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https://lesleyanderich.wordpress.com

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The latest posts are about our stay at Lara Wetlands.

On our Queensland Outback trip we spent five days at Lara Wetlands, a camping property made available on a cattle station Lara Station. We had a great time there, thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, all the birds and especially the homestead tour and the camp oven dinner. If you are in the area, make sure to drop in for a few days. Lesley just published a series of posts about our stay at Lara Wetlands, well worth a read.

 

Sub-Antarctic Cruise – Final days

7th March, 2019.

Another sea day.

Lovely skies.

The food on the ship was absolutely exemplary. French chefs, French wines and mostly French cuisine could not be faulted. On this evening we had a special French cheese degustation.

8th March, 2019.

Heading to Antipodes Islands, another group where landing is not permitted so the Zodiacs were pressed into service again.

Our first sightings of Erect-crested and Rockhopper Penguins.

Farewell to Antipodes Islands.

9th March, 2019.

The last island on our itinerary was Bounty Island but the weather was quite bad and very little could be seen so the Captain decided to make a leisurely trip towards Dunedin where we would be disembarking early the next morning.

Synchronised flying.

10th March, 2019.

11th March, 2019.

Sunrise over Dunedin as we made our way back to Fryatt Street Wharf for disembarkation.

All too soon this part of our adventure was over and we were sitting in Dunedin airport awaiting our flight to Auckland.

Final approach to Auckland Airport.

Sub-Antarctc Cruise – Enderby Island Revisited, Campbell Island Hike

4th March, 2019.

Following our exciting days at Macquarie Island, we had a sea day while the Captain repositioned the ship to pick up our route again. Not much to see appear from lots of sea birds.

It is quite a feat to be able to photograph these various Albatross.

5th March, 2019.

Arriving at Aucklands Island and unfortunately the seas were again too rough for a planned Zodiac tour of one of the bays so the decision was made to revisit Enderby Island where the seas were calmer and another cross-island excursion took place.

The expedition team checking out the conditions.

The New Zealand Pipit was still around.

More sightings of the endangered Yellow-eyed Penguin.

Tom-tit was also flitting about in the shrubbery.

Nesting Southern Royal Albatross.

A research vessel at anchor. Access to these islands is tightly controlled so only ships with the appropriate permits are allowed.

Some of the passengers resting after the hike to the far side of the island.

6th March, 2019.

On the schedule today was the much anticipated 5km return hike across Campbell Island from Perseverance Harbour to North West Harbour and fortunately, the weather was on our side

.

Le Laperouse anchored in Perseverance Harbour.

Awaiting our return.

Southern Royal Albatross with chick.

See the chick under the wing.

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A stunning view over North West Harbour was our reward.

The hike was quite arduous at times and took over 4 hours to complete the 5km round trip.

This aggressive sea lion was not too happy about us walking through his domain. Members of the expedition team fended him off with opened umbrellas as we made our way back to the Zodiacs.

Sub-Antarctic Cruise – Macquarie Island

1st March, 2019.

The Southern Ocean is notoriously unpredictable and a front was moving in from the west so the Captain, in consultation with the Expedition Leader, decided to rearrange the itinerary to try to avoid the worst. Civilian access to both Macquarie Island and the NZ Sub-Antarctic Islands is strictly controlled so it was not just a matter of changing direction; permission had to be gained from both the Australian and New Zealand authorities. Having a NZ Department of Conservation observer aboard made the task somewhat easier though.

We were in for a very rough day. Deck furnishings were lashed down and it was a real feat simply staying upright when moving around the ship. The Captain did a terrific job in keeping the ship as smooth as possible.

2nd March, 2019.

Next morning we had our first look at Macquarie Island and thankfully the seas were relatively calm. Macquarie Island lies approximately halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica and has been a part of Tasmania since 1900 and a Tasmanian State Reserve since 1978. In 1997, Macquarie Island was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a site of major geoconservation significance, being the only place on earth where rocks from the earth’s mantle are being actively exposed above sea level. We anchored off the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) station located on the northern end of the island. One of the Expedition Team had lived and worked for 18 months at the station and was a wealth of information.

Once we had landed via the Zodiacs, the weather became a bit less pleasant as the mist rolled in.

The animals were in the middle of moult. Elephant seals.

A Royal Penguin looking a bit scruffy.

There were hundreds of

looking like they were in their Sunday bests.

Two bull elephant seals facing off.

Just as we were heading back to the Zodiacs, we were fortunate to see the release of one of the two daily weather balloons used to capture scientific data which is then sent around the world to various Meteorological organisations.

Back aboard ship the anchor was raised and we continued south along the coast.

3rd March, 2019

When we awoke the next morning, we were anchored in Sandy Bay and surrounded by hundreds of King Penguins ducking and diving around the ship.

The Blue Eye, an underwater observatory, is a feature of Le LaPerouse. Most of the time there is nothing to see but the diving King Penguins were entertaining.

Giant Petrel

The King Penguin Rookery with lots of fluffy baby penguins.

Still moulting.

We were so lucky to have visited on such a beautiful sunny day. Many of the expedition team who had been there several times told us they had never experienced such lovely weather there.

Sub-Antarctic Cruise – The Snares and Enderby Island

27th February, 2019.

Leaving Milford Sound, we headed south towards the Snares Islands where we were looking forward to a Zodiac tour around the islands. Unfortunately, on arrival, the weather was simply too rough to deploy the Zodiacs but nevertheless the scenery was magnificent and we saw a lovely rainbow to top it off.

For the entire cruise, we had free satellite wifi internet. We were amazed that we had access wherever we were.

Once again we were awed by the birdlife.

Cape Petrel

Buller’s Albatross

Seeing a pod of Dusky Dolphins was certainly a highlight.

28th February, 2019.

Auckland Islands – Enderby Island, the northern most island of the Auckland group was to be our next stop. Luckily the seas were relatively calm so that we were about to land and hike across the island.

We were lucky enough to see some endangered Yellow-eyed Penguins.

A New Zealand Pipit

A Southern-Royal Albatross

It was towards the end of the season for the native flowers with just a few blooms remaining.

 

The Ponant Ship Le Laperouse

Albatross courting ritual.

We were thrilled to see a Tomtit.

Sea Lions can be very aggressive and this one was lying almost across the boardwalk. We had strict instructions that we were not allowed off the boardwalks at any time during our shore excursions but disturbing the wildlife is also a no-no. Our Expedition leaders had to scope out a track through the surrounding area for us to pass at a safe distance.

Waiting for our Zodiacs to arrive, a group of sea lions surfed onto the beach.

Yellow-eyed Penguins making their way from the sea to their burrows quite a long way inland. Their track, known Penguin Alley, had to be crossed to get to and from the Zodiacs. We had to wait quite a long time for them to waddle off out of sight before we were allowed back to the beach.

A great end to a wonderful day.

Sub-Antarctic Cruise – Dusky, Doubtful and Milford Sounds

23rd February, 2019.

Finally it was time to board.

Fryatt Street Wharf was not very inviting.

The open-air Grill Restaurant on the pool deck.

Larnach Castle which I had visited on my first trip to Dunedin some 38 years ago.

First order of business was to be fitted with our complimentary expedition jackets.

Complimentary drinks and canapés were served in the lounge whilst embarkation and border security was completed.

Leaving Dunedin as the sun was setting.

Re-fueling before departing on our big cruise.

24th February, 2019.

A beautiful sunrise.

Perfect weather for lunch in the Grill Restaurant.

Heading west along the southern coast of the South Island on our way to Dusky Sound.

Hundreds of sea birds kept the photographers entertained.

Approaching Dusky Sound.

Entering Dusky Sound.

Looking out from the forward observation lounge on Deck 6

The water creating this waterfall flows out through a hole in the mountainside.

Dropping the anchors.

25th February, 2019.

A perfect morning in Dusky Sound for our first Zodiac adventure.

Members of the Expedition Team head out at first light to check conditions for a Zodiac tour.

Looking back at the ship from our Zodiac.

A fur seal at rest.

The ever-present gull.

One of the 14 Zodiacs with passengers and two of the Expedition team of 12 Naturalists.

A Sooty Oystercatcher.

A plaque in Pickersgill Harbour in Dusky Sound where Captain James Cook moored the Resolution at Astronomer’s Point in 1773.

Returning to the ship after completing our first Zodiac trip.

Zodiac storage on Deck 7. The unloading and reloading of the Zodiacs was quite a feat even in the smoothest seas.

Leaving Dusky Sound and heading north to Doubtful Sound.

26th February, 2019.

Early the next morning we were entering Milford Sound to almost perfect weather.

The Expedition team was already scouting in the Zodiacs.

Loading the Zodiacs from the rear hydraulic platform. Passengers in red, Expedition team in yellow.

We had a wonderful Zodiac tour around the Sound getting right up close to the waterfalls – so close that we were covered in spray with no possibility of taking photos, apart from a few fur seals sunning themselves on the opposite walls.

Our ship looking magnificent against the majestic backdrop.

Underway once again and there is always something to do if one is inclined – a bit of line dancing in the lounge.

Or, more to Erich’s taste, lots of Albatross to photograph, adult and immature.

A perfect end to a wonderful tour of some of New Zealand’s rugged south west coast.

Sub-Antarctic Cruise – Dunedin

20th February, 2019.

After a serious health scare that caused the cancellation of our planned 3 month Europe holiday in August, 2018, we now had the green light to begin our travels again. A trip to Macquarie Island, located in the sub-Antarctic region of Australia around 1500kms south-east of Tasmania, had long been on Erich’s wish list. There are only a couple of cruises that take in this region as civilian vessels are strictly regulated. After some research, Erich found a suitable cruise with Ponant, a French cruise line that we had not heard of before. One of its newer ships, Le Laperouse, was making its first sub-Antarctic journey departing Dunedin NZ for a 17 night round trip which would include Dusky, Doubtful and Milford Sounds on the NZ South Island and then venturing to a number of the NZ sub-Antarctic islands as well as Macquarie Island.

But first we had to get to Brisbane from our home in Maryborough, some 250kms north. Flight times in both directions mean that it was simplest to drive down and leave our car in the long-term parking area at the airport. As our departing flight was relatively early in the morning, we spent a night at a nearby motel as we have done in the past.

Any trip to Brisbane is a good opportunity to catch up with family and friends, so dinner at a local hotel with two of our daughters and their families was a great way to spend the evening.

This is the most photogenic thing that Erich could find in close proximity to the motel.

21st February, 2019

Waiting to board our flight to Auckland.

Our connecting flight from Auckland to Dunedin was delayed by several hours so we did not reach our hotel until after midnight. We had allowed ourselves a day and a half to see some of the sights of Dunedin thinking that we would hire a car for a day. However, our late arrival and subsequent sleep-in put paid to that idea so we spent time walking to the centre of the city and making use of a hop on hop off bus tour.

It is not obvious from this photo but this is the steepest street in the world.

We hopped off the bus at the Botanic Gardens and meandered through, stopping off for a light lunch at the Gardens Cafe.

The stunning glass house was under renovation so we were unable to get any closer than this.

From the gardens, we continued walking back towards the city centre stopping at the historic University of Otago to photograph some of the stunning buildings.

More stunning architecture at the Law Courts.

The Railway Station.

The Art Deco style Law Courts Hotel contrasted strongly with some of the more historic buildings.

Scooter hire at the Octagon.

Walking back to our hotel, we stopped off at the lovely Chinese Gardens.

23rd February, 2019.

Embarkation was not due to commence until 5pm giving us most of the day for further exploration. As Le Laperouse had already berthed and was within walking distance from our hotel, we decided to check her out. The Fryatt Street Wharf is a commercial wharf so there was no access for us to get any closer but it was still exciting for us.

Our walk back to the City Centre took us past the Railway Station once again where one of the scenic tour trains was waiting to depart. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to take advantage of it.

A close up at the Railway Station.

We spent the remaining time before embarkation sitting in our hotel lobby making use of the free wifi before bundling our luggage into a taxi for the relatively short trip to the ship.

 

Nanango – Mingo Crossing

From Peach Trees we drove to Nanango, stopping for a pie at the Blackbutt Woodfired Bakery. It was a very hot day in Nanang0 and we decided to stay on power in a low-cost caravan park. Apart from re-stocking supplies we pretty much remained inside. We played card games and enjoyed a good internet connection. Towards the evening I went for a quick walk and took a photo on my phone in Pioneer Park.

We had good memories of Beef and Reef at the RSL here. Although it was not far, we decided to drive to the RSL.  A good meal, but no Beef and Reef on the menu this time.

The following day we left for Mingo Crossing, east of Gayndah. On the day of arrival, we had an interesting sunset.

Apparently, a lot of work has been performed in the unpowered area – new roads have been put in and sites have been pegged out. We were the first to camp in this area since the road had been put in.

Mingo Crossing is another place with not much to do, especially if you don’t fish or boat. So bird watching and generally taking photos were the main activities. And more card games.

Plenty of Pelicans around.

A Great Egret fishing.

Lesley heard the Whistling Kites in the distance so I went for a walk to find them. I spotted one on a dead tree on the foreshore.

An Australasian Darter drying its wings.

Red-winged Parrot.

A White-necked Heron.

Hundreds of Comorants flew across the Burnett River the first couple of evenings we were here. To a lesser extent we also saw them in the morning.

Close by there is a bat colony. The bats were not very happy about me walking by, taking photos.

The bat colony is close to this creek entering the Burnett River.

Cormorants on the other side of the river.

We only left Mingo Crossing once during our 7-day stay. We went on a round trip through Degilbo, Biggenden, Booyal (on the Bruce Highway), Gin Gin to Mt Perry to return to Mingo Crossing. All beautiful scenery, but the only photos I have are from Mt Perry Lookout. Mt Perry in the background on this photo.

Panorama from the lookout.

Back at Mingo Crossing – Whistling Kite in flight.

Some drone photos around Mingo Crossing, looking away from the campgrounds.

Looking across the river – looks like rain

Australasian Pipit

So many stars…

More drone photos

Awning in. Almost ready for departure to drive home tomorrow.

I really enjoyed this short trip away. I hope we will be able to do similar trips in the future, although we are planning some big trips. If all goes well we will head to New Zealand, go on a cruise to the sub-Antarctic islands of New Zealand including Macquarie Island and a motorhome trip on the north island of New Zealand. When we return we have about two weeks to go down to Wagga Wagga for the Stone the Crows festival. No firm plans after that.

We really enjoyed last year’s festival and want to do it again.

https://nussbaumerweb.wordpress.com/2018/08/13/back-on-the-mainland-part-7/







Peach Trees Camping Area near Jimna

29th November 2018 to 3rd December 2018

Lesley had picked Peach Trees Camping Area near Jimna, north of Kilcoy, as our next stop. This was a short drive (around 100km) along interesting country roads. The last part I took slowly along steep and winding roads. The drive was sure worthwhile – Peach Trees is a beautiful spot and we managed to get a great site. Kangaroos were grazing all around us, not scared by our presence.

The campsite was flat enough to stay hooked up. No need to unhook as we were not planning to go sight-seeing.

In addition to the kangaroos, there was also plenty of birdlife to entertain us.

This brush turkey strolled under our awning…

This Noisy Friarbird has a face only its mother could love.

We didn’t really do much while camped here. It is such a relaxing place, no need to do much. Of course I always take photos… so here are a few more.

A female Satin Bowerbird perched on a branch beside our campsite to snack on berries.

A Laughing Kookaburra.

A few aerial photos of the camping area.

I went for a fairly long walk along the Eugenia Circuit which took me high above Yabba Creek.

All along the track, I could hear birds singing.

A Red-browed Finch

In particular, I could hear the distinctive call of Bell Birds. We have heard them many times before, but I had never seen the bird itself until now. The correct name is Bell Miner.

I think this is Lantana, a pest that unfortunately seems to grow everywhere in this area.

At the highest point there is a viewing area overlooking a waterhole along Yabba Creek.

After passing the viewing platform, the descent down to Yabba creek is fairly steep in places and I was careful not to slip – you wouldn’t want to have an accident in an area that does not have phone coverage.

My last bird sighting on this track before returning to the campsite was a Lewin’s Honeyeater.

The following day I went for another walk – this one was more of a stroll along a well made track, partially on boardwalks. All the same, it provided good views and wildlife.

Another Bell Bird.

A male Australasian Figbird.

The following two photos I took while sitting under our awning. A Brown Cuckoo-Dove.

In the evening I walked over to the creek, hoping to see platypus, but no such luck. They are definitely there as other people have sighted them.

A Little Pied Cormorant.

Back at the van, this little one came to say hello on our last night here. A Pale-headed Rosella.

A few days at the Redcliffe Showgrounds

22nd November 2018 – 28th November 2018

I had a couple of medical appointments in Brisbane. We thought we would take the van down and camp at the Lawnton Showgrounds. However they were expecting a big group and couldn’t be certain they could accommodate us. After considering a few different options, we decided on the Redcliffe Showgrounds. This was a very good choice. We were parked in a quiet spot and it is not far to anywhere. On the first day I walked to the Redcliffe Esplanade, past the famous Redcliffe Jetty. This is the third Jetty built at this location, constructed in 1995.

On the way I came across a lovely canal with lots of birdlife.

It clouded over towards the evening and we were quite lucky to catch the full moon between the passing clouds.

Following are a few of the photos I took over the next couple of days, right in the showgrounds.

One morning I went for a drive on the Redcliffe Peninsula. First stop was at the Woody Point Jetty. It brought back memories from my first visit here – an early morning Photography Session with a professional photographer.

View from the jetty.

Close by is the Gayundah Wreck – although this makes it sound as if the ship grounded accidentally. In reality the stripped hull was purchased and beached as a breakwater for Woody Point in 1958.
I walked a bit along the foreshore, practicing my drone flying skills.

In the evening we returned to Woody Point for fish and chips. We were lucky to catch a nice sunset.




Back on the mainland – Part 9

10th April 2018
We were now truly on the home stretch. Next stop was Mendooran, a spot close to the river.

11th April 2018
Quite a long drive for us on this day to Bingara, some 300km. We have stayed along the Gwydir River before and once again managed to get a nice spot.

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12th April 2018
Another big drive – some 330km to Cecil Plains. Once again we are staying at a campsite we remember well from past visits. Just a few photos close to the campsite.

13th April 2018
The following day we actually made it home. The end of a 6 month trip with plenty of good memories.

Back on the mainland – Part 8

5th April 2018
We left Wagga Wagga together with most other campers. All the same Lesley managed to find a campsite where we were on our own – Touts Lookout north of Young. Spectacular views from this place. Many photos in this post, I just couldn’t resist the temptation to take just another one.

6th April 2018
A few more photos from Touts Lookout before we left.

Destination for the day was Macquarie Woods Recreation Area – a drive just a bit over 200km.

We had camped here before when it was lush and green. This time around it was all very dry. All the same a nice spot.
7th April 2018
We stayed a second day at Macquarie Woods. Just some photos around the campsite.

8th April 2018
We had arranged to meet our friends Chuck and Catriona in Lithgow for a get-together and lunch. We camped at Lake Wallace nearby. A nice campground, close to the lake.

We had lunch at Station Expresso in the old Railway Station Wallerawang. A great place we would have liked to go to for lunch with our friends. However, they were closed the next day.

9th April 2018
Our friends arrived mid-morning and we enjoyed a good reunion and chat before driving the short distance to the Lithgow Workers Club for lunch. It is always good to meet up with friends that you haven’t seen for some time.

Back on the mainland – Part 7

The Stone the Crows festival was now just one day away. We were allocated a 7:30 entrance slot, so we wanted to be close the night before for an early start on the day. We decided to stay at Oura Beach. The campsite was very busy but we managed to get a good spot.

We had a bit of a surprise when a herd of cattle was driven into the campsite. Apparently the council had asked the driver to get the cattle in to clean up the area.

We were close to Wagga Wagga and were close to the flightpath. My star photography ended up with the streak of the airplane lights.

We left early in the morning, it was just getting light. We got to the Stone the Crows festival to join the queue.

We stayed at the festival the full seven days and had a great time. The performers were fabulous. We especially enjoyed the String Family and the Bush Poet/Comedy duo Mel & Susie. We met up with friends and made new ones. We were busy with all sorts of activities. I didn’t take any photos. This was the first such festival we have attended as we don’t enjoy crowds but this festival afforded us the opportunity to camp up over the Easter break when roads and camping areas can be a nightmare for travellers. The bonus was that it was very enjoyable.

Back on the mainland – Part – 6

26th March 2016

From Yass we travelled to Gundagai, another pretty town with lots of historical buildings. We camped in a donation camp within walking distance of the town center.

The town originally was on the floodplain (where the campsite is) and was completely destroyed in floods in 1852. Two Aborigines rescued many people from the floods and this story is being kept alive by numerous monuments in the town. The old townsite was abandoned and a new town was built on the hilly slopes on the edge of the floodplain.

There are a couple of abandoned bridges over the floodplain, a railway bridge and a bridge for vehicles. I would have loved to explore along them, but access is barred.

27th March 2018

We went on a round trip to the old goldmining towns of Adelong and Tumut. First stop was at a lookout above the town of Gundagai.

It was a short drive to the Adelong Creek Falls Gold Ruins. This is a worthwhile stop not only for the historical buildings, but also for the scenic landscape along the creek which tumbles over many small falls.

There are extensive walks on both sides of the creek, but I wasn’t keen to walk across the narrow bridge which had no railings…

It wasn’t far to the small Township of Adelong. Once again, historical buildings make this town attractive.

Our next stop was Tumut, a considerably larger town. We walked around the town, had lunch at a bakery before returning to Gundagai.

Back in Gundagai we went to the Tourist Office where I wanted to see the Rusconi’s Marble Masterpiece. This is a miniature cathedral assembled from tiny pieces of marble. An audio guide explains the history of the work and the man. The main object of the sculptor was to show of the beauty and diversity of the NSW marble.

The rest of the photos I took around Gundagai.

Back on the mainland – Part 5

24th to 26th March 2018
We still had a bit of time on our hands so we decided to visit a fellow traveller who was part of our tour group in Vietnam. Alex lives in Yass, a pretty little town, not that far from Canberra.
The first photo is at our campground in Jugiong early on the morning of our departure.

The following photos are in and around Yass, where Alex gave us a guided tour.

After our tour we went to her place and had a lovely dinner with good company.

The following day we drove to Canberra to visit Lesley’s nephew, Stephen, and his family; the first time we had seen them since Stephen’s father’s funeral at the end of 2012.

The following photos are back at our campground in Yass.

The school at the entrance to the rest stop.

Our backyard

i spent a few minutes watching the bees hovering around the bottlebrush in our backyard. So pleased i got a good shot out of it.

Back on the Mainland – Part 4

16th March, 2018.

With our fridge now fixed, we had no plan for our couple of days in Mildura so we decided to drive to Wentworth as we had not been there before. Along the way, we drove in to the camping areas at Merbein Common thinking it may be a good place to camp sometime but there really was not a lot of room and the tracks were badly rutted in places. Not somewhere to inspire us. We continued on and spent some time looking around Wentworth.

The town’s main claim to fame is that it is situated at the confluence of the Darling and the Murray Rivers, important river systems in this country. There is a lovely park overlooking the spot where the rivers merge. The Darling on the left and the Murray on the right.

We decided to make the return trip into a loop along a road we haven’t travelled before and found ourselves back in Mildura at lunchtime. The last time we were in Mildura, almost 6 years ago, we had a wonderful dinner at Stefano’s Restaurant and had thought we would go there again. Stefano De Pieri, is an Italian born chef who migrated to Australia in 1974 and later moved to the Mildura area. Some years ago he had a cooking program on the ABC and Erich was quite impressed by him. He certainly has gone from strength to strength in the last 6 years and now has 4 different eateries in the city. At lunch time, our only choice was his cafe and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Next time we return to Mildura we will make sure our timing is right to try out both his Bistro and Spanish Grill.

17th March, 2018.

A beautiful morning at the Winery but it was time for us to move on.

We found a good spot at Lake Benanee just off the Sturt Highway. Unfortuntely, the weather deteriorated and the wind picked up considerably sending clouds of sand through everything, but it did make for some interesting photos.

A White-breasted Woodswallow with lunch.

Striking feather patterns on this Common Starling.

A stunning evening sky.

A White-plumed Honeyeater.

A House Sparrow.

A Yellow Rosella.

A magical sky.

18th March, 2018.

Next day, the weather hadn’t improved and the wind was whipping up dust storms all around us so we set off for out next destination intending to stop somewhere if the wind became too bad. As it happened, the wind was not too bad and we made it to the camp site in Hay but it was really not very pleasant with more dust storms swirling through the camping area.

The evening sky did provide some interest though.

19th March, 2018.

We were heading in the general direction of Wagga Wagga where we will attend the Stone the Crows Festival over Easter but we had plenty of time and decided to make a detour north to check out another Art Silo in Weethalle. Unfortunately, our timing was not so good and the light made it difficult to capture all the detail in the paintings.

An appealing name for a cafe? The food was simple but quite good.

We continued east to West Wyalong and then headed south-east to Temora where we had camped a few years ago at the Showgrounds. I had read much about the new campground provided right in town adjacent to the historic railway station so we decided to head there for the night. It certainly was not what I was expecting – basically a car park but it would do for a night.

More silos begging to be painted.

20th March, 2018.

Our Art Silo trek finished for the time being, we headed further south-east over winding country roads to Jugiong, located just off the Hume Highway. But first there was time for a couple of photos of the railway station in the early morning light.

The camping area at Jugiong is huge and we were able to find a spot along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River well away from other campers. There were hundreds of very noisy Little Corellas in the trees lining the riverbank.

21st March, 2018.

Jugiong is a very small village with just a few businesses which are walking distance from the camping ground. This Catholic Church stands in a commanding position overlooking the area.

There were a few old buildings dating from early days.

The beautifully restored Sir George Hotel, dating from 1845, looked the perfect spot for lunch.

We shared the Ploughmans Lunch with a couple of beers.

The rest of the day was spent quietly around camp.

22nd March, 2018.

Another glorious day. We just love this countryside with its rolling hills and lovely trees. Even though it is so very dry, it is still stunning country. There was a signpost to a lookout leading out from Jugiong so Erich decided to drive up for a look. The following photos were taken from various vantage points along the way right to the end of the road.

Another church in Jugiong.

23rd March, 2018.

Another quiet day in Jugiong, our last here, with just a few photos from close to our campsite.

Bridge across the Murrumbidgee.

Back on the Mainland – Part 3

12th March, 2018.

While Erich was having his one on one photography tour, I ventured in to the city by bus to have lunch with our daughter Amy. It was a public holiday and the city was teeming with people. I got a bit disoriented trying to follow the map on my phone but we eventually found each other and headed off for a bit of window shopping and lunch in a very busy Chinese restaurant specialising in dumplings.

I’m not sure how Erich and I had missed Melbourne Central during our 5 day trip to the city over Christmas but we did. This Shot Tower, built in 1888, has been well preserved under the glass dome of the complex

Amy doesn’t look too pleased in this photo – I think she had just burnt her mouth while demonstrating for me how I should nibble a bit off the dumpling and then suck out the hot soup inside! Very hard to do using chopstñicks only.

13th March, 2018.

Time to begin our homeward journey and the first task was to safely negotiate the Melbourne traffic getting out of the city. Our overnight stop was planned for Avoca to the north-west but first we wanted to visit the town of Maryborough, the namesake of our current hometown in Queensland.

Our first stop was at the very impressive railway station. Back at home, we had heard that this railway station building was intended to be built at Maryborough Qld not Maryborough Vic so we were keen to check it out to ascertain if the story was true. We certainly had our doubts when we realised that the tracks along the 100m platform length were continuing through the town whereas the tracks into the now disused station in Maryborough Qld actually came to a dead end. A visit to the town’s Information Centre gave us the full story and what we had heard was certainly not true, although there was quite a fascinating story about how the then small town in Victoria came to have such a magnificent structure. Those who may be interested can read about it here: https://cv.vic.gov.au/stories/a-diverse-state/goldfields-stories-a-station-with-a-town-attached/myths-rumours-maryborough-railway-station/

The rest of the town had some lovely buildings as well.

We had been recommended by a resident to have a look at the ceilings in this beautifully restored old hotel.

Apparently during the restoration process, four layers of false ceilings were removed to reveal the original.

The sweeping staircase was equally impressive.

A stroll around the town centre revealed a number of well preserved buildings.

After lunch in the Bull and Mouth Hotel, we headed west to our proposed campsite for the night. After setting up at the free camp beside the river right in the centre of town, we picked up a map from the visitor centre to take ourselves on the self-guided walk around town.

The Chinese Garden, built to commemorate the contribution of Chinese immigrants to the area during the gold rush of 1850-1870, was small but impressive and so very peaceful.

This imposing War Memorial stands right in the centre of the town in a park dividing the main road.

This steel silhouette of a bullocky with his team stands at the entrance to the town from the south.

After our walk around the town, we returned to the van and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. There were only a few other campers to keep us company.

The last of the sun’s rays shining through the trees along the river.

14th March, 2018.

A new day and time to explore the Silo Art Trail on our way north. First stop was the small town of Rupanyup and an impressive sepia toned painting.

Next stop was in a district called Sheep Hills, not a town at all. Such a contrast to the last silo, the colours were so vibrant. The artist, Adnate, is a well known Melbourne-based street artist.

Lunchtime found us in Warracknabeal, where the Post Office building was about the only interesting thing to see.

The silos in Brim were the first on this trail to be painted.

Rosebery was our next silo art stop.

The countryside was so dry and dusty but the silos seem to bring a number of visitors to these remote localities.

We continued north to our overnight stop on the shores of Lake Lascelles at Hopetoun. Fortunately, it was not very crowded and we found an acceptable campsite close to the water. Wherever there is water, there are birds.

Despite the water in the lake, the surrounding countryside looked parched.

A White-faced Heron catching dinner.

Almost sunset.

15th March, 2018.

It was a relatively short drive the next morning to our next Art Silo at the town of Lascelles. More sepia toned paintings here and these were very difficult to photograph in the morning light.

Almost a ghost town, the pub looks like the only viable business in Lascelles .

Our next stop was in Patchewollock, a rather more prosperous looking town than some we had visited in the last couple of days.

Patchewollock was the last silo on this Art Trail. More information about the silos and their artists can be found at http://www.siloarttrail.com.

Having completed this Art Silo Trail, we continued north to Mildura where we had arranged to have our car fridge repaired by a friend. We set up camp at a Winery and headed off to get the fridge fixed. kA couple of hours later we were back at camp with a working fridge again.

Back on the mainland – One on One Photography Workshop with Leanne Cole – Part 2

The area of Bells Beach was our next destination. Our first stop at Winkipop found us in the middle of preparations for a big surfing competition, the Rip Curl Pro. There were lots of surfers and even more spectators. This wasn’t a place to linger to take long exposure photographs.

Just one shot from Winkipop – this time with a different technique. I used focus stacking to get everything sharp. Unfortunately due to mist in the air, the headland in the distance is still a bit fuzzy.

A few more photos in the area of Bells Beach – at least I think they were taken around Bells Beach. Unfortunately I had an app update for the geotagging application I normally use and it proved to be unusable, so I can’t pinpoint where each photo was taken.

Next stop was Point Addis. Leanne scouting out the next photo opportunity.

Beautiful coast line around here.

Our last stop was at the Lorne Pier – but our subject was not the pier, but the rocky area behind the bluff. Here we got another chance to practice long exposure photography.

All the remaining photos (apart from the last three) are long exposure photographs with exposure times between 6 and 15 seconds thanks to the Formatt Hitech Neutral Density filters provided by Leanne. It was great to see how easy it is to remove the filter holder and continue to take photos without the filters. I am just putting up these photos without much of a commentary. I think they showcase what is possible with Long Exposure Photography.

This is another Focus Stacking exercise.

and two normal photos to show what the sea was like to the naked eye.

Well that was the end of my One on One with Leanne Cole. Well actually, we did stop at the Lorne Pier Seafood Restaurant for a coffee and cake. Then it was a slow drive back to Melbourne as it was the end of a long weekend and traffic was very heavy.

It was a great day for me. I learned a lot about long exposure photography, quite a bit about choosing the spot to take photos and a little bit about composition. On top of that, I had a great personalised sight-seeing tour in an area that I am not familiar with.

Back on the mainland – One on One Photography Workshop with Leanne Cole – Part 1

I have admired the work of photographer/artist Leanne Cole for quite some time and occasionally submitted photos to Monochrome Madness that Leanne puts up for us to participate in.

 

The way she treats her photographs and her attitude towards the final results appeal to me. She is not after a truthful representation of the subject in front of the camera; she wants a photo that expresses her feelings about the subject.

Leanne conducts various workshops and I in particular wanted to do a One on One workshop with her in the hope that her artistic flair rubs off on me. Some time ago Leanne asked her blog readers what they would do if they won $10000 to spend on photography. One item I put forward was lessons with Leanne. Needless to say I haven’t won $10000 – but I still wanted to spend some time with her.

As we were travelling through Melbourne to Tasmania (you can’t avoid Melbourne if taking your caravan to Tasmania!) I tried to organise a one day workshop with Leanne Cole on the way to Tasmania. However due to various delays, it did not work out. I was determined to get a day with Leanne on the way back, even if it meant staying two nights in a caravan park near Melbourne. This time it all worked out. Leanne picked me up early in the morning and we drove to Williamstown to catch sunrise over Melbourne across the water.

We soon realised that there was not going to be a great sunrise. The sky was very overcast and there was hardly any colour in the sky.

Leanne is well known for using long exposure times to smooth the water and we experimented a bit with that. However with my preferred foreground of sailboats, it really didn’t work for me as the boats were moving constantly and with long exposure they ended up blurry, not to my liking.

The following photo was exposed for 1/5 of a second, long enough to smooth the water just a little bit, but still sufficiently short to render the swinging masts still crisp. I like the way the Melbourne Sky Line can be seen through the masts of the boats.

 

A last photo before we left Williamstown.

It was quite a drive to our next photography stop at Point Lonsdale – we needed to get a coffee fix at Mc Donalds along the way. At Point Lonsdale we wanted to photograph the pier as well as the lighthouse. As we set up, this big ship approached the pier. Leanne thought it would make a good photo. I took a couple of shots and they didn’t turn out too bad. I know Leanne would have processed them quite differently – I am looking forward to seeing her version.

We now got serious with long exposure photography. Leanne brought a second set of Neutral Denisity Filters for me to use. She is an ambassador for Formatt Hitech so I was able to use the Formatt Hitech Firecrest system with three different strength filters. It certainly is a very well made system – what a difference to the cheap set I bought, used a couple of times and then discarded them as useless. Not sure I would go with Formatt Hitech as there doesn’t appear to be a mount for my favourite lens, the m.zuiko 7-14mm super wide angle zoom. Anyhow the next photo was taken with the 10 stop ND filter attached, which allowed a shutter speed of 50 seconds.

This long shutter speed has smoothed the quite disturbed water and also had an effect on the moving clouds. This is really the main reason why I am interested in Long Exposure Photography. The next two shots are looking at the pier from below. The first shot is with a 15 second exposure, the second was exposed for 9 seconds. Which one do you prefer?

The second shot was taken from a slightly different spot and I also changed the focal length slightly, so that might influence your preference.

This was taken from below the pier as well, but looking along the foreshore.

And this one is a crop from a shot around there, just showing the effect of the long exposure on the moving water.

Next stop was at the Bluff, Barwon Heads. The first photo is a standard photo looking from the Boardwalk down to the surf.

Here is a 2.5 seconds exposure of the waves crashing over the rocks.

Looking towards the Bluff.

Some more photos I took at the Bluff:

To be continued in part 2

 

 

Days 109 – 113 in Tassie

7th March, 2018.

Our 2 day camping limit at Latrobe was over so time to move on. We decided to return to Forth, the very first place we camped at on our arrival in Tasmania. It was a relatively short drive from Latrobe and once set up we headed back to Devonport to buy a few things to restock our supply of spares, such as motor oil.

As it was such a beautiful day, it seemed a shame to just return to camp. I had heard about a great restaurant at The Bluff in Devonport so we decided to treat ourselves to lunch there. The restaurant is located in the very modern Surf Life Saving Club building and has lovely views across the foreshore.

We shared the seafood platter which was all locally sourced seafood and as fresh as could be.

8th March, 2018.

With another glorious day in the offing, it was a great opportunity to revisit a town which we had only previously driven through. Penguin is located on the north coast between Ulverstone and Burnie.

These Art Deco style buildings looked rather out of place.

There were lots of Little Wattlebirds in the trees along the road to and in the Lions Park. I had never seen one pose with its tail in the air like this.

Probably the most interesting building along the main street is the Uniting Church.

9th March, 2018.

Time to move back to Devonport in preparation for our departure the following day. Erich wasn’t feeling 100% so we spent the day around camp with just a couple of photos taken.

This White-faced Heron posed nicely in the top of a dead tree in the neighbouring field.

10th March, 2018.

Departure day but we were booked on a night sail so we had the whole day to fill in. We were camped at the local sports ground; it was a Saturday and therefore football matches were being played on the grounds. It became so busy that we decided to go for a drive to check out where we could park in the side streets close to our departure point.

The entrance to the Mersey River looking across to The Bluff.

Having found a good place to park with the van, we returned to the Sports Ground and prepared to leave. As we were doing so, we began chatting with the couple camped in a motorhome close to us. It turned out that they live in the same Over 50s village as my sister and brother-in-law. It’s a small world!

We were checked in and parked in the boarding area by 6.15pm but it was to be more than 2 hours before boarding began and we were one of the last aboard. Needless to say by 9pm when we finally got to our cabin we were tired and hungry. A quick pizza and a bottle of wine and we were off to bed hoping for a smooth crossing.

11th March, 2018.

After a good night’s sleep, dawn saw us approaching Melbourne.

Disembarking was certainly faster than boarding and we were soon on our way to a Caravan Park for a couple of nights. Luckily the site they had earmarked for us had already been vacated so there was no delay booking in and setting up.

The trees around our site were full of Red Wattlebirds making lots of noise and chasing each other.

In the evening we caught up with our youngest daughter, Amy, at a local Thai Restaurant.

That’s the end of our 4 month adventure in Tasmania. We had a great time and were happy that we had enough time to see as much as we did. Will we return? Perhaps but I doubt we will be towing a caravan next time.

Days 103 – 108 in Tassie

1st March, 2018.

It’s difficult to believe that today is the first day of Autumn in Australia. Just a quiet day around camp and a few photos.

The lovely Superb Fairy-Wrens kept us amused, flitting about amongst the leaves calling to one another.

We haven’t seen a lot of grasshoppers down here.

Once again the skies were threatening but nothing came of it.

2nd March, 2018.

A beautiful Green Rosella, another bird endemic to Tasmania and the Bass Strait islands.

Pied Oystercatchers.

A dainty Silvereye striking a pose.

An immature Pacific Gull.

A mature Pacific Gull.

Lots of Black Swans in Tasmania.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.

A White-faced Heron and Pied Oystercatchers.

3rd March, 2018.

Another lovely day so we drove around to Bakers Beach on the Bass Strait side of the peninsula where there were some lovely vistas.

Looking across Port Sorell to Shearwater.

A Grey Fantail.

A female Superb Fairy-wren

A Pademelon, a relative of the Wallaby.

4th March, 2018.

Another quiet day. The Grey Fantail was still around this morning.

5th March, 2018.

Packing up to move on, Erich managed to get a shot of another Green Rosella before we left camp.

On the way back to Latrobe, we detoured via Shearwater where one of our fellow RVHB residents still has a home, as she invited us to stop by for morning tea. With stunning uninterrupted views across the water, we are not surprised she chooses to spend the summer months there.

6th March, 2018.

With more lovely weather predicted for the day, we set off on a walk over Dooley’s Hill to Bells Parade and then back in to town. The first part of the walk over the hill was quite steep with a number of stairs up and down. Lots of rustling was heard in the bushes and many of these little pademelons seemed to be the cause.

Bells Parade looking across to Pig Island surrounded by the Mersey River.

It was a lovely walk over some grassy parkland and then through thick woodland which in parts was quite muddy due to recent rain.

Our return walk was along the Sheann Memorial Walk which lead us back into the centre of Latrobe. We came across a field where goats were grazing.

It was a pleasant way to spend the morning and showed us another side of Latrobe that we did not discover on our first visit.

Days 98 – 102 in Tassie

24th February, 2018.

Next morning the weather had improved slightly so we took the chance for a walk around Latrobe. The main street is very long and contains some nice old buildings.

This lovely old home now houses an accounting business.

There were some interesting memorials in the grounds of the Civic building.

A nice stone bridge across a creek in the middle of town but I doubt there is much age to it.

An immature European Goldfinch.

25th February, 2018.

We had booked our car in for a service at Shearwater Mechanical on Monday and planned to stay two nights at the Lions Caravan Park in Port Sorell nearby. It was a short drive from Latrobe and we were soon parked up on a lovely large grassy site. We went for a drive north through Shearwater to Hawley Beach and the end of the road. At an off leash dog beach we had some good views of the estuary.

Looking north towards the ocean.

The beach just a few metres from our campsite.

26th February, 2018.

As appointed, we dropped our car at the mechanic and then walked back towards town where we had arranged to meet a lady who has an interest in moving to RV Homebase where we live on the Fraser Coast. We enjoyed a good chat at a local cafe and then wandered back towards the mechanic and settled at a nearby shopping centre to await the call telling us the car was ready to collect. By 12.15 we were mobile again, refuelled and did some grocery shopping before heading back to the caravan park and another walk on the beach.

Our site at the caravan park. The beach is just behind the row of shrubs at the rear of the van.

27th February, 2018.

Another short drive to move to our next camp at Bakers Point in the Narawntapu National Park, across the estuary from Port Sorell.

The tide was well out by the time we had set up camp. This white-faced Heron was foraging for lunch.

Looking back across the estuary towards Port Sorell and our previous nights’ caravan park. This is the same jetty is in yersteday’s photo.

Our campsite is perfect, tucked away among the bushes.

28th February, 2018.

We booked our site here for 6 nights and have no plans to drive anywhere so there won’t be too many photos.

The skies were threatening but I still managed to get my load of washing dry.

 

Days 95 – 97 in Tassie

21st February, 2018.

With no real destination in mind, we took to the country roads east of Oatlands.

The once impressive Railway Hotel in Parattah was our first stop. Not for any refreshments as it is firmly closed as is the railway station whose claim to fame is that it is the highest railway station on an active line in Tasmania.

It would be a long wait.

The following few rural photos were taken along the route.

Back in Oatlands, we went for another walk through the grounds of Carrington Mill which has been restored and is once again producing flour.

Lake Dulverton sits below the camping grounds and is home to lots of birdlife. There is a walking path along this side of the lake which continues all the way to Parattah, a distance of around 7.5 kilometres. The donations collected from the campground go towards the maintenance of the walking track.

22nd February, 2018.

Bidding farewell to the lovely town of Oatlands, we headed north to Campbell Town and then onto a minor road to the town of Cressy where we arrived before lunch. The main reason for this choice was to do the drive around the Great Lake. As the weather forecast was for a lot of rain the following day, we decided to do the drive that afternoon. We travelled the route in a clockwise direction, through Poatina and then up a very steep winding road climbing around 1000 metres from the plains below. At one point on a very tight corner, we had to come to a complete stop on a sharp, uphill left hand bend as a logging truck was negotiating the bend. I was very pleased we didn’t try to take the van on this road. Most of the advisory speed signs on bends were 25kph but one was 15kph! Once at the top of the plateau, the road straightened out making for a pleasant drive.

We drove down to the boat ramp at Cramps Bay to have a look. Once again there were what looked to be weekenders for fishermen.

Heading further west, the road runs between Great Lake and Arthurs Lake. There was a camping area at Arthurs Lake not far from the road so we drove down to have a look. Again this looked to be a place for fishermen and the lake couldn’t be seen from the camping area as far as we could tell.

There is a large pumping station adjacent to the boat ramp.

Once we reached the intersection of this road with the Highland Lakes Road, we turned north to drive along the western side of Great Lake. Much of this part of the road is gravel and there was a lot of roadwork going on making it a slow trip. The scenery was nice but there were not too many opportunities to stop for photos.

The next three photos show the view of Great Lake from a lookout after another steep and winding climb.

A little further along the road we found another spot to stop for a view in the opposite direction.

 

Descending the north side of the plateau and not far past the turn to Liffey Falls which had visited previously, we turned east and made our way across back roads to our camp at Cressy.

23rd February, 2018.

Once again the weather forecast was accurate and we could see rain approaching on the radar. Having seen what we came to see we decided to head to our next stop in Latrobe. It was a most unpleasant drive in the rain but fortunately it wasn’t far. The campsite is right in the middle of town and there was not much room but we managed to slot ourselves in, didn’t unhitch and waited out the rain.

Days 91 – 94 in Tassie

17th February, 2018.

Time to move on again, heading west across to the Midland Highway, the main north-south artery running through the centre of the island, and then south to Campbell Town. There is a 48 hour free camp within walking distance of the town; no facilities except a few bins.

This historic bridge spans the small river which bounds the western side of the campground.

There are a few well-preserved old buildings in the town and we enjoyed our walk.

More chainsaw carvings in the park beside the bridge.

Lake Leake is located east of Campbell Town and had been recommended to us by a couple of people as a great place to stay. As the weather was predicted to worsen in the morning, we decided to take a drive out there to check it out. We’re so glad we did not take the van out there. Just a tiny camping area surrounded by fishing shacks and not a pleasant outlook at all. On reflection, those who recommended the place to us were fisherfolk so that must have been the attraction for them. It certainly had nothing else going for it.

18th February, 2018.

Needing to get a few things from the supermarket in town, we decided to follow a path along the river which headed in the direction of town but offered no entry into any of the streets until we were at the opposite end of town where we passed this old church.

We then spent a quiet day around camp. There were lots of blackberry bushes lining one side of the campground and passing locals stopped there to pick berries to take home with them. They are nasty bushes though with lots of thorns.

A Yellow-throated Honeyeater, endemic to Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands.

A common House Sparrow I think.

A Grey Fantail.

A New Holland Honeyeater.

19th February, 2018.

With our 48 hour time limit up, we moved south to the historic town of Oatlands which has so many beautifully preserved old buildings and some stunning sandstone structures. The campground is located next door to the Carrington Mill.

In stark contrast to the outside of the bakery, we found lots of movie memorabilia dedicated to the late Errol Flynn, a Tasmanian, Marilyn Monroe and a room dedicated to boxing movies.

20th February, 2018.

We decided to make a day trip to revisit the lovely town of Ross where we had previously stopped for a coffee on our drive back from Launceston to Hobart a few weeks previously. On that occasion we took photos of the historic convict bridge but did not have time to fully explore the town. This time we walked the length of the main street, spent quite a bit of time in the Tasmanian Wool Centre which houses a museum dedicated to the wool industry in Australia as well as an extensive historical museum about Ross and its past.

This impressive church stands at the highest point in the town.

We had lunch at the local pub and then decided to make a loop trip across to Interlaken, between Lake Sorrell and Lake Crescent and then on to Bothwell before making our way back to Oatlands. The dirt road was in quite good condition but was extremely steep and winding and at times I regretted suggesting the drive. But we made it without incident. As it happens, Interlaken is not actually a town, just a locality with lots of weekenders catering to fishermen we assume, although at the moment one of the lakes is closed to fishing.

Our first glimpse of Lake Sorell.

The channel that regulates the flow of water from Lake Sorrell to Lake Crescent.

The boat ramp at Lake Sorrell.

The drive from the lakes down to Bothwell was much easier than the ascent from the other side. We refuelled in Bothwell and then parked the car for a walk around the town to see some of the old buildings.

Leaving Bothwell, we drove back to the intersection with the Midland Highway and then turned north to return to our camp at Oatlands.

Days 89 & 90 in Tassie

15th February, 2018.

Time to move inland again and the day’s destination was St Marys but first we had to tow the van up St Marys Pass. As we were leaving St Helens we heard truckies talking over the two-way about a broken down car on a blind corner on the Pass. My anxiety levels were already fairly elevated and this news did nothing to alleviate them. Fortunately, just as we reach the base of the climb, the tow truck carrying the stranded vehicle passed us heading the other way. As it turned out the drive was not bad at all as there was very little traffic going down and we had no one behind us until we reached the top of the climb.

The Recreation Grounds were fairly busy when we arrived but we found a spot at the far end.

The Recreation Grounds adjoin the Golf Course so the outlook is pleasant enough.

We had a look around town and a great chat with one of the owners of an antiques and collectables store, Toad Hall. There were some wonderful pieces there and they had done a great job of restoring what had once been an old Bank. Unfortunately, no photo.

16th February, 2018.

Having seen most of St Marys the previous day, we set off to find another waterfall, Mathinna Falls, north of Fingal. Once we hit the dirt roads outside the town of Mathinna, it was a rocky 10km trip with the last 150 metres being a one lane track. Fortunately, the only vehicle already there could see us as we approached the parking area and reversed back to allow us to get in. It was a 10 minute walk to the falls which were absolutely stunning in a beautiful setting surrounded by tree ferns.

Returning to Fingal, we stopped for photos of some of the old buildings and churches.

Day 87 and 88 in Tassie

13th February, 2018.

Another beautiful day so we headed north to The Gardens, the end of this particular coast road. Words can’t really describe how beautiful it is.

On the drive back to Swimcart Beach, we stopped in at a few more campgrounds and were satisfied that we had chosen well.

14th February, 2018.

A quiet day enjoying the beach close to our campsite. Just a few photos for the day.

Days 85 – 86 in Tassie

11th February, 2018.

Our time in Bicheno at an end, we headed north to the Bay of Fires.

We were delighted to find the campsite that we had chosen as the ideal on our reconnoitre to be vacant when we arrived. Nice and spacious, tucked in the bushes away from the onshore winds and with plenty of privacy.

The surrounding Banksia trees were teeming with birdlife. This is a Little Wattlebird.

A male Superb Fairy-Wren moulting out of his breeding plumage.

During our short visit to Binalong Bay a few days ago, we had seen advertisements for Bay of Fires Eco Tours. While on a walk along the beach, Erich spotted one of their boats cruising along the edge of the Bay. Very similar boats to those that Pennicott Cruises use at Bruny Island and the Tasman Peninsula.

I had high hopes that this would be identified as a Tasmanian Thornbill but sadly it was the more common Brown Thornbill.

This is a Beautiful Firetail, the only finch found in Tasmania.

12th February, 2018.

One of our aims while visiting this area was to see St Columba Falls, located near Pyangana, west of St Helens. It was a pleasant drive over more relatively steep and winding roads but the falls were worth the effort. Reputed to be the tallest falls in Tasmania, it was difficult to get the entire drop in the photos. A short video that I took on my iPhone probably gives the best impression.

Back at Swimcart Beach the sun was shining but it was very windy so we didn’t envy those camped along the beachfront their spectacular sea views.

Even the birds had trouble against the winds.

 

Day 84 in Tassie

10th February, 2018.

A quiet day with nothing planned so Erich returned to the Blowhole for some more photographs in the sunshine. What a difference to the colours the sun makes.

Days 82 & 83 in Tassie

8th February, 2018.

Our Freycinet Peninsula adventure behind us, we moved on to the seaside town of Bicheno, just a very short drive to the north.

This time we had no choice but to stay in a Caravan Park as there are no freedom camps in the area. Never our favourite places, nonetheless this CP was very good, even though it was almost full we managed to get a drive through site and a 10% discount for a 3 night stay. One of the best features was being walking distance to town, in fact just a hundred metres or so. So after setting up, we went for a walk armed with a map of the town.

Cute little church in the centre of Bicheno.

There is a great lookout right in the middle of town. Whalers lookout offers 360 degree views over the town and out to sea.

Looking north across the main part of town.

A cute little lizard on the path.

On the far side of Whalers Lookout, views over Governor Island.

Another cute lizard.

Coming down from the lookout, we decided to walk to the Blowhole along a track on the foreshore which at times led us over rocks but with clearly marked directional arrows painted to show the way.

The Blowhole was quite spectacular at times but getting the right photo at the right time is quite difficult.

Sooty Oystercatchers keeping their beaks dry.

We retraced our steps back to our starting point and then continued on the path past Governor Island and around to the most easterly point before turning west and walking back up the main street to the Caravan Park.

These Terns were having a bad hair day!

Pelargoniums were growing wild all along the walk.

Looking up at the southern lookout on Whalers Lookout from ground level.

Some unusual wildlife at the caravan park.

9th February, 2018.

Next morning we decided to make a loop drive to the north. We had heard much about Elephant Pass and wanted to do the drive without the caravan. It certainly is not for the faint hearted but I really quite enjoyed it as there was almost no traffic and it was picturesque though very winding and steep and no places to stop for photos. Eventually we got to the town of St Marys where we had a look at the camping area at the Recreation Grounds. It looked like a good spot, although rather crowded at the time. St Marys also looked like a town we would like to explore so we kept driving, making a mental note to have a stopover there once we had finished touring the east coast.

Descending St Marys Pass was another steep and winding drive but only around 6kms so the apprehension was short lived. As we were making good time it seemed a good idea to head further up the coast to check out our next camping possibilities. We have learnt that the opinions of others about suitable campsites do not always coincide with ours and scoping out different areas without the van is working for us on this trip as the distances are relatively short.

Dianas Basin, about half way between the coastal towns of Scamander and St Helen’s, had been well recommended but the reality for us was disappointing. As we approached St Helens we stopped at a park for Erich to take a few photos.

We pressed on past St Helens towards the Bay of Fires. A bit of inattention on my part had us on the road to Binalong Bay where there is no camping but it was a fortuitous mistake as the views were just stunning.

Had the sun been shining, the vivid colour of the algae covered rocks would have been even more impressive.

We headed back to where we should have turned north and checked out Swimcart Beach campground which was completely full along the beachfront but had some nice spots back among the bushes. We also stopped in at Jeanneret Beach, another highly recommended campground which turned out to be very crowded and not really suited to our size rig. Grants Lagoon campground was a big open area with plenty of room but not much else going for it but an alternative should Swimcart Beach be full when we eventually arrived.

After a successful reconnoitre, we returned to Bicheno along the coastal route.

Days 79 – 81 in Tassie

5th February, 2018.

Our last day in Triabunna was spent quietly around camp so nothing to report.

6th February, 2018.

After breaking camp in Triabunna, we set off for the Freycinet Peninsula and our intended campsite at the Coles Bay Golf Club.

We arrived to find the campground completely empty so had plenty of choice which site to take. Once set up, we drove down to the National Park Ranger Station to get a map of the walks available, some of which we intended to do the next day. A very short walk from the Ranger Station, there was a fantastic view of The Hazards.

Back at the van, the wind was now howling from the east making our decision to put out the awning unwise. Too late to take it down though; all we could do was make sure the guy ropes were firmly anchored in the ground.

7th February, 2018.

Next morning the wind had abated but was forecast to increase again during the day, so before leaving for our exploration of the National Park, we rolled it in. I had read that the car park at the Wineglass Bay walk fills very quickly so we got off to a reasonably early start and arrived at around 9am. Even so, the numerous car parks were already about half full.

We planned only to walk to the lookout as the return trip to Wineglass Bay itself was beyond us. Halfway up, we stopped for a breather and photos.

Looking back towards Honeymoon Bay.

Chatting to a fellow walker.

This rock reminded us of a hippo’s mouth.

Lots and lots of steps still to go.

This seat was beautifully crafted.

The view from the lookout was worth the effort.

Wineglass Bay on the left and Promise Bay on the right.

Sitting on a rock, this was my view of the view.

Beautifully coloured bark of a Eucalypt.

Finally back at the car park, we were greeted by this little fellow.

Next stop was the Cape Tourville Lighthouse, a 15 minute drive across the peninsula.

Beautiful views along the circuit walking track.

The lighthouse itself was not overly impressive, having been built in 1971 and never manned.

On the drive back we stopped at Sleepy Bay for a few more photos.

Having worked up an appetite for lunch, we stopped at the Freycinet Marine Farm and had a lovely light lunch of pan-fried Abalone, something we had not eaten for many years.

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for more of their delicious mussels, so I bought a kilo and a half of unbearded specimens, a bargain at $10 per kilo. They were very clean and didn’t require scrubbing and the de-bearding was an easy job. I cooked them up for dinner with spicy chorizo, tomato and white wine. Yum!

Day 78 in Tassie

4th February, 2018.

The cruise around Maria Island was our 5th boat trip in Tassie and, while they have all been wonderful and unique, this was, in our opinion, the best. If one can only do one boat trip in Tassie, this would be our choice. Of course, it was the most expensive!! But, it was a full day trip and a wonderful lunch was included.

Our boat being prepared for the trip.

With a full load of passengers and almost perfect weather, we cruised across Mercury Passage and anchored in Darlington Bay on the west coast of Maria Island where we enjoyed our morning tea with views across towards the remains of Darlington township, once the site of a penal colony and later of a cement works.

The original Commissariat now serves as an information portal for day trippers and campers who arrive by ferry as well as those like us aboard private vessels.

The Magistrates Cottage.

This tour company offers two different cruise options depending on the weather. When it is too rough on the exposed ocean side of the island, the western side is explored in more depth and includes a fur seal encounter on Ile Des Phoques some 18kms north of Maria Island. However when the weather is good a full circumnavigation of the island is undertaken. We were happy to hear we would be seeing the whole island as we had had enough of fur seals on the two Pennicott cruises.

We cruised in a clockwise direction exploring close to the amazing cliffs.

This sea cave does not look very large and we couldn’t quite believe that the skipper was going to take the boat right inside.

The view from inside the cave aboard the boat looking back to sea.

The colours and patterns of the limestone rock were stunning.

A screen shot of our location in the cave.

Further along, the coastline changed to dolerite cliffs.

More sandstone at Fossil Cliffs.

Amazing patterns.

I think these are Shearwaters which are commonly known as Muttonbirds.

A Buller’s Albatross.

After cruising down the eastern coast and exploring Riedle Bay, which rivals Wineglass Bay for beauty, we rounded the bottom of the island and anchored in Shoal Bay, directly opposite Riedle Bay across a very narrow isthmus.. Whilst enjoying our buffet lunch, we were entertained by lots of sea birds.

A White-bellied Sea Eagle.

An immature Pacific Gull.

The common Silver Gull.

An immature Silver Gull.

Following lunch we cruised up to the Painted Cliffs where we spent quite some time marvelling at the amazing colours in the rocks.

Next we berthed at Darlington where we wandered around for a couple of hours checking out the former penal settlement and some of the buildings dating from later commercial undertakings.

There were lots of Cape Barren Geese.

Tasmanian Native Hen.

Beautiful flowering gum trees.

Some amazing old gnarled trees.

Lots of wombats.

About to reboard our boat for the trip back to Triabunna.

Days 76 & 77 in Tassie

2nd February, 2018.

Next stop Triabunna, a small fishing village which is the gateway to Maria (pronounced Mariah by the locals) Island, another fairly short drive. Two camps to choose from. One behind the pub and one opposite on a vacant block of land owned by the local take away shop. We opted for the vacant block which allows only self-contained vehicles, no whizz bangs, cars or tents, not because we are snobs but we have found these sites to be more peaceful. When we arrived we were pleased to see Stephen and Carol, whom we had first met at Smithton and subsequently at Old Macs Farm and Sorell, plus our neighbours from Sorell both set up there. That was a good enough endorsement for us as Stephen is very particular about where he camps and has been known to pack up and leave if the generators become too much for him. We aren’t quite that selective.

Later in the afternoon, we set off for a walk around the town using a mud map supplied by the Visitor Centre; first along the esplanade and past Dead Island before circling back through the main street.

There are only a couple of noteworthy buildings in the town. This is the Old School House, built in 1925 on Maria Island. When the cement works on the island closed the building was relocated to the District High School.

Magistrate Cottage.

The Colonial Tea Rooms built in the 1880s.

I’m not sure if Erich considered applying me for the job but I don’t have a boat in any case.

Triabunna House was originally built as a hotel, became a family residence in 1875 and operated as a boarding house from 1906 until the 1930s.

The Old Barracks.

The pub architecture left a bit to be desired.

The fish van in Triabunna is reputed to serve the best fish and chips in Tassie so we felt it our duty to check it out. The fish was fabulous (flathead from memory) but their chips left a lot to be desired in my opinion. At that stage, our vote for best fish and chips would go to the van at Eaglehawk neck.

During our visit to the Visitor Centre, we booked the East Coast Cruises Maria Island Cruise for the following day. However we were warned that a minimum of 8 people was required for the cruise to go ahead and they were still short 2 people. A phone call late in the afternoon confirmed that the cruise was cancelled for the next day so we asked to transfer to Sunday with fingers crossed for sufficient numbers.

3rd February, 2018.

So with no plans for the day now, we decided to head north to check out our camping options on the Freycinet Peninsula. Driving without towing the van allows us to venture into out of the way places that we dare not take the van. This lookout point at Spiky Beach was a lovely stop with views across to Freycinet.

The Devil’s Corner Cellar Door was along the route and, luckily for us, we arrived there at lunch time. Unlike most cellar doors we have visited, the actual winery was nowhere to be seen although there were plenty of vines around. However the views across to The Hazards on Freycinet were spectacular.

There are 2 food outlets adjacent to the Cellar Door, one serving delicious looking pizzas and the other selling local seafood. We didn’t need to think much about our choice.

First we shared a dozen plump juicy oysters from the Freycinet Marine Farm on the Peninsula and they rivalled any oysters we had previously had. A couple of glasses of Devils Corner bubbles helped them down.

Followed by Coconut Chili Mussels also from the same farm. They were delicious.

There was a great camping area at Friendly Beach on the surf side of the peninsula but only a couple of sites large enough for a caravan and they were already occupied. However, the beach was stunning.

Coles Bay looking across to The Hazards.

We checked out a few more camping sites. The only one suitable for caravans in the National Park is subject to a ballot so not for us. A couple of others that were recommended just didn’t feel suitable with lots of deep sand which I hate towing on. We had a look at the Golf Club which offers camping for $10 per night and decided that, while there was not much ambiance or sea view, it would suit us for a couple of nights to explore the peninsula.

Returning to Triabunna, we stopped at the aptly named Spiky Bridge, across the road from Spiky Beach, a relic from convict days. No one is sure why the bridge was built this way but it has certainly survived well.

The day’s route.

 

Day 75 in Tassie

1st February, 2018.

As we had enjoyed our Pennicott cruise at Bruny Island, we decided to take their Tasman Island cruise for another experience. The pickup point was at their office close to Port Arthur, around an hour’s drive from our camp at Sorell so it was an early start to ensure we arrived by 9.15am. The cruise actually leaves from Eaglehawk Neck which would have been more convenient than driving to Port Arthur and then being bussed back to the boat and vice versa but we weren’t aware of that when we booked. This time we chose seats behind the console knowing that the further forward the seats, the rougher the ride.

Once again, the scenery was spectacular but different from that along the east coast of Bruny Island.

Tasman Arch seen from sea level.

We saw another colony of seals, this time Long Nose Fur Seals which were formerly called NZ Fur Seals.

Approaching Tasman Island, the pulley system once used to transfer people and supplies to the lighthouse at the top of the island is still visible. The small rocky island served as the base from which everything was hauled to the top of the much larger Tasman Island using a horse. No one knows how they got the horse up there.

We were joined by schools of dolphins which were wonderful to watch but difficult to capture in a photograph.

At the conclusion of the cruise, we drove back to Eaglehawk Neck to have a look at the Blowhole which wasn’t cooperating at the time. It was interesting to see the cliffs from above.

Our last stop for the day was a the Tessellated Pavement, an amazing natural rock formation.

Day 73 & 74 in Tassie

30th January, 2018.

As the weather was looking promising for the day we decided to take a loop drive from Sorell down to South Arm and back around through Richmond.

First stop was Seven Mile Beach. Close enough to Hobart for commuters and there was even a bus service to the city.

We continued our drive across quiet country roads and ventured further down onto the peninsula where we took a side road to the little village of Cremorne, tucked away in its own little bay.

There were scores of sea birds – mainly Sooty and Pied Oystercatchers.

Driving across the bottom of the peninsula, we stopped at a lookout point at Goats Bluff which gave fabulous views over the bay with several small islands and a couple of small lighthouses.

At South Arm, we parked and walked to Hope Beach which we had seen from Goats Bluff. A couple of hardy surfers had donned their wetsuits and were heading for the water with their surfboards.

Continuing on through Opossum Bay, we eventually reached the end of the road with views across the bay towards Kingston Beach.

A good shot of Mount Wellington in the distance.

We retraced our route back to the Tasman Highway at Cambridge and then headed north in the direction of Richmond. Frogmore Creek Winery had been highly recommended so we made that our lunch destination. The food and wines were outstanding and the views across the vineyard were lovely.

31st January, 2018.

With rain forecast for the day, we decided not to venture far. Between showers we walked in to town to the bakery, stopped for a visit at the Information Centre and picked up some groceries from the supermarket. There are some nice old buildings in Sorell.

Currently used as a Bed and Breakfast, this lovely building would have an interesting history.

Day 72 in Tassie

29th January, 2018.

A day trip to the former Port Arthur Penal Colony on the Tasman Peninsula, now a Unesco World Heritage site, is a must do for any visitor to Tasmania. While the site itself has not changed much since my first visit around 35 years ago, which must have been very soon after it was opened to the public, it is now very big business with a huge visitor centre, guided tours and an included harbour cruise past the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer Boys Prison Site. It is now on the itinerary for the many cruise ships that visit Tasmania. We had hoped to avoid a day when a ship was in port but unfortunately that was not to be. Not only was Holland America’s Noordam moored in the bay but busloads of passengers were brought from Ovation of the Seas which was berthed in Hobart. In short, the place was swarming with tourists.

We arrived shortly after opening and were allocated a walking tour 40 minutes later so we strolled through the former Government gardens, a formal design reminiscent of English gardens. It was really lovely even though most of the flowering plants were past their best.

Ruins of the original Church.

A smaller wooden church built in the early 1900s.

The magnificent oak trees brought back great memories of his childhood for Erich.

The Commandant’s House.

The ruins of the Penitentiary.

The Commandant’s House has been well preserved.

The Guard Tower.

Waiting at the dock to board the boat for our harbour cruise, looking back towards the Penitentiary with the Commandant’s House on the left.

Private dock at the Commandant’s House.

Clerk of Works’ Cottage.

Shipwright’s House.

Point Puer, the site of the first purpose-built juvenile reformatory in the British Empire which operated from 1834 to 1849.

Isle of the Dead where around 1100 people were buried between 1833 and 1877.

Senior Military Officer’s quarters.

The Separate Prison, designed to deliver a new method of punishment through isolation and contemplation.

In the chapel, prisoners had to stand in individual cubicles where they could not see each other but only look straight ahead.

A more recent but equally sobering memorial garden commemorating the 35 people killed and many more injured by a lone gunman in 1996, has been constructed at the shell of the cafe where 20 people lost their lives. This atrocity lead to the introduction of Australia’s strict gun laws.

Leaving Port Arthur, we drove the loop road through Nubeena and back to Eaglehawk Neck before returning to camp at Sorell.

 

Days 68 – 71 in Tassie

25th January, 2018.

Today a visit to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, was on the agenda. It had been recommended as a ‘must see’ so although we are not great fans of museums we felt we had to experience it. There is not a great deal of parking and by the time we arrived just 45 minutes after opening, we had to join scores of others parking in the overflow area which is quite a walk from the museum itself, so it is hardly surprising that many people take a ferry from close to Salamanca Place. As the museum is free for Tasmanian residents, it’s understandable that it is so popular.

I have to say that the current exhibition, the Museum of Everything, was very well done but the rest of the permanent exhibits left us cold. I especially don’t enjoy wandering around in the semi-darkness which apparently adds to the atmosphere. After wandering around for a couple of hours, we had lunch in the Tapas Restaurant which was excellent though pricey.

These mosaic pieces were one of my favourite exhibits.

Another favourite, these figures appeared to be carved from stone but are actually made from egg cartons.

The view from the restaurant was great.

26th January, 2018.

Australia Day. We had decided to lay low for the day to avoid the crowds and, as the weather was fine, I caught up with the washing. We did have a lamb roast on the BBQ for dinner as our nod to the day.

Just a few photos from around camp.

27th January, 2018.

The Salamanca Markets are held in Hobart every Saturday morning and are a huge tourist drawcard. I had been to them on my first visit to Tasmania some 35 years ago but felt another visit was in order. It was incredibly crowded so we did a quick circuit, picked up a delicious take-away Paella which we enjoyed sitting in the shade of an adjoining park, bought a few vegetables and then beat a hasty retreat.

There were some very nice handmade items for sale. I was looking for a new wallet for myself but was amazed to find that 80% of the stalls offering leather goods had items made overseas yet were asking incredibly high prices. Needless to say, I didn’t buy one.

28th January, 2018.

With the Australia Day holiday behind us, we felt Sunday was a good day to pack up and head out of Hobart to continue our travels. The traffic certainly was the lightest we had encountered during our stay there. It was just a short drive to the town of Sorell and we were fortunate to get the only free spot left in the low cost camp ground provided by the Council. It was probably the best spot too as it was on the end, furthest from the road and with no one on one side of us. Once set up and with a maximum 5 night allowed stay, we decided this would be a good spot to make our base to explore the Tasman Peninsula and the surrounding area, so we paid the princely sum of $25.60 for our 5 nights and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Day 67 in Tassie

24th January, 2018.

Having reconnoitred the city the previous day, we were in a good position to make the most of the day. For one thing, we found out we could park for free for 6 hours at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens which is also a stop on the Hop On Hop Off bus itinerary. We arrived in good time for the 10.15am bus so we had 45 minutes to take a quick walk around the very impressive gardens.

The sub-Antarctic Plant House was amazing. As we have an interest in travelling to Antarctica, we found this exhibit quite interesting. There was a temperature drop of around 10 degrees on entering the building. And the wind generated was quite “refreshing”. The plant emphasis is on those found on Macquarie Island.

Outside again, this almost black succulent was quite striking.

Then we wandered through the Community food garden.

The Japanese Garden was really spectacular.

The French Connection was a bit obscure.

Alas, we had to cut short our visit to the Gardens as it was time to catch our bus. This time an open top.

Heading back into the city.

Back at the Visitor Information Centre, we now had a 30 minute wait for the scheduled start of the next loop run so we went to the nearby Mawson’s Replica Hut to soak up a bit more Antarctic atmosphere. The replication is very well done and we would have liked a bit more time to soak it all up but alas the bus awaited.

We had a different driver today but he had obviously been to the same driving school as our previous driver because he made negotiating those tight streets look easy.

Our first planned stop was at the Cascade Brewery and from there we planned to walk to the Female Factory not too far away. However, once I told Erich he could not take photos inside, he decided not to bother as neither of us is much interested in beer though I am sure the history aspect would have been of some interest. The outside facade is certainly unique.

This is the start of the Hobart Rivulet where the water runs down from Mount Wellington and apparently is used in the beer making process. The walk along the rivulet is very pleasant, mostly shaded and away from traffic. Unfortunately, we arrived at the Female Factory just 10 minutes after the commencement of a live performance depicting life back in the day. So we contented ourselves with a self-guided tour. Sadly, little remains of the original structures as the whole complex was sold off in 1904, mostly as separate parcels to various individuals who demolished much of the buildings. The only wholly remaining structure is the Matron’s Quarters.

 

Inside the intact Matron’s Cottage we found the record of my great-great-great Grandmother’s incarceration at the Female Factory.

Sophia was transported on the first voyage of the ship Rajah, the voyage where the Rajah Quilt was made by the female convicts to occupy their time. We can only assume Sophia was in some way involved with the quilt which is now in the possession of the National Gallery in Canberra. Although not on permanent display, the quilt is available for viewing once per year and we hope to be able to see it at some time in the future.

This is a metallic representation of the quilt displayed at the Female Factory.

We decided to walk back into Hobart along the rivulet which turned out to be much further than I anticipated but it was pleasant enough. We came across a Memorial to the Korean War, parts of which had not been recorded on the Monument Australia website so Erich documented the missing bits and sent them off for publication.

We hopped on the next red bus that came along to take us back to our car at the Botanical Gardens. As it was such a nice clear day, we decided to head up to Mount Wellington to take in the view over the city and surrounds. The road is narrow, winding and steep but the vistas from the top are well worth the drive.

Clambering over rocks for the highest vantage point was not on our agenda.

Day 66 in Tassie

23rd January, 2018.

Having settled in to our campsite at The Lea Scout Campground, we set off to explore Hobart and find our way around. We found a parking spot in Salamanca Place with a 2 hour limit but the parking machine only accepted coins which had us scratching around in our wallets for the correct change. We decided just to wander as the whim took us to use up our two hours. There are beautiful historic buildings at every turn in Hobart, all in terrific condition.

It was not long before we found ourselves down at the docks. This cutter, Westward, a former two time Sydney to Hobart Ocean Yacht Race winner is permanently moored as part of the Maritime Museum display. What a beautifully crafted vessel and such a contrast to today’s high tech boats.

Hobart City Hall.

Hobart Post Office.

In the Elizabeth Street Mall, right in the city centre, the Hobart Rivulet, which was once the water supply for the city, can be seen running under the road. The bridge dates back to 1841 and the stone arches still support the road above it.

I think there must have been a T&G Building on a corner site in every capital city of Australia at one time. This one is particularly well preserved.

St David’s Anglican Cathedral.

This gull seemed unimpressed by the importance of the personage it was using as a perch, Sir John Franklin, Lieutenant Governor of Van Dieman’s Land from 1837-1843. An explorer, he later lost his life on an expedition which discovered the North West Passage, in Arctic Canada.

This impressive square rigged Tall Ship, Windeward Bound, is a training vessel on which all aspects of seamanship are taught to youth aged 18 and over. It is also available for private charter.

Some of the lovely old buildings at Salamanca Place.

Our parking limit expired, it was time to move on. Fortunately, we had found another parking area with a 3 hour limit which would give us time to take the Hop On Hop Off bus around the city and this parking machine accepted card payment.

We had time for a quick lunch of fish and chips before catching the 1pm bus from the Visitor Information Centre. Our bus, while a double-decker, was not open roofed so the following photos were taken through glass hence the quality is not ideal.

How the driver managed to manoeuvre that behemoth around the narrow streets of Battery Point amazed us.

As time was a bit tight, we did not hop off the bus at all but, as our tickets were valid for 2 days, we took note of what interested us for our return the next day.

Heading back to camp, we detoured off the Southern Outlet at the exit to the Mount Nelson Signal Station, reputed to have wonderful views. Built in 1811, the descriptive panels give a good insight into the workings of the semaphore signalling which reported shipping movements first for the port of Hobart and later for both Hobart and Port Arthur. In 1958, a base station for ship-to-shore radio-telephone was installed at Mount Nelson and the station ceased operation in 1969.

There is a very nice cafe in the former Signalman’s cottage. Apparently, the food is very good but, already having had lunch, we settled for coffee looking out over the harbour.

The Tasman Bridge as seen from Mount Nelson. On the 5th January, 1975, the bulk carrier, Lake Illawarra, slammed into a pylon of the bridge bringing down a 127m section of the roadway and killing 12 people (7 crew and 5 occupants of 4 vehicles which plunged into the river). More information can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasman_Bridge_disaster

Day 65 in Tassie

22nd January, 2018.

A day trip to Launceston was necessary to collect a replacement battery for Erich’s laptop so it was an early start from our campground, up the main highway to arrive in Invermay before the depot closed for lunch. We also managed to achieve a few other things while we were there which took us through to lunchtime. I had in mind a place recommended by a friend but sadly it was closed. Not a problem, we will pop across the road to the pub I thought. No, they didn’t open until 3pm. Not in the mood to drive around looking for somewhere to eat, and, due to the roadworks that had slowed down our northbound journey, we decided it was too long to drive to Ross to try out the bakery so we opted instead for the Prince of Wales Pub in Evandale – our third visit there! As usual, the meal didn’t disappoint and soon we were back on the road headed south, but this time we photographed one of the churches in Evandale that we had missed on our previous visits.

The beautiful old rectory.

Once we got to Ross, there was no question of driving straight through. We stopped at the renowned Bakery 31 for a coffee and bought a couple of cold Scallop Pies, reputed to be the best in Tassie, to take home with us.

The town of Ross boasts some significant structures from convict times, one of which is the convict built Ross Bridge.

We love the old dry stone walls in these historic towns.

We made a quick stop in Oatlands. While I was picking up something from the pharmacy, Erich took a couple of photos of some historic buildings and then we drove around to have a look at the camping area on the river.

Travelling on, we turned off the main highway just north of Jericho and travelled a pretty but hilly route to another historic town, Richmond, which is famous for its bridge built in 1825, Australia’s oldest bridge still in use.

Looking up underneath one of the arches.

Richmond’s St John’s Catholic Church, built in 1836, is considered the oldest Catholic Church in Australia.

As this was intended as just a quick day trip to Launceston and return, we did not have time to really explore the many very interesting towns along the way but have noted those that we hope to return to and spend more time in.

Days 61 – 64 in Tassie

18th January, 2018.

Exploring North Bruny was the plan for the day. When we disembarked the ferry at Roberts Point on North Bruny, we made straight to the campground and apart from the drive, we saw nothing else of the north of the island.

So today, we wanted to explore more of North Bruny. First stop was at Truganini Lookout situated centrally on The Neck, the narrow piece of land that joins North and South Bruny and is named after Truganini the last surviving full-blooded Aboriginal Tasmanian.

The views from the top of the lookout are quite spectacular. Here we are looking south. Our campground is located to the central right of the photo but can’t be seen here.

Looking north.

More steps lead down to a penguin viewing area close to where they come ashore at night. We saw plenty of footprints in the sand very high up on the lookout.

This photo gives a good perspective of the narrowness of The Neck.

We detoured off the main road north to have a look at Barnes Bay. It was very picturesque.

I thought the vehicle we parked behind looked familiar with its Queensland number plates and I soon discovered it belonged to a couple we know from our time as members of the Kedron Owners Group. Rob and Jewel were day-tripping to the island from Jewel’s sister’s home back near Kettering.

Driving further north and keeping as close to the shoreline as possible, we ended up at a dead end but it was still a lovely spot for a couple of pictures.

We arrived at Dennes Point almost at the northern tip of North Bruny at lunchtime and found a lovely little cafe for a light lunch. The views were very pleasant and we enjoyed looking at some of the quirky decorations.

This stone whale’s tail was a reminder of a long past island industry.

19th January. 2018.

It was our wedding anniversary so we planned to have lunch at the highly recommended Hotel Bruny but first, we drove down to East Cloudy Head on the eastern side of Cloudy Bay. There was a howling wind blowing making it very unpleasant to be outside the vehicle. In fact, I could barely open the car door against the wind. So while I sheltered inside, Erich took some photos.

The lighthouse is situated on the headland on the far left but is hidden in the clouds.

A close up of the Cape Bruny headland, barely visible with the low clouds.

A Sooty Oystercatcher.

The pub looks very modest from the outside but the food is reputed to be excellent.

We had a lovely view from our table beside the window.

A bottle of local bubbly to celebrate.

The food certainly lived up to its reputation.

Before we left Erich took a few more photos from outside the hotel.

As it was a special occasion we decided to pick up some local Bruny Island oysters from Get Shucked and have those for a light dinner together with a different brand of local bubbles. I had some Tassie bacon and a locally made plum Worcestershire sauce so I made Oysters Kilpatrick and they were absolutely delicious. I think these oysters were even better than the Tarkine Oysters we bought in Smithton.

20th January, 2018.

With no plans for the day, I caught up with the washing and Erich took just this one photo of the beach across the road from the campground.

21st January, 2018.

We had originally planned to stay another night on Bruny but as we had now seen all that interested us, we decided to pack up and head back to Kettering. It was another quick trip on the ferry and we were soon disembarking and heading to The Lea Scout Campground located between Kingston and Hobart where we planned to wait out the Australia Day long weekend.

Our journey was somewhat longer than we planned as we had to abort our stop at the dump point in Kingston and then had nowhere to turn around. We ended up pulling the van all the way up and over Bonnet Hill, down along Sandy Bay and then back up over Tolmans Hill and south again. My nerves were a bit frayed at this stage but we were very happy it was not a weekday!!

Days 57 – 59 in Tassie

14th January, 2018.

As it was a reasonable day weatherwise, we set off on a day trip to explore the peninsular we could see opposite our camp in Franklin. We stayed as close to the coastline as the roads would allow and were rewarded with some lovely views.

White-faced Herons seem to be everywhere.

I knew that there was a Folk Festival being held at Cygnet over this weekend and sure enough the place was heaving with people. We made the mistake of driving up the main street for a look but quickly realised our error, found a place to turn around and went out of there as quickly as we could. At Kettering, we drove down to the Bruny Island Ferry departure point to check it out as we were planning to take the van to Bruny after we leave Franklin.

15th January, 2018.

A day spent around camp with me doing the washing and Erich wandering off with his camera to explore Franklin in a bit more detail.

Our washing is under the awning – not on the clothes line at the house behind the camp area.

A local that Erich talked to told him about a boardwalk that we had not seen, so more exploring was in order.

The old St John Anglican Church is perched on the hillside above Franklin. It is a lovely old church with a graveyard attached. Unfortunately, it is in disrepair and it is considered too dangerous to venture inside.

 

Franklin has a strong fishing village feel to it and even boasts a wooden boat building school where one can learn the trade. Erich learned that most people participating are from the mainland, so it must have quite a reputation to attract potential boat builders. A short course costs around $15000 for about 2 weeks of tuition during which time a boat is built by the group. Participants then have about 2 weeks use of the facilities to build their own craft under the supervision of the professional boat builders.

They offer a short tour for anyone who is interested in having a look at their setup.

Later in the afternoon, we made the short trip to Huonville to restock our groceries.

16th January, 2018.

Next morning we had an easy trip across to Kettering to board the ferry for the 15 minute trip to Bruny Island.

We checked out the Neck Beach Camping Area located at the top end of South Bruny and decided it was a good spot to set up camp.

There was so much birdlife around the campground.

Grey Fantail.

We went for a drive to Adventure Bay to book a boat trip with Pennicott Cruises for the following day. Lots of lovely scenery along the way.

Then it was decided to drive down to the Cape Bruny Lighthouse. Most of the road to the southern tip of Bruny is dirt but in fairly good condition as it is constantly being maintained. We came up behind the grader as it was working one section and it was quite a while before we could pass as the road is fairly narrow. The timing of our arrival at the lighthouse was not the best as the small carpark was packed with vehicles meaning we could only park on the side of the narrow access road.

Erich decided to take the tour of the lighthouse.

Back at camp, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing and watching the birds. This is a New Holland Honeyeater looking a little startled.

There were lots of pairs of Superb Fairy-Wrens. They are so entertaining to watch as they flit about looking for insects.

A Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike.

Day 60 in Tassie

17th January, 2018.

We had booked an afternoon boat cruise so spent the morning quietly around camp before heading back to Adventure Bay.

Each of the 5 boats holds 43 passengers and there are two cruises per day which mostly seem to be booked out at this time of year. That’s over 400 passengers per day! It’s hard to believe that there are so many people on this small island but it seems that many come as day trippers either driving themselves or on organised tours out of Hobart.

The morning cruise returning.

And then it was our turn. Fortunately this time the weather forecast was accurate and we looked to be in for a great afternoon.

The rugged cliffs were magnificent with many caves at the waterline.

Our skipper took us at speed between this dolerite sea column and the dolerite cliffs – not once but twice. Quite a thrilling experience.

We idled close to this blow hole and watched in awe as the spray exploded from the ocean. Thankfully we were supplied with spray jackets as we got quite wet from a couple of particularly large blows.

Down at the very bottom of the island hundreds of male fur seals colonise rock islands. We were warned about the smell but the wind must have been flowing the right way as it did not bother us much at all.

On the return journey we saw a number of seabirds, including this Shy Albatross and what was identified by one of the crew as a Northern Giant-Petrel but unfortunately no photo of that one. Above the seals, a Swamp Harrier was circling, but the photo didn’t turn out. It was quite a challenge to get decent photos from the rocking boat!

It was a great trip and is highly recommended.

Days 55 and 56 in Tassie

12th January, 2018.

Having completed the sight-seeing we wanted to do in Mount Field National Park, we broke camp and headed further south-east. When we arrived at the historic town of Franklin, there were only a couple of campsites available at the foreshore camping ground. Once we tucked ourselves away at the end of the back row, we had a walk around to look at this small but interesting town situated on the western bank of the Huon River.

13th January, 2018.

We decided on a day trip further south following fairly closely along the river. Geeveston is also a pretty and interesting town with one of the best Visitor Centres we have seen. Rustic carvings of local identities are placed around the town.

Rain soon drove us back to the shelter of our car and we set out to explore the coastline as far south as the bitumen would take us.

It was a very pleasant drive but there is not a lot to say about it.

A Photographic Tour on Day 54 in Tassie

11th January, 2018.

Having met by coincidence at our lunch break, I organised a photographic tour with Greg Power for 6:00pm. I arrived a bit early and started to take photos at the entrance of the park.

It didn’t take long for Greg to arrive. We discussed what I hoped to achieve in the two hours I was going to spend with him. I explained that I would like him to go for a walk with me and for him to explain the thought process that he goes through when going out to take photos. Greg readily agreed and of we went towards the falls.

Walking along the river we soon came to an area that Greg found interesting. We went off the track and checked out the water, ferns and the fallen tree trunks. He explained to me how he likes to organise elements in the picture and as it was getting dark, we would have the opportunity to take some long exposure shots to smooth the water. It took quite some time to find a frame that pleased Greg. This photo was a first attempt.

We played around with different exposures.

and this was the final result.

 

We  then headed to Russell Falls. Once again we left the boardwalk and set up closer to the falls. Again Greg explained how he would like to incorporate the tree fern into the shot, framing, rather than distracting from the waterfall. A longish exposure time resulted in the smooth look of the water.

We moved around a bit to incorporate the moss covered rocks in the foreground.

This was best achieved by taking the shot from almost  ground level.

From the same spot we looked back and noticed this clump of tree ferns.

A landscape shot gives quite a different feeling to the picture.

It seemed in no time our two hours together was nearing the end. Before wrapping up we took two more photos of the falls.

This one was taken from the board walk. I quite like the dreamy look that the late light created.

I had a great time with Greg and I am sure that his explanations will help me with my photography in the future. I  obviously don’t claim these photos to be my photos, although I pressed the button in most of them. But they aren’t Greg’s photos either. I am sure he would have processed them quite differently.

If you are going to be in the area and have an interest in improving your photography, I certainly can recommend a tour with Greg. He trades under the business name ‘Great Aussie Photo Tour’,  but there isn’t much of a social media presence yet. This may sound like he is not really set up to teach… but I can assure you he is an accomplished professional photographer, willing to share his vast knowledge. At this point in time, the best way to contact him is through this web address. http://www.waterfallscafe.com.au/index.php/photo-tours

Day 54 in Tassie

11th January, 2018.

We got off to an early start planning to explore some of the Mount Field National Park. We bypassed the Visitor Centre where there is a boardwalk leading to Russell Falls and drove to a parking area further up the hill where we could walk through the Tall Trees Forest and then on to Horseshoe Falls before descending to Russell Falls.

The huge trees were certainly magnificent but it is difficult to get the effect in photographs.

This clinometer has been provided to demonstrate how the height of a tree can be calculated.

Our first sighting of a Bassian Thrush. We saw a few of these birds scratching around on the forest floor unperturbed by our presence.

This Pademelon also seemed used to humans and just stared at us as we walked past.

The very pretty Horseshoe Falls were appropriately named. They would be very impressive after winter rain and snowfall.

We had a couple of hundred steps down to get a good view of Russell Falls but it was worth the effort.

Our host at Left of Field had recommended a visit to Forest Secrets located on the edge of the National Park. This was certainly something a bit out of the ordinary comprising a self-guided walk through the forest, along a sensory trail with a Forest Flavours Tucker Box for tasting various foods relating to plants and trees along the way. We did manage to spot the resident platypus but it quickly disappeared before we could get a photo.

This is one of seven Great Cormorants that were perched in a tree above the river.

The first of the tasting morsels was at this point.

A beautiful Banksia flower.

There were various rustic (and rusty) art works, all constructed from recycled materials, placed along the trails. We thought this representation of a Tasmanian Tiger was particularly good.

A metallic Echidna.

Also recommended to us was a visit to the Styx River to do the Big Tree Walk and also the river walk. Once again, the trees here are massive.

Prior to heading out to do these walks, we stopped in the small town of Maydena to refuel the car and get some lunch at the cafe. Whilst there Erich enquired about the vehicle advertising photographic tours that was parked outside. As it happened, the cafe owner was also a photographer who was starting up a new venture offering photographic tours. Erich arranged to take a 2 hour tour with him that evening and that will be the subject of the next blog.

Days 51 – 53 in Tassie

8th January, 2018.

Continuing our journey further south and east, we set up camp at the Derwent Bridge Hotel which offers free camping in the grounds.

One of the reasons for the stop here was to visit The Wall, a stunning artwork comprising one hundred hand sculpted timber panels one metre wide by 3 metres high created by one man over a period of ten years. Understandably, no photos are allowed inside the pavilion so a photo of the brochure must suffice to whet the appetite of those who have yet to visit. The hand is an example of the intricate work of the sculptor. With a modest entry fee, the exhibition is a must see for anyone visiting Tasmania.

Driving back towards the turn off to Lake St Claire, we came across this echidna strolling across the bridge. Just like in Canada where they stop to photograph bears on the road, so too did we stop for this photo opportunity – just on a smaller scale.

As well as being the deepest lake in Australia, Lake St Claire is also the end of the Overland Track that we had seen the start of at Cradle Mountain. There were lots of hikers sitting around with their packs presumably recovering from their trek. The lake itself is quite pretty.

We could see the Pumphouse at the end of a long jetty so decided to try to get a closer look.

After meandering down a dirt track we came to a gate allowing entry only to guests. Back at the van, I Googled the Pumphouse Retreat and found it to be quite an exclusive resort for those who travel in a bit more luxury than us.

We stopped off at a dam across the Derwent River and had a chat to a fisherman and his son who had caught a huge brown trout in the shallow waters below the dam.

I had heard good reports about the Sri Lankan Chefs at the Derwent Bridge Hotel so it seemed a good idea to make that our dinner stop. Their authentic chicken curry didn’t disappoint both in flavour and presentation. Finding a bottle of Durif was a bonus.

9th January, 2018.

With nothing else to see in the area, we headed further south intending to spend a few days in the Mount Field National Park. I had read good reports about the Left of Field bush caravan park which is very popular. Had we needed a powered site, we would have been out of luck but we scored a prime grassy spot where we set up for three nights.

As the camp name would suggest, the owner, Adrian, has a quirky sense of humour and has placed all sorts of paraphernalia around the park to add a sense of fun.

This bicycle stands in the middle of one of the ponds.

A visitor who overstayed her welcome?

10th January, 2018.

As it appeared that we would have good weather, the decision was made to drive out to Lake Pedder and the Gordon Dam some 75 kms further west in the National Park.

Nice light on an escarpment.

Lake Pedder was stunning from every direction.

We stopped in at Ted’s Beach to check out the camping area. It was quite full so I was pleased we hadn’t towed the van all the way out there as we would have had difficulty finding a level spot large enough to fit us.

The view of the lake from the lookout was impressive.

At the end of the road, we came to the Gordon Dam, an amazing feat of engineering.

Heading back east, we took a side track to have a look at Serpentine Dam, a much less impressive structure but, I’m sure, equally as important as the Gordon Dam.

Lunch opportunities were scant. In fact, the Lake Pedder Wilderness Resort restaurant was our only choice unless we wanted to wait another hour till we got back to Maydena. Their menu offered a number of light options in a very pretty setting.

Back at Left of Field, Erich spotted this Yellow Wattlebird. Another first for us, this bird is only found in Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands. He looks like he had been swimming in one of the ponds.

Days 49 and 50 in Tassie

6th January, 2018.

We spent a quiet day around camp catching up with the washing and not doing very much else.

Agapanthus grow very well in Tasmania. We have seen them everywhere. This white variety was just opening.

7th January, 2018.

The weather was still holding so we decided on a day trip to Nelson Falls as we didn’t like our chances of being able to stop there with the van after we left Zeehan in the morning. We bypassed the centre of Queenstown as we would have a look around there on our return from the falls. The drive up the mountain out of Queenstown is not for the faint-hearted with 5 kms of very steep, hairpin turns but it prepared us well for making the trip with the van the next day.

Sure enough, the car park at Nelson Falls was quite full when we arrived vindicating our decision to make it a separate trip.

The walk to the waterfall is very easy, consisting of compacted dirt and boardwalk in parts, meandering along beside the river.

The falls were lovely.

Back in Queenstown, we went in search of lunch and found ourselves at the old Empire Hotel across the road from the Wilderness Railway Station.

The interior was quite magnificent, especially the grand staircase.

After lunch we wandered across to have a look at the railway station.

Back in Zeehan, we refuelled and began packing up for our move to Mount Field the next day.

For some reason, the map doesn’t show the drive from Queenstown to Nelson Falls.

Day 48 in Tassie

5th January, 2018.

We woke to a fairly sunny morning and hoped it would remain so for our Gordon River Cruise out of Strahan, 40 kms south of where we were camped at Zeehan. As is usual for us, we made an early start to allow for any delays on the journey so we had plenty of time to stop at a scenic lookout with views to the coast. Unfortunately the distance was too great to get a good photo so we made do with some atmospheric clouds.

The waterfront in Strahan was teeming with people, not only for our cruise but also a similar one on the Lady Jane Franklin. Our ship, Harbourmaster, was certainly a change from my last Gordon River Cruise about 35 years ago. This vessel was commissioned only 2 years ago.

Fishing boats moored nearby gave Erich something to focus on while we awaited our boarding.

Lots of cormorants waiting for their breakfast.

Cruising out to Hells Gates, the entrance to Macquarie Harbour, we passed an old settlement on the southern bank, accessible only by boat even today.

This White-bellied Sea Eagle was unperturbed by our presence.

One of the lighthouses at the entrance to the harbour.

This rock breakwater was built between 1900 and 1902 to provide a safe passage from huge seas whipped up by the “Roaring 40s” for ships entering the harbour. It was an amazing feat of engineering for the time.

We safely crossed the narrow opening and then came about to re-enter the harbour. This photo looks back into the harbour, showing the two lighthouses which mark the safe passage through Hells Gates. There is a much wider expanse of water to the left of the closer lighthouse, but it is too shallow for boats to cross.

Salmon farming is a huge industry in Tasmania and particularly here on Macquarie Harbour. We counted about 20 of these enclosures in this one area.

Here the fish are being fed with a highly nutritious mixture developed over many years to ensure the fish receive the correct balance of nutrients for optimal health and growth.

Our first stop was at the former penal settlement at Sarah Island where we had a guided tour that certainly brought to life the deprivation and hardship that not only the convicts endured but also their captors.

There are still remnants of the old settlement on the island.

After a very entertaining one hour tour, we reboarded Harbourmaster and cruised to the mouth of the Gordon River where the captain slowed the boat to reduce the boat’s wash to prevent damage to the banks of this pristine river.

We enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch as we slowly made our way upriver.

Our next stop was at Heritage Landing which is as far upriver as a boat as large as Harbourmaster is allowed to venture.

This group had been rough camping and kayaking in the area and were hitching a ride with us back to Strahan.

The landing consists of a well-constructed boardwalk circuit through the temperate rainforest.

Cruising back to Strahan, we could only be thankful that public pressure back in the 1980s saved what is now a World Heritage Listed area from being destroyed had the Franklin Dam been built.

It was a delightful day.

Days 46 & 47 in Tassie

3rd January, 2018.

Our visit to Cradle Mountain complete, we are now moving south. Today’s target is the small, former mining town of Zeehan where there is a highly recommended Bush Caravan Park. We decided on Zeehan rather than Strahan mainly because of the school holidays and because Zeehan was more central to some of the drives we wanted to do. Driving through the town it all looked fairly closed up and sad but the caravan park was welcoming and we were soon set up on a spacious site.

After lunch we decided to do the drive to Trial Harbour, named after the small vessel “Trial” which was driven aground here during a gale in the 1880s. It was quite a pleasant 20 km drive along reasonable dirt roads to the coast. We stopped at a lookout to take a couple of photos.

The township of Trial Harbour consists of 19 permanent residents and many weekenders, all living off the grid. There is also a free camping area there.

The wind was whipping up the seas making it easy to imagine how the “Trial” had come to grief.

There is a very well maintained History Room at a private residence with lots of relics and photos from earlier times.

Back in Zeehan, we decided to have a walk around the town and admired some of the handsome buildings that evoked memories of what a thriving town it had once been.

We didn’t know quite what to make of this structure in a local park.

There is quite a comprehensive Museum located in some of these old buildings but we thought $20 each a bit much as Museums are not really our thing.

Back at camp and after more study of the weather forecast for the coming days, I phoned Wilderness Cruises to book our Heritage Cruise for the coming Friday as that looked to be the best day in the near future.

4th January, 2018.

With no firm plans for the day, we headed off on a loop drive heading north. We had hoped to drive out to Granville Harbour but as we approached the turn onto the dirt road, the heavens opened so we decided to stay on the bitumen and continue our circuit.

We came to a lookout overlooking Reece Dam and Power Station damming the Pieman River. The single lane road can be seen running across the top of the dam.

On the far side of the dam there was a sizable camp spot where three rigs had set up camp close to the water’s edge. It would be a great spot for fishing and kayaking.

Driving on, we came to a lookout with some spectacular views.

Turning back onto the Murchison Highway which we had driven along the previous day, we decided to try for some lunch in the small town of Tullah. We overshot the entrance to a Tavern on the highway itself so decided to see if we could find something else in the tiny town down a side street. We were amazed to come across a resort right on the banks of Lake Roseberry. While waiting for our lunch order, Erich took a few photos of the grounds.

Capturing this male Superb Fairy-Wren was a bonus.

After leaving Tullah, we turned off the highway onto a minor road which would take us past Lake Plimsoll before joining the highway again some 18 kms past the turn to Zeehan., giving us more spectacular views despite the less than favourable weather.

It was a very nice day trip through some interesting countryside and more temperate rainforest along the northern edge of Lake Roseberry.