Port Sorell-Our Last Stay in Tassie

Paddymelon by the Van


Yesterday, we were supposed to leave Mt Field NP, but had both had a lousy nights sleep, it was raining and we decided to extend another night. We spent a lazy day, just taking a little walk through the tall trees. After dinner, we rugged up and walked to the falls with our torch to see the glow worms-they were a bit of a non event, but it was still fun.

Tall Trees


We drove from Mt Field NP to Port Sorell today-it's 330ks and about as far as you want to drive in Tassie towing a van. We arrived here after 6 hours of driving (with a quick stop for lunch) feeling like we'd driven double the time. We are staying 8 nights here with a late check out on the last day to keep the freezer plugged in as long as we can before we board the ferry for the trip home. I should mention that we stopped in the inevitable bakery in Ross and had THE best pies ever-Tasmanian Salmon and Brie. We both thought we'd died and gone to pie heaven. When we get into our house, I'm going to have a try at making them.

The caravan park here has 8 tourist sites and all but one have en suites. It was amazingly cheap for the 8 nights-$21.50 a night with the en suite.

We stopped on the way in Longford at the meat works and stocked up so the freezer is full to bursting for the trip home. We find it travels better like that, and good looking whole porterhouse was $9.99 a kg.

I got a lovely e-mail today offering me some work when we get home at one of my long time favourite casual jobs, TAFE canteen. I'm thrilled and it made my day.

Lake Pedder and Gordon River Dam

Today we took a drive to Lake Pedder and the Gordon River Dam. Lake Pedder (actually the little hydro town of Strathgordon is 86 ks from here (Mt Field NP) through some of the most stunning scenery we have seen in Tasmania. Parts of it are declared a world heritage wilderness, parts are state forests and therefore logged, and some are state reserves (not sure what they are!). Strathgordon had 2000 people living there at the height of the dam building. Now it has a handful of people who operate the hydro power station and a couple of touritsty things in town.

All the way, we travelled with ranges on either side of us-big granite mountains everwhere. We tried to take photos, but our camera just can't do it justice (and if I had a better camera, it would be wasted on me). It was quite misty on the way out, but the cloud burned away and it was a beautiful day after lunch.

Lake Pedder is 40km long and drowned the original Lake Pedder (causing quite a lot of controversy 40 years ago). Gordon River Dam wall is the largest of it's type in Australia at 140 metres and was amazing to see, although it was all to high for me. I'd never be able to do some of the maintenance work they are expected to do in some
of the places we saw.

Lake Pedder




Gordon River Dam


We drove 30ks down a dirt road to see the smaller Serpentine and the Scott's Peak Dams both also on Lake Pedder. It had been suggested to Russ by the ranger at the local info desk and was wonderful We drove through a couple of valleys with mountains all around us and at the Red Knoll Lookout, the mountains circled us from 4 to 40ks away.

The Road to Red Knoll


Lake Pedder from Red Knoll Lookout


On the way to Lake Pedder and home, we saw a group of logging protesters living in the forest trying to save the Florentine region from logging. It's a difficult thing when so many in Tassie rely on the logging industry, but the area is so very beautiful and worth saving.

Mt Field National Park

Land of the Giants Caravan Park Mt Field NP

I just sat down to write this when a paddymelon (a small, chunky sort of wallaby) hopped past the door of the van-right under our awning! There are lots of them around the place and heaps of a native Tasmanian bush hen that is very noisy.

We arrived here around lunch time yesterday-it's beautiful. The caravan park within the national park is tiny and there are only about 4 other vans and tents here tonight. Our site backs onto the Falls Creek and Russ has headed over there to catch himself a trout. Hahaha. He bit the bullet and bought himself three wattle grubs at $2 each, so he's pretty serious about it. I had to hold them on the way home and the slippery little suckers kept trying to escape the hanky I had then in. Probably suspected that they might be drowned soon!

Russell Falls


Yesterday after setting up and having lunch, we took a walk to the interpretive centre, then on to the falls. We have been here years ago, but I'd forgotten how pretty the walk to them is and how tall the falls actually are. They come down as a gentle veil of water over three or four tiers and are really beautiful. We walked to the top too (216 steep, slippery steps). While the top isn't so spectacular, we got a great view of the valley with a pretty rainbow over it.

From the Top of Russell Falls


It started to pour rain on the way home, so we sheltered in a hut for a while talking to a nice young WA couple.

Last night I made a really yummy dinner of sausages and cabbage braised in beer and mustard over mash. Russ wasn't too keen on the recipe, but we both loved it and it was perfect for the cold night.


Today we drove up the "steep, winding, narrow, subject to snow, ice and fallen trees" road to the ski fields 16ks from here. The road was one of the better dirt ones we have been on in Tassie and not deserving of all those dire warnings! Maybe it's a different matter in the ski season though!

Lake Dobson



We took a few short walks through the different types of forest and across an alpine peat marshe, then took a walk around the very pretty little Lake Dobson. It was just far enough for fatty boombah me and I especially loved the pandani grove with its old pines growing like gnarly old bonsai off the rocks and the mosses and lichen hanging off the trees. The pandani were suprisingly tall-much more so than we see them in the tropics. We stopped and gave a young Israeli couple a lift to the bottom car park on the way home.

Hops About to be Harvested at Bushy Park


After a lunch of home made soup and toast, we drove back out the way we came yesterday to towards New Norfolk through the hop fields. They are quite vast (the biggest in Aus) and produce tons and tons of hops for beer. There are remains of kilns, oasts, big storage sheds and a water wheel on the River Styx. They were owned by one family originally and 30 houses remain on the properties. The hop farmers also grow black currants, raspberries and sheep.

Right now, Russ is home after drowning one $2 wattle grub and catching no trout (he saw about six "rise" though) but they wouldn't take the bait. He's consoling himself with a glass of wine while he cooks us a green Thai fish curry.

Bruny Island

Monday we took the 11 o'clock ferry to Bruny Island. It's about or 5ks from Kettering across the channel and Russ has wanted to go for years.

I enjoyed the day out but think I was a bit tired of driving after our trip down south the day before. If you were to ask me which of the two days I preferred, I would have to say I got more from going to the end of the road on the Sunday.

Bruny Island Light House


Bruny Island has about 100ks of sealed road (and plenty of unsealed stuff) and you get spectacular views of the d'Entrecasteaux channel and Southern Ocean from various lookouts but a number of things (the smokehouse and cheesery were two I wanted to go to) were shut on Mondays and lunch at the White Wallaby Cafe was a bit forgettable.

D'Entrecasteaux Channel from Bruny's Highest Point


Presbyterian Church Bruny Island


We paid $12 for a burger and salad (no chips) and got an un toasted stale roll, a nasty, previously frozen patty and an odd salad with diced carrot in it on the other half of the roll. It filled a hole.

Cloudy Bay Bruny Island



Yesterday we stayed home and went out fishing. We caught 13 flathead (Russ caught most of them) and I caught two squid. Our freezer is full to bursting with fillets now.

Today we went into Hobart as Target were having a home wares sale. We bought some sheets for the new house (if we ever get to move in) and some sandals for Russ. We stopped at Banjos in Margate and had a coffee and a couple of fresh hot cross buns on the house as thanks for taking the time to write and complain about our experience at breakfast on Sunday. We were offered another free breakfast, but don't eat that many cooked breakfasts in one week! The owner spent AGES talking to us about staff and problems with them (and his holiday shack on Bruny!) We had a light lunch in Hobart, then shopped in Kingston before heading home here to Snug.

Tomorrow we are moving to Mt Field National Park for three days and I'm not sure if we will have TV, Internet or phone. We couldn't go today as I'd miss the Farmer Wants a Wife! After that, we plan to spend our last week and a bit on the North coast-Port Sorell perhaps.

South of South!

Tassie has turned the weather on once again; it's been beautiful for the past few days.

Native Oysters in the Snug River (where we launch the boat)

We spent Friday and Saturday fishing. On Saturday we did more touring in the boat leaving here and crossing the bay (about 9km) to Bruny Island then back to Tinderbox and home. Russ estimates we did about 20km. Naturally we stopped to fish and caught ourselves 12 flathead and a barracuda for bait. A seal spent about an hour fishing and sunning himself close by and we were amazed to see him catch something (a squid we think) and play with it like a cat with a mouse as he ate it. We are sure we'd have caught more fish if he hadn't been around.

Yesterday was a really calm day on the water so we boated the 6 ks over to Tinderbox and caught ourselves 9 flathead, one red gurnard perch and I managed to catch us two good sized squid. We have realised the squid here are quite different to SA and WA-much more slender and arrow shaped, with shorter, stubbier tentacles that make better bait. They are tricky little devils to catch as I reckon they are thinking fish! The nature lesson for the day was to see two fairy penguins swimming along across the bay. We both initially thought they were ducks, but quickly realised they were penguins-another amazing sight.

Today we had brunch at Banjos in Margate. We've breakfasted at Banjos before in Latrobe and really, really enjoyed it, but today I don't think they wanted to serve breakfast (only one menu and that was hidden) and the dining room was quite dirty so I wrote to the company tonight! After brunch, we headed down south once again. We've been to Huonville twice just recently but I love the drive through the orchards and wineries and along the river.

Huon River


This time we headed further south. In Ida River, Russ wanted to turn back, but I wanted to go the whole way as we've been to the most westerly and the most easterly points in Australia. Russ gave in and we headed to through Catamaran to Cockle Creek, the most southerly point we can drive to in Australia. We passed such milestones as the most southerly pub, the most southerly caravan park and my favourite, the most southerly B&B. I would love to buy the property on the southern side of that and start my own......

Cockle Creek




At the END OF THE ROAD (Cockle Creek), we visited the tiny tip of the Southwest National Park (a huge NP that covers about a massive amount of Tasmania with much of it designated a wilderness area and world heritage listed). We took a short walk to Fishers Point with its Southern Right Whale calf sculpture.

Fishers Point





Cockle creek was a busy whaling station with a big logging industry until the trees and whales ran out! Now it's biggest claim to fame is being the end of that road. We came home along some wonderful back roads wherever we could for great views of D'entrecasteaux Channel, Bruny Island and Huon River. Leaving Huonville, we hit rain and thick fog (at 5 pm) which made for a slow drive home.

My International Tooth

Last year crossing the Nullabor, my tooth fell to bits. I finally got to see an English dentist in Albany and had it re-built. Up north in WA, it fell to bits again and a delightful Canadian woman fixed it for me back in Perth. Yesterday it fell to bits again so a nice young Kiwi "boy" had a crack at it this afternoon.

It has a pin and huge filling in it now, but it gave him plenty of grief getting it anywhere near to a point we were both happy with! The filling fell to bits the first time he took the metal clamp off and asked me to "bite lightly" on it, so he had to change the filling stuff and refill half of it. It took forever and he said if I wasn't happy to come back. I actually "came back" from reception for him to smooth some more off it.

He had quoted me $230 and only charged me $190 for it all-the receptionist was implying how very lucky I was as it had been a super long consultation-I was sore and snappy and pointed out it was only because the filling disintergrated and we had to do it again that I was getting the discount. I suspect it may fall out again, pin or no pin.

A repeat of last year's wedding anniversary present when I had a trip to the dentist on almost the same day.

We just went and booked four more nights in Snug-bringing the total to 14. It's a lovely place and we still haven't been to Bruny Island, down to Dover and beyond and we haven't toured the rest of the bay. Russ bought me a new fishing reel while I was in the dentist (an anniversary present) so I want to try that out too.

Southern Forests

Arve River Picnic Ground


This morning we drove from here to Sandfly, then on to Huonvale and down the other side of the Huon River (to yesterday's drive). It's a really pretty area with lots of apples, stone fruits and veg growing and being offered for sale in little road side stalls. I think it's the most like the Tasmania many people would imagine. The river has lots of fish farms and a few factories and heaps of yachts moored in the little bays.

At Geeveston, we headed to the Southern Forests. We drove out to a pretty spot called Lookout Lookin for a brief walk through the temperate rain forest with its tall trees, tree ferns and mosses.

It was just on 12 o'clock so we decided to drive the 7 ks back into Geeveston and have lunch so we could actually enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Geeveston is a bit limited for eateries, but as usual, there was a bakery. Today being St Pat's day and the owner of the place being Irish, it and the staff were decked out in green, and Beef and Guinness was the pie of the day. We decided to get into the spirit and order a couple of the pies which were delicious-the best filling in a pie we've had in Tasmania. They were offering green coffees too-but we weren't quite THAT spirited!

Arve River Picnic Ground


After lunch, we went back and stopped next at the Arve River picnic ground where we took another short walk along the river and through the forest.

Hartz NP





Then on to Hartz National Park. It's a beautiful drive up into the Alpine region which we've decided we love in Tasmania. The mountains, rock and plants are more dramatic than the gentler farming land. We took a lovely walk to the Arve River Waterfall across the alpine field; the area is covered with water that gently runs downwards to the Arve, gradually getting bigger and bigger until it rushes and drops 500 metres down from the plateau to once again become the gentle little river at the picnic ground below.

Arve Waterfall (The Top)


For most of the walk to the falls, we were the only ones there. A couple of couples walked in as we were leaving, but I don't think many people visit.

The Big Tree


We stopped at the Big Tree after that. It's the biggest tree by weight in Australia-it's not the tallest and keeps losing its top in wind and storms, but is still a massive thing. I should point out that you can't see about 15 more metres of it in the photo and I think a large family could live in the base of it-the photos just can't show the immense size of it.

We met a couple at the tree who are from near Wonthaggi in Vic and after talking to them about mum and dad coming form there (dad was born in Jetho, they lived in Loch and Wonthaggi) we got onto names. I said dad and mum had bred dogs and it turned out the woman's sister had bought dad's last breeding dog Dooley who just died at a very old age! The man had been a livestock carrier and knew mum and dad's neighbour Allan Bramstedt REALLY well too-it's such a small world.

The Big Butt


We went on the the end of the road and the Sky Walk, but decided not to pay the $22 each so late in the day and headed home. We shopped in Huonvale Woolies for a few things and got home just on 6 pm; what a great day out.

Waratah Lookout

Monday

Woodbridge Supermarket


We did some much needed grocery shopping at Woolworths in Kingston on Monday morning, also got a few things at Big W (tent pegs, a tarp, sinkers etc), then came home for lunch. After lunch we took a drive around the channel highway which follows the D'Entrecasteaux Channel to Verona Sands, then goes up into Huonvale alongside the Huon River. It is a stunning drive with water views the whole way and although it was a bit cold and windy we really enjoyed it.

The Lady Nelson


At the quaint little village of Woodbridge we watched the training ship The Lady Nelson crash into (and break) the Jetty as the TRAINED CREW!! docked her. Not very far down the road, we stopped and freed a big black horse from a fence he had himself caught in. He'd obviously been there a while judging by the poo around his feet!

We bought apples in Huonvale and picked blackberries on the road. At Huonvale, we turned back to Woodstock and went over some great hilly country through Pelvatara and and Sandfly then home through Margate. It was a fabulous afternoon out.

Blair and Leah in Snug

Snug Waterfall


Blair and Leah arrived in Snug around 7.30 on Thursday night. We cooked dinner here at the van for us all and then took it to their cabin to eat-mostly because management asks you not to cook fish in the cabins. We made the Parmesan and pistachio crumbed flathead we'd cooked for ourselves a couple of weeks ago.

On Friday, we skipped breakfast and went to the Margate Tavern for an early lunch. Russ and Blair had a couple of terrific hamburgers with chips and salad for $7 each; Leah had fish and chips and I had crispy buttermilk chicken over Caesar Salad.

Blair had to do a few hours work, so Russ Leah and I took a drive around Snug and then went to the Snug waterfall for a walk. Waterfall walks are either to the top of the falls or to the bottom. This was down a very steep and quite slippery track, so I gave up and walked back up after a kilometre while Leah and Russ went on to the bottom. They tell me it got extremely steep and slippery so I'm glad I had the sense to walk back or I reckon I'd have had to be medi-vacced out! Friday night we had a BBQ here at the van.

Saturday, Blair and Russell went out fishing, catching 9 flathead while Leah and I sat around the cabin chatting. It was a lovely relaxing day. Blair's not that keen on fishing, but it's a pretty spot and he caught a few, so I think he actually really enjoyed it.

Suburb of Lindisfarne-Opposite Michell and Ben's Place


A Three Minute Walk to the Water Taxi


On Saturday night we taxied into Hobart to Michelle and Ben's place then took a water taxi across the harbour to Salamanca Place and dinner out. The water taxi cost us $7 a head and was fantastic. When the owner/driver realised we were visiting, he stopped under the bridge to show us where it came down after the Illawarra hit it and stopped right where the Illawarra wreck lies. The water was calm and it was a great experience. After a couple of drinks at a pub by the wharf, we went to a modern Italian restaurant (excellent) the to another great pub for another couple of drinks before catching a taxi home. Blair and Leah shouted us the evening for our birthdays and anniversary this week.

Tasman Bridge From the Water Taxi

Yesterday we lunched at the Cascade brewery. Blair and I chose the hamburgers-$23 for the smallest burger ever, a small delicious salad, a tiny dish of beetroot raita and a spicy tzatziki. Not related to the generous and cheap burger eaten at Margate! The meat patty as Cascade was THE best burger I have ever eaten, but the price sort of spoiled it especially when there wasn't a chip in sight.

Cascade Brewery



We left there and drove about 15ks to the chocolate factory (but it was closed) then went to the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition back at the wharf. That was really interesting-it was models created from his sketches.

Last night we had a seafood feast. Blair had brought us a 1 1/2 kg lobster, so the dealt with that while I cooked creamy garlic prawns and scallops, Russ cooked crumbed fish (caught by him and Blair), calamari (caught by him and me)and made oyster patties from wild oysters Blair got off the rocks here in Snug. I don't honestly believe you could get better or fresher in any restaurant. We had baked potatoes and a nice salad with it but really the seafood was the star.

Blair and Leah left at 7 this morning. The first two days of their stay were probably the best continuous weather we've experienced in Tassie-perfect Autumn days. It broke up a bit after that and Russ estimated we had about 2 inches of rain on Saturday night and 3/4 inch on Sunday night. It was still pleasant at times during those days too though.

Russ's Birthday

Another birthday celebrated travelling-it's amazing to think where we have been on each of our birthdays over the last three years. Yesterday Russ turned 63 and we spent the day moving from Richmond to Snug. It was one of my favourite sort of moves; short and sharp and over in under an hour as we only had to travel 70ks from one side of Hobart to the other.

Mt Wellington


We arrived here around 11am and quickly set up, had lunch, organised the boat and got out fishing around 1.30. The water was so calm it would have been criminal not to and we managed to bring home 12 good sized flathead which we will cook for Blair and Leah tonight.

Tenders at Margate


I cooked a couple of delicious eye fillet steaks topped with a seafood sauce and served them with smashed potatoes and veg for a lovely birthday dinner last night. It was especially nice to be able to enjoy the evening outside cooking with a glass of wine in hand-something we haven't wanted to do on the cooler nights latley.


This morning, the weather was nicer and the water even calmer than yesterday so we got out early for a cruise around some of the bay Snug is situated on-we saw about 15ks of the coastline. We can't help ourselves, so stopped and caught 6 flathead that we'll pack and freeze shortly. We have Blair and Leah arriving later today, so that will put paid to the fishing for a few days and the weather is supposed to turn a bit nasty too. We are booked here for 11 nights though, so I'm sure we'll get out there amongst those flathead again. I also live in hope of catching a fish farm escapee-the atlantic salmon often escape apparently. Mmmm salmon!

A Pretty Spot to Fish


The caravan park is right on the beach and we have an espcially nice site as sites go. Close, but not too close to the ablutions block and camp kitchen, and plenty of room for us, the car and boat. I met a woman in Coles Bay who told me this was one of the cleanest parks in Tasmania and I think she's right; it's a credit to the owners or managers (or whatever they are)

Wendy and Paul

Monday we drove out to Seven Mile Beach then on to Opossum Bay-it's on the other side of the bay from Kingston and Snug and is very pretty. The last little town on the point (Opossum Bay)is like a step back in time with tiny holiday houses jammed together on the sand dune right on the beach. I'd say very little has changed in 50 or 60 years. As the point is surrounded by water and it was a nice day and public holiday, we saw heaps of yachts and various boats out in the waterways.

Roaring Beach



We came home for a latish lunch and just lounged around until it was time to go out for dinner with Wendy and Paul. They are a lovely couple who our friends Dave and Julie put us in touch with. They have taken a year off work and are travelling around Australia in their van. Like us, they were complete novices at this when they started out a couple of months agao, but are settled in and loving it. The night went so fast as we all seemed to have so much to say and the waitress who took our photos couldn't beileve we had never met until just outside her restaurant that night. It might have been some of the worst Chinese any of us has eaten, but it was a night I'll think about often!

Dinner with Paul and Wendy


Today we drove to Sorell, then Cambridge and finally Hobart looking for a tyre place. In desperation, we stopped at a garage and he sent us to the one they buy from. The tyre was fitted and we were on our way in 20 minutes. He (the tyre fitter) is worried our "stub axle" might be bent after hitting a kerb in Launceston when we were lost on the steepest, windiest piece of road we and the van had ever been on. Bummer if it is!

After another late lunch, we went downtown here and took some photos of the famous bridge then went to the Old Richmond Goal for a wander around. It was really interesting but I walked out promising I'd never be so naughty I could end up in prison! What a hard life those convicts led.

Richmond Goal