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Bart Wills
Bart Wills

Bart Wills

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Blacksmiths WorkshopHerbert King

    Launceston

    26 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    After a lovely evening at the Art Hotel we left the car in their parking area and set off to look around Launceston. Another town with great old buildings and plenty of history.

    They really have the best outdoor/hiking/camping shops down here with plenty warm weather jackets, vests and clothing you just don't see in Brisbane (I guess the temperature down here makes all the difference). Lucky they aren't in Brisbane or I'd end up spending a fortune at them 🙄😄.

    Thought we'd go through the James Boags Brewery but they are closed on a Monday so continued along the river walkway to the Queen Victoria Museum Arts Gallery.

    I definitely pre judged this one 😄 (Bart loves museums and reads every plaque). This one has been built where the old train workshops were. It's like everyone put down their tools in the mid 1900's and just walked out. It's pretty amazing. Though I don't need to inspect each piece of machinery as much as my husband does 😅.

    When we walked back into the central part of the museum I saw old cars inside one door and tried to distract Bart to get him past the door before he saw them 🙄 didn't work. But it was very interesting.

    Upstairs they were displaying a collection of photos from HJ King, he took photographs throughout Tasmania from the early 1900's. His most famous photo is the one of a Tasmanian tiger looking over Cradle Mountain (though this photo was created by him with a compilation of 2 photos).

    Interestingly it mentioned that he was a Christadelphian, he was also one of the first people to do aerial photography with aerial photos of Launceston on display. He also did a number of movies of Tasmanian animals for the museum which were showing in the museum cinema.

    If you are ever in Launceston this is a must do attraction. Not only does it have heaps of interesting displays and information is also free!

    After lunch we headed back to the car and headed off for Devonport taking each exit off the highway to detour though the historic towns, our favourite being Deloraine 🌸 the Cherry blossom trees along the river are in full boom and just beautiful.

    The rain has started again in earnest now, we managed to have a great last day before it started. All that's left now is to board the Spirit of Tasmania and head back to the mainland.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1At the top of Jacobs Ladder1111Top of Legges Tor Sumit 1579m above sea level. Taken just before we were surrounded by cloud!3Sentinel lookout2

    Ben Lomond to Launceston

    25 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    We got going early again this morning and headed into Perth and found a little shelter with a bbq to make bacon and eggs for breakfast 😋.

    Then headed out to Ben Lomond NP to find that the top of the mountain was covered in cloud, but I was hopeful that it would clear by the time we got to the top.

    It was a pretty drive there through Evendale and then very green sheep pastures. The new spring lambs are running around the paddocks following their mothers, they really are so cute.

    The drive up Jacobs Ladder wasn't as bad as we were expecting (no worse than going up Bellthorpe range!) But the sheer rock cliffs are just spectacular. It's hard to take it all in, the cloud around just added to the atmosphere.

    We drove up to the ski resort which is basically closed down for the season now apart from the Cafe that is closing next week till the new ski season.

    We weren't sure if it was worth doing the 3.5 km trail due to the cloud but set off to have a look anyway. The trail was beautiful, lots of lovely different grasses and moss covering the ground and the rocks have orange and black moss markings as well. After coming across a couple of old huts we headed up to the summit (1572m) pretty much climbing over largish rocks the whole way up. We got to the top just before a big cloud bank came and enveloped us and completely whited everything out!

    I was glad Bart had his GAIA app running to see which direction to start heading to get back down. Instead of going back down the way we came up, we made our way down the other side of the summit following what we thought was the path but ended up being animal paths 😄 but we made it, without getting our feet too wet.

    It ended up being a great walk, but will be good to come back again and do it in summer because apparently on a fine day you can see all the way to Cradle Mountain.

    We left Ben Lomond (after stopping in the camping area to make some lunch) and headed towards Launceston. Thought we'd go and do the Cataract gorge walk but you have to pay to park, and once again we forgot it was Sunday! So we headed up to the Sentinel lookout which is a short 2km walk (though our watches said 1.6km) down to a cantilevered platform lookout.

    I'm standing there taking a photo and Bart just has to walk up behind me and start jumping (yes you can see through the floor) 🙄 seriously can't help himself. He thinks it's hilarious 🤦🏽‍♀️

    We decided to find accommodation in Launceston so we could leave the car there and have a look around tomorrow before heading to Devonport to get on the Spirit. Found a quaint historic hotel The Art Hotel that used to be a bakery, built and run by a convict.

    Last night here, has been such a wonderful trip hard to think it's coming to an end!    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure

    Ross to Symmonds Plains

    24 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Ross was our next stop, this town is so pretty and well worth the detour off the highway. It's full of beautiful old buildings and the streets are tree lined. We walked around the main street, down to the picturesque bridge that we came over coming into the town, up to the beautiful Uniting Church on top of the hill, then down to the Convict Female Factory that had heaps of information inside.

    Bart said the whole area both Oatlands and Ross reminded him so much of England and said I didn't need to visit there now 🙄 don't think he gets out of it that easily 😄.

    We left Ross to head to Campbell Town for a free overnight camp only to find it was closed due to flooding when we got there. So we got back onto wikicamps and found that the Symonds Plains racetrack had camping available if you were self contained, so I called to check and yes they were happy for us to use it. We are now set up next to the racetrack for the night (and the only ones here 🤗)

    Tomorrow we are hoping to climb Ben Lomond before heading towards Devonport. Our adventure here is all too quickly coming to an end 😭    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Callington Mill
    Looking through to the GaolCommissariat Store1Inside the CommissariatBlackman River Bridge

    Oatlands & Tunbridge

    24 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    The rain didn't let up all night so my cute husband packed up the rooftop this morning in the rain (again 🙄) There wasn't even a shelter nearby to have breakfast in, so we went looking for a Cafe. Fortunately we found one open (everything else in the town opens at 10am!).

    After breakfast the rain had eased to a drizzle so we headed down towards the History Room museum and found a little cottage that was 'open for inspection' it was actually being auctioned off today so we had a look inside. Oh boy, the entire inside would have had to be redone to make it liveable, but you could have made it super quaint. It did sell for $380k.

    Then called into Callington Mill Distillery and sampled some of their whisky which ended up being the cheapest whisky to purchase so far in Tasmania.

    The History Room opened at 10am and the gentleman manning it today was so helpful, he had grown up in the area and took us around the displays explaining each of them to us and giving background information along the way. He then gave us a key fob (after leaving a refundable deposit with him) which gave us access to the Court House, Gaol and the Commissariat. You can just go let yourself in and have a look around these old buildings. It was excellent.

    We ended up spending so much more time than we expected to in Oatlands as there's so much interesting history there. We had savoury crepes for lunch from the pancake and crepe shop. The owners were from Brisbane too and gave us a bonus of scones, jam and cream to take with us!

    We headed up the road and detoured off the highway to look at Tunbridge which has the oldest wooden surfaced bridge in Australia. It's currently closed for renovations but still good to check out.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    The Killara still
    This drawing will get erased today after taking 6weeks to draw!She is promoting awareness of critically endangered species2

    Hobart to Oatlands

    23 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    This morning (after a not so great experience at a Big 4 caravan park) we got up early and headed back to Hobart. We only went in there so we could get some laundry done, but even that was sooo expensive in comparison to other places.

    Back in Hobart, we decided to split up, Bart went to the Maritime Museum while I had a look around the city then I met him and we went though the Tasmanian Museum (which was free 🤗).

    After a lovely lunch at Mures on the wharf we headed north, stopping at the Killara Distillery that we had been recommended to stop at by our Accountant while we were here.

    Kristy who owns it is the daughter of the Lark Distillery owners so grew up in the industry. Because we were the only ones there we got the full tour and even got to taste the whisky prior to it being barrelled. It was also the first distillery we've been to that we weren't charged to taste the Whisky and Gin!

    We headed onto Oatlands our stop for tonight to another freecamp near a lake. So much nicer than a sterile caravan park, where everyone is jammed in next to each other!

    The rain started when we arrived so we'll explore this place tomorrow when it's hopefully drier 🤞 Oatlands has the most sandstone homes from the colonial period in Australia. The Callington Mill Distillery is also here.

    Fun fact, the longest serving hangman in the British Empire lived in Oatlands. He was an ex convict and worked as a hangman from 25 to his last hanging at 71! He was paid per person that he hung and was sent all over Tasmania hanging people! 😬    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    111111

    Cape Raoul Track

    22 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    This morning was our last on the Tasman Peninsula, so we thought we'd do the Cape Raoul Track that Cyndy told us about 🤗.

    The track is part of the Three Capes Track. We ended up walking 16kms, after adding in the seal lookout and took us 4 hours (with stopping a number of times to admire the view).

    The Track starts by going through a mixed forest of eucalyptus and rainforest trees before opening to the first lookout which is spectacular. You then follow the cliff line (though you feel safe because there is a small stand of trees between you and the cliff edge 😄) before coming out onto a plain that is covered in shorter more dense trees and shrubs.

    The paddymelons don't mind you walking past them at all and just hop off the track for you to walk by.

    Cape Raoul is just amazing, we stopped here to have a sandwich (lovingly made and packed by my husband 🥰) and then headed around to seal lookout, where you can see and hear the seals down below. It also gives you a great vantage point of Cape Raoul.

    You head back the same way you came so our return trip was quite a bit quicker.

    We had one more stop to make before leaving the area and the was to the Remarkable Cave. It's a very short 10 minute return walk, but I was disappointed that you can't actually get down to the cave floor. They have board walk that you have to stay on now 🤷🏽‍♀️🙄.

    Now it's time to start heading north once more.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    The Cruise also took us to see Port Arthur from the water.
    It's amazing how small the cells were.The Broad Arrow Cafe, now a open air memorial.3

    Port Arthur

    21 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    After we got back from the cruise we headed down to Port Arthur and made lunch in the carpark before heading in (it's so handy being able to make toasted sandwiches in the Cruiser)

    We found out that it's $47 per adult to enter but if you waited till 3:30 it was only $25 per person. Seeing it was 2:30 we figured we'd wait for an hour before heading in and go for a drive around the area .

    We walked in on the dot of 3:30 and ended up doing a whirlwind tour 😄 I'd heard that it was just very touristy and wasn't expecting much so was pleasantly surprised at how much we both enjoyed looking around.

    After going to Norfolk Island a couple of years ago there was quite a bit of history that obviously related to what we had seen there.

    It's great to see how they are maintaining the buildings and just the sheer scale of them. I just love the thickness of the walls!

    It's hard to believe such a beautiful place had such a violent past.

    The open air memorial at the Briad Arrow Cafe, for those that were killed in the 1996 massacre is nicely done as well.

    It was a great end to the day after the mornings cruise.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    132Can you spot the Fur seals?

    Tasman Island Cruise

    21 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    This morning we had a Tasman Island cruise booked with Pennicott Tours which was exciting. But what ended up being more exciting was that our rooftop tent was dry this morning when we got up! The first time in 21 days we have been able to pack up the tent dry 😄 Bart was stoked!

    The Cruise starts in Stewart Bay just outside of Port Arthur.

    It was fantastic. Just as we got out of Stewart Bay we came across a huge pod of dolphins who were feeding which was so great to watch, then they headed out along the magnificent coastline of steep cliffs, weaving in and out of rock pillars. It was so good.

    Bart and I managed to get the two front seats on the boat so we had a great view, but when the boat would stop to look at a sight the water would rush in around our feet 😄 we quickly learnt to keep our feet up on the side ledges.

    We even came across a couple of humpback whales 🤗 which we watched playing for a while. But as the boat turned a rather largish wave came over the bow and covered both of us and the couple sitting behind us as well. Fortunately you get waterproof jackets when you board. But the one size fits most doesn't apply to my husband who ended up wetter than the rest of us 😨.

    The scenery was fantastic and on our way back in the dolphins found us again so we spent the last 10 minutes watching them frolick around the boat.

    If your ever in this area I'd highly recommend this tour.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Jackman & Ross where we had breakfastI left him for 10 minutes while I went to book tomorrow's tour 🤦🏽‍♀️ easier than walking 😄

    Hobart to White Beach

    20 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We walked down to Customs House Hotel last night for tea which was so nice. It worked out well because they had a scallops 2 course special (seafood chowder and curried scallops on rice) which suited Bart to a T 🤗

    We then meandered back to the B&B through the narrow, dimly lit streets, admiring the beautiful old homes in the area.

    This morning we checked out of our room (they were happy for us to leave the 79 in their carpark, yay!) and headed off to find somewhere to get breakfast and have a look around.

    I think it was the best way to see the area, there are little plaques on a lot of the houses giving you the history of the property, we had such a great morning walking around Battery Point reading up on the history on a lot of the homes, most dating back to the early 1800's. Then headed down to Salamanca, along the wharfs and into Hobart.

    In fact the oldest registered B&B in Australia is at Battery Point and is called Barton Cottage.

    We called into the Lark Distillery which is the oldest whiskey distillery in Tasmania. The founder even had to get the laws changed so he could legally make whiskey, as the production of whiskey in Tasmania had been banned for over 150 years.

    After some lunch at a little Cafe we headed back to the car and headed down to White Beach Tourist park which is 10 minutes from Port Arthur.

    Tomorrow morning we head off on the Tasman Cruise with Pennicott Wilderness Tours and then have a look around Port Arthur.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure

    Mount Wellington

    19 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    We were planning to head south to do the South Cape walk, but after reading a few reviews it didn't seem that great so we decided we'll add Port Arthur into this trip, but was too far to head today.

    After getting off the ferry at Kettering we thought we'd try Mount Wellington again, seeing we didn't get up there yesterday and we wouldn't be coming back past again so it was today or next trip 😄

    We headed back up the windy road for 10kms.

    The peek is 1,224m above sea level and on average 10 degrees colder than down in Hobart. When we were up there it was 3.7° but felt like -4.5° 🥶

    The view is spectacular and well worth the drive up. I would have loved to get to the Pipe Organs but it was a 3 hour return walk. We walked about 20 minutes down the track to get a little closer but you didn't get a good photo from there. It's a next time walk.

    Instead of driving to the other side of Hobart to find somewhere to camp I started looking for somewhere to stay for the night and found a cute B&B called the Battery Point Manor, which was originally built for a prominent family back in 1834.

    And it's walking distance to the Salamanca district. Will have a look around the area in the morning.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    112You walk along the top of this whole cliff face!2

    Bruny Island walks

    19 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    We set the alarm for 4.50am and at 4.30am it started raining! So Bart packed up the rooftop tent in the dark and in the rain 🙄 all because I was wanting to get a photo of the sunrise from the Truganini Lookout.

    It stopped raining when we arrived 15 minutes before sunrise and walked to the top but then the heavens opened again. The sun didn't end up coming out till I'd walked back down (Bart gave up well before me 😄) to the beach, which meant I had to run back but only did half of the lookout walk to get a photo.

    We drove around to Adventure Bay to the start of the Fluted Cape walk and had breakfast before heading off.

    The track starts along a black sand beach before heading up. The track was super muddy and it was the first day I chose to wear joggers instead of my boots 🤦🏽‍♀️ and white ones at that 😭 they were black by the end of the circuit.

    We did the circuit anticlockwise, hoping the track going up would be less muddy, it wasn't! It was muddy pretty much the whole way up. I was really hoping it was going to be worth it, since I'd talked Bart into doing it 😬 It was!

    We got to the top and were only disappointed that we hadn't brought the done up with us. It was magnificent! Scary a bit (for me) but breathtaking. Bart enjoyed heading out to the edge just to make me freak out 🙄

    We headed back down along the cliff edge which was much nicer than the middle track we had come up. We even saw a wallaby with a baby joey just chilling alongside the track.

    This is a track I would definitely not take children up unless you want to come back with less! The dropoffs are huge and there is no protection whatsoever. But well worth doing. It was a 7km loop and took us 2.5 hours, but if the track was dry you could knock half an hour off that time and that was with taking a lot of stops to admire the view.

    We stopped in at Bruny Island Cruises for a coffee before heading back across the island towards the Ferry. On the way we stopped at Get Shucked, oyster farmers that sell direct to the public for a late oyster morning tea 🤗

    Now on the ferry headed back to the mainland.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Bruny Island Ferry2Cloudy CapeNeck Beach

    Mt Field to Bruny Island

    18 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    This morning we packed up and said goodbye to Mt Field NP 😥 we've had such a good time here.

    We headed through New Norfolk which is a lovely town (picked up some supplies at Woolies) and continued down through Hobart to Mt Wellington. But we (probably more me) had totally forgotten what day it was 🤦🏽‍♀️ so started to head up the windy tight road to where the walks started and there were so many cars heading up and down. The carpark was packed! So we pretty much just got out of there. Note to self don't go to Mt Wellington on a Sunday!

    We went back down the road to the Cascade brewery for lunch and looked at a new plan of attack as to where to head next.

    We were only about half an hour away from where you get the ferry to Bruny Island so decided to head there today and try to do some walks in the morning (apparently it's not going to rain tomorrow 🤞)

    So we headed to the ferry and only had to wait 10 minutes for the next one.

    I hadn't really looked into Bruny Island but it had come up a lot on searches about Tassie, I don't really know what I was expecting.

    We stopped in at the Bruny Island cheese factory on the way past but it was packed. So we thought we'd head to the lighthouse but then realised it would be another hour driving to get there and back to the campsite for the night.

    But we went down to Cloudy Bay because it said there was a free campsite there so thought we'd check it out. That way we could go look at the lighthouse tomorrow morning. It turned out to be just a muddy very uneven carpark with a long drop toilet.

    So after having a look at the beach and doing a very short walk around a bit of the foreshore we headed back to Neck Beach Reserve Campground and set up.

    This site is quite good and well protected and we managed to park near the shelter 🤗

    Going to try to get going early tomorrow and get the Fluted Cape Circuit done and possibly The Arch (but we'll see how we go for time) then head back to the mainland and keep heading south.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    2The base of 'The Sleeping Giant'This tree doesn't look that big till you see Bart next to it...Same treeStyx RiverThe Chapel TreeThe Chapel Tree1

    Styx Valley

    17 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    We packed up the rooftop tent and headed to the Styx Valley. Also known as The valley of the Giants. This is the area where conservationists chained themselves to trees to get the government to stop logging in the valley. They were successful with large areas being kept as conservation areas.

    We headed first up to what's called the carbon trail. An area that is one of the most carbon dense in the world. The track heading up was very overgrown and we weren't sure if it was worth it. But when we got there and headed into the 1km circuit that was only marked by pink tape. It was just amazing.

    Totally untouched, no proper paths your climbing over branches and walking under tree ferns. Each turn is another incredible tree. I think it's probably one of our favourite walks we've done. At the end it almost spits you out of the rainforest into the clearing its quite incredible.

    Then headed to the Big Tree Reserve where we made lunch on the side of the road before heading around the easy 1km board walk circuit and then across the road there is a track that takes you down to the Styx River.

    The plan was to head down to the Tolkin Track but we passed it which worked out well because we ended up at the Chapel Tree. Another drive where we wondered if it was going to be worth it. Three times Bart had to get out to cut branches back away from the road.

    The entrance sign has fallen off so it was only because we had a map we found it. It was another short 500m walk from the road following pink tape again but we rounded a corner and there was one of the biggest trees I'd ever seen. You could fit 10+people inside it! Bart didn't have to even duck to head inside!

    We then headed back to the NP Campground for the night. We've had such a great time at Mt Field NP.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    221

    Tall Trees & Lady Barron Falls

    17 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We headed onto the short Tall Trees loop that you can continue onto from Horseshoe Falls.

    The trees in this area are just amazing and photos just don't show their size and height. The Eucalyptus regnans are just majestic.

    You then cross the fire trail that heads up to Lake Dobson and start walking towards Lady Barron Falls. This is another beautiful easy walk. It takes me much longer than Bart because I keep having to stop to take photos 😄

    After you leave the Falls you continue through large mossy trees till you get to a fairly long group of stairs that take you back up to the fire trail where you can walk back to the visitors centre or the Campground.

    The full Three Falls loop was a bit over 7kms. Next stop - The Styx Valley...    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Russell Falls
    This stump is in the CampgroundThe Tree Ferns are just massive!2This Lyrebird was not bothered by us walking by at all!Horseshoe Falls

    Russell Falls & Horseshoe Falls

    17 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    This morning was beautiful and foggy when we woke and it wasn't raining 🙌 after a quick breakfast we headed out to do the Three Falls Walk. This walk encompasses, Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls the Tall Trees walk and Lady Barron Falls.

    We are so glad we waited and didn't try to do them in the rain yesterday because it was glorious today. The sun even came out!

    Russell Falls is spectacular! Back in the 1800's a gentleman called Louis Shoobridge found them on his land and wanted them preserved, he had a 300 acre section made into a reserve in 1885 and in 1917 it was incorporated into Mt Field National Park.

    It's a very easy walk to the Falls, they have made it wheelchair accessible as well.

    From there it's a short 10 minute walk to Horseshoe Falls. I had a lyrebird walk right in front of me and then start scratching around, it wasn't bothered by us at all!

    Horseshoe Falls is well worth the short walk, you do start getting used to beautiful waterfalls and the amazing green scenery along the way!    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Lake Dobson11Junee CavesHappened to drive past this old Dodge, same as Bart'sThese little guys are everywhere and aren't scared of us at all.1

    Mt Field National Park

    16 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    The free camp at Ouse ended up being perfect, beautiful views and the shelter was fantastic, we were able to leave everything set up for this morning, instead of packing it up to save it getting wet.

    We headed to Mt Field NP and arrived just as the rain started!

    One thing I hadn't thought about when packing to come down was hiking clothes for wet weather 🙄 (apart from our rain jackets) we packed for cold just not rain! So there wasn't any point in heading out on any walks without getting drenched.

    Instead we drove up to Lake Dobson which was so beautiful in the rain and had a quick look before heading back down and went for a drive back out of the park and though some little towns and out to Junee Caves. The Caves weren't all that impressive but the walk out through the mossy rainforest was beautiful.

    We got back to the NP Campground and set up. It's a great Campground with a nice shelter and has hot showers 🥰 and a laundry so we were able to get washing done as well.

    Even with the rain it was a great day.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    House was built in 1838, this Distillery is on 400 acres
    2

    Bethune Park (Free Camp)

    15 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We left Lake St Claire and headed towards Mt Field National Park, stopping off at Bronte Park General Store to grab some essentials and made lunch at the rest stop next door and filled up with water while we had the chance.

    We followed the Highlands Explorer hwy down through Ouse and called into Lawrenny Distillery to do some Whisky and Gin tasting. The girl in there was extremely knowledgeable and a great representative for the company. We ended up leaving with a single malt whisky (no surprises there 😄) a pink gin and a cold pressed coffee gin!

    It was too late to head to the National Park so we pulled into a free camp a couple of kilometres down the road. It had good reviews on wikicamps but unfortunately the area down near the lake was blocked off because it was too wet which meant we are up nearer the road, but there is a shelter and toilets which was a bonus as we got some light rain not long after we set up.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1

    Lake St Claire

    15 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Headed to Lake St Claire first thing this morning to get a walk in before the rain arrives. We decided to do the 5.5km Figure 8 walk instead of one of the longer ones due to the weather.

    There was still quite a bit of snow and ice around the track which was great 🥰 we've decided that we're going to come back and do the overland track next year 🏕

    Just love these surroundings.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Frenchman's Peek

    Heritage Trail & Derwent Bridge

    14 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌙 2 °C

    The next lookout was Donaghy's Lookout which gave superb views of the surrounding mountain ranges.

    We stopped at The Frenchman's Cap Trail but the suspension bridge is currently being repaired so it's closed 😥 looks like that one is for next time!

    Next stop was the Heritage Trail, this is another short but beautiful walk. Takes you through rainforest covered in moss down and along the Franklin River.

    We then headed on to Derwent River. I was so happy to start seeing snow along the road, so Bart found somewhere to pull over on the side of the road in the snow so we could make lunch.

    On the way we checked out the free camp sites which were quite interesting, one looked like a stump graveyard! (normally it would be underwater, right on the edge of the lake) Next stop we headed to Lake St Claire.

    After calling into the visitor centre at Lake St Claire we found out that the Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel allowed you to camp for free in their carpark. So that's where we ended up for the night 🤗

    Bonus they had internet signal so I was able to get wages done for this week!

    Heading out tomorrow for a half day walk at Lake St Claire.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    122

    Nelson Falls

    14 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    After an icy start to the morning where the fridge was warmer than the outside temperature we packed up and headed off to explore the western wilderness road.

    First stop was Nelson Falls. The Falls are only a short walk in but well with the stop. The rainforest you walk through to get there is just beautiful, all the trees are covered in different mosses.

    The air is bitingly cold and fresh, is just amazing though I really needed a nose warmer 😄    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    321

    Queenstown to Linda Creek Campground

    13 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    We woke to a beautiful day, blue sky and super cold.

    Queenstown was the first stop for us today, we weren't expecting much after reading a few reviews of the area but we were pleasantly surprised and ended up spending most of the day wandering around the area. Mt Owen towering over Queenstown really makes it look beautiful, and to top it off there was a sprinkling of snow on the top of it today 🥰

    The museum had so much information in it you could spend a day there. The old Empire Hotel is just beautiful inside, with a staircase that was built in England, they sent the wood over from here and then sent it back to be constructed!

    After a short walk up to a lookout over the township we headed off for a drive around and stopped at the pioneer cemetery 1895-1905. This cemetery is on a hill which would have made carrying caskets to the grave sites quite difficult!

    Just out of town is Horsetail Falls a short half hour return walk. But gives great views of the surrounding area.

    The amount of mountain bike tracks in the area is just insane! If you were into downhill mountain biking Queenstown is definitely the place to go.

    Across the road (to the entrance of Horsetail Falls walk) is another lookout Iron Blow which is the remainder of an old open cut mine. You can drive right up to this lookout.

    Originally we planned to head to Derwent Bridge for the night but after spending so long looking around Queenstown we checked wikicamps for a Freecamps campsite. The second one we looked at was perfect, so set up for the night looking out over Lake Burbury.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    On our way to the Cruise, so beautiful but we did get wet on the way!
    Heading out Hells GatesTraining wall, built by convictsGrummet IslandGordon River1

    Gordon River Cruise

    12 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Today we headed out on the Gordon River Cruise, we splashed out and decided to purchase the premium tickets which gave you top deck seating (large recliner chairs, angled towards the windows) and all your food and drinks. We weren't sure if we'd done the right thing till we went on it today, and it was worth the money.

    We loved the cruise, departing at 8:30 this morning. They had breakfast items for us first thing, before taking us out to Hells Gate. Just incredible the walls that were built by convicts to naturally dredge the entrance to Macquarie Harbour.

    Then back past Sarah Island and Grummet Rock before entering Gordon River where the boat was changed over to electric engines so we cruised down the river quietly.

    We stopped at Heritage Landing first for a walk around the untouched rainforest then continued onto Sarah Island (having lunch on the way). Sarah Island was so interesting, a tiny island that has seen so much!

    Then headed back to Strahan. The Cruise took 6 hours and we had 4 seasons today. Started in the sunshine, then rain and wind (a couple of times!) And then hail/sleet twice!

    Such a great day. So glad we went. But I have no idea how I'm going to choose only 10 photos 🤷🏽‍♀️    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1Female Huon pineMale Huon pineSarah IslandSarah Island

    Heritage Trail & Sarah Island

    12 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Yes, there was no way I could just choose 10 photos for the whole day! So here are a few more from the two stops.

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    613

    Zeehan to Strahan

    11 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    We were thankful to be in a cabin when we woke this morning, listening to the rain coming down and being able to have a hot shower 😄

    It was hard to get going knowing we were heading out into the cold and rain but finally braved it and headed off to the Spray Tunnel, which apparently has flow worms in it. I thought there was a 1km walk to get there but arrived to find you could park right near the entrance (you just have to walk if you have a motorhome or caravan) so that worked out really well.

    It's a cool old tunnel 100m long built to bring tanks through to the tin mine. We didn't see any glow worms though, maybe you need to go at night for them 🤷🏽‍♀️

    As we were driving out of Zeehan we saw a pioneer cemetery 1891-1930 which was really interesting and well worth the stop. It's like they just put the graves wherever, there is no order and so many are overgrown. We even saw two wooden headstones!

    We continued onto Strahan and meandered though the timber shops. The smell of Huon pine is just beautiful.

    With the weather so unpredictable we ended up getting a package deal for accommodation and tickets on the Gordon River Cruise tomorrow 🤗 (handy having RACQ membership, it saved us an extra $45 which I was very happy about)

    The sun came out at lunchtime so we were able to make lunch in a park and did the Hogarth Falls walk which was lovely, before heading back into Strahan to find our room for the night, we just managed to get our stuff out of the car before the rain and wind hit again!    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1

    Zeehan

    10 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    We planned to spend the night at Corinna and headed down the Western Explorer Highway which is mainly unsealed road. You get areas of bitumen when your going up or down a steep windy section.

    We stopped at an area next to the road at Donaldson River and cooked toasted sandwiches in the rain 🌧 before continuing onto Corinna.

    It had been raining steadily all morning and once we got to Corinna it had really set in. The Campsites there were tiny and very wet (you really needed gumboots!) We had paid for a site (which was way too expensive for what it was! Especially when you had to pay for showers as well 🙄) so we decided to continue on instead. Bart went in and asked for our money back (I was too chicken 😄) and he paid for us to get across the Fatman Ferry and we continued on.

    It took about 40 minutes to get to Zeehan where we found the one and only caravan park has closed as a caravan park and only has cabins! After looking around the town (which was dead!) We had the option of a bed at the Cecil Hotel or back at Zeehan Bush Camp, we headed back there and booked a cabin for the night.

    A hot shower was very much appreciated.

    We wouldn't bother coming down that way again, it was probably the best day to do it though, with the weather the way it was. Because it's all very much the same, not much to see on the way. Corinna was certainly not worth the money either, the walks may be good but was way too wet for us to do them.    En savoir plus

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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    23

    The Edge of the World & Sundown Point

    10 septembre 2022, Australie ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    We woke to a cooler drizzly day, with a Scottish mist rolling through every so often. We managed to get breakfast in before it got heavier but washed up and packed up a little quicker than usual.

    After heading to the information centre and picking up some maps for the area and the 60 short walks book. We headed to the edge of the world lookout Point.

    The West Coast is definitely living up to its wind and windy name today, as you took a step you'd have to lean into the wind to save being blown over 😄

    The final stop before heading to Corinna was Sundown Point Reserve, we did the 4WD track out to Arthur Beach and had a look around the impressive rock formations. Again we were rugged up against the wind and misty rain.

    Was nice to get back into the warmth of the car. Now setting off to Corinna 🤗    En savoir plus

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