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The Gals in Tasmania
  • Suzie Holland
  • Nicole Sumpton
  • Suzie Holland
  • Nicole Sumpton

The Gals in Tasmania

Tomorrow Nik and I head off to Tasmania to do the famed Lap of Tasmania for 2 weeks!! We are traveling by campervan 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 Lue lisää
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  • Matkan aloitus
    28. joulukuuta 2020
  • The Gals in Tasmania

    The first leg to Wayatinah Caravan Park

    29. joulukuuta 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Got to Hobart about 1pm local time. The airport is tiny. Took as a while to get through though as we all had to be temperate tested, answer questions and so forth. Travel during a pandemic right?

    Took longer than expected to get ourselves settled and on our way with the van. First stop was Woolworths to stock up on food before driving to our first camp at Wayatinah.

    The landscape is hilly and reminds me alot of the areas around Stanthorpe. Getting closer to Wayatinah though it started to look more like the trees around The Great Ocean Road.

    Surprisingly there's lots of water, lakes and inlets. We'd come around a bend in the road and there would be a vista of water, with boulders scattered around and greeny yellow grass. And red leaved trees! I want to find out about the red trees.

    Another surprise? It doesn't get dark til 9pm. We sat outside the van at 8:30 pm to eat and it was like it would be at 5pm at home. Crazy.

    And it's cold. Freezing. (Even Suzie agreed with me on this, so it's not just me feeling the cold.) And yet there are kids running around in tee shirts and shorts. (Aclimitised locals or bonkers? I don't know. But it was nice to see the kids out and being active.) And one of the groundmen said the kids had been swimming most of the day.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Wayatinah to Strahun

    29. joulukuuta 2020, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Woke just after 4. Too flipping cold to get out of the covers to go for a walk like I intended. So watched the sunrise through the window as Suzie slept.

    We had a cuppa at the van before continuing our trip. We stopped at Lake Saint Clair visitor centre.  Had a quick look and a hot drink but didn't really have time to explore too much. Would have liked to.  If we come again have to plan a full day to explore it and walk one of the trails.
    A lady at the camp last night told us about 'The Wall' and not too miss it. So glad we took her advice. Was fabulous. You'reot allowed to take photos inside but wow!  Carved wooden panels, I can't remember how many, there are but must be 50 or 60 of them. All 1 metre by 3 metres, carved by an amazing artist, telling the story of Tasmania. From aboriginal origins, to convict settlement, the wood getters and farmers. The plants and animals The level of detail carved into the wood was out of the world.  Fabric looked like fabric. And veins and muscles . Outstanding.

    While here we also shared a nip of Sullivan's Cove whiskey.  Got 'best whisky award last year beating even those made in Scotland.  $23 for one nip.  Wouldn't drink it again but glad I tried it.  At the very least it warmed me up.  F##k it's cold.

    Note to self.  Buy thermal shirt, pants, socks and gloves.  It's bloody cold. And a good pair of waterproof  walking shoes and jacket.

    Drive to Queenstown was crazy hilly and bendy.  Wanted to check out where our train trip leaves from tomorrow.  See the layout as it were. Then to Strahan where we're camped for two nights.  Only a hour trip back to Queenstown for tomorrow.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Wilderness Railway - Queenstown

    30. joulukuuta 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We were up and at em at 5:15am and on the road by 6:45am.  Back to Queenstown for our heritage train trip on an abt train track.  Sitting in the carriage at 8:45am with a glass of champagne.  Cause why not.  YOLO.

    First stop on on train trip is Lynchford.  Here we were able to try our hand at panning for gold.  Water was freezing.

    Second stop ,Rinadeena, meaning little raindrops in the local aboriginal dialect.  Others just call it 'rain indeed' as they get 3 metres of rain a year.  The train uses 3000 litres of water to get to the top of the mountain.  

    The railway was built entirely by pickaxe and shovel, with material being carted out by wheelbarrow.  No dinamite was used.  It took 500 men 2 and a half years.  With only 4 causalities due to accident during the construction.  How many due to illness is anyone's guess.

    We stopped the train at King River George for photos.  We could see people on the river in rafts.  I'd like to see the forest from that angle. The trees and undergrowth are so thick. It feels ancient, with moss covering everything.

    Then on to Dubbil Barril where the train turned to take us back to Queenstown. We're able to do a little walk through the ancient trees. Stunning

    "Find a way, or make a way.". This was the motto of the early settlers in the area. Would have been such a hard life.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Queenstown Railway Station

    30. joulukuuta 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We are currently in Queenstown on the West Coast Wilderness Railway!!! We will be travelling on a ABT Rack and Pinion from Queenstown to Dubbill Barrill station and back again to Queenstown. We are also in the Wilderness Carriage with champagne and yummies!!! I have been looking forward to this for such a long time!!!! 🙂💜💜💜Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Cradle Mountain

    31. joulukuuta 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Slower start to this morning.  Quiet breakfast at the van and getting settled got our drive to Cradle Mountain.

    l almost fell asleep in the van as we were traveling along today.  The rocking of the van almost rocking me to sleep.  Managed to stay awake to keep Suzie company through.

    I don't know what I expected at Cradle Mountain exactly except lots of walking.  And it is that...but it's more too.  I had read the walk to Dove Lake was 2 to 3 hours so didn't expect to actually see it, thought we'd just do one of the shorter walks.  Turns out the 2 to 3 hours is how long it takes to walk AROUND the lake.  It's only about a 20 minute walk from the bottom bus stop to Glacier Rock which has great views of Dove Lake. It's just ruggedly beautiful.  The colours astonishing.  We did the Enchanted walk too...saw a wallaby napping in the undergrowth.  The difference in the flora between the two walks...one at the top, one at the bottom, is crazy.  Both beautiful in there own ways.

    We're camped tonight at a grounds litterly across the road from the visitor centre.  Serene is the best word for it.  Last night's camp at Strahan, and the one at Wayatinah had kids running around and playing til 9pm.  Here it's just quiet with the sounds of nature.  The camp kitchen has a two way fireplace. which I sat at for a while crocheting.

      Again...wish we had more time here. I'd like to explore cradle mountain more. Do the walk around Dove Lake and Creator Lake too. Maybe more. There's just not enough time.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    The Nut, Stanley

    1. tammikuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    This is the plug of an extinct volcano and we are 143m from the ground!! A plug is formed when the magma hardens in the volcanic vent and over time the outside of the volcano erodes and the plug is left.

    Now I have walked around on two plugs, the first being Edinburgh Castle as the Castle was also built on one!!    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Stanley and Smithton

    1. tammikuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Walking back to the van this morning heard a russle in the underbrush.  Thought it would just be a lizard.  Was a... pademelon...I think...might have been a wallaby.  Managed to get Suzie to get some photos as I didn't have my phone on me. Super cute, and not bothered by our presents at all

    Long drive to The Nut at Stanley.  Caught the chair lift up.  Beautiful scenery.  Very windy. Learnt about the moonbirds and a little about the Aboriginal people of the area.  (And the terrible things the settlers did to them.) Fuck the Europeans were horrible.

    Then the drive to Smithton where we're camped tonight.  Lovely spot on the river.  A family of ducks came to visit us at the van.  Begging for food I think. Bought homemade blackberry jam from the caravan reception. One for us...one for Mum and Dad.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Penguin, Tasmania

    2. tammikuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    I've just ticked off a bucket list item!! I have now swum on both sides of Bass Strait at Penguin 💜💜💜💜 I'm sure Nik will post soon!!

    Penguin is such a beautiful little seaside town. I feel happy here. We have chatted to the locals, patted dogs and taken heaps of penguin pics, just the standing still kind!!! And it even has a TARDIS!! 💜💜💜💜💜💜Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Smithton to Beauty Point - via Penguin

    2. tammikuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Early start this morning cause there was lots we want to do today.  (But we didn't get to do it.) Left campsite just before 7:30am.

    We were aiming for Doctor Rocks first off but ended up skipping it as it was down what appeared to be a long unsealed road.

     Instead our first stop was a little town called Penguin where the Fairy Penguins migrate to each year.  (We're hoping to see penguins at some point but unsure if we're going to fit it in. ) We stopped for a photo at The Big Penguin though and ducked into the visitor  centre for some souvenirs. 

    Suzie, crazy thing she is, went for a quick swim.  It was 14 degrees.    She crazy. 

    The town of Penguin is super cute though.

    Then on to House of Anvers, a chocolate factory and cafe where we stopped for lunch.  The children's roses out the front smell amazing.  Would love to bottle it. The non alcoholic apple cidar Suzie had was out of this world.  I had falafel tacos, then a tasting plate with 5 mini cakes and a hot chocolate.  Soooo full. Then of cause I spent a little over $100 on chocolate.  I can't believe I did that. 😳🤭

    We didn't get to do some of the things we hoped to do today.  Hope to get them done tomorrow. (Seahorse World, Platypus House and Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre)

    Would like to see the Fairy Penguins too.  We can do it tonight or tomorrow night at 9pm at a place about 45 minutes drive from our camp.  Would make it an extra long day.  I doubt we will fit it in, which is a bit disappointing.  We'll see I guess. Can't do everything.    Lue lisää

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  • The Gals in Tasmania

    Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre

    3. tammikuuta 2021, Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We also went to the Beaconsfield Mine where gold. The mine opened in 1877 when gold was found at nearby Cabbage Tree Hill, sparking a gold rush. The mine shafts (the Grubb and Hart Shafts) were sunk to access the gold - some 26 tonnes of gold was mined between 1877 and when the mine closed in 1914 due to water problems. Beaconsfield was once the 3rd largest town in Tasmania and was once called Brandy Creek.

    The mine was reopened in 1999 and again made worldwide news on the 25th April 2006 when three miners (Brant Webb, Todd Russell and Larry Knight) were trapped underground from a rock fall for two weeks, with Larry sadly not making it. It was called The Beaconsfield Mine Disaster.

    The mine closed in 2012.

    I went into the 'monkey cage' where the men were put into to bring them up to the surface after their rescue. It was eerie.

    There were so many items from Beaconsfield and surrounding areas history, eg the ruins of the shafts, old tractors, a miners humpy, medical items, old telephones, even a huge water wheel to separate the ore from the gold.

    It was fascinating and well worth the $16    Lue lisää

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