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Tasmania 2023
  • Michelle Creasy
Oct – Nov 2023

Tasmania 2023

Tasmania and a few nights in Melbourne Read more
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  • Trip start
    October 20, 2023
    Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Salt lakes in WA
    Off the coast of EsperanceFlying above the cloudsWind farm in VictoriaMy roomView from my window

    Tight Transit Times

    October 20, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Today was a travel day. I originally booked Perth to Hobart direct but Qantas changed the itinerary to Perth - Melbourne - Hobart with 45 minutes transit time in Melbourne. When asked the Qantas customer service representative told me I only needed 40 minutes to transit in Melbourne. No worries then!
    I booked business class using points and it was lovely. It’s the first time I’ve travelled business domestically and I could get used to it.
    Had a few panicky minutes when it came time to board. My ticket was flagged “unable to board”. After confirming I wasn’t staff or from an earlier cancelled flight I was told my entertainment system didn’t work. I had to reassure them twice that it was okay and I’d still get on the flight. I had my iPad but hadn’t brought headphones so spent the flight reading, looking out the window and messaging a couple of friends. I’m sure the pointy end gets there quicker as the flight went quite quickly.

    We were late leaving Perth but early reaching Melbourne airspace. We were put in a holding pattern and landed 20 minutes late. I was stressing as the arrival gate was basically as far as it could be from the arrival gate. I was first in line to get off the plane which is unusual for me, I usually let everyone walk past. Then there was a problem with the gangway or whatever it is called. Another 5 minutes while that was sorted out. The plane staff member waiting to let us off the plane said there were 50 of us transiting to Hobart so I calmed down. I arrived at the gate as boarding started.

    We ended up leaving half an hour late and after a quick flight I landed in Hobart at 9pm. I opted to take the Skybus into the city as they said they could drop me at my accommodation (it’s not a standard stop). When I looked at my ticket he’d charged me as a senior! Not sure whether the stress of the day was showing or he was being kind.

    A friend has just pointed out that Tasmania is expecting some wild weather this weekend so my plans may be all in disarray. I’m sure whatever I end up doing it will be good.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Some of the different foods at the Salamanca Markets
    Alcohol and honey at the Salamanca MarketsBoat at the Brook st PierWalk to Cascades Female FactoryOn the walk to the Female FactoryPhoto of the church at the Female Factory showing where it was.The reports of the behaviour of the women on the ships on the way to Tasmania was reported.2Washroom at the Female Factory2Last huskies from AntarticaMawson's Hut Replica2Tasman BridgeSalamance markets purchases2Wallaby, cheese and crackers

    Tours of Hobart

    October 21, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    The forecast was for 20-40mm of rain today but up until about 4pm when I was walking back to the hotel it was mostly just drizzle.

    I started the day at the Salamanca Markets. Visiting the markets was the reason I arrived on a Friday. There was lots of Tasmanian produce but a large proportion was alcohol (gin and whisky) and honey. I did make some purchases - flavoured salts and some goats cheese.

    The markets were followed by the hop on hop off bus. Fortunately there weren’t many people on the bus as it was too wet to sit upstairs in the open. I got off at the Cascades Brewery and walked down to the Cascades Female Factory. The walk was very pretty. I made it just in time for a tour. It was fascinating and sobering at the same time. Women, and poor women in particular as well as their children were not treated well in Van Diemen’s land. There isn’t much left of the actual buildings but they’ve done a great job with recreating the atmosphere of the site.

    I was back in the city about 1:40pm and had looked at several options for what to do next. My first two choices weren’t running (perhaps due to the weather) but a boat tour of the harbour had availability. I had some time so went around the corner to the replica of Mawson’s hut. The 1911-14 expedition left from across the road of the replica hut. This was also quite a sobering experience but did justice to the men who took part in the expedition.

    The harbour cruise was interesting, we went north under the Tasman bridge and around a few bays. I may have seen a fur seal. The tour leader pointed it out on some rocks however he was at the front of the boat and we were at the back so it took a little while for us to go past it. He did say it was blending into the rock so I’m still not sure whether what I saw was a seal or a rock.

    On our return I headed back to Salamanca Place and took a look at the Tassel Salmon shop but didn’t find anything interesting enough to purchase. I went around the corner to pick up something for dinner. Going out for dinner was originally in the plan but I was tired and the rain is expected to get worse so eating in seemed the better option. I did purchase some smoked wallaby. Tasmania is the only place you can legally prepare Wally for human consumption. It was nice, very similar to other smoked meats. I definitely recommend it.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Farm Gate Market produce
    First glimpse of kununyi/Mt Wellington1Church at Fern TreeOn the way upOn the way up1At the pinnacle looking south of HobartAt the pinnacle looking north of HobartThe black disc maeks the actual peak1Looking toward HobartYacht "Westward" winner of 2 Sydney to Hobart yacht racesThe May Queen had a working life of 106 yearsYacht Matilda, one of the oldest preserved fishing boats in the worldSt Daid's Cathedral bell towerSt David's Cathedral1Lunch and dinner1Bells of St David's Cathedral

    Up the mountain and around the town

    October 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Today started with a trip to the Farm Gate Markets. They were literally around the corner from where I’m staying. They are more my kind of markets than the Salamanca markets. Everything has to be grown, produced or made by the stall holders. I bought some slow cooked beef, various small goods, sauerkraut, seeded crackers, and cheese.

    After putting all the shopping away I headed back to the Brooke st Pier to catch the bus to kunanyi/Mt Wellington. It was a lovely drive of about 45 minutes. There were some gorgeous rhododendrons in gardens on the way up. I’m glad I didn’t try and drive up myself. The road is quite narrow and very windy. The driver was very informative and had lots of stories.

    The view on the way up and up at the top was fantastic. It was cold but a bracing cold and not unbearable. I was really lucky with the weather as it was a fine day, unlike yesterday which drizzled all night and a storm came through during the night. One of the buildings on the waterfront was hit by lightning and a fire started. We couldn’t see Cradle Mountain but we could still see pretty far.

    I had a late lunch at the hotel after returning and then had a rest. I’m reading a book set in Hobart in the 1880s and some of the characters live at the Springs partway up Mt Wellington. Today really put a lot of that in context although I can’t imagine regularly walking into Hobart from halfway up the mountain. There is a half marathon “Point to Pinnacle” that operates in November. The runners run from the Wrest Point Casino to the top of the mountain. We saw some people possibly training for that on our way up.

    I got a bit sidetracked by the book (to the surprise of no one who knows me well) and it was close to three before I got going again. I went down to the shopping precinct to buy some sunglasses as I left mine at home. I don’t wear them all that much but will need them for upcoming boat trips. I wandered around looking for the cat and the fiddle clock that is in the area. I found the arcade but not the actual clock despite going round in circles several times.

    Back to the hotel for a shower and then down to the Drunken Admiral for a seafood dinner. I had kingfish sashimi followed buy salmon in tomato, capers and olives. I can tick eat salmon in Tasmania off my to do list.
    I walked around the port looking at restored yachts and reading the various information signs. I could hear church bells in the distance that had been going to a while. I tracked them down to St David’s Cathedral. Apparently there was a visiting band who were playing. It was very loud as you got close.

    I pick up my hire car tomorrow and start exploring the rest of the island.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Russell Falls
    Site of Austin's Ferry in Hobart outskirtsWillow Court - old insane asylum New NorfolkRhododendron bush at Salmon PondsExample of trout fishing shackRainbow trout - see the flashes of pinkSalmon PondsTrout fishing museum at Salmon PondsWalk to Russell FallsWalk to Russell FallsRussell FallsRussell FallsWalk back from Russell FallsLookout on way to Lake DobsonView feom my window in MaydenaTyenna river in MaydenaFriendly horse i found in my walk. She was very disappointed I didn't have any food for her.View at sunset from the paddock behind my cottage.

    Leaving Hobart

    October 23, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The driving portion of my trip started today. I was allocated a MG ZS. It’s very roomy and nice to drive. The windscreen wipers and indicators are on the opposite side but it didn’t take as long as I thought to get used to that.

    I’m heading clockwise around the island, not really going south of Hobart. There’s a lot I’m not going to get to see but there’s a lot I will see. I wanted to drive across the Tasman bridge so set google maps for a Woollies on the other side of the river. I wanted to pick up a few things, I could only only find some as it was a very small Woollies. I found the important stuff though. I then followed the Derwent river basically to New Norfolk. It was a pretty drive and followed the river very closely. I crossed back over the river at New Norfolk. It’s is one of the older towns in Tasmania and has quite a few Antique shops as well as the Australia’s longest continuously running insane asylum. I wandered around the outside of the insane asylum and then through the town.

    A few minutes down the road is Salmon Ponds on the river Plenty. It’s was started as a salmon and trout hatchery. Given salmon are migratory they thought they’d come back to spawn but they didn’t so it evolved into a trout hatchery and still runs as such. I had lunch there - smoked salmon salad. I suspect it’s the same smoked salmon I can buy at the supermarkets in Perth but it was still good. Each pond has a different type of trout (one has Atlantic salmon). It was really interesting and I took some fish food so could see them come to the surface. They also had a trout fishing museum. Not somewhere that I would necessarily stop to visit but interesting enough.

    Time was moving along so I headed along to Russell Falls which was the main goal of the day. They were amazing. A reasonably short walk from the visitor centre. The environment was very damp and cool. I then took a drive towards Dobson Lake as it had a couple of sightseeing points up the mountain. The sign said it the road wasn’t suitable for caravans, motor homes or coaches so I thought I’d be fine. Yeah nah. The road was very narrow and rutted in places. The first viewing site was 5kms into the 15km drive and I turned around there. Luckily I did stop there as while I was taking photos two vehicles passed me heading down. I would have met them on the way if I hadn’t stopped. The view was amazing but I’ll be more prudent in future.

    I’m staying in Maydena tonight. A little weatherboard cottage with a much better view than my hotel in Hobart.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    River Ouse
    Meadowbank LakeThe Wall in the WildernessLake St ClairJetty and (tiny) ferry at Lake St ClairLake St ClairLakeside walk at Lake St ClairBoat ramp at Lake St ClairForrest at Lake St ClairLake St ClairLake St ClairMountains in Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. I've forgot the names.Lake Burbury

    Highland Lakes and Wild Weather

    October 24, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 6 °C

    I’ve driven less than 300km today but it feels like so much further. I’ve read so much about how you can’t use the distance to judge driving times and the roads are very windy but it was the constant concentration needed that took me by surprise. I was regularly doing 20-40km/hr under the posted limit. Fortunately there was a lot of traffic in either direction. A couple of times this morning I pulled over to let other vehicles pass me rather than sit behind me. It was not only going up and down mountains but the zigzagging as I drove that added to the physical and mental concentration.

    I didn’t have any firm plans for today other than drive to Strahan and maybe do a walk at Lake St Clair.
    The main area I travelled through is known as Highland Lakes and there were lots and lots of lakes. All so pretty and some formed through the hydro electricity projects.
    I stopped at the The Wall in the Wildness just before Derwent Bridge. It’s a wall of carved wood panels depicting Tasmanian history, heritage and culture. The work is incredible. No photos from the inside as we were requested not to take photos.

    Lake St. Clair was next up. They had a short walk in the forrest that I had half planned on doing. While I had some lunch the weather really picked up with some rain and lots of wind. At the visitor centre I was advised not to do the walk through the forrest due to the severe weather warning. I opted to do a walk along the lakeside instead. The wind and the waves made a lot of noise. I was glad I wasn’t walking from Cradle mountain to lake St Clair as many who end up there do. After the walk I did go and take a look at the beginning of the forrest walks. Listening to the wind and the creaking trees I was glad I took the advice to do the lake walk.

    I then headed to Queenstown, stopping and various lookouts on the way. I stopped at lake Burbury and the wind there was intense.
    The winding road leading into Queenstown was the most extreme of the day.
    I did a quick shop in Queenstown and got some fuel. I’m aiming to fill up when I get to half a tank as I can’t rely on fuel always being available. Cheap Tuesday isn’t a thing in Tasmania, I paid $2.18/L.
    I got into Strahan after 6, had a look around the harbour and then came to the accommodation. Very glad I picked up supplies for dinner as the weather has picked up and I’m quite happy to stay in. The next few days the weather is not great but I think that’s just travel I’m Tasmania.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Gordon River
    View from my seat at the beginning of the dayBonnet Island at the harbour entranceEntrance to harbourFish pensOn Sarah IslandNew penitentiary on Sarah IslandSite of ship building on Sarah IslandWorld Heritage Cruise boat at Sarah IslandGordon RiverGordon RiverHuon PineBoardwalk at Heritage LandingLaurel (?) treeBoardwalk at Heritage LandingHeritage LandingDifferent types of wood found in the areaCharacters in The Ship That Never WasThe Ship That Never WasSunset at Ocean Beach

    Gordon River Explorations

    October 25, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    It was a very wet and cold morning this morning. I had booked the World Heritage Cruise down the Gordon River. It wasn’t the ideal day for it but still a great experience.

    We went out to the entrance of the Macquarie Harbour through Hell’s Gates before heading back down the harbour. While the sky was very grey the rain was sporadic and fairly light. That seems to be the rain in Tasmania, frequent but light.
    We stopped at Sarah Island which was a secondary penal colony (you got sent there if you committed crimes as a convict). Not the finest point of Tasmanian history. Even putting aside the 21st century lens I’m viewing the history through the first 7 years of the colony were extremely brutal. It was a small island for a colony and I’m keen to read more about it. We continued towards the end of the harbour and into the Gordon River, learning about the history, the significance of the Huon pines and the threat of the Franklin Dam.

    We got off again at Heritage Landing and saw examples of the various trees in a cool rainforest and learnt more about the life of the Toogee people of the area. It was a long day but thoroughly worth it.

    This evening I attended a performance of The Ship That Never Was. I hadn’t realised it relied heavily on audience participation until I was speaking to the woman I sat next to on the boat. All I knew was it was heavily recommended. The two things to do in Strahan are the Gordon River cruise and The Ship That Never Was. I thought if I sat up the back I’d be safe. The play is performed in an outdoor but protected amphitheater. It was cold. So cold. They provided blankets and hand hot water bottles.
    The bloke next to me and I were the first two audience members to be chosen to participate. All we had to do was be booed at. If you’ve been there I’m sure you know the role I was cast in. The two cast members are extremely good at reading people as they seemed to make great choices for each character. It was a great experience and highly recommended.

    After the play I went out to Ocean Beach to see the sunset. It was obscured by clouds but still a nice view.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Walk to Hogarth Falls
    1Botanical Creek on the way to Hogarth FallsBotany CreekHogarth FallsHogarth Falls1Hogarth Falls1Bottom of Hogarth FallsRoute to Hogarth FallaSnow capped mountain on the way to QueenstownLooking down from path to Horsetail FallsHorsetail Falls1Mountain Bike trail from Horsetail FallsMt Owen from QueenstownSchool of mines, ZeehanGaitey Theatre ZeehanPost office Zeehan

    Snow Capped Mountains and Waterfalls

    October 26, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    A more relaxed start to the day today as I didn’t have any firm plans. I started with a walk to Hogarth Falls in Strahan. It was a nice walk through the bush to the falls. While not as magnificent as Russell Falls they were still pretty good. The path there follows Botanical Creek. The water is brown due to tannins from button grass which is in the catchment area.
    On the way back I think a saw a live pademelon. I’ve seen plenty of roadkill including a wombat but no live mammals. Initially I thought it was a wallaby but googling suggested it was more likely to be a pademelon due to its size. It was on the path as I came around a corner but soon took off.

    Next stop was Horsetail Falls out of Queenstown. On the way I could see snow on the tops of the mountains. On the walk to the falls I met two men from the area who confirmed the weather is very unseasonable. The path was on the side of a mountain and it was really cold. Probably the coldest I’ve been so far and that is saying something. The area has regenerated over the last 20 years or more. The side of the mountain used to be known as the Moonscape as it was so barren. Many of the old mining and forestry towns are rebranding as mountain biking attractions.

    After some lunch in Queenstown I headed up to Zeehan. It’s a beautiful old mining town with some beautiful buildings. I was too late to visit the museum but hopefully I’ll get there on Saturday. I wandered into a second hand shop and had a lovely chat with the lady there. She also confirmed the weather was unseasonably cold. Both this woman and the men I met commented on my coat thinking I’d purchased it in Tasmania. I actually bought it before my trip to Europe in 2016 so I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth.

    A drive back to Strahan for an early dinner before coming back to the accommodation to make a quiche for tomorrow night. I’ll be back late as I’m doing a sunset tour and will want something quick.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Strahan railway station
    Queenstown railway stationGalley Museum1Iron Blow LookoutOld Linda HotelYellow rockSome of the many bends heading into QueenstownPea flowers(?) at the lookoutMt Owen from the lookoutGravel footy ovalParagon theatreParagin theatre - inside1Looking down on Lake BurburyView from Mt Owen1Lake BurburySunset from Mt Owen looking towards the ocean1Telecommuting tower on Mt Owen2Heading back down the mountain

    Queenstown - Mining Town

    October 27, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Today originally was planned to take the West Coast Heritage Railway from Strahan to Queenstown but the track is still undergoing the maintenance from the winter closure. Instead I started down at the Strahan railway station and took a look at the museum there. Back to my accommodation to hang out some washing then into Queenstown. Had some lunch and took a look at the Queenstown railway station. From there I went to the Galley Museum which has 19 rooms of stuff ranging from mining to every day living. I’m sure they’ve never said no to a donation and most of it has been there from the 80s with tiny typewritten explanations for the photos. Other parts had no information at all. It was interesting though. I was starting to build a picture of the copper mine and the impact it had on the community.

    I went out east of Queenstown to the Iron Blow lookout which is the site of the original copper mine. The lookout is a boardwalk out over the mine, quite disconcerting. Great views though. Then to Linda to see the burnt out hotel.

    Back in Queenstown I went up to the Spion Kopf lookout. It was quite a steep walk up but gave great views of the town.

    The Paragon Theatre is showing a film about the Franklin Dam blockade. It’s told by the son of one one of the demonstrators and gives a great overview of the situation. Bob Brown features quite heavily and it was interesting to here from him.

    Once the film finished I had booked a 4x4 tour of Mt Owen, one of mountains that tours over the town. I was the only one on the tour. It was half price because the government had provided funding as there has been a downturn in tourism due to the railway not running. The railway is a government initiative. So that worked out for me. I did wonder if it would be just me and the driver but wasn’t sure about that from an OSH point of view. One of the other employees and her partner also came along. I wasn’t sure if the partner was a tourist or not but when insisted I sit in the front I assumed I was the only paying guest.

    The tour was fantastic. Mt Owen is just out of town and is home to the Horsetail falls and various mountain bike tracks. The 4x4 is more for the incline of the road as it is all bitumenised although they’ve just redone a very steep part of it which had been quite rutted and one of the other employees had declined to drive up there. The views were great. I could see the Macquarie harbour (Strahan was hidden), the Southern Ocean, Cradle Mountain, Frenchman’s peak, Mt Dundas and lots of other peaks I don’t remember the name of. We could also hear the sound of the melted snow running off the mountain.
    The copper mine used pyritic smelting of the ore to get the copper. This lead to sulphur being released into the atmosphere and the heavy rainfall lead to sulphur getting into the soil. What trees weren’t felled for the timber died from the acid rain. The oval in the town is gravel because you couldn’t grow grass there. I saw several reference to “gravel not grass” regarding the local football team.
    The pyritic smelting stopped around 1970 and the environment is gradually recovering. There is reed grass and small bushes at the top and we saw two lots of two bonnet’s wallabies on the way down the mountain.

    Cloud did get in the way of the sunset but the bright moon in the opposite direction made up for it. That cloud will apparently bring 20mm of rain from midday tomorrow. I’ll be gone by then.
    I’m glad I did the tour as it was nice to chat to a local who and a lot of information. We got back to the Paragon Theatre (they run both the theatre and tours) after 8:30 (sunset was 7:55) and by the time I got going it was 9pm. It took me 50 minutes to drive back to Strahan. I only met one vehicle coming the other way - there hasn’t been a lot of traffic on the roads anywhere - and I saw just two wallabies, both safely on the side of the road and showing no interest in crossing the road.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Wee Georgie Woods steam train
    1Model of a mine at West Coast Heritage Centre1West Coast Heritage CentreWest Coast Heritage CentreStitts Falls1Stitts Falls1Macintosh LakeFrom lookout on Black Bluff RangeLooking from lookout on Black Bluff Range1Looking from lookout on Black Bluff Range1Echidna1Wombat

    Steam train and nocturnal animals

    October 28, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I’m currently at my accommodation at Cradle Mountain. I’m doing a night spotting tour at 8:30pm so thought I’d make a start on this rather than leaving it all until after I get back.

    I went from Strahan to Zeehan to start with. I went to the West Coast Heritage Centre which has a lot of information in it. Mainly mining and history of the area. I’d not realised just how much mining went on and still goes on in Tasmania before I visited. I could have spent much longer there but I restricted myself to just an hour or so.

    Next up was Tullah although I did stop in Rosebery to look at the Stitts falls. They were pretty but minor compared to the others I’ve seen. Rosebery has an operating mine which is mainly zinc and lead. The infrastructure is very visible.
    Tullah has a steam train (a relic from the mining days) that only operates two weekends a month. Fortunately this weekend is one of those weekends. So while I missed the west coast railway in Strahan/Queenstown I did get a train ride.
    I timed my arrival to find the train at the station although we had to wait for the driver to finish his lunch. The ticket seller was making everyone toasties.
    The trip was quite short but interesting. There was only one other passenger on the way down plus a volunteer. The other passenger knew enough to ask interesting questions so I just listened to the conversation. At the turn around we pick up two blokes who had stopped to look at the train. The volunteer offered them a ride. They had to walk back though as the volunteers were worried about a bearing and I think this trip was going to be the last of the day. They were planning to replace the bearing tonight.

    I picked up some lunch and had it at Macintosh dam. The wind really started to pick up while I was there. Most of the day I’d gradually been increasing altitude and that continued the closer I got to Cradle Mountain. I stopped at a lookout in the Black Bluff Range which was at 930m. I’m probably only slightly above that now, Cradle Mountain is about 1400m. Queenstown is just over 100m above see level.

    I did see an echidna in the car park at the Cradle Mountain Discovery Park which is where I’m staying. It seemed to have more fur and fewer quills that the ones we see in WA. I’ve been upgraded to a deluxe cabin. They are new cabins which is nice although they aren’t completely finished.

    Back from the night spotting tour and it was brilliant. We saw so many animals - Bennets wallaby, pademelon, wombats, a brush tailed possum and an eastern quoll. An hour before the tour was due to start it was raining heavily but it had stopped by the time we were picked up. We were able to get out of the bus at Ronny Creek and that’s where we saw most of the wombats. I’m looking forward to seeing it all in the daylight tomorrow.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Cradle mountain from Dove Lake
    Cradle Mountain from Dove LakeCradle Mountain from Dove LakeAlong walk to boathouseBoathouseBoathouseBoardwalk from Ronny CreekBridge were Waldheim chalet path diverges from the othersPademelon at WaldheimWombat1Waldheim chaletPath back down from Waldheim chalet1WombatTasmanian devilSpotted tail quollTasmanian devilTasmanian devilRetired (older) Tasmanian devils

    Cradle Mountain

    October 29, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C

    All I can say is wow! And I’m buggered.
    Today was all about visiting Cradle Mountain. You can only drive into the National park under certain conditions. Everyone else has to take the shuttle bus. Come November it will cost $15 but until then it’s covered by my parks pass.

    There is so much to do here and I wish I could stay longer. I had initially planned to walk around Dove Lake but at the speed I walk it wouldn’t have left any time for anything else. So instead I did two shorter walks, one to Glacier Rock and the other to the boathouse. The scenery is stunning and several park staff remarked we were very lucky to have a fine day and be able to see Cradle Mountain without it being shrouded in cloud.

    From Dove Lake I took the bus down to Ronny Creek. This is where we stopped last night on the night spotting tour and is home to many wombats. Not nearly as many were out during the day as last night but I still saw quite a few. I walked up to Waldheim, a chalet that was originally built over 100 years ago. The original owners fought to make the area a National park. The chalet was an interesting look into the past. It must have been bleak and lonely in the winter.

    I caught the bus down to the ranger station to take a look at the interpretive centre. It shows a film of a group walking from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair in maybe the 20s? I didn’t see the beginning of the film so I’m not sure.

    Last bus back to the visitor centre. From there I went to Devils@Cradle to see the work they do there, I also learnt that quolls are carnivorous. Also all quolls are spotted but only spotted tail quolls have spots on their tails.
    They do a lot of work with breeding to ensure the survivability of both quolls and Tasmanian devils. The devils are much cuter than their reputation would suggest.
    I took a break in the car (so tired, just wanted to sit down) and then joined the feeding tour. The tour guide was very informative and the animals very cute. They’ve been hand reared to they were happy to have the guide in their enclosure.

    It’s meant to snow here tomorrow so I may go back up the mountain to take a look if it does, otherwise I’m heading to Low Head.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Lake Cethana Lookout
    Marakoopa caveMarakoopa caveMarakoopa caveMarakoopa cave1Marakoopa caveMarakoopa caveMarakoopa caveMarakoopa cave1Marakoopa caveMole Creek HotelBateman BridgePenguinsPenguinsPenguins1Penguins1Penguins1Penguins

    A day in the dark

    October 30, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C

    I woke to lots of rain but no snow on Cradle Mountain. It made me aware just how lucky I’d been with the weather yesterday. It was a day for indoor activities so I set off for the Mole Creek Caves.

    Not long after I’d started the low pressure light for the tyres came on. There wasn’t a lot I could do except check to see if I had a flat tyre as there were no service stations around to check the pressure. I know from the work cars that these warning lights can be very sensitive and finically. Every time I stopped I checked the tyres and couldn’t even tell which type was likely to be low. At some point the warning light went off.

    I got to the Mole Creek Caves in time for a tour of the Marakoopa cave. It was really interesting, a bit tight in a couple of places but really interesting formations. There were also glow worms in the cave.

    I stopped off at the Mole Creek Hotel for lunch. It is very Tasmanian Tiger themed and very much a country pub serving good food.

    From there I made my way to Low Head which is at the mouth of the Tamar River. The main reason for coming here is penguins and platypuses. The penguins were tonight. I was worried about the wind but apparently the three things you need for good penguin sightings are high tide, dark night and the wind coming in from the Bass Strait. We had the wind. The wind makes it easier for the penguins to communicate. The high tide makes it easier to get up the beach and the dark night means less predators although they don’t have many predators at Low Head as there is a fenced reserve for them. There was 9 of us on the tour and we saw 5 groups of 10-20 penguins over the space of an hour. It was definitely worth the cold weather. I added a neck gaiter to my cold weather gear yesterday. I can wear it in a variety of ways but it’s to cover my face.

    Platypuses are tomorrow.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Platypus
    PlatypusPlatypus1Platypus1Echidnas1Echidna eating bugsEchidna earing bugs1Old silos now a hotelLargest ship hoist in the southern hemisphereKings Bridge over Cataract Gorge1Cataract Gorge1Cataract GorgeOld mill houseBoat cruise boatCataract Gorge - first basinAlexandra suspension bridge1Looking upstream at first basinAlexandra bridge at Cataract GorgeTrevellyn Dam1Water outlet at Trevellyn Dam and where the eels go up

    Platypus World and Cataract Gorge

    October 31, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    The second reason for coming to Low Head was Platypus World (the first being penguins). While I have looked for platypuses in the wild I haven’t seen any. This was the next best thing. It’s a rescue centre for monotremes. I learnt quite a bit about platypuses. Their food needs to be alive for them to find it as they close their eyes under water. It’s extremely difficult to breed platypuses in captivity. We saw one male and several females.

    The echidnas were very cute. It’s hard to tell the difference between the sexes and when Eddie and Edwina arrived they got it wrong. So Edwina is male and Eddie is female. The third echidna is a male Thomas. We saw them have a meal of bugs. I didn’t realise they had such long tongues (about 20cm).

    From Platypus World I could go north east along the coast or down to Launceston to see Cataract Gorge. I chose the later. After a quick lunch on the river I did a boat cruise on the Tamar River/Cataract Gorge. The Tamar River isn’t actually a river, it’s an estuary which means it is tidal and has tides of 4.2m. We went down the Tamar river and then up the Cataract Gorge as far as we could go.
    From there I went up to the first basin which is a lovely area which a chair lift and suspension bridge. I did the basin walk which took me over the bridge.

    Next up was Trevallyn Dam which is on the same river system. The South Esk river is home to eels who migrate between it and Queensland. An eel bypass has been added to the dam wall to try and prevent the eels being caught up in the dam turbine although there is debate as to how well it works.

    A nice drive on the east of the Tamar river bought me back to my accommodation.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    View from Georgetown lookout
    Sempahore tower at Georgetown lookoutFork to Farm sign1Lavender1Flowering lavender1Bridport rocksBridport1Curried scallop pieTomahawk bay1Blue LakePelican Point SanctuaryPelican Point SanctuaryPelican Point SanctuaryPelican Point SanctuaryPelican Point Sanctuary

    Bays and Birds

    November 1, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Another travel day. I definitely prefer staying three nights rather than two in each place. I don’t know which places I would have left out though to accommodate that.
    I had no real plan for the day except to drive to St Helens around the coast. The coastline is absolutely beautiful. First stop was Georgetown lookout. This overlooks Georgetown and Low Head. Thanks to some locals at the lookout I was able to see Burnie. The lookout used to be part of a semaphore relay system that announced ship arrivals to Hobart. The signals from Georgetown were passed onto Mt Direction.

    On the way to Bridestowe Lavender Farm I came across a sign pointing to Fork To Farm. I saw them at the Farmgate Markets in Hobart and purchased products from them so called in and bought some smallgoods and a serve of wallaby pie filling. I had this for tea and it was delicious.
    It’s not lavender flower season but the lavender farm was still pretty. It would be gorgeous during flowering season.

    Bridport is on the coast and the start of the amazing coastline. The sea is turquoise and the rocks extraordinary. I had lunch at a little cafe there. The Facebook group I’m in for travelling in Tasmania and where I’ve sourced a lot of information has mentioned scallop pies frequently, often comparing different pies. So I finally tried one. This was a curried scallop pie and it was good. Would I have another? Probably not but I’m glad I tried one.

    I followed the coast around to Tomahawk and that is another beautiful bay. If I’d brought my bathers with me and it was 10 degrees warmer I would have been tempted to go for a swim. From there I wanted to head to Mount William National Park which is on the north east tip of Tasmania. The road was a bit rough though so I turned around. This happened to me several times today with the road starting out sealed and smooth and deteriorating to what I assume is a gravel road in Tasmania although it’s nothing like a gravel road from WA. The road from Bridestowe Lavendar Farm to Bridport was particularly rough.
    One of the sealed roads brought me past Little Blue Lake, a vivid lake whose colouring is caused by the minerals (from mining) in the lake.

    Eventually I found my way onto the Tasman Highway and onto St Helens. I’m staying at a bird sanctuary. The property has previously been a farm and a golf course. After unpacking I went for a walk to see how many birds I could identify. The accommodation provides binoculars and a guide to the birds. The ones I saw that were easy to identify include black swans, pelicans, magpies, green parrots and ducks. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to see more tomorrow.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    1Bay of Fires
    1Bay of Fires1Bay of FiresBay of Fires1Bay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of Fires1Bay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresBay of FiresRiver walk

    Bay of Fires

    November 2, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Yesterday’s beautiful weather disappeared as the cloud came in today. It was cool but no rain.
    This area is the Bay of Fires so named by the English navigator who saw the fires the local aboriginal people had set to manage the flora and fauna of the area. I did a boat tour of the various small bays. The boat was a small one, not a jet boat but similar in style. I don’t think I will be going on a jet boat soon. No sea sickness though which is good (I did take medication just in case).

    The bays all have brilliant white sands, turquoise water and orange covered rocks.
    Further out the sea was a dark inky blue. We took it slowly in the bays and fast between the bays. There were only 5 of us on the boat (plus the skipper and tour guide) and I was glad I didn’t have to worry about the person in from as I gripped the seat in front of me. On the way back we went straight across the water and it was rough, bouncing up and down. It was also really cold. They provided us with jackets and the neck gaiter I bought at Cradle Mountain came in very handy.
    We did see two seals on the way back. One of the other tourists spotted them. I have no idea how given the speed we were going and the colour of the water. They froliced around the boat for a few minutes.

    I went to Pyengana Dairy for some lunch and cheese tasting. They make chedder cheese there. Out the back is the milking shed. It’s all automated with the cows coming in for milking whenever they want. They wear a tag that records all the details of the milking for each cow. Very interesting process to watch.

    I took a look around St Helens then returned to Binalong Bay to see the bays from the land. This evening I took another walk around the sanctuary. The walk last night was better. I did spot several superb fairy wrens and native hens than are also known as turbo chooks as they run around like crazy.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Four mile creek conservatory area
    The Gulch, BichenoView from Bicheno Blowhole1Bicheno BlowholeBicheno Blowhole1Bicheno BlowholeView from Tourville lighthouse walkThe Nuggets, home to more than 10 nesting bird speciesView from Tourville Lighthouse walk1Tourville lighthouse walk - so windy1View on way to Sleepy BayMountains1Richardsons BeachRichardsons Beach1Aboriginal midden

    Down the coast

    November 3, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    I only had to travel 116km today and google maps said it should take 1 1/2 hours. It took me over 5. Nothing out of the ordinary, that’s just how I like to travel. I stopped at a couple of bays on the way down then saw a sign for the “famous Elephant pass”. I like a good mountain pass so I drove up the mountain. Turns out I didn’t read the sign correctly and it was for the the famous elephants pass pancake place. Well I don’t eat pancakes and it apparently closed several years ago. I kept going to St Marys then as there wasn’t really an alternative that would take me further out of my way I turned around and went back down. It was a picturesque drive with most of the road winding up/down the mountain. There wasn’t anywhere to stop and take photos though.

    I continued on to Bicheno. Had lunch at The Lobster Shack which has been recommended by the guy in the boat yesterday. From there I went to the Bicheno Blowhole. It’s doesn’t produce a huge spout but it is frequent. I had planned to walk along the foreshore but at least part of it was on rocks and you were meant to follow yellow arrows on the rocks. Also it was freezing.

    So I continued onto Coles Bay which is my base for the next two nights. The constant travel is starting to catch up with me. I usually try to half a half day per week when I rest rather than go out. I haven’t done that this trip and I can feel it. I had a nap in my cabin and then set out for a couple of walks as I hadn’t done much walking today. The receptionist at checkin pointed out two easy walks to me. The first was Cape Tourville where there is a lighthouse. The walk was indeed easy although extremely windy. Lovely views around to Wineglass Bay.
    Next I went down to the start of the Wineglass Bay Lookout walk. The information boards listed it as moderate to difficult. So I went down to the beach instead and walked along there. I did see an Aboriginal midden. There are apparently a lot in this area and they are protected.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Coles Bay
    Coles BayPromise Rock - the white is caused by bird droppingsSeal on a rockSealMultiple seals. Watch for the movementEagle's nestFormation knowm as keyholeWineglass BayWineglass BayHoneymoon BayHoneymoon Bay

    Wineglass Bay

    November 4, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Another beautiful day here. I went on a boat cruise around to Wineglass Bay. The sea was quite flat and the sailing smooth apart from about 1/2 hour on the way back.
    I met another female solo traveller, poor woman sprained her ankle on her first day. She was happy to have someone to chat to and compare notes with, as was I.

    There was a lot to see on the way there. Numerous beaches and rock formations. We were lucky enough to see seals on rocks and had one frolic in front of the boat while we were stationary watching for whales. We saw glimpses of whales and dolphins. We also saw various birds including a white bellied sea eagle, an albatross, black faced cormorants and mutton birds.
    We only spent a short time at Wineglass Bay as the skipper wanted to get to calmer waters before we had lunch.
    Lunch was lovely. We stopped at Passage beach and had chairs brought out to the back deck and sat in the sun. My new friend doesn’t eat seafood so I swapped my ham and pastrami for salmon and smoked salmon. I got the better deal.

    After the cruise ended I came back to my accommodation to read some more of my book before going to explore Honeymoon Bay. Of all the bays around here it is probably the least pretty bay. It was secluded and would be a nice place to swim though.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Eliza Furlong statue
    Red brick bridge Campbell TownCarved tree at Campbell Town1Carved tree at Campbell TownCarved trees at Campbell Town1Convict red brickConvict red brick lineRoss bakeryOatlands millStables at Oatland MillOld Hobart Town model villageOld Hobart Town model villageOld Hobart Town model village, its is the precursor to St David's where I heard the bellsOld Hobart Town model village Elizabeth stOld Hobart Town model villageOld Hobart Town model villageOld Hobart Town model villageOld church in RichmondRichmomd building1Richmond bridge

    The Inland Route to Port Arthur

    November 5, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    I hadn’t had a chance to visit Richmond earlier in my trip so today was a good opportunity to visit. It meant taking the inland route down to Port Arthur.
    The route is full of convict and colonial buildings and history.

    First stop was Campbell Town. There I found a statue of Eliza Furlong who walked though Saxony in 1828-30 buying merino sheep. I first heard about her earlier in the year when I read Ming and Hilde Lead A Revolution by Jackie French.
    Campbell Town was a garrison town linking Hobart and Launceston. It contains a convict built red brick bridge which is the oldest surviving brick arch bridge in Australia. There is also a red brick line with details of convicts on each bridge.
    The park by the bridge has 3 trees with carvings depicting Campbell Town history.

    Ross was up next, I stopped at the bakery. Then onto Oatlands where I checked out the old mill.

    Richmond was interesting and obviously very old. Most of the buildings along the Main Street were old. I went to the Old Hobart Town model village. It was interesting to compare it what I saw in Hobart.

    From there I drove down to Port Arthur which is where I am for the next two nights.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Penitentiary
    Government CottageGovernment GardensThe ChurchSt David's Church1Harbour MouthIsle of the Dead and Point PuerPenitentiaryPenitentiaryGuard TowerAsylumBoat Sculpture1Sunset at Eaglehawk Neck1Dog Line Sculpture

    Port Arthur

    November 6, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    I visited the Port Arthur historic site today. There’s a walk from my accommodation to the site along the water so I walked there. I didn’t factor how much walking I’d do when there and ended up walked just 500 steps less than the day I spent at Cradle Mountain.
    It was a pleasant walk, punctuated by lots of rustling in the bushes. I did see a pademelon.
    They’ve done a good job preserving the site but it’s the photos on display that really show just how busy the site was during the time it was a convict settlement.
    I did the complementary boat tour and as it was such a nice day we went out towards the mouth of the harbour and then around the Isle of the Dead. I declined to do any of the extra tours available. I didn’t want to hear about deaths and ghosts. I did catch a couple of the free talks though and they were interesting.

    I walked back for a late lunch and then a rest. I had originally panned to eat lunch at the site and make my own dinner. There was no food open at Port Arthur so I ate my dinner for lunch. The only food I have left is cheese. There wasn’t much open around here for dinner either but I did find a takeaway. I went for a drive out to Nubeena than back to Eaglehawk Neck. I had a bit of trouble finding the dog line which was a line of dogs across the narrow stretch of land there. Another couple were also looking for it. We eventually found it. The statue wasn’t exactly cute but the dogs were to deter convicts from escaping.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    View feom The Neck
    On the ferry to Bruny Island1Tasman Arch1Oysters!Oysters being shuckedOysters beimg shucked1View from The NeckView from the NeckView from The NeckView from The NeckView from Coal PointView from Coal PointAdventure BayAdventure BayAdventure BayAdventure BayYellow lupinChurch at Adventure BayFluted CapeFluted Cape

    Bruny Island

    November 7, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Possibly unfair to Bruny Island but I think it’s probably the least spectacular place I’ve visited in Tasmania.

    After a stop at the Tasman Arch on the Tasman Peninsula I made my way to Kettering which is where the ferry to Bruny Island is located. It usually runs every 20 minutes but the next one after the 12:10 is 12:50 as they break for lunch. I arrived at 12:11pm. So I had time for some lunch - seafood chowder which has been occurring on menus recently.
    I was first on the ferry and thus first off. The trip was quick and uneventful.
    First stop on Bruny Island was Get Shucked. Before this trip I would have said I could eat 2 oysters at a time. Several times this trip I’ve had half a dozen as that was the minimum number. These ones had a trio of toppings, two tomato based and one cream sauce, the two tomato based ones were nice. I felt for the two blokes who where in the kitchen shucking oyster after oyster.
    Next up was Bruny Island Cheese. They make raw cheeses there and they tasted good. It was too busy to chat to though.

    The neck is a very narrow strip of land separating north and south Bruny Island. It’s home to shearwater birds and penguins.
    I had intended to drive down to the lighthouse but hadn’t done my research and realised that the road was a gravel road (forbidden to my hire car). So I drove down to Adventure Bay and walked along the beach. That was the end of the bitumen road so I turned around and headed for Alonnah which is where I am staying. My accommodation is surrounded by bush and there are wallabies in the bush. I’ve seen a few.
    I had dinner at Hotel Bruny and then followed this bitumen road until it ran out. It was after 7:30 at this stage and lots of wallabies out. There was no one else on the road so I was able to drive at about 30km/hr, giving me plenty of time to stop for wallabies.
    Being a small area with not many attractions means Bruny Island feels crowded compared to other places I’ve seen. Tomorrow is my last full day in Tasmania, still not sure what I’m going to do.    Read more

  • Michelle CreasyTasmania 2023Michelle Creasy
    Trees from the air walk
    Great Bay on Bruny Island1Huon River1Bur on tree1Fiddle back (weight pressure) on treeYoung King Billy pine1Stringy bark tree felled due to fire damageFire damaged treeLogs deposited by floods on huon riverHuon pineStringy bark trees1Air walkTrees from air walkLooking down from air walk1Confluence of Picton and Huon RiversHuon riverAirwalk

    Tahune Air Walk

    November 8, 2023 in Australia

    Having driven all the sealed roads on Bruny Island I headed for the ferry. Like yesterday I saw it leaving as I arrived and was once again first in line. Unlike yesterday the wait was only about 10 minutes.

    I’d been undecided about what to do today and ended up heading to Huonville. There actually wasn’t a lot in Huonville and I had plenty of time so I made the drive out to the Tahune Air Walk which is on the Huon river. The drive from Huonville along the Huon river was very picturesque.

    I got there in time for a guided walk through the Huon pines. I’ve heard a lot about these trees throughout this trip and for such a remarkable tree it looks extremely unremarkable. A fire went through the area in 2019 and while the visitor centre and the area surrounding it was spared there was a lot of evidence of damage.
    The walk took about an hour, longer than I had expected. From there I did the actual air walk. I was the only person on each part of the the walk while I was there. There were others two sections ahead. I’m glad there weren’t a lot of other people, it was bouncy enough with just me. It has been cloudy most of the morning and rained a bit while I did the Huon pine walk. Just as I got to the beginning of the air walk it started to rain big fat heavy drops. It was still quite warm though so I started the walk. It stopped about half way round. Towards the end there is a part that sticks out (counter lever) and that was extra bouncy. As I walked out there I heard a voice yell “jump” and looked down to see a couple who had already done the walk. I couldn’t resist giving a little jump and the whole section did move quite a bit.
    As I walk the last section I could hear thunder. I wasn’t anxious to be on a metal structure in a thunderstorm so hurried to the end. I was met by a staff member who was there to lock the gate to the structure do the danger of lightning. Apparently the structure has been hit by lightning in the past. They had a golf buggy and offered me a lift down. There was a couple there who had walked all the way to the top to start the walk only to have it shut when they got there. They are staying in the area for a couple of days so will go back tomorrow for another go.

    The storm hit as I was driving back to Huonville, lots of lightning and heavy rain. It only got heavier as I headed towards Hobart. That was a long drive as I hit peak hour traffic. I’m staying near the airport so had to come through the centre of Hobart.
    Tomorrow I fly to Melbourne for a few days. Catching up with family and friends.    Read more

    Trip end
    November 9, 2023
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