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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    132
    Day 21

    Tasman Island Cruise

    September 21, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Day 20

    Hobart to White Beach

    September 20, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Day 19

    Mount Wellington

    September 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1122
    Day 19

    Bruny Island walks

    September 19, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    2
    Day 18

    Mt Field to Bruny Island

    September 18, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    21
    Day 17

    Styx Valley

    September 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    221
    Day 17

    Tall Trees & Lady Barron Falls

    September 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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...    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    2
    Day 17

    Russell Falls & Horseshoe Falls

    September 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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!    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    111
    Day 16

    Mt Field National Park

    September 16, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    2
    Day 15

    Bethune Park (Free Camp)

    September 15, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 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.    Read more

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