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Into the Tarkine
  • Around the World with Jan
February 2021

Into the Tarkine

Tasmania's wild west coast and the primeval forests at it's heart. Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 12, 2021
    Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    Cataract Gorge Launceston
    Newly revamped waterfront on the Tamar RiverA chilled glass of bubbles to watch the sunset

    Launceston

    February 12, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    This day has been a long time coming. I never thought that it would be more than a year without being able to travel even in my own country. It felt good to take off and head to somewhere else leaving behind all the restrictions and rules.

    Launceston has become quite a busy town since I was last here. Still a place of beautiful old buildings but lots more cars. A few more nice places to eat and a revamped waterfront where I could sit and drink a glass of bubbles while the sun set.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    Fungus of all shapes and sizes
    Who knows what lurks in here?Home for the night in StanleyThe Nut - well worth the climb

    Stanley

    February 14, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Our first taste of the nature of the Tarkine. We spent a few hours at the Tarkine Wilderness Lodge and explored an enchanted temperate rainforest, the first of many on this trip. The temperature drops as soon as you walk into the thick canopy of trees soaring into the sky.

    We saw fungus of every colour, shape and size. The trees are more than 200 years old and you half expect to see an ancient creature crash through the undergrowth to greet you.

    Our first stop for the night was the town of Stanley - a collection of beautiful well-restored old homes, many of them holiday cottages. This is where "The Light between Oceans" was filmed.

    It's the home of a rather special rock called The Nut which of course yours truly had to climb. There is a cable car but I chose to walk at 450 metre steep zigzag trail which takes you to the top. The rest is relatively flat until you loop back and walk down again. The day was sunny so the view was spectacular in every direction. There's even a small forest up there providing a bit of shade towards the end of the walk.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    Giant stones - Dip Falls
    Milkshake HillsLake ChisholmGiant driftwood, Arthur River

    Arthur River

    February 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We farewelled Stanley this morning. Our first stop was Dip Falls, a cascade waterfall over basalt pillars reminiscent of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland only black. The water looked like pieces of string cascading down the face, coloured a slight brown by the tannin in the water from the tea trees. Very spectacular.

    As we ventured again into the forest we were astounded by the size of the trees. I haven't seen anything quite like this before. After lunch we hiked up the Milkshake Hills to look down on a more Australian-looking forest with a view all the way back to Stanley, the Nut and the ocean.

    Our last walk of the day was around Lake Chisholm and then on to Arthur River and accommodation much more luxurious than I was expecting. The beach at the mouth of the river was strewn with huge trees, the biggest driftwood I've ever seen - picking my way across it was a bit of a challenge to not trip.

    A lovely meal, a beautiful sunset and we settled in for the night.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    Another forest vista
    Fungus of all shapes and sizesStunning colours in the dark forest floorMy home away from homeAnother splash of colourEvening visitors

    Corinna, Pieman River

    February 17, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ -6 °C

    Our first walk of the day today was along a windswept beach that reminded me of something out of a sci-fi movie. It was pretty wild and woolly out there are as we tried to find some petroglyphs along the edge of the water. They are fairly well hidden. Saw lots of animal tracks on the beach but no critters to speak of.

    The Balfour track was next and we once again headed into the rainforest. The temperature dropped significantly and we were once again surrounded by massive trees and every size, shape and colour of fungus you could possible imagine. Another magical place.

    Corinna is an old mining town that is now an eco-resort for want of a better word. Sitting right the forest at the end of quite a long dirt road, it's the sort of place you could spend weeks, not just a few days. The cottages were clean, comfortable and spacious. As I sat on my porch, a pademelon and her joey paid me a visit. What a beautiful spot.

    I asked the guides to leave me there and pick me up on their next trip.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    The rugged West Coast
    Conical RocksMy little cottageInto the forest

    Corinna, Pieman River

    February 18, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Today we sailed up the Pieman River to the beach for quite a long walk to the Conical Rocks.

    The coastline was pretty rugged and wild. We passed a small settlement of fisherman's houses. I couldn't imagine a more remote and wild place to live being constantly whipped by the winds the buffet the West Coast of Tasmania.

    Once again the weather was kind and it was sunny. The Conical Rocks are massive multi-coloured rock formations running down to the ocean, making it hard to get to the beach on the headland where they perch.

    It was a lovely place to sit and just enjoy.

    On the way back on the boat to Corinna we were followed by an eagle and the captain pointed out the Huon pines and the strange way that they grow sideways. They also have male and female trees.

    We finished the day with a walk through the forest that surrounds this old mining town.

    We had our final dinner together in the restaurant in the 'resort' and the food was really good - huge portions, we all struggled to finish our meals.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the TarkineAround the World with Jan
    Back into the enchanted forest
    Philosopher falls tumbles to the groundOne of the forest giantsA new life

    Launceston

    February 19, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Our first stop of the day on our way back to Launceston was Philosopher Falls. The canopy of trees overhanging the roadway provided a shady tunnel along the road as we approached the forest.

    The temperature dropped as we started the walk to the falls, dwarfed by tall tree ferns. Massive trunks of fallen trees littered the forest floor and we saw more of the amazing fungi that the forests here are known for.

    The walk to the falls was pretty easy, much of it on boardwalks to protect the underlying foliage. The steps to the falls were pretty steep but not a hard walk. We stood in silence for a while on a platform half way down the cascade to listen to the sound of the trees, the birds and the tumbling of water as it disappeared into the trees.

    Lunch was a a lovely reserve on the outskirts of town then back into the buzz of Friday afternoon traffic. Not so happy to be back in civilisation, a few more days would have been good.    Read more

    Trip end
    February 20, 2021
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