorgeous. In a few months we’re heading west, can’t wait! Hope all’s well in your neck of the woods. x

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  15. Nature really is where we get the best of everything – from how beautiful it is to the lessons we learned as we enjoy its wonders.
    You got stuck, as i driver myself, I could only imagine how hard it was…but in the end you guys took it as an opportunity to bond more and learn more and i say, love each other more.

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    1. Aww, what a great comment Mich. Yeah, another adventure and lesson to chalk up and yet another shared experience we could reminisce and laugh about that night. But at the time, it was pretty full on! 😎

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  18. Miriam, I always grab myself a little snack before reading your post (this time banana, yoghurt, honey & cinnamon!) before settling with your post, fully absorbing myself to your travels and the beauty along the way. Wow! The trees in the lake has me stopping in awe. Wonderfully eerie and I can well imagine how this was a moment of epiphany for you. Surreal beauty, time standing still and yes, oneness with nature, God …

    After your traumatic start, you deserved a break.

    I can’t help but smile at your trials – afterwards of course and knowing all is well. How being bogged down ‘… that tested not only our winch but our nerves, marriage and hub’s skill in getting unstuck.’

    Glad you’re able to enjoy some Autumn trips out and sharing here with us. I have booked not one, but two trips away from home, the first in 21 months! The first a luxury canal boat stay and then a woodland retreat near the coast – look forward to sharing about new adventures!

    Here’s to inner peace in the midst of global turmoil. hugs xx ❤️

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    1. Hi Annika, I love the sound of your snack, you made me smile with that first comment. Yum! 😊 Oneness indeed, those trees were surreal and eerily beautiful, especially in the early morning and evening light.
      And getting out of that sandy big was such a relief, everything beyond that was a bonus!
      Enjoy your two trips, they both sound wonderful in their own right and I’ve no doubt you’re really looking forward to them. Yes to inner peace in this turbulent world for we really do make our own reality don’t we? Big hugs back xx ❤️

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    1. Well, if nothing else it was the perfect test for our winch, to see if it could haul both the car snd the van. It passed but I don’t particularly want to repeat it too soon! Happy weekend to you too Glenys. 😊

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  21. It sounds like you had an amazing time through Rocklands Reservoir. Getting bogged down sounded like a small speed bump. So lovely to hear you felt at one and at peace over there camping with the beautiful sunshine and nature all round. You are right. Nothing is perfect and there is so much distraction and things going on all round. Sometimes we just got to that place where we feel most at ease to feel our intution and then make a move forward. Enjoy the great outdoors and the rest of Autumn, Miriam. Winter will be here for us soon, new season, new adventures.

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    1. Hi Mabel, “new season, new adventures”, I love that! I actually feel like we’ve bypassed Autumn and gone straight to winter! But yes, we had a lovely time at Rocklands making the most of our weekends and enjoying nature. Hope you’re well. Have a great week ahead.

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    1. That’s a nice thought Laura. I’ve entered a few comps in my time, and with some success too, of which I’m grateful. These days I’m happy with my freelancing and magazine writing … though I’m always open to new opportunities. Who knows? Thanks for your support. 😊

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  24. The location is amazing I am so glad you had the opportunity to escape to such a beautiful place and your words are soothing and so encouraging. Today especially with so much going on I pray for those who need hope and to those who have left us in this chaos. Thank you darling for another beautiful post. Enjoy your week, take care and blessings your way. Cris

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  25. I just love your philosophy, Miriam! You don’t downplay the many problems in the world, but you do suggest coping strategies that make life so much richer and better for all of us. Nature is so healing, and as you say, it can be spiritual too. And it reminds us that we can’t control what happens to us, but we can certainly control how we react to it. Thanks for this post…both the words and the photos were beautiful and inspiring!

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    1. Thanks so much Ann. I do believe nature is healing, on a deep level, and when we connect and really tune into ourselves then somehow all the world dramas don’t necessarily disappear but quieten. Everything is about perspective and, I believe, choosing faith over fear. Have a great rest of the work. 😍

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  27. Oh, Miriam!! Your images are mind blowing!! I especially love the ones of the skeletal trees, the one with the rainbow, and the shot of the sun in which you caught a reflection making it look like 2 suns!! Oh yes the trees are talking and if we but only listen we will know God has got this and not only that, a great and glorious world is coming for those of us with an open heart connected to our minds. This is SO exciting!! I laughed when you honestly spoke of being tested in your marriage. OH my goodness do I relate to that one at times. Teehee ….. dramas and then when they blow over the peace and calm come in again.

    I must leave a link for you to listen to. I haven’t been listening to much of anything, just allowing my Inner Guidance to guide me. But this link was given to me and so I viewed and it is exactly what I FEEL in my bones. I’ve had this feeling that something super natural is coming, that something magnificent in order for a new world based on LOVE is birthed. When I get these feelings there is no explanation. I just know …. what I know I don’t know but I do know. Makes sense? Listen to those trees ….. And all of Mother for She is the One True Source of Purity and Truth. Everything else is an illusion. Here is the link. The “message” begins at the 8 minute mark:

    Sending you so much love!! xoxoxoxoxo

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    1. Oh yes Amy, Mother is the true source of Purity and Truth, I have no doubt about that. It’s the one thing that can’t be faked, the one thing free of illusion. Thank you my lovely wise friend. I trust your feelings and intuition BUT I can’t see your link. Did you post it here? Or is it just my phone playing funny buggers? 🤔

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        1. Thanks Amy. That was a good idea to go straight to my blog. I see it now. I had a feeling it was JC Kay’s video, I’ve seen them all. The ones from the trees are absolutely amazing!!!! 💚

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  28. Oh wow, Miriam! That spot looks like a place flowing with magic. Those trees!! I love trees in the water. They remind me of the swamps and sanctuaries from my childhood and always make me admire the wonder of them. xx

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  29. Pingback: A Royal Meal at Dunkeld – Out an' About

  30. Miriam,
    Wow. I love the photos of the trees and the water. I relate to what you say about time in nature. Whether it is in my yard or on a hiking trail, I feel so much better when I get my outside time. Nature is healing and leaves me feeling connected.
    Thank you for your inspiring message.
    Wishing you more beautiful adventures.
    Ali

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    1. Thanks Ali. It’s so true about being outside in nature and how it always lifts us and makes us feel better. Just about to head out to do some weeding in my garden now actually. Hope you’re having a great week. Big hugs 💚 xx

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  31. Unpredictable and adventure makes for a great get away, Miriam. Getting bogged is always scary and challenging. I love your phrase “each morning nature puts on a show” and your photos are wonderful examples of this show. I also love your phrase “stop feeding the chaos…” I am always transported and my spirit feels lighter when I read your beautiful posts, Miriam.💕

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    1. So happy you enjoyed my post Erica. Thanks for your very kind words. It was a wonderful long weekend, even getting bogged was an adventure. Made us appreciate everything so much more. Big hugs xx

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  32. Always a joy to sit and read about your adventures, sorry you got bogged down but the Environment sure made up for it! Breathtaking! We sure live in a beautiful world, pity there is so much noise trying to distract us. Sending love and going over to read your next post… catching up❤️

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    1. Oh yes Barbara, there is SO much distraction out there that at times it can seem overwhelming. Which is precisely one of the reasons why I love being in nature. There’s truth, peace snd lots of fun out there. Thanks for coming along with me! 💗

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