30 November - 1 December 2014 - Huonville

We left Seven Mile Beach and drove through Hobart towards the west. We seemed to climb one endless mountain after the next without even noticing that we had dowhills the other side. The trip was only about 65 kms long so we arrived in Huonville by about 11 am and setup in a beautiful caravan park which is part of a working farm. We were in a large grassed area with a river just outside our door which has 3 resident platypus, which we have not seen yet.

After an early lunch we headed off to see the Tahune Air Walk which is a walking platform high in the forest canopy. The drive was a good 45 minutes along very winding forest roads. The forest is an old logging forest which has been protected and allowed to re-grow and is on the Huon river. There is a very special tree here called the Huon Pine that is only found in Tasmania and is highly prized for ship building and furniture due to its rot resistant wood which is both hard and easy to work. This tree is extremely slow growing and there are specimens that are over 2500 years old. The Air Walk is very similar to the tree top walk in Walpole but with one end suspended out on a limb overlooking the Huon River. After exploring the Air Walk we took a walk in the forest which included crossing two rivers on swinging suspension bridges - fun!

We got up to a rainy day and while eating breakfast we saw something in the river which turned out to be a platypus! Breakfast was abandoned and out came the umbrellas and a camera. We followed the platypus for about 20 minutes and managed to get a few good photos. We finished breakfast and then headed off south to the southern-most town in Australia, Southport. It was a pleasant drive but not much to report except it was wet most of the way. On returning we developed some photos by which time the weather had cleared and we had a drink and chips with a fellow west-aussie, Alan. The sun was actually hot and we had to seek some shade.

The Tahune Sky Walk

The Cantilever (suspended section) of the Tahune Sky Walk

Looking back from the end of the cantilever

A large felled tree

The cantilever viewed from the ground

A suspension bridge over the Huon river

A very young Huon Pine

A 10 year old Huon Pine

The story of the Huon Pine

The Huon River a short distance from our caravan

Our caravan and the river where 3 platypus live

A platypus in our caravan park

28 - 29 November 2014 - Hobart

We drove the 100 km to Hobart and checked into the Seven Mile Beach Caravan Park about 15 km from Hobart. We had a quick lunch then set off to the visitor centre. After chatting with one of the staff members about what to do we set out to drive to the top of Mount Wellington but ended up at Mount Nelson which was used as a lookout and signal station in the very early days. They used a semaphore pole to relay messages visually to the town and to Port Arthur. There is a lovely cafe and restaurant in the old signalman's house nearby but we did not stay as we wanted to get to Mount Wellington. We drove up some very steep hills before getting to the main road to the top of Mount Wellington. The main pass is a 12 km long winding, steep and narrow road to the summit which is 1200 metres above the city. The views were spectacular but the temperature was 6 degrees which is about 10 degrees colder than Hobart due to the altitude. After doing the normal photo shoot we headed home for home-made burgers for dinner.

Next day we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary which has many animals including about 20 Tasmanian Devils. The sanctuary is not a zoo but a sanctuary for sick or injured wildlife. There was even an echidna which had one foot bitten off by a dog! We had a wonderful time petting young hairless nosed wombats, koalas, birds and kangaroos. We chatted with the keepers and even said hello to a sulphur crested cockatoo which was over 100 years old who had a letter from the queen congratulating it on this milestone. It has to be said the bird was in remarkable condition.

After the wildlife we did some grocery shopping and headed to the Cadburys chocolate factory but it was closed! Next came the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens which were quite extraordinary. We will let the pictures tell the story.

Panorama of Hobart from Mount Wellington

Vlasta on Mount Nelson overlooking Hobart

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Eastern Rosella

Vlasta with a baby Wombat

A Tasmanian Devil

Vlasta with a koala

A Spotted-tailed Quoll

Vlasta in the Sub-Antarctic House in the Hobart Botanical Gardens

Lilly Pond in the Botanical Gardens

Bumble-bee in the Botanical Gardens

25 - 27 November 2014 - White Beach, Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula

We left the Frecinet Peninsula and headed towards Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula. The road was winding and narrow most of the way and it took 5 hours to drive about 260 kms. We filled up with fuel and stocked up with fresh veggies and some divine cheese at a farm produce store. We checked into a caravan park in White Beach just 10 minutes from Port Arthur and had cheese and sour dough bread for a late lunch. We decided to book for a three hour eco cruise which everybody raves about. We were both tired so had an afternoon nap before having soup for dinner.

Next day we headed to the Port Arthur Historic Site which consists of many restored buildings from the convict era. Port Arthur was a convict settlement for the more hardened criminals and repeat offenders and is situated on a large peninsular that is separated from the mainland by a 80 metre istmus called Eaglehawk Neck. Eaglehawk Neck was the only section of land that had to be guarded to prevent convicts from escaping, and it worked very well indeed. We also took a boat ride round the bay to see the Island of the Dead where people were buried. After a short tour we needed lunch but there were huge numbers in the cafe so we went to the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park which had nothing, as was the case at the Fox and Hound, so we headed home for lunch and a rest for the remainder of the day.

We were up relatively early to prepare for our 3 hour Eco Cruise which was stunning along the whole west coast of the Tasman Peninsula. The boat could carry about 44 passengers and was fairly small with 3 huge engines and specifically designed for the rough seas of the area. We poked our noses into sea caves, sped along cliffs and visited two seal colonies. At the southern tip of the peninsula we headed out to Tasman Island with howling wind and large seas to see the lighthouse and the ropes and pulleys required by the early lighthouse keepers to get onto the island - quite scary. We then headed back home hugging the coastline to avoid the large seas. After returning we had lunch back at the Port Arthur Historic Town before wandering around the many fascinating buildings. Back at the caravan we had a G&T in the gardens before having dinner.

Port Arthur Historic Site

The main cell block being restored

Seperate Section now known as solitary confinement

Inside a cell

The other side of the cell

The ship building part of town

View of the town from the sea

Civilian section of town with ruined church

The ruined church

View over Port Arthur to the sea

Vlasta ready for the rough seas

Keith in a full-length waterproof jacket

A sea cave

Sea cliffs

Stunning scenery - note the other boat

The Totem Pole

Tasman Island with the original access to the lighthouse

The tallest sea cliffs in Australia at 300 metres

The other boat touring the coast

New Zealand Fur Seal

Australian Fur Seals

Sunset at White Beach

23 - 24 November 2014 - Coles Bay & Freycinet Peninsula

We left St Helens early after doing a quick load of washing as the weather was good but was going to change. We drove the 120 km to Coles Bay, continuing south down the east coast of Tasmania. We checked into the simple caravan park just inside Freycinet National Park. The caravan park is small and run by the National Parks so has minimal amenities. It looks like a lot of places in Tasmania you have to pay for showers which are then timed. This does not impress Vlasta so this time we are using our own shower!

As the weather was so good we packed a sandwich and headed to Wineglass Bay which is one of the most visited places in Tasmania. We walked up the mountain to the lookout onto the bay which is over the knoll from the carpark. This was quite a climb but it was worth it. We took lots of pics, along with tons of tourists, and then had our sandwich. We decided to descend to the bay itself and then do the Hazards Beach circuit walk back to the car park - an 11 km walk. The bay was devine with ice cold turquiose water with very white sand. After dipping our feet in the sea we headed out on the circuit walk which ended up being quite tough with lots of ups and downs. We stumbled back to the carpark to be greeted by a couple of wallabies looking for food. These animals were so tame you could actually pat them! We headed home to a G&T before having a shower and soup for dinner. We had walked for 5 hours so got some really good exercise. Just before going to bed we found a possum munching leaves at head height in a nearby tree. This fellow was pretty tame and we could get within a metre of it.

Rain started in the early morning so we did not get up too early. We had breakfast and chatted to a French couple who were visiting their daughter who lives in Sydney. We then headed to the lighthouse to see the views. On the way home we went to Coles Bay to get a few groceries including rolls and liver pate for lunch. The afternoon was spent on our photos before having drinks and snacks with our neighbours all rugged up against the cold. We felt lazy so ended up at the local tavern for a seafood curry before retiring for the night.

Wineglass Bay

Wineglass Bay lookout

On wineglass Bay

A fern growing on Wineglass Bay beach

Wetlands between Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach

Hazards Beach

A small cove on the Hazards circuit walk

Hazards circular walk

Freycinet Peninsula