Day 99

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Judy's Trekabout

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.

Green Rosella

Blue Wren

Red Robin, I think.

New Holland Honey Eater,

Not sure about this ones name.

New accommodation at the Big 4 being built.

Female Wren.

Black Bird.

Day 62

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Judy's Trekabout

Saturday 2nd May

Called into Mawson Bay, what a lovely wee fishing village, we did call into others on our way but all very similar this one we spent some time, the rock formations and just the feel about the place. we carried onto Marrawah stopping at what we wanted to look at, lovely rough coast line. Camping at Marrawah is a very small area, by the sea, toilets very handy but our set up is to big for the area, probably couple of vans and a few tents would be about it.

Bluff Hill Point Mawson Bay
Heading out to West Point State Reserve. Beautiful Colours in the rocks Don is standing on the orginal lighthouse prior to being moved to the Bluff point Storm is coming and what a beautiful sight to get the full rainbow. Tiny pony at Marrawah Green point. Tarkine Sky Walk

Day 46

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Judy's Trekabout

Thursday 16th April. Last day on Bruny Island

Well we have had just the best time here, our last day was spent driving to the south of Bruny and through the Neck, calling into different bays, having a stop off at the local Cheese place. The kids got oysters fresh from the rocks at Barnes Bay, they were everywhere and big. When we stopped at Dennes Point at the Jetty, a chap told us that as the crow flies this is the closest land to the main Tasmania land but the channel is very bad, that’s why the main crossing is way down further. Took a scenic drive back around on dirt roads get to see real nice scenery. Never now what you come across.

Couple of birds I don’t know their names yet. Blowhole over Basalt Rocks. Bruny Island Art Adventure. Small settlement. Heaps of these Tasmanian Native hens. this one is out the side of the house we’re in. Wallbies in ur yard, I was sitting on the step, they weren’t worried. The Albino again. Took from the car as you can see. Barnes Bay. This is the closest point to mainland Tasmania. Long dirt road, must be lots of homes up there. Boarding the ferry to go over to Kettering. Autumn colours from the car. Driving through a big town on our way to Seven Mile beach.

Day 71

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Tuesday 21st

Well we are had a real relaxing day, this place is so quiet and peaceful, heaps of birds and we are all set up, got the fire going and did roast veggies in the camp oven, and had sausages with them in the tin foil in the coals, got the washing soaking for tomorrow to hang out.

Pale-headed Rosella’s the were also nesting.

Galah’s nesting, we could hear the babies calling.

Several Roo’s would be out feeding on the lush green grass. Milky way at Judds, Mars is the star yellow in the middle.

Day 16

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Wednesday 27

Water was so still, Jack went out for a early row. We sat around and had breakfast chatting. So peaceful. Don did some fishing, kookaburra sitting on the branch above hoping to catch something every time Don reeled in. But nothing was caught. We had 2 ring tailed opossums here last night, one was red furred, very pretty. Baby butchers, 3 baby kookaburras. We have no coverage out here so J & A shot back into Eungella to do some business. Warmed up my water for a nice hot shower. Went for a drive over to the Dam wall. Lovely picnic area for day use. There are kites flying all around us. Went for a ride in the rubber duck to the other side of dam was lovely.

Star trails. Eungella Dam wall. Spillway. Very foggy this morning. Wonderful clean facilities. One can camp anywhere here, very big area, it is paddock camping so you find what you can as far as level sites. our set up. More fog.

Earlier we could not see the other campers, so foggy.

Day 3

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Thursday 14th

Woke to a beautiful day so we had breakfast, cleaned up and Don got the tarp up over the camper, so now we are secured for the rains. The dam/lake is low but still lots of water. We have toilets, cold showers and trees. Very uneven ground as it is all just paddocks,so you get what you can. Lots of people with boats, blow up canoes and rubber ducks. Don and Jack went rowing several times. I got tea all prepared early so didnt matter about the weather. A chap called around to all the sites, hes getting a delivery service up and running and was asking about what we might want. Gets the stock from Monto and keeps his delivery fees low. His email for info is womble_91@hotmail.com Jamie Harris is his name. He owns the 4×4 shop in town. We went for a big walk around all the bays, so big. Havent been to the wier yet. Had chicken tonight with veggies all in one pot. Don had a big fall today, thought he’d knocked himself out for a second, but he dented his head at the forehead by the hair line, got the bleeding stopped and put a cross plaster on it. Hes ended up with a very big bruise on his leg at the top. Weather does not know what it’s doing but its overcast and windy. Not as cold tonight with the cloud cover.

Day 6

Posted on April 12, 2014 by Judy's Trekabout

Saturday 12th April

We are having a very hot day again, it was a very warm night. After breakfast we drove out to the tit bit of the lake, I refer to it as the Island, much larger than I thought, found Whistling Kites and there nest, they are getting fish from the lake. We counted 6 Kites. Checked out where coverage was for the Sat phone. Our friends are due today so that’s going to be nice. Cooked in the camp oven tonight, was yummy. Clouds are coming in so I feel we are in for rain, oh no as these roads are not derivable when wet, hope it’s not going to be much or we will be here longer, Oh, what a shame. Here are a few photos from the day.

This is the set up we are using, nicely tucked out of the way.

This is before the sun came up over the hill behind us. A Darter drying it’s wings Just a relaxing view. Lots of wee birds, this one is looking up sideways, so cant see his eye. A Whistling Kite with a fish in it’s talons Yummy feed. Not a good view, but took it to show how small the nest is for such a large bird. This is very high in the tree. Another one eating it’s prey. I had been watching the Kite on the left for some time, it was calling and calling, then over came the second one. A Boab of some sorts. Yes I think the rains are coming, can hear the odd rumbling somewhere in the distance.

Day 10

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Judy's Trekabout

Tuesday 31st

Woke a wee bit later this morning, was great, Kay & Mark were all set up and ready to leave early so we all had a cuppa and said cheerio for now, this was 7.15 am.

We had a very overcast day so this is good, as I went down to the kingfisher spot and sat, but not a lot happening, I could here the kingfisher going off down the creek further, so headed back to camp. People on the other side of us were gone by lunch time so we now have all the paddock to ourselves, except for the bulls all going off and a goanna visiting again, plus there is a storm brewing.

These two bulls were always in competition, they must have their own girls and protecting there inheritance. Saw the most amazing sight, sitting watching the rain this afternoon and saw that the gum leaves were jumping up in the air, a good couple of inches and I haven’t been drinking ha-ha, but really watching, it was the big spits of rain hitting the very dry leaves made them jump, I wish now that I’d taken a wee video shot as photo’s didn’t do it. Filled all the containers up again, so that’s good saves our tank water. After the rain had stopped the thunder continued for hours just rolling around the hills, such a great sound.

Sat around the fire for as long as I could stay awake, the thunder was still rumbling, made for a very pleasant and relaxing time, but didn’t make it to midnight, the end of another year 2013 over.

Day 9

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Judy's Trekabout

Monday 30th

At least the nights are quiet cool considering the hot days we’er having, so that’s a blessing, once 5 am arrives it’s time for me to get up, the days are to beautiful to waste it in bed, had my morning cuppa and sat listening to the birds etc, then decided I would go down to my spot where I know the kingfishers lands to fish and I’ll set up my bird hide, leave it there while having breakfast so as not to disturb it very much. I have the water as back ground so that’s not great but will have to try anyway.

The morning has been quiet, but while I was in the bird hide I could hear the kingfisher really going off, so pocked my head out and saw that the kingfisher was attacking the Goanna, so it must be getting to close to where the baby kingfishers are.

After lunch took a walk down to the Ford to see what bird life was there but it was getting to hot even for the critters, not even much bird sounds. On my way back I saw a movement in the bush so went thru the fence to check it out, turns out to be a baby Bower bird, so cute. Mother Bower bird was watching, so took a couple of shots and slowly walked away so not to disturb them, it had obviously fallen out of the nest as it was very young.

Did a trial with frog shooting tonight using the Betta Beamer, it’s a flash with a defuser on it.

Day 7

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Judy's Trekabout

Saturday 28th

Had a cuppa and got cleaned up after breakfast and going for a drive to see if we can see a bird I saw when we drove to Warwick, down near the Dump Point area, looked like a Yellow Rosella, so would be good to get a photo of it. We emptied the loo while down there. Just finished doing the ablution bit and noticed on the road behind us were a couple of bulls sizing each other up, one is a brown Brahma looking bull, the other one just a bull, I heard the cows going off mooing but didn’t take any notice, they must of known something, ha-ha. Stayed of course and got some photo’s, very exciting, the white bull won and then he headed back to the group of cows, so we can only assume that the brown bull was getting to close to his girls. This is the same white bull that has been very dominating over the cows and calves crossing the creek down by our camp site.

After all the excitement we then headed up a 4 wheel drive track to some look out, very steep, lots of loose surface on the track but was not to boggy, was good to test us and the vehicle on a small bit of 4×4 driving, we are new to this, Don has done it all about 30 years ago, so its a different ball game now a days in these smart vehicles. It was very steep, the view was so heat hazed we could not see much. We checked out another couple of area’s but never saw the bird again, in spite of sitting and listening many times.

Got back to camp, moved the solar panels again and put on a loaf of gluten free bread in the Weber in the camp oven. Now this turned out eatable but not very high as I only put a very small amount of mixture in due to the small camp oven I’m using, actually going to buy a proper bread tin when I get home.

Had lunch, grabbed some goodies for our smoko later and headed up to the rain forest and look at the Retreat. The walk to the Sylvester’s Lookout is really lovely not as steep as the Castle Lookout one, so more enjoyable, not many birds but did see one I have never seen before and cant find a name for it yet, not even in my bird book. Called into the retreat, what a lovely place, went up to see the lady and what a nice person, they have a great camping area as well as cabins, clean and a excellent real dump point. Just up from here is the Main Range National park

Entrance to the lookout. Everything is covered with mossy growth, this is up at the tops. View from the lookout, down in the valley towards the coast in a easterly direction. A bird that I do not know the name of yet! I think it is a Black-faced Monarch. Beautiful ferns in the rain forest. Lesueur’s frog’s.