Week 11 Tasmania

Our final week in Tassie commenced with our journey from Snug up the Midlands Highway to Oatlands. This is another lovely old heritage town with a great free camp on the lake adjacent to the only operating flour windmill in the southern hemisphere.
A very lazy couple of days here enabled us to do a mill tour and generally veg out. Life is tough on the wallaby.
From Oatlands we headed for our favourite caravan park on the Isle at Longford. Here we ran into Macca and Jan from about a month ago and our other "Boroma" friends Ron and Carmel. Another couple of days chin wagging and taking it easy so we headed up to Port Sorell only to find no dog friendly spots to camp. As it was so close to Devonport we decided to go there instead and found the Abel Tasman park at the mouth of the Mersey river and quite handy to the ferry terminal.
After a bit of a scout around town we decided to go back to Sheffield for a drive as we heard that the steam festival was on.


What a joy that was to see at least six working steam traction engines plus a small steam train. A great sight to see so much preserved heritage.

The evenings here in Devonport are spent walking along the river to the terminal to watch the ferry load and depart. Quite a sight and also a chance to wave farewell to friends made on this beautiful island.
Today brings to an end our fabulous trip around Tasmania and it is quite sad to think that this time tomorrow we will not be here. We have so enjoyed the Tassie experience and should any of you be thinking of coming over for the first time, do it! Don't just come for a couple of weeks though as three months minimum is needed to enjoy it properly. We will be back without a doubt and next time would aim for a late January arrival.
We towed the van 2455 kms, stayed 79 nights and spent $1733 on accommodation. ( free camps were very busy over holiday period ) and we did 6516 kms in the cruiser.

Trixie on her 10th birthday ( she doesn't like picture taking)

Tomorrow we board the ferry for a day crossing and then a month in Victoria before working our way back to Queensland and a four month farm sit in Nanango, which we are very excited about.

Week 10 Tasmania

Our back door at Gordon

On leaving the far south we headed back towards Hobart with plans to see the Wooden Boat Festival and catch up with Auntie Aileene again. To get there we took the Channel highway through Cygnet ( not a good camp ground) and came across a free camp ($5pn) at Gordon # 133. Despite the book advising no dogs it was OK for Trixie and we selected a great spot right on the waters edge and stayed two nights. The park was still home to two old scallop splitting sheds and the locals advised that there were many more back in the 60's when scallops were plentiful in the  D'Entrecasteaux Channel which runs between the mainland and Bruny Island. A very pleasant place and the weather was perfect.
from Gorden it was a short trip up the coast to Snug caravan Park where we intended to stay and do all of the Hobart things as it was only about 30km from the city and with the long weekend we were concerned about accommodation.

The summit at Mt Wellington

With the fires starting up again the sky filled with smoke but Snug was a good camp and out of the smoke . We took in Mt Wellington one day. Boy what an incredible climb to 1200+ metres but unfortunately the smoke detracted from the stunning views over Hobart. It was cold and windy up there but worth the drive.




Aileene at the summit

Smokey views

Saturday was our day to visit the Wooden Boat Festival. Our new friends Pat and Judy had offered to look after Trixie for the day so after delivering her to Seven Mile Beach Park and headed back into town. Hobart was alive with Constitution Dock and surrounds absolutely jammed with the most incredible array of beautifully hand crafted wooden vessels. Some as small as a bath tub and others ocean going masterpieces. It was visual overload but so pleased we luckily  timed our visit to coincide with this biannual event. We walked and walked and ogled these fabulous boats before enjoying a seafood lunch at the famous Mures seafood eatery on the wharf. back to seven Mile Beach where we found Trixie anxiously awaiting our return but thoroughly spoilt by Pat and Judy who have taken a real shine to Trixie.





The infamous Greenpeace boat was there



Nearly as old as us



Took 9 years to build.



An old steamer



My namesake











After a farewell to our new friends and plans to catch up in Victoria we headed back to camp and some shopping. Next day, Sunday we were back to Lindisfarne to visit our lovely aunt and she insisted on taking us to lunch. What a pleasure to spend some time with a 97 year old and hear some more tales of the past. Fortunately we will see her again in Victoria when there is to be a big Gillard family get together before we start heading back to Queensland in late March.
Another highlight was a vintage car rally in Snug and most were staying in our park which was great for some pics and a closer look.

And so ended our tenth week in this wonderful state.

Week 9 Tassie

 

New Norfolk and the Derwent River

On leaving Brady’s Lake it was back on the Lyell Highway and a near free camp at Hamilton # 160, a great camp with water and only 72km down the track. We were greeted by some other travellers met along the road including Ron and Carmel ( Boroma owners) and Pat and Judy. Another great happy hour or was it three? As we had good company and a great camp we stayed a couple of days which enabled a trip up to Bothwell which is the home of the first golf course in the southern hemisphere as well as a new boutique distillery making whisky. At $125 for 500ml I was not even close to being tempted but it did look good.

Had a bit of fun climbing out of the campsite with a full belly of water, but with all wheels spinning to the amusement of fellow travellers, we were able to escape and attack another 40km day, which found us in the council park at New Norfolk #150, right on the Derwent River. This is a lovely park with arguably the best and cleanest facilities in Tasmania. Once again we were joined by our new friends Pat and Judy. As the weather was a bit dull, wet and cold we stayed another day and enjoyed the company.

We left New Norfolk after making plans to catch up with our new friends during the Wooden Boat Festival and they kindly offered to mind Trixie one of the days to allow us to go into Hobart.

Our next port of call was another near free camp at Franklin on the Huon Rive #121, a good camp with toilets etc. We enjoyed a visit from the field of Targa Tasmania who called in at end of a stage in this famous race. Lots of older style rally cars with a sprinkling of very expensive boy’s toys.

Near Dover -Roaring Beach

Our next day took us down to Dover where we camped at the caravan park as washing machines were needed. We decided to make this our base for a couple of days so we could drive to the southern-most point in Australia (by road). A rough drive to Cockle Creek on Recherche Bay led us to some beautiful sandy beaches much like the ones seen at Bay of Fires. The scenery in this southern part of Tassie is fantastic.





Dover



Roaring Beach on a quiet day














On the way down we called in at Ida Bay and took a trip on the Ida Bay Railway. At approximately 7km this journey is on an old historical train that originally pulled limestone out of the hills and took it to the coast to be loaded on boats. The limestone was used for making carbide for the early lights and during war time it was used in the manufacture of armaments.

Ida Bay Railway

Our wonderful tour guide from Ida Bay

The far south was a beautiful experience and once again we are in awe of the natural beauty and diversity of this wonderful state. Tasmania is a must for all travellers and we have already determined that we will definitely be back.