Category Archives: Tasmania March 2015

3 month trip

Day 105

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Monday 15th June
Well we headed off a bit later than planned but ended up going for a drive up the west side of the Derwent River as far as Rosegarland, and it already was getting to late to see Mt Field NP, the fog is getting lower and clouding over more so crossed over the river calling into see a Hop drying building and the lady next to it gave us a run down on all the history, very interesting, the locals here in Tasmania are so open and helpful with there knowledge of their areas. The whole valley is so beautiful and in lots a ways is standing still, so nice to see. Saw the Zinc smelter, Cadbury’s chocolate factory across the river, saw the MR-1 boat which is Mona  Roma-1, traveling up river towards the museum. It was a day of reflections.
IMG_3846  Lindisfarne.IMG_3848  View of Mt Wellington under cloud.IMG_3854  Bridge at Dowsing Point.IMG_3858Mono Roma-1  Zinc Smelter with Mona Roma-1 traveling up river.IMG_3874  Had lunch at Old Beach, lovely views and reflections, the white chimneys in the back ground are from the Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory.IMG_3881  Old BeachIMG_3886  This is on the Boyer Rd, looking across at Granton.IMG_3889 IMG_3890  Looking at New Norfolk.IMG_3893 IMG_3902  From up a hill looking down onto the New Norfolk area, the road we have just travelled on left.IMG_3909  New Norfolk.IMG_3913  New NorfolkIMG_3914  New Norfolk bridge into town center.IMG_3918  Gordon River Road, heading down the west side now. Farmers Patterns.IMG_3924  The Hop dryer buildings, they stopped working 27 years ago and just left to deteriorate.IMG_3931  Another part of the Hop buildings.IMG_3937 IMG_3977Whiskey distillary Redland just loved this wee shack.IMG_4004  Inside the church of St Mathews, Anglican Parish at New Norfolk, which commenced in 1828IMG_4012

Landscape supplies factory. Boyer.

Day 104

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Saturday 13th June.
We headed off to Opossum bay but 1/4 of the way decided the light was so good we better get to Richmond and take the photo’s of the bridge and see the town and Old Hobart Town, as its meant to get wet on Monday and we are moving units tomorrow. so did the you turn and headed off, lovely town, there is Oakland, Longford, Campbell Town and Perth all very Similar in the way the towns are set out, buildings from the last century and old homes turned into shops, old Flour mill turned into a Gallery of all sorts. etc. Met some real nice people.
IMG_3071  Richmond Bridge.IMG_3077  Richmond Bridge, note the age of the bridge.IMG_3083  Other side of Richmond Bridge.IMG_3112  Old Flour Mill, now being used as a Gallery with all sorts of wonderful items.IMG_3113  Old Hobart town.IMG_3115  Ice in the water and frost was all on the ground in the shade.IMG_3125  This building is now being used today as a Hotel in Hobart, the battlements have been removed.IMG_3130  Here is a view of the village.IMG_3133 IMG_3156  Church steeple as seen looking through arch of the Richmond bridge.IMG_3154 IMG_3182
 Going across the causeway heading to Seven Mile Beach.

Day 103

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Friday 12th June
Got up early and the day is very overcast but took the chance of cloudy but sunny as forecasted, and we are heading off down the Huon Valley as far as Southport. Stopped off at all the wee bays, art galleries, etc. I just love the free range chooks we see in the country side, they are in the most unexpected places. Beautiful scenery and no wind so it wasn’t to bad and no rain. Got very overcast on way home.  All in all a very nice day. Just loved following the Huon River for most of the way, gave us some nice reflections. A lot of these photo’s were grab shots through the glass while driving, bit hard in city traffic to stop.
IMG_2907  Bridge over the Derwent River in Hobart.IMG_2908  The bridge in Hobart with Mt Wellington in back ground.IMG_2910  Mt Wellington.IMG_2914  Out of the traffic, now for some scenery.IMG_2920  This is where we had morning tea at Franklin on the edge of the Huon River.IMG_2928  A lot of old buildings are being used today for shops, galleries, etc, I loved the wheel in this photo.IMG_2931  Huon River.IMG_2932  As soon as I got over to the picnic table these ducks all came running, so funny.IMG_2937  Heading towards GeevestonIMG_2949  Free range chooks.IMG_2951  Nice entry to the town of Geeveston.IMG_2966  Had lunch at Dover.IMG_2972  Driving around to Southport, the end of the tar sealed road south.IMG_2982  Little beach holiday places right on the water.IMG_3001  End of the line. IMG_3017 IMG_3026  On our way back caught some good lighting on these yachts.IMG_3069 Another quick shot of the bridge at Hobart on our way home.

Day 101

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Tuesday 9th June
Rained and blew all day, very cold and miserable. had tea up in the kitchen and Don got the fire going. We have got permission to leave later than 10 am if the canvas is to wet in the morning as we are packing up and going to Wyndham for 9 nights 🙂 No photo’s.
Wednesday 10th June, 
Well very pleased, the rain eased very early in the morning and a gentle breeze and by 10 am the canvas was dry enough to fold up the Cub. We got away by 11 am after chatting with the owners, had a lovely day just enjoying the scenery, called into the farmers market shop on the way and got all that we needed so no need to go to the shopping center, 🙂 Got to Seven Mile Beach early so checked to see if we could get into our unit early, Yes we can, got settled pretty quickly and sat and relaxed in the warm, hot a lovely hot shower and started the washing, feel half human again.
IMG_2874  This is the area the Big 4 at Port Arthur have, lovely bush camping with facilities, new camp kitchen etc.IMG_2844  Green Rosella,IMG_2877  Convict statue cut outs on the trail.IMG_2879  Horse cut out.IMG_2883  Tessellated pavements area.IMG_2884

 

Day 99

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 Monday 8th June.
We were going to have a  nice quiet day as the winds are real bad, but next thing we find ourselves doing a bush walk down from the campsite to the bay, lovely bay, kids were playing in the water Brrrrrr, yes they were locals. Continued our walk to the Garden walk and up the top, pretty ordinary but the winds got so fierce we turned and walked back to camp, when the tops of the trees are swinging a bit to much best be outta there. Our neighbours were leaving so gave us bits of the grociers that they cant take on the plane, so nice, and we were all chatting and the Green Rosella’s were landing on us for food of course, got a nice one of Tracy with a bird on her shoulder.
IMG_1274  Green Rosella IMG_2726  Blue WrenIMG_2733 Red Robin, I think.IMG_2744  New Holland Honey Eater,IMG_2760  Not sure about this ones name.IMG_2766  New accommodation at the Big 4 being built.IMG_2796  Female Wren.IMG_2838 Black Bird.

Day 98

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Sunday 7th June,

Bit windy and overcast but we are heading to see the Tessellated Pavements, Devils Kitchen, Tasman Arch and the Blowhole, and on our way home dropped into the Chocolate factory and into Fortescue Bay and saw the camping area. We got away at 9.15 am and didn’t get back until 4pm, very tired. Great day. Weather was kind and it didn’t rain. Cooked tea up in the kitchen,  quiet neat catching up with others that you chattered to the day before.  Really blowing and raining now.

IMG_2203  These Green Rosella’s were everywhere and certainly use to people at the Big 4. They would come so close you could hardly take their photo. The owners were saying the birds are all so hungry.IMG_2276 IMG_2225 IMG_2237  View from the edge of the Tessellated Pavements.IMG_2238 IMG_2264 IMG_2280 IMG_2282  The doorways are so small in all the old buildings, we were told that the average height of the people back in the last century was 5′ 6″. Hence Don is taller than that.IMG_2283  The ceiling and how they were made, they are restoring them bit by bit.IMG_2290  This is one of the dogs of the dog line, they had 18 of these ugly ( only a mother could love ) things to get past if the convicts tried to escape.IMG_2291 IMG_2300 IMG_2322  Very rugged along the Tasman Coast.IMG_2330 IMG_2310 IMG_2356  Blow hole not doing much blowing today.IMG_2357 IMG_2639 There she blows, I have been here for quiet some time and I think this is my lot. The turbulence of the water is fascinating. IMG_2484  This is the opening out to see from the blowhole.IMG_2576  This opening is where the arch broke away, amazing rocks and formations here,IMG_2596  Down at the Jetty.IMG_2690  This vehicle was in the car park, loved the sign.IMG_2380 IMG_2381  This Devils Kitchen is so huge and deep cant get any angle to show the size, plus you cant get past the barriers and foliage when you are to short. This very aptly named feature gets it’s name from the cauldron of foaming fury, normally seen at water level from the viewing platform several hundred feet above.IMG_2410
IMG_2369  So big.IMG_2411  I just loved this wee house, it even had lace curtains. This is at Doo-Town, most of the house’s in Doo-Town have some sort of Doo in a name of their house, just to many photo’s of the house’s to post. Doo-Town cant grow any bigger because of Deer farming and National parks that surround it.IMG_2696  Chocolate Factory on our way back and saw this statue. And yes I bought some fudge, real nice.IMG_2701 IMG_2703

Day 97

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Saturday 6th June

We went back to Port Arthur Historical Site and finished off what we didn’t get to do yesterday, the place is so big. Today it was drizzling rain and bitterly cold.

IMG_1947 IMG_1949  In this way please.IMG_1955Convicts Chains, they are so heavy.IMG_1961  Cold and bleak, the trees are even bare.IMG_1962  Lovely reflections today of the Penitentiary. Very dark skies.IMG_1976  Different angle.IMG_1982  These are the size of the cells the convicts had, not very big.IMG_1985  The view from inside the Penitentiary.IMG_1992  Pretty grand sort of Architecture of the sky lights for that era. This was on top of the Law Courts.IMG_1993  Guard Towers. Officers quarters up the back.IMG_2013  Guard Towers, The sandstone that these buildings are made of have  very beautiful colours. IMG_2032  Hospital ruins.IMG_2031  Looking down over the area where the two churches and houses are.IMG_2044  Looking inside the Guard Tower.IMG_2047  Inside one of the Ladies cottages, very small rooms and door ways.IMG_2057  Looking over to the Asylum and the Separate prison.IMG_2071  Another view of the Hospital ruins up on the left. Other ruins that I cant remember to name.IMG_2080 IMG_2090  Inside the Separate Prison.IMG_2092  A cell.IMG_2101  Doors to a small yard.IMG_2103  The Asylum.IMG_2113

Day 96

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Friday 5th June

Big day at Port Arthur,  did the boat trip first then had a cuppa before doing the tour. That took nearly all day. Then we went around to Canarvon Bay and had our picnic lunch which was nearly 3 pm. Thank goodness for nibblies.

IMG_1578  Port ArthurIMG_1579  Penitentiary Port ArthurIMG_1590  Boat trip out to the Islands, Isle of the dead and Pt Puer.IMG_1626  This is the Guards towers and the officers quarters up the back.IMG_1633  This is where the convicts made ships.IMG_1634  Part of the ship building dock yards.IMG_1642  Penitentiary, Originally this was built as a flour mill.IMG_1650  Looking across to Canarvon BayIMG_1657  Pt Puer Jetty. This is where the boys prison was. 3000 boys some as young as 9 yrs old were sentenced to here from 1834 to 1849.IMG_1672  Cliffs of the Isle of the deadIMG_1675 Isle of the dead. More than 1000 convicts rest here, military, officers, woman and children.IMG_1685  Very clear waters, pt puerIMG_1687 IMG_1716  The hospital over the back of the Penitentiary.IMG_1717  The Cafe where the Port Arthur tragedy happened in 1996IMG_1723  inside the cafe.IMG_1724 IMG_1725  This is the serene memorial gardens dedicated to the victims of the tragedy.IMG_1729  All the names are on this cross in the memorial gardens, they are beautiful.IMG_1736  over view of the penitentiary, hospital up the back right hand side.IMG_1739  Model of how is use to be back in the convict daysIMG_1839 Canarvon Bay, we had lunch here, so peaceful.

Day 95

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Thursday 4th June

We got packed up once the dew was off the camper and headed off towards Port Arthur.  From there we headed down to Orford and had lunch lovely seaside village. We got to the Big 4 by 3 pm and got a level site out of 4 that they let us choose.  Its bush camping with the luxury of power, toilets, camp kitchen, really nice, only gripe I have is that the showers dont slant backwards so the water runs down into the shower where you are to dry yourself. Got set up, left the annex off as we dont know what the weather is doing.

IMG_1401  View from our site at Mayfield Beach.IMG_1403  Another view, plenty of room Mayfield BeachIMG_1406 Toilet Block, nice and clean.IMG_1499  Starting to pack up.IMG_1407FreycinetNP  Sea spray, looking up towards the Freycinet national Park in the back ground.IMG_1430 Mayfield beach.IMG_1436  This is not my art work, but some one has painted it and I think it’s beautiful and worth sharing, Painted on a rock down the beach, I dont know what the story tells.IMG_1438  Here it is on the rock, Just lovely.IMG_1503Big4 Our bush camp at the Big 4 Caravan Park, Port Arthur.