OTR: Hiking in Tasman NP

After our delicious breakfast at Port Arthur Lavender, we hopped in the car to continue our drive north.

But before we left the area permanently, we detoured to see a few sites in Eaglehawk Neck. More specifically, in Tasman National Park. And that led to an unplanned hike … a good idea considering the feast of a breakfast we had!

Our first stop was the Blowhole. It was a bit of a bust today. You see, to get the full effect, the seas need to be “fierce.” Conditions were rather calm today. So, onward we continued.

A short drive brought us to the very impressive Tasmans Arch, formed when the roof of a cave collapsed and created a bridged-chasm. Like Remarkable Cave, it was the erosive power of the ocean that formed the arch … with help from compressed air, sand, and stone … all of which acted on vertical cracks in the cliff, slowly dislodging bits and pieces to create what our eyes beheld today.

It was here that we added a hike to our plans. We were going to do the Coastal Cliff Circuit anyway — a .4 mile easy trail to see Devil’s Kitchen (also a bust because of the calm sea state). We just decided to keep going to see Waterfall Bay … a moderate, 2.5-mile in-out trail … considered to be one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks. Unfortunately, the waterfall is seasonal, so we didn’t get to see the water flowing.

Remember how I mentioned that Tasmania is not unlike New Zealand’s South Island? Case in point. The cliff top trail went through coastal heathland and forests … with occasional glimpses of the coastal scenery from overlooks along the way. It was good exercise, though. And where we did see views, they were expansive and scenic. And let’s not forget the wallabies we encountered on the trail … a bit camera-shy, but it was nice to see them in the wild.

All in all, no complaints about our afternoon in the National Park.Read more