Tasmanian Familymoon

After having to delay both the wedding and the honeymoon, we got married in December 2021 and we are finally having the Familymoon... like honeymoon but as a family. Read more

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Trip start
February 19, 2022
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Day 1
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 11:30 AM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 257 m
Australia Glynwood -34.99998, 148.1105434°59’60” S 148°6’38” E
Dog on the Tuckerbox
February 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Brief stop for an early lunch at the Dog on the Tuckerbox (5 miles from Gundagai). Our little Dog on the Tuckerbox... getting hugs from a giant Koala.
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Day 1
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 2:00 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 239 m
Australia Table Top -35.96723, 147.0082935°58’2” S 147°0’30” E
Ettamogah Pub, Table Top
February 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
We stopped at Pop's favorite places; The Ettamogah Pub (just about 10 miles from Albury). Millie got a kick out of all the dogs around the place, all called Bandit!
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Day 1
Saturday, February 19, 2022 at 10:09 PM
🌙 17 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Australia Station Pier -37.845, 144.9316737°50’42” S 144°55’54” E
Checked in and settled.
February 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
We got into Melbourne in pretty good time, had some dinner at a little Italian place near the pier.
After dinner we checked into the Spirit of Tasmania, which took about an hour in all. It seemed fairly simple.
It is way past Millie's bed time so she was overtired and the excitement meant she was tough to get to sleep.
Next stop; Davenport, Tasmania.Read more
Enjoy the crossing. Try to get some time up on deck watching the lights of Melbourne disappear into the distance. [Bernie H]
2/19/22Reply
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Day 2
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 9:32 AM
☁️ 15 °C
Altitude: 13 m
Australia Claytons Bay -41.1594, 146.2086441°9’34” S 146°12’31” E
Windows on Westella
February 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
We arrived in Davenport and started our driving journey as soon as we got off the Spirit of Tasmania. It was an easy checkout and quicker to get off than getting on.
We headed up the Highway towards our first stop at Turner's Beach Berry Patch, but they didn't open until 10am, so we stopped up the road at Windows on Westella for breakfast.Read more
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Day 2
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 10:00 AM
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 12 m
Australia Gables Park -41.16198, 146.2381341°9’43” S 146°14’17” E
Turner's Beach Berry Patch
February 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
After breakfast we went to Turner's Beach Berry Patch where we were able to pick and gorge ourselves on fresh off the vine Strawberries and Backberries.
TravelerBeautiful berries. And the sandpit looked like fun too.
2/20/22Reply
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Day 2
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 11:35 AM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Australia Penguin Beach -41.11335, 146.0726441°6’48” S 146°4’22” E
The Big Penguin and TARDIS
February 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
After picking berries for an hour we took a scenic drive to Penguin where they have a big Penguin and TARDIS library. Millie also went looking for a pet rock on the beach.
TravelerI have a photo somewhere of Grandma standing next to that penguin!
2/24/22Reply
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Day 2
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 12:30 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 146 m
Australia Cherry Hill -41.08896, 145.909641°5’20” S 145°54’35” E
Hellyers Road Distillery
February 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
After our visit to Penguin we headed to the Hellyers Road Distillery to try some whisky and to have a bite for lunch. We were going to go on a tour of the Distillery but it would have meant our arrival at Strahan was going to be delayed over 2 hours; the tour times online were wrong.Read more
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Day 2
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 4:15 PM
🌧 17 °C
Altitude: 9 m
Australia Strahan Customs House Historic Site -42.15199, 145.3190142°9’7” S 145°19’8” E
Strahan
February 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
It was a long and winding road but we eventually arrived in Strahan where we will be staying for the next few days. Got settled at the Big 4 Park before getting some dinner.
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Day 3
Monday, February 21, 2022 at 8:30 AM
🌧 12 °C
Altitude: -2 m
Australia Magazine Island -42.18564, 145.3186542°11’8” S 145°19’7” E
Gordon River Cruise
February 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
We were up and out of our accommodation very early this morning to collect our tickets and check in for the Gordon River Cruise.
The cruise took us from Strahan out across Macquarie Harbour to Hells Gate and the open. The boat then turned and headed in past Liberty Point and the Atlantic Salmon fish farms, passed Sarah Island to the mouth of the Gordon River and along the river to our first stop...Read more
TravelerLooks cold. Big adventure for lion too.
2/21/22Reply
TravelerThat's a Tassie tiger!
2/21/22Reply
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Day 3
Monday, February 21, 2022 at 11:00 AM
🌧 12 °C
Altitude: 12 m
Australia Guy Fawkes Creek -42.44144, 145.6121842°26’29” S 145°36’44” E
Gordon River World Heritage site
February 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C
As the Gordon River is a world heritage site, the boat switched over to electric engines for quiet running at lower speeds. The air was clear and the sites were stunning. It was beautifully clear and, with a bit of rain as we went.
We stopped at the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park Heritage Landing rainforest boadwalk and were able to walk through a small portion of the national park rainforest. It is not called rainforest for nothing. It did rain a good portion of the walk, which lasted about half hour before we got back on the boat and headed back down towards Macquarie Harbour.Read more
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Day 3
Monday, February 21, 2022 at 12:45 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Australia Sarah Island Historic Site -42.38884, 145.4466842°23’20” S 145°26’48” E
Sarah Island
February 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
From the Gordon River Heritage site, we had lunch and made our way back to Sarah Island where we had a guided tour of the hardest of the penal colonies in Tasmania, before Port Arthur site was established.
Sarah Island was for repeat criminal offenders who continued to offend while serving time in Van Diemens Land. It was a fascinating tour given by one of the guides who also promoted the show we are seeing on Wednesday called The Ship That Never Was... more about that on Wednesday.
The tour was amazing and we learnt a lot about the people and the culture of the penal settlement, while intermittent showers kept us on our toes.
After the tour of Sarah Island we headed back across Macquarie Harbour back to Strahan, arriving back by 2.45pm.Read more
TravelerLooks cold!
2/24/22Reply
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Day 3
Monday, February 21, 2022 at 3:00 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Australia Strahan -42.1546, 145.3269642°9’17” S 145°19’37” E
Morrison's Huon Pine Sawmill
February 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Probably one of the highlights of the trip was to visit the Morrison's Huon Pine Sawmill. It is the longest running and only remaining Huon Pine sawmills still in operation. It is here we got to see the traditional practice of milling the Huon pine logs, felled as many as 60 years ago. It has been operated and continues to be operated by the same family using traditional timber milling practices and machinery. I may have spent a "bit" of money on some Tasmanian timbers I can take home to use in my craft.
After this we got some groceries and headed back to our accommodation for an easier and more relaxing day tomorrow.Read more
TravelerLooks like you are having fun, seeing heaps. Thanks for keeping us up-to-date with frequent posts, concise and easy to read. I hope you are enjoying writing them too.
2/21/22Reply
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Day 4
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Australia War Memorial Park -42.1543, 145.320442°9’15” S 145°19’13” E
Easy day walking and playing
February 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Today we took it easy, walking along the Esplanade to the shopping area. We found a park for Millie to have a play at, then continued on for some lunch at a bakery cafe (the only one in Strahan, it seems).
On the way back, another stop at the park and a walk through a rainforest area managed by the local school, seeing if we could see any Paltypus'. There was also some evidence of times gone by; remnants of rail lines and the heavy reliance on rail in years gone by to service these remote areas.Read more
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Day 4
Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 5:30 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Australia Strahan -42.1543, 145.3272142°9’15” S 145°19’38” E
The ship that never was
February 22, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
We had an early dinner and headed into the main street to see the longest running show in history, The Ship That Never Was.
It told the story of the last of the convicts on Sarah Island who built the last ship the facility ever produced and stole the ship to escape, ending up in South America.
It was a hilarious satirical take on the events of the time and how the convicts were acquitted of the initial charges through a legal loophole.
It is a 2 person show where the audience is invited to participate and Millie was also asked to participate. She had a blast and even had a water fight with one of the performers at the end.Read more
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Day 5
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 8:00 AM
☀️ 12 °C
Altitude: 140 m
Australia Queenstown -42.07939, 145.5542442°4’46” S 145°33’15” E
Wilderness West Coast Railway
February 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Today we were up really early to make the 1 hour drive from Strahan to Queenstown to get the Wilderness West Coast Railway half day rail ride. The train is an old steam engine used in the late 19th Century to transport, among other things, Copper from the Queenstown mines to Strahan.
The first part of the run involves a stop at Lynch's Creek, where we were able to try our hand at gold panning.Read more
TravelerLooks like you got some sunshine for a change. Very pretty setting. Did you get any gold colours?
2/23/22Reply
TravelerThe locals were saying it is the hottest day they have had all season. Got to 28°. It was a stunning day. Only one of the people on the whole train found some gold. More the experience than anything else. Plenty of copper.
2/23/22Reply
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Day 5
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 39 m
Australia Starling Creek -42.18322, 145.4827642°10’60” S 145°28’58” E
Lynch's Creek, Rinadeena, Dubbil Barril
February 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
After Lynch's Creek we continued on the railway, this time assisted driven by a rack and pinion system, used to drive the engine up the unusually steep inclines. The guide stated most trains struggle to traverse inclines any more than 40:1 ratio (incline gradient 40m length to 1 m elevation) however this one we were on are the 2 steepest railways in the southern hemisphere. From Lynch's Creek to Rinadeena it is 20:1 incline, but from Dubbil Barril to Rinadeena (on the way back) it is 16: 1 incline. The train uses 3000 litres of water each time it does a climb and has to fill up at several points along the railway.
Once at Dubbil Barril we got to watch the train turned around on a manual turntable and did a rainforest walk to check our part of the King River Gorge, before getting back on the train and heading back to Queenstown, arriving back in Queenstown just after 2pm.Read more
TravelerIs that another little souvenir for Millie. I see the tassie tiger gets to go everywhere. What is his name?
2/23/22Reply
TravelerHe does. His name is Cooper and everyone we meet gets to meet him... or her... it keeps changing.
2/23/22Reply
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Day 5
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10:00 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 5 m
Australia War Memorial Park -42.15191, 145.3189142°9’7” S 145°19’8” E
Last night in Strahan
February 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
After we got back from Queenstown we rested and I did some of these entries before dinner at the Regatta Point Tavern before packing and turning in for our last night in Strahan. Tomorrow, on to Cradle Mountain.Read more
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Day 6
Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 10:15 AM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Australia Peoples Park -42.15231, 145.3290942°9’8” S 145°19’45” E
Leaving Strahan
February 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
We got up, packed the car, had breakfast at The Kitchen Strahan and headed for Cradle Mountain
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Day 6
Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 154 m
Australia Lake Bull -41.78048, 145.539241°46’50” S 145°32’21” E
Rosebery stop
February 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
A brief stop in Zeehan for petrol, then on to Rosebury. Millie really doesn't travel too well so we had to stop for a short rest stop.
Interestingly while Millie was playing I read up about the Bumble bees we have seen a fair bit while in Tasmania. It turns out they were introduced from New Zealand as a feral species to Tasmania in the 1980s or 90s and have bread and spread here. But they are so round and fluffy ("So fluffy I could die")... now I don't feel so bad about stepping on them if I see them!Read more
Sounds like a wonderful and enjoyable holiday Steve. Great experience for Millie, she'll have some stories to tell at school - like the water fight. Enjoy [Bill Hackett]
2/23/22Reply
TravelerHer class are following our holiday as well. We gave her teacher access to this. And looks like travelling around is a better deal to being home. Several of her classmates have tested positive for C.
2/24/22Reply
TravelerCooper features again. Hope he is not causing too much trouble.
2/24/22Reply
TravelerHe/She is not. Cooper helped me find Millie in the tunnel. We were playing hide and seek.
2/24/22Reply
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Day 6
Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 1:00 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 884 m
Australia Kentish -41.58225, 145.9349941°34’56” S 145°56’6” E
Arrival at Cradle Mountain
February 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We arrived at Cradle Mountain approx 1.00pm, and got some information from the Visitors Centre about the park and things to do, walks and the parks pass. We then moved into our accomodation at the Cradle Mountain Highlander Cottages. It is a lovely place and the surrounding bush and landscape is beautiful. We spent the afternoon relaxing and updating this, and getting settled into our cottage.Read more
TravelerCabin looks cosy. Beautiful scenery. Enjoy the stay.
2/24/22Reply
TravelerIt was. Just a single room though makes it difficult for someone to go the *** to sleep!
2/28/22Reply
TravelerCabin looks amazing! Love the page layout too 😉
2/24/22Reply
TravelerI'm just throwing them together each night. Good was to post here and get the pages done or it will be hard to remember everything when I get round to doing it when we get home.
2/28/22Reply
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Day 6
Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 6:00 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 804 m
Australia Pencil Pine Creek -41.59515, 145.928141°35’43” S 145°55’41” E
Walk and Dinner
February 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
About 5pm we walked from where we are staying to the Cradle Montain Lodge Tavern Bar and Bistro for dinner. They certainly have a "captive" audience up here where food is very pricy. Afterwards we walked back, up hill all the way to our accommodation at Cradle Mountain Highlander Cabins. It turned out to be a very long walk, especially for short legs... Millie's that is, not Lindsay's!Read more
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Day 7
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 10:50 AM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 808 m
Australia Pencil Pine Creek -41.59595, 145.9309841°35’45” S 145°55’52” E
Cradle Mountain-Rainforest walk
February 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
After we had a breakfast of left overs from last night, we walked 3 mins to the visitor information centre and purchased our park pass for the day. Included in it was a ticket on the bus which runs between the information centre and 4 stops between there and Dove Lake, so we got the bus to the first stop, which was the Cradle Mountain Ranger Station and Interpretation Centre and the start of the Rainforest Walk.Read more
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Day 7
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 11:30 AM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 803 m
Australia Pencil Pine Creek -41.59585, 145.9291341°35’45” S 145°55’45” E
Cradle Mountain-Enchanted Walk
February 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
After finishing at the Interpretation Centre we did the Enchanted Walk which was a fair bit longer than the Rainforest walk, and this took us up to having an early lunch, as Lindsay had a massage at Pepper's Cradle Mountain Lodge at 12.45.
We were amazed how low the streams and creeks are, and, for rainforests, just how dry everything is. For a place that gets 300 days of rain per year and given the rest of Australia is in the midst of la nina weather, Tasmania has had very little rain this summer, and even the locals are saying this.Read more
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Day 7
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 1:15 PM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 905 m
Australia Kentish -41.59077, 145.9222541°35’27” S 145°55’20” E
Cradle Mountain-King Billy Walk
February 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
After Lindsay headed off for her massage, Millie and I went for a walk on another of the many walking trails around here. We did the King Billy Walk, which was a bit up hill on the way in, and down hill on the way out and Millie really was starting to get over walking. But we found a massive great King Billy Pine, and enjoyed the walk before heading to the pond out the back of Pepper's Cradle Mountain Lodge to wait for Lindsay to finish her massage.
I also took the opportunity to enforce the beauty of this place with Millie and we discussed the importance of respect for the environment, the land and the earth on which we live and that gives us life. We talked about our responsibilities to care for the earth because God has given us it to be cared for it (we are the stewards of creation).Read more
TravelerBeautifully said Millie.
2/25/22Reply
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Day 7
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 2:45 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 943 m
Australia Twisted Lakes -41.65355, 145.959441°39’13” S 145°57’34” E
Cradle Mountain-Dove Lake
February 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Once Lindsay finished her massage, we got the bus to the last stop, Dove Lake. It was here we did one more walk as a family, to the Dove Lake Boat Shed, then I was left to go off and do a hike for myself while Lindsay and Millie came back to our accommodation for the rest of the afternoon so Millie could play and have some rest before dinner and the Tasmanian Devils encounter.
I, on the other had, did the 6km loop of Dove Lake. It was absolutely stunning and photos (more to come) really don't do it justice. It took me just over 2 hours from when I left Lindsay and Millie, and I got the bus back to the Infomation Centre in time for us to go for dinner at the Cradle Mountain Hotel.Read more
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