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  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1
    Day 15

    Lake St Claire

    September 15, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Day 14

    Heritage Trail & Derwent Bridge

    September 14, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    122
    Day 14

    Nelson Falls

    September 14, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 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 😄    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    321
    Day 13

    Queenstown to Linda Creek Campground

    September 13, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1
    Day 12

    Gordon River Cruise

    September 12, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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 🤷🏽‍♀️    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1
    Day 12

    Heritage Trail & Sarah Island

    September 12, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 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.

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    613
    Day 11

    Zeehan to Strahan

    September 11, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 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!    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    1
    Day 10

    Zeehan

    September 10, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 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.    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    23
    Day 10

    The Edge of the World & Sundown Point

    September 10, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 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 🤗    Read more

  • Tasmanian Adventure
    Day 9

    Stanley

    September 9, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We woke to the sad news that the Queen had passed away. It's funny the things in life you remember. Places you were when significant things happened. I guess we'll always remember sitting in the sunshine at a little camp-site at Crayfish Creek, Tasmania when we heard that the Queen had died. What an amazing woman she was.

    After cooking breakfast and enjoying the sunshine we packed up and headed to Stanley.

    We drove straight to 'The Nut' and headed up the very steep walk to the plateau and then did the walk around the top. The views were amazing! Well worth the stop. We decided we didn't want to spend $24 for the chair lift coming back down so walked it.

    The township is so beautiful, historic and very well kept, we started driving through but I'd keep getting him to stop so I could jump out and get a photo so we stopped and wandered around. Had lunch at the old Stanley Hotel which was lovely though Bart had to duck through all the doorways 😄

    About to head to Arthur River for the night.    Read more

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