The Gals in Tasmania

December 2020 - January 2021
  • Suzie Holland
  • Nicole Sumpton
Tomorrow Nik and I head off to Tasmania to do the famed Lap of Tasmania for 2 weeks!! We are traveling by campervan πŸ™‚πŸ™‚πŸ™‚πŸ™‚πŸ™‚ Read more
  • Suzie Holland
  • Nicole Sumpton

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  • Australia Australia
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  • 57footprints
  • 14days
  • 275photos
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  • Penguin, Tasmania

    January 2, 2021 in Australia β‹… ☁️ 16 Β°C

    I've just ticked off a bucket list item!! I have now swum on both sides of Bass Strait at Penguin πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ 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!! πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œRead more

  • Smithton to Beauty Point - via Penguin

    January 2, 2021 in Australia β‹… ☁️ 19 Β°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.
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  • Beauty Point

    January 2, 2021 in Australia β‹… ☁️ 18 Β°C

    This inlet village is adorable! Our location is right on the River Tamar and our neighbours are lovely πŸ’œ I'm so glad we have a couple of nights here...I'm feeling like I'm on a boat from the bouncing around of Europa on the road!!Read more

  • Seahorse World and Monotreme Magic

    January 3, 2021 in Australia β‹… ☁️ 18 Β°C

    As you saw on Nik's post, I got to hold a seahorse today!! My post here has Nik holding the seahorse. I saw some amazing Aussie creatures and interacted with an echidna πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ

  • Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre

    January 3, 2021 in Australia β‹… ☁️ 20 Β°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
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  • Around Beauty Point - Tamar Valley

    January 3, 2021 in Australia β‹… 🌧 17 Β°C

    Visited Seahorse World.  Ok but expensive for what it was.  We did get to hold a seahorse though.

    Then Platypus Place, just on the other side of the pier, which was great and worth the money. The echidna were super cute. (I will do another post with a little video after this too.)

    Lunch in the van in the carpark, then on to Beaconsfield to see the mine.   Was interesting.  Especially the bit about the miners who survived the ANZAC Day disaster. I crawled through the tunnel and saw the space they had made which approximates the space in which the two miners were trapped. Freaking scary.
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  • Grindelwald, Lavender, St Helen's

    January 4, 2021 in Australia β‹… 🌧 13 Β°C

    One of Suzie's friends told us about Grindelwald ...what we thought at the time was a Swiss bakery that apparently had awesome apple strudel.  It was only a 30 minute drive...so we thought a good spot for morning tea. 

    But it wasn't just a bakery...it was a mini Swiss village...with coffee shops a little store...putt putt....very very cute.  They didn't have apple strudel though...but Suzie had an amazing Dutch apple cake, and I had banana walnut bread.  Yum! Would love to come and stay in the village at a later time. (They have accommodation at the village.)

    Then we went to Lavender House Perfumery.  They didn't have many flowers in their fields because they are in the process of renewing their plants which they do every 5 years.  (I was disappointed when I saw the lack of flowers here. One of the main reasons I wanted to come to Tasmsnia was to see the lavender fields in full bloom. Bucket list item.)

    However the guy behind the counter was a chemist and made all the products they had himself.  He was very knowledgeable and was lovely to chat too.  I bought quite a few products and am thinking I will buy online again when they are gone, especially the hand serum which I think is going to do magical things for my dry hands.  Suzie got a really good photo of me in the fields here.

    Then into the Bridestowe Lavender Farm.  After there not being many flowers in the fields at the perfumery I was a bit worried about if Bridestowe would be the same.  I didn't have to worry on that count.  Lavender as far as the eye could see.  Astounding.  We had a late lunch/afternoon tea.  Suzie had a chicken pie with tomato lavender chutney.  I had lavender scones with lavender blueberry jam and a caffeine free lavender latte.  Both so damn good... especially the latte.  And I had to have a chocolate lavender icecream on the way out.  Nom Nom Nom.  Bought some tasty lavender goodies to take home...if they don't get eaten by us in the meantime.

    Then on to St Helens were we're camping tonight. It's been raining on and off today. Hoping it rains itself out overnight and the weather doesn't put a dampener on our east coast explorations.

    We've been told that the east coast is better than the west coast. Considering we've completely enjoyed the west coast we're really looking forward to seeing what the east coast has to offer.

    (Going to add a video to another post.)
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  • Grindelwald

    January 4, 2021 in Australia β‹… 🌧 13 Β°C

    This little Swiss inspired village is a must do again!!! How absolutely gorgeous but alas no apple strudel!! However the Miss-A-Sippy Cafe has the most delicious Dutch apple cake I have ever had πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ

  • Bridestowe Estate

    January 4, 2021 in Australia β‹… 🌧 17 Β°C

    OMG's!! This is a lavender lover's dream!!! 106 hectares with 650,000 lavender plants in full bloom!!! Nik is happy as a lil lavender bear in a lavender field!!! πŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œπŸ’œ