Snug to New Norfolk (more in and around Hobart)

April 28th
What a great nights sleep in our cabin.  Must have been sound-proof or we were super tired from dealing with all the rocking in the gale the night before, but we missed the storm peak at 1-2 am this morning and were not too sad about that. 
Had great plans for today but they didn't really eventuate.  Headed off with camper in tow to MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) and had been told we would love it or hate it.  The photo below is of a filigree wrought iron Ready Mix type truck which was at the entrance.  We thought it was pretty cool.  No photos were allowed once inside.  On the whole Mike was not very impressed and I am just a bit mystified, because my idea of what art is, is definitely not the same as theirs.  Spent 4 hours there nevertheless.  Saw some clever work in amongst a lot of other stuff!! 

Cadbury is almost next door so I was looking forward to some Choccie, only to be highly disappointed as they are not open Saturday or Sunday.  Actually my whole romantic notion of Cadbury was dashed.  I had them featured in some amazing old building with lots of purple to discover it is more 1960s and ugly.  Never mind, our waistlines were better for it!  Thought we would go back to Cascade Brewery and not to be caught out twice, checked the website to make sure they would be open.  "All day Sunday" it said, but obviously it was some other Sunday, because they didn't mean this one.  GRRRRR!

Naughty Cockatoos at Cascade eating the apples out of the crates

Had hoped to go to the top of Mt Wellington, but had not really been planning to be towing the camper today so didn't manage that either.  At this point we decided enough was enough and headed out to New Norfolk to get a head start on our way up the west coast.

Contemplated another night in a cabin as the wind had not let up all day, but it finally died down at about 5 pm.  Very light persistent rain falling however, (not so good when your kitchen is outdoors) so decided to go out for dinner.  Drove 20 km back towards Hobart before we found somewhere doing a Sunday evening meal (The Brighton Hotel).  Will never complain about Mandurah restaurant opening hours again!!

Richmond to Snug (in and around Hobart)

April 24th
A little glitch when trying to pack up today.  Couldn't get the kitchen to slide back into the trailer.  After a closer investigation, shining a torch through a small gap, we spotted the problem.  A cordless drill.  Before Mike started pulling panels off the camper, I rang KK to find out the easiest way in and  sure enough we pulled out the offending drill.  It must have been rattling around in there and finally lodged in the wrong place.

Some Tradie has lost his tool

After researching the closest southern caravan park to Hobart we decided on a place called Snug and drove straight there to drop off the camper before heading back into Hobart. 

We walked around the foreshore of Hobart CBD and visited Salamanca Place for a few hours.  Mike finally bought some walking boots from Kathmandu but in the process we discovered Hobart parking inspectors are not so generous.  On the way back to Snug we went to the top of a Shot Tower.  Have read about shot towers usually in Physics texts, but never really knew what they were about.  Very interesting!  Molten lead is dropped from varying heights into water to get the right size shot to fill gun cartridges.  This was how they did it in the 1870s.  Very chilly tonight, 6 degrees!!

Shot Tower

 

Looking down the centre of the Tower from the top

Autumn colours from the top of the Shot Tower

April 25th
Slow day today.  Domestic duties and maintenance!!  Was feeling a little guilty that we had not found an Anzac Service to attend but didn't need to worry.  While doing the laundry the service began alongside us on the town oval and we took a moment or two to remember!  Once the jobs were done we drove to Margate (where the hell is Margate?  Between Sandfly and Snug of course).  Then found a great place called 'The Beach' for a coffee.  Have seen a lot of picnic tables lately but have been wearing far too many clothes to even consider doing a squat or a pushup, so we headed for the Sandy Bay 'Anytime Fitness'.  It is interesting checking out what other gyms have to offer.  Arrived back at the camper to find our neighbour's a little worried as it was getting windy and our canvas was starting to flap.  Mike optioned up with more ropes and tent pegs!!

April 26th
Headed along the Huon Trail today, through the Huon Valley.  Called in at a place called Grandvewe with all sorts of products made from Sheep milk, in particular cheese.  The young woman we spoke to was very passionate about her craft and it was really fascinating stuff.  Very pretty countryside with lots of orchards and trees with autumn colours.  Also lots of Salmon farming with Tassal and Huon Salmon processing plants. 

Salmon Ponds

We drove and looked and looked and drove some more.  Bought a bag of apples from a roadside stall (because you must) and ate a couple and finished the day by visiting the Apple Museum in Grove and drinking some apple juice.  Had dinner at the Oyster Bay Inn.  A really warm night tonight and very, very windy!!

April 27th
Up early this morning because we wanted to be on the 7.45 am car ferry to Bruny Island.  Amazing sunrise over the bay in front of our camp, but the wind was still blowing.  Not much sleep last night as we were too busy worrying about whether we were going to stay intact and more rope and tent pegs have been put to work!  Snug s hardly turning out to be SNUG!

Sunrise at Snug

Wasn't particularly impressed by Bruny Island (my impression may have been influenced by the horrible weather and the fact that a number of places were closed), however, the Boat Tour we went on was amazing.  The coastline is breath-taking and the guys skippering the boat and doing the commentary obviously love their job.  The weather made it all the more interesting.  These are the hugest seas I have ever been in and at the southern most point where the Tasman Sea and Great Southern Ocean meet, it was wild.  I took a lot of really hopeless photos because I could not keep my bottom on the seat but managed to get a few good ones also.

Mike in his red suit

Lots of horses!

Our sister boat

Sea cliffs

Sea cave blowing

Arch

We came through this gap with the ocean boiling around us

We were worried about the camper, as the weather had become progressively worse all day and rightly so.  When we got back the tropical roof was on the ground and a fiberglass rib had snapped, canvas was flapping all over the place and a zip had pulled.  Decided the best thing to do was take down all the extra canvas before we did more damage and just deal with the basics for the night.  As we did this the weather seemed to be getting even worse so we packed the whole lot up, (by this time in the dark), and went and booked a park cabin for the night.  We were feeling a little guilty until about 9 pm, when it started to bucket down rain.  The gale force winds did not ease either.  Good decision!!  On the news they said that the winds were 90 km/hr with gusts up to 130 km.  Mike had the canvas all over the floor of the cabin assessing the damage and doing repairs.

Port Arthur to Richmond

April 22nd
To pack up or not to pack up camp?  This was the question we needed an answer to as were not sure how far we were going to go today.  As it was, we packed up but probably should have stayed - oh well! 
Not yet having had enough of all things relating to convicts we drove towards Nubeena heading for the 'Coal Mines'.  A place where they were sent when it was considered they needed 'the worst' kind of punishment.  More great weather, so we followed the 5 km walk trail using the self guided tour map that we had collected from Port Arthur the day before.  Another interesting place to visit! 

Remaining ruins of  prison

 

Solitary Confinement (underground)!

 

Solitary Confinement Cell - up to 30 days in here on bread and water

As we worked our way back up the Tasman Peninsula, Federation Chocolates was next (yum) and the lady who owned the business told us we could not go past Eaglehawk Neck without a visit to Tasmans Arch, Devils Kitchen and the blow hole.  In so doing we must also go through Doo Town and visit the food van 'Doolishus'.  Always willing to oblige we did it all and were very glad we did!

Tasmans Arch

Devil's Kitchen

By this stage we had been on the move for more than 6 hours and had gone a whole 30 km from our morning start point.  It would have been great to have been able to return to our camp, but as we were towing our home behind us we pressed on after dark to Richmond.

Probably a good time to talk about day and night here.  Dark sets in from 5.30 pm at the moment and the temperature drops.  Amazing what a difference being a little further south makes.  The sun can go down anytime from 1.30 pm though, depending on the forest you are in or the hill you are behind.  Our days have been mostly fine, about 16 degrees with the odd 20 something thrown in, but the nights are getting very chilly.  While outside at night Mike has resorted to 3 layers, unheard of for him and I have my whole wardrobe on.  We spend a lot of time putting clothes on and taking them off during the day depending on where we are or what we are doing.

April 23rd
Spent the morning discovering the historic village of Richmond.  Great galleries, cafes and boutiques.  Richmond is also home to the oldest bridge in Australia, built by convicts of course and a miniature model village of Old Hobart Town.

Richmond Bridge built 1823

 Miniature Hobart Town

Then we headed out of town for Pooley's Wines, Wicked Cheese (where the cheeses were fantastic, but I also had the most amazing Tasmanian Ocean Trout) and then drove north up the Heritage Highway to Oatlands.  Amazing sandstone Georgian and colonial buildings everywhere.  Below you can see a photo of the mill that has been restored and is milling flour once again.  Note the ominous sky in the background.

Callington Mill built 1837

This is also where Mike can claim to have out done me by putting a bigger dent in the Hilux.  An encounter with a tree in the main street!!!! Oops, side by side with mine!

Freycinet National Park to Port Arthur

April 20th
Woke up to a morning of drizzle so hit the road again.  Travelling south we stopped in at Orford (a really pretty spot) to have a look around and grab some lunch and then onto Sorell and down the Tasman Peninsula.  Fire damage here enormous and the cleanup still underway.  Feeling for those people living in tents and caravans because at least we have made the choice to be in ours.  Stopped at Copping at a great place called 'Vine & Design'.  A purveyor for all things gourmet in Tasmania and also running an amazing museum.  The weather by this time had cleared.  Through Dunalley to Port Arthur for a quick scout around before setting up camp at the Caravan Park where we plan to spend two nights so 'optioned up' with some more canvas.

Vine & Design

Port Arthur camp

 

April 21st
Weather turned it on for us again today, the sun shone!  Arrived at Port Arthur Historic Site this morning at 9.00 am when the doors opened and left at 9.30 pm tonight.  That probably says it all - amazing day!!  Very powerful experience and an incredibly, unbelievably harsh place for those here in the 19th Century.  At the end of our day we sat at the dockyard (no one else around), overlooking Mason Cove and reflecting.  It was so calm, quiet and beautiful, (as you can see from the photos), a complete contrast to all we had seen, listened to and read about during our day.

Port Arthur from Mason Cove

Isle of the Dead and Point Puer from the Port Arthur Dock

Mason Cove - Port Arthur

The Church

The latest style of ankle weights

Our Bravery Award



Camp visitor

St Helens to Freycinet National Park

April 18th
For those not familiar with Tasmania we are now travelling down the east coast.  This morning departing St Helens, we did leave the coast for a while and drove to the town of St Marys up the St Marys Pass.  Some more very winding roads with steep sides dropping away to nothing!  Must mention that while we were coming across on the boat, we were in the company of many of the Targa Rally cars and competitors.  We knew the rally was in our vicinity yesterday because we saw officials setting up roads.  We were congratulating ourselves on keeping well clear of it all, however, discovered ourselves right in the middle this morning.  The rally arrived in St Marys just as we did too.  Amazing cars (Porsche, Jags, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Vintage and more) and spectators watching from the sides of the road.  Anyway, I am going to say we joined the rally because we came down Elephant Pass behind them at 11.32 am, (no one stopped us even though the signs said the road was still meant to be closed).  No one was interested in our time either!!  Had to giggle at their signs though, the time is very specific!!

Elephant Pass - Targa road closure

Going down Elephant Pass put us back out on the coast road again and we headed for Bicheno.  Stopped in to do the walk trail to Apsley Gorge only to discover that it was closed due to controlled burning in the National Park, so we visited the Bicheno Blowhole instead. 



Bicheno Blowhole

Coast at Bicheno Blowhole

At about this point our weather bubble finally burst.  Have had amazing weather so far with mostly sunny days and little to no wind. Today was the first really chilly day.  Camping at Freycinet National Park and it is a cold night tonight!!  Waves are crashing on the beach, the wind is howling through the trees and there are really heavy showers of rain.  Unbelievably we have managed to find ourselves a little sheltered spot and the canvas is hardly moving.  Have met some lovely people at this camp spot.  Our neighbour's from Adelaide have a Kimberley Expanda and we have compared stories and some other travelers from Victoria introduced themselves also.

Must share this with you!  I am loving coin operated showers and think we shall install them at home (watch out kids)!  However I did get "play of the day" today.  While camping, collecting gold coins has become very important for operating laundries and showers and we managed to collect 3 coins today, one each for a shower and a spare (Woo hoo)!!  In the showers here at Freycinet, the coin slot is actually on the wall outside and your 4 minutes starts the moment you drop your coin in, so it is a little tricky! Getting naked, depositing your coin without over exposure and not wasting a drop of your water!  Well, I was obviously overwhelmed with all I had to consider and even though we had discussed the preciousness of our coins I dropped my coin in the wrong slot.  (It was the coin box for the occupied disabled shower next door).  Realising straight away what I had done, I held my breath expecting the water to start up and that poor person to get one hell of a shock.  Fortunately and thank goodness, they must have had their taps turned off!!  The sad thing was I had to 'fess up' to Mike who was in the shower next door and beg, because he had the spare coin!!!!

April 19th

 

Woke this morning to discover our neighbour's (who I must add are mostly in huge motor homes) had been checking on us during the night as they were worried about us.  It was a pretty rough and wild night, but as I said previously we had a nice sheltered spot and the space heater kept us cosy!  Some more walking today, about 10 km all up with a climb to the lookout overlooking Wine Glass Bay and back and then a trail walk to Hazards Beach.  Thought this walk was reasonably tough and when we got back read that it was rated as difficult, which was the same thing my knees and ankle were telling me!  Managed to dodge most of the showers and kept relatively dry.

Coles Bay as we climbed to the lookout

 

Wine Glass Bay from the lookout

Hazards Beach track

Dropped back into camp to discover that Karen and Alan from Victoria, (who were on their way home today) had dropped lots of goodies off to us from their fridge and pantry.  Thank you very much, it was a nice surprise!!  By this stage we decided we deserved some indoor activities as the drizzling rain was becoming annoying, so headed for two wineries "Freycinet Vineyards" and "Gala Wines" and then on to have a look at the town of Swansea.  Drove around having a 'sticky beak' at some of the resorts and homes on the edge of the National Park and saw some of the areas devastated by the recent bush fires.

Coles Bay and Mount Freycinet

Bridport to St Helens

April 16
At Bridport we stepped out of the trailer onto a great beach and also a great foreshore track, so walking was the obvious way to start the day. 

Sunrise at Bridport



Bridport Camp

To try to undo some of the damage from all of our eating and drinking I have introduced Mike to a 'picnic table walk'!  At every picnic table we must complete some muscle burning task and in this case there were a whole lot of picnic tables along the track.  This holiday is exhausting!  While packing up I became very popular when I reversed the Hilux into an invisible stump, (well it was invisible to me).  Nearly found myself walking home! Actually that would be a walk, swim and walk from here wouldn't it.  (No more comments about Mike's drone flying abilities).  Once packed up we headed for Scottsdale, a great rural town.  So far we have seen a lot of beautiful lush, green, rolling hills and lots of fat and happy farm animals.  Grabbed a coffee in Scottsdale and drove on to Braxholm.  This area has a big history involving Chinese migrants and tin mining.  We did a heritage walk (the story of Ah Ping), actually we did the walk ++ because we also walked to the heritage walk from the main road. We were a little confused as to where it started discovering that signs in Tassie are not always very clear.

Replica Tin Miner's hut on Tin Dragon Trail

Ringarooma River - Main water supply for Braxholm tin mining

From here we went to Derby and stopped to have a look around, paying a visit to the School Museum.  Once again this provided a fantastic history lesson of the area.  St Helens was our destination for a two night stopover, however, the Pyangana Cheese Factory and 'Holy Cow Café' could not be missed along the way for great cheddar cheese tasting and a late lunch.



Pyangana Cheese - award winning cheddar!!

April 17th
Set off to the 'Bay of Fires' this morning.  It gets this name because of the colours.  Turquoise water, squeaky white sand and orange algae.

Bay of Fires Panorama

Fine squeaky sand and amazing coloured water

Stopped in at Binalong Bay café on the way back for a coffee.  Great spot and great view!  At this stage we decided to head back out over yesterdays tracks and do some of the things we had not done.  I was driving and nearly had another Holy Cow experience.  A suicidal calf  leapt across the road in front of us and we nearly had tenderized rump for dinner.  Some serious braking and a swerve and I missed him by a hair on his rear.  Two 'dings' in two days would not have been good!  St Columba Falls was a great short walk down into the rain forest with the temperature dropping rapidly as we descended. 

St Columba Falls from the carpark

Back in the rainforest

St Columba Falls looking up

Didn't take raincoats though did we, and down came the rain.  Seeking shelter under enormous tree ferns only works to a certain point then we made a run for it.  Had planned on going on further to Ralph Falls to walk a longer trail, but now cold and wet and with the rain setting in we decided the 'Pub in the Paddock' was a far better option.  Met Priscilla the beer swilling pig and then sat in front of an open fire with a Tasmanian Irish Red Ale and a glass of Pinot.

The Pub in the Paddock

 

 

Meet Priscilla!

Enjoying a beer!!

 Eating out in St Helens, we recommend the 'Blue Shed'.  Great seafood, excellent view and great service!!