Reset search
Australia
Satellite

Australia
Radnor

Discover travel destinations of travelers writing a travel journal on FindPenguins.
Travelers at this place
    • Tasmania & New Zealand
      Day 25

      Last morning….

      March 8 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

      The camp site at Port Arthur was lovely, we saw potoroos* at dusk, there were lovely colourful tweeties around, but with the packing malarkey we didn’t have time to fully enjoy it all.

      Anyway, the packing battle (part 1) has sort of been won. Part 2 will commence tomorrow, as we have our flight to Auckland on Sunday, so all bits and bobs currently in extra bags have to be accommodated in proper luggage, somehow!

      Not sure how that’s going to go - I look forward to the challenge (not) 😳

      Edit: Saying ‘bye to Sheila was sad, she’s been a great, if not very rattly companion! We drove 2000.6km - the .6 was prob the trip to fill up the diesel before dropping her off!

      * website pic below      Read more

    • TravelerAUS/NZ...dem Sommer hinterher
      Day 34

      In den Knast nach Port Arthur

      November 4, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

      Früh aufgestanden.
      Vor mir liegen heute knapp 100km und 1000 hm, teils auf unbefestigten Straßen. Dazu will ich mir ausreichend Zeit nehmen.
      Zur Belohnung gibt's erstmal einen tollen Sonnenaufgang über der Flussmündung und wie immer ein leckeres Frühstück.

      Erstmal geht's den Prosser River flussaufwärts. Tolle Landschaft. Erster Vorgeschmack auf den Tag: Die Straße kürzt eine Flussschleife ab und steigt kurzfristig extrem steil an um gleich danach wieder auf Flussniveau abzufallen. Uff! Danach geht's gemütlich weiter bis Buckland. Dort verlasse ich den Tasman Highway und es geht in die Berge. Ich erwarte 30 km Gravel. Aber erstmal ist die Straße noch asphaltiert steigt nur sachte an, dann geht's zur Sache. Steiler Anstieg über 200hm ohne zwischendurch mal abzuflachen. Dann wechselt der Belag auf Gravel aber sehr gut befahrbar. Die Steigung lässt nach und bringt mich auf ca. 350m. Pause in einer Straßenbucht auf einem runden Stein. Aus ab und zu vorbei kommenden Fahrzeugen wird freundlich gegrüßt. Es ist sehr einsam. Ich habe die Straße für mich. Zeit zum Philosophieren 🙂
      Wenn ich an den gestrigen Tag denke: Lieber doppelt so weit und Berge als gegen den Wind ankämpfen.

      Danach geht es auf einer Hochebene im Auf und Ab weiter bis die Straße Richtung Meer abzufallen beginnt, erst steil dann flacher und mit zahlreichen Gegenanstiegen versehen. Irgendwann habe ich wieder Asphalt unter den Rädern und da ist er dann auch schon wieder, ein Highway. Diesmal A9, Arthur Highway mit entsprechendem Verkehrsaufkommen. Vorbei ist's mit der Ruhe.

      Pause gegenüber einer Tankstelle auf der Wiese. Komfortabel, mit Sitzgruppe.

      Dann nach Dunalley. Über einen Hügel nach Murdunna. Dann wird's irgendwie gemein. Anstieg, erst steil, dann zieht sich die Steigung flacher über eine schier endlose Strecke bis es dann steil hinunter nach Eaglehawk Neck geht.

      Pause am Meer und mittlerweile ziemlich geschafft.

      Noch 17 km bis Port Arthur und nochmal knapp 100 hm klettern. Das wird dann gut gemeistert und schon war ich da.

      Das war heute sehr anstrengend. Wetter gut, zeitweilig leichter Gegenwind. Ich würde sagen, das war noch nicht die Leistungsgrenze aber eindeutig die Grenze der Komfortzone bereits etwas gedehnt. Gut zu wissen für die Planung kommender Etappen. Merksatz: Nicht über 100/1000! ... Bei schlechtem Wetter weniger.

      In Port Arthur bleibe ich einen Tag.

      Ach ja, ich bin wieder bescheiden unterwegs: Backpacker-Unterkunft. Haut mich diesmal nicht vom Hocker. 8-Bettzimmer. Was fange ich mit einer Küche ohne Kochutensilien und Geschirr an? 🤔 Aber nette Mitbewohner:
      - Norman, Deutschland: Hat seinen Job gekündigt und reist durch die Welt bis ihm das Geld ausgeht
      John, Melbourne: Ist zum Tauchen hier.

      RUHETAG in Port Arthur, 5.11.

      Heute steht der Besuch des einstigen Straflagers an.
      Weitläufige, gut gepflegte Anlage mit Resten des Gefängnissen das im 19. Jahrhundert betrieben wurde und berüchtigt war. Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts geschlossen und bald danach u.a. durch Buschfeuer weitgehend zerstört. Gute Führung, die einen ersten Eindruck vermittelt. Die Schönheit der Umgebung und der Anlage selbst steht im krassen Gegensatz zur Bedrückung die jeden erfasst, wenn er von der physischen und psychischen Folter erfährt der die Gefangenen ausgesetzt waren (Auspeitschen, Isolationshaft,...). Alles gut dokumentiert durch zahlreiche Tafeln mit der Beschreibung von Einzelschicksalen von Insassen und Gefängnispersonal und dem Leben im Port Arthur der damaligen Zeit.
      Kleine Hafenrundfahrt ist ebenfalls im Eintritt enthalten.

      Danach braucht's dringend ein Kontrastprogramm um die düsteren Gedanken abzuschütteln: Remarkable Cave. Eine weitere Schönheit Tasmaniens. Google Maps nennt 7km dorthin. Süßwasser-Matrose Martin übersetzt Küstenstraße immer noch mit flach. Tatsächlich erreichte ich mein Ziel in üppigen Up's and Down's. Irgendwann lern' ich's 😏 Ich spüre den gestrigen Tag in den Beinen

      Bei der Ankunft langes Gesicht. Die Höhle liegt im Naturpark und der kostet Eintritt. Kein Problem, ich hab' das auch schon in Coles Bay exerziert. Ich kaufe das Ticket online. Shit. Kein Netz. Innere Diskussion good Guy - bad Guy. Dann siegt Diskussionsteilnehmer Nr 3: Angsthase. Keine Lust auf Ärger. Also Rückzug. Einen km zurück habe ich Netz. Hurra. Auf geht's.
      Nach wenigen Metern hinter dem Park-Eingang erschließt sich eine großartige Küstenlandschaft und die Höhle ist wirklich bemerkenswert. Bislang haben sich die Nationalpark-Tickets gelohnt. Wege, Stege und Aussichtsplattformen sind gut gepflegt und die Landschaften einfach grandios.

      Und was mir u.a. sonst so durch den Kopf gegangen ist:
      Autofahrer in Australien

      Ohne meine bisherigen Lobeshymnen zurücknehmen zu wollen, hier etwas differenzierter:

      Es gilt als grober Anhaltspunkt wie überall: Je dicker das Auto, desto geringer die Rücksichtnahme. Davon gibt es natürlich zahlreiche Ausnahmen aber die Tendenz ist für mich empirisch belegt.

      Klein- und Kompaktklassewagen im Rückspiegel: entspannter Überholvorgang

      Pickup mit Metallgehäuse oder Gestänge zum Befestigen von allerhand Material: Handwerker oder Farmer, very busy, vergisst im Eifer des Gefechts auch ausnahmsweise seine guten Manieren

      Pickup, tiefer, breiter, Metallic-Lackierung, Doppelvergaser: stark unterentwickelte Neigung der Fahrer den Fuß vom Gaspedal zu nehmen

      Miet-SUV mit Tourist am Steuer: Mal so, mal so und deshalb eher unberechenbar.      Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerBig Adventure
      Day 1,996

      Port Arthur

      November 10, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

      We woke up to fine weather, and after breakfast we drove north to Eaglehawk Neck, the second of two isthsmi connecting the Tasman Peninsular with the main island
      The first visit was the Captains Hut Museum. The captain was responsible for catching any escapees from the penal colony back in the 1800s, and was in charge of the Dog Line, a line of ferocious dogs tethered along a narrow channel across the 100 yard wide isthmus. A short walk took us to its location.
      After that, we walked the beach to the Tesselated Pavement, a geological feature of the beach. Crossing through a narrow gap in the path onto the beach, some locals advised us that moments previously a venomous Tiger Snake had crossed there, too. We trod carefully thereafter.
      Arrived safely back at the car. we drove up to the Pirates Bay lookout where in glorious sunshine we enjoyed the view whilst taking our lunch. (Great coffee served at The Cube)
      A further short drive took us through Doo town, where most of the locals have named their properties with Doo in the name. Doo Nothing, Dr Doolitle, Dootoomuch, etc..
      Doo town is next to a blow hole, which we visited - but the sea was not raging enough to see it in all its glory. Next to the Blowhole was The Tasman Arch, from where we took the bush walk to Waterfall Bay. The waterfall was not there to be seen when we arrived at the lookout. However, the cliffs and shoreline were spectacular along the way. The walk took in The Devils Kitchen.
      We will revisit Doo town this week to sample the fare at the renowned Doolichus Fish Bar.
      Back at base, we were visited by Green Rosellas, who are fearless and blue wrens who are much more timid.
      As we were settling down for the night, we heard a commotion immediately outside the tent. Alan got up to look eye to eye with a possum - sitting on our kitchen unit - who was clearly disappointed to find nothing edible in our rubbish bag.      Read more

    • TravelerBig Adventure
      Day 1,997

      Port Arthur

      November 11, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

      We awoke to discover that during the night we had been visited by many Tasmanian long nosed potoroos (a relative to the wallaby). Our groundsheet was covered in about 40 potoroo droppings!! We had not heard them bouncing around but clearly they had been there!
      We visited the historic site of the penal colony today - Port Arthur.
      Our campground is located on the former farm garden area for the settlement and chained convicts forged and built the pathway between the two. The walk is about 1km and passes along Stewart's Beach.
      The Tasman Peninsular started off as a small punishment settlement where convicts were set to work felling and logging the massive blue gum trees that covered the area. Its situation lent itself to expansion into a high security prison, and by 1830, repeat offenders would be relocated to here. A guide advised us that repeat offenders in GB or its colonies would be sent to Australia, to any number of the new penal settlements, thereafter, repeat offenders within Australia would be moved on to Port Arthur. Every building and structure within the establishment was built by convict labour. Some of the workmanship in various buildings is exquisite. Every brick was manufactured on site, and boys from the juvenile prison on Point Puer crafted the stone for the stone built buildings.
      We took the short boat tour around the bay to see the location of the first juvenile prison ever built by the British anywhere and the Isle of the Dead where over 1000 people - freemen and convicts are interred.
      The site is massive. It closed as a prison in 1877 and fell into disrepair after two major bush fires in the late 19th century.
      We enjoyed a rather eccentric talk by an American guide at the church and a more conventional one at the Junior Medics building.
      The new prison, called the Separate Prison, based on the Pentonville model, was quite disturbing, as was the asylum next door. Unfortunately, the regime at the new prison often led the inmates to be taken to the asylum, where their condition was managed but not treated. No understanding of mental illness in those days!!
      We did not have enough time to see it all, so we resolved to return in the morning. We set off on the convict walk back to base as the site was closing at 5pm. This took us past the boat yard area where convicts built timber boats and ships for the new colony. A very moving day seeing at first hand the conditions these convicts experienced.      Read more

    • TravelerBig Adventure
      Day 1,998

      Port Arthur

      November 12, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

      We returned to the historic site in the morning to see the things we couldn't get to yesterday.
      We started at the talk in the Separate Prison, where we heard about the regime that drove many insane. Thereafter, we saw the old hospital ruins and military area, the cottage allocated to Smith O'Brien, an Irish Nationalist political prisoner who was given special status, finishing at the Commandants House.
      We left the site at lunchtime to drive the short distance to Remarkable Cave, which we descended 115 stairs to see. Returning to the top, this was the start point for a bush walk along the cliffs . The pathway was fairly busy with people returning from the walk to Mt Brown. We set off, walking along a well defined pathway once again (walking here is very well catered for). We passed over a viewing point for a blowhole many hundreds of feet below us, and continued through scrub land until we reached the bottom of the mountain. The last part of the walk involved a fairly steep scramble up through rocks to reach the peak, where there were great views of Stewarts Bay, Puel Point and the headlands. We then had to retrace our steps back to the car park, again arriving back pretty exhausted.      Read more

    • TravelerWeltreise 2016-2017
      Day 152

      Ein Tag in Port Arthur

      February 27, 2017 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

      In Port Arthur fühlten wir uns in die Vergangenheit zurück versetzt. Das ganze Areal ist nämlich eine der vielen Sträflingslager der Engländer, wie es sie in Australien oft gegeben hat. Das Spezielle an Port Arthur war, dass es keinen Zaun gab (auf 3 Seiten Wasser und nur eine schmale Landbrücke) und dass das Lager trotz Buschfeuer vor 100 Jahren noch gut erhalten ist. So konnten wir die ehemaligen Gefängnisse, das Spital, die Kirche, aber auch die Wohnhäuser der Aufseher besichtigen. Es hat uns so gut gefallen, dass wir den ganzen Nachmittag dort blieben. Am Ende erlebten wir sogar noch ein kleines Theater, in welchem eine Geschichte eines Häftlings dargestellt wurde.Read more

      See translation
    • TravelerTasmanian Familymoon
      Day 15

      Port Arthur sights

      March 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      We had a later start to today as it was a day at least we weren't having to check out and move on.
      As we were heading to check out some of the sights around Port Arthur, some Green Rosella's decided to pay us a visit. They are obviously used to being hand fed. Millie enjoyed being able to feed them by hand, but didn't like the idea of them sitting on her... she did though think it funny when one landed on my shoulder.
      After feeding the birds we headed to Eaglehawk Neck and Tasman Bay National Park Lookout. Here we had a coffee and hot chocolate.
      Then we made our way down to the Tesselated Pavement. Incredible how straight the lines are and how unnatural they look, but they are a completely natural occurrence.
      We then drove through Doo Town, where everything is a play on the use of the word Doo, from the names of properties to the names of businesses. Lunch at Doo-licious Seafood (fresh fish and chips) and a walk to check out the Port Arthur Blow Hole and Fossil Cliffs. Millie really enjoyed singing "the ants go marching"... a little too much.
      Then we checked out the Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen... again amazing how the natural structures of these 3 landmarks are formed, and how each is a version of the other, but with several million years between each; the Blowhole, the Tasman Arch and the Devils Kitchen being like the child, the parent and the grandparent.
      Today was a lot of visiting different locations around Port Arthur, as you could no doubt guess. We then moved on to the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry, where Millie saw a pirate! He even had a chest with some treasure in it! Though the most amusing part for Millie was that he had a magpie on his shoulder!
      Then on to another lavender farm, where we had some lavender tea and lavender whisky... it is a thing and really does taste good... if very purple!
      Finally we got some supplies for a BBQ dinner and headed back to our accommodation. Millie got to play on the park while I did a load of washing and Lindsay went for a walk... then I got to go for a walk, after dinner.      Read more

    • TravelerBig Adventure
      Day 1,995–1,998

      Port Arthur

      November 9, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

      A travelling day and another visit around the British Isles within Tasmania. Heading south we passed through Swansea and Pontypool. We could have taken a detour around Andover, Stonehenge and Rosedale. We travelled through Buckland and Runnymede before stopping at Sorrel to take on provisions.
      After that the run to port Arthur was completed via Penzance.
      The drive to Port Arthur once again through wonderful landscapes with the final part of the journey particularly beautiful.
      In the evening we walked from our campsite along the sea path to check the route to the historic site. Another beautiful walk through Stewart's Bay.
      We are looking forward to exploring a new area.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Radnor

    Join us:

    FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

    • 2024© FindPenguins
    • Home
    • About us
    • Blog
    • Group Tracking
    • Press
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy & Cookies
    • Support
    • Legal notice
    • English