Tasmania - part 2

On leaving Launceston, I headed up to the North coast. First stop was the little town of Penguin, and you can see why I had to go there! In the centre of town was a large concrete penguin, and I got a few funny looks as I was taking numerous self-timer shots of me posing with the penguin. Many of the business premises in the town also had their own penguin statues and signs - what a great place in was. I had a little wander, took some photos and bough some postcards and a little penguin for my collection. Unfortunately it was the wrong time of year to see the little penguins from which the town takes it's name: they all head off as it is too Baltic.

Next up was the town of Wynard where the strange coastal feature called table cape, and also some fossil cliffs where many important fossils were found by Errol Flynn's dad (this is true!). Even further along the north coast was Stanley, with another strange rock formation on the coast called the Nut. At both there places I got out and had a stomp up and around the cliffs, not taking the the big jessie cablecar. I had some nice fish and chips in Wynard too. That evening I headed to Devonport, a big town where I though I might meet some people who wanted to head to Hobart. Turns out I was the only one in the hostel, probably in the whole week. I had enough time to do a little shopping in Devonport. As my sandals were too cold and stinky and my boots to uncomfortable to drive I got some cheap shoes. Also picked up some more socks and a CD for the car. I'm sure you're fascinated.

Next day was into the scenic mountains and I got up early and headed for Cradle mountain. Was a bit wet when I got there but decided to do a walk, a circuit of Dove lake, anyway. Was fine until near the end, and the peak of cradle mountain drifted out of the cloud occasionally. But the last half 20 mins I was walking into wet driving rain and really suffered from my lack of waterproof trousers! I dove out of that area through the hills and stopped briefly to look at Zeehan (a dive) before getting to Strahan for a late lunch. Strahan was a bit dead in this season, and the big thing to do is a 4 hour river cruise, which was too expensive, and not at the right times for me anyway. I quick look round the town, and a little museum type thing in the information centre and I decided to drive out to viewpoint near the mouth of Macquarrie harbour. Turned out this was a pretty hairy unsealed road, and the end wasn't really worth it. Then I tried to head out another road to Ocean beach, but the unsealed road was in bad condition and I didn't fancy taking my wee hire car any further down it. I then headed to Queenstown as the hostel in Strahan was closed for the winter so there was no cheap accommodation. On the way the sun came out, and it looked like it would have been a glorious sunset if I'd made it to Ocean Beach and stayed. Queenstown turned out to be a bit of a dive, in an even worst setting. The main local feature being an open cast mine surrounded by barren slopes. I did get cheap pub accommodation here though, and didn't have to spend much time.

On the last day with the car I headed straight to Lake St Clair, another national park connected to Cradle Mountain by the famous overland trek. When I pulled up to the visitor centre it was snowing, so I decided it was not the time for walking, and drove off, heading towards Hobart. I was thinking of heading to Mt Field national park too, but driving past Mt Field I could see a huge wadge of grey cloud right on top of Mt Field though the surroundings weren't too bad. I deliberately drove past the turning, and stopped very briefly in the town of Hamilton (yes Bothwell and the river Clyde were nearby too) and the weather was actually beautiful there, so I decided to go back to Mt Field. When I got near I saw it still had its wadge of grey cloud but I went anyway, and did a couple of walks, to the waterfall (I forget the name) and among the tall trees, which were very pleasant if a little damp. Then I just headed back to Hobart and got there just before 3pm (car was due back by 4pm) and internetted a little before meeting Niall (who I hadn't seen since about 15 years earlier in Scotland) who I was going to stay the night with on the outskirts of Hobart, where he lives with wife, daughter, mother-in-law, three cats and a dog. I had a good night, with some rather large measures of whiskey and was dropped in town the next day and didn't have time to do much before heading for the airport and off to Melbourne.

Photos:

Penguin at Penguin

This is the Nut at Stanley

This is Cradle Mountain, just about visible.

Tasmania - part 1

I got into Hobart airport and got the shuttle bus in to town. I was too early to check into my hostel, so I took a stroll around town, to the famous Salamanca Market, which was happening that day. As well as lots of food stalls, and a stall where I was able to buy some very necessary gloves, there were 2 pipe bands, one of them even played waltzing Matilda! I had fish and chips by the quayside, checked out car rental prices and then checked into the hostel. I then checked out the local museum, which was really good, I had to leave when it closed for the evening. There were some very sobering exhibitions about the treatment of the local aborigines. For tea I had some curry as I was walking past a cheap curry place and the smell got me!!

Next morning I picked up my car, a little white Suzuki Swift, for my road trip around Tasmania ( I advertised in the hostel for other people, but Tasmania was very short of traveling backpackers at this time of year, hostels were empty or full of working people and weirdos). I had 6 days and did 2000kms, I aim to cover the first half here.

On day one I headed for the former penal settlement at Port Arthur. Famed for it's grim atmosphere and harsh environment, it was actually a really nice day when i got there, which I think detracted from the experience! The ticket came with a harbour boat tour (out past the Isle of the dead where the dead were buried, the prisoners in unmarked graves) an introductory walking tour and a playing card. Everyone got a different card and it matched up to a certain prisoner whose story was told in the museum section. Of course mine turned out to be from Glasgow, transported for stealing candles, he died fairly young. Also on the Tasman peninsula and around were a number of natural coastal features, including the blowhole and remarkable cave, which wasn't sooo remarkable! So I went to see them too. It starts to get dark very early so I had a bit of a night drive and stopped for the night at a rather flash hostel in a place called Swansea, getting a dorm to myself, which is generally a bad thing.

Next day I headed onto another peninsula, this time the Freycinet one, home to the eponymous national park which contains wineglass bay (oops, I did stop at Coles Bay to look at the Hazards (rocky outcrops overlooking the town) first). It was a short hike to view the bay, and while it was very nice, it wasn't as amazing as many people had told me! Here I also met with the first in a series of crap photographers, who when asked to take a photograph me in front of the bay, did exactly that, so you couldn't see the beach (he also did it to someone else, so we both had to sheepishly ask another person to take another photo of the same thing - yes it was busy up here, it's one of the main attractions and I coincided with the adventure tours bus (who I went down the NT with)). See also later photographers of me holding animals in wildlife parks - yes I'd prefer all of my head in the photo.

I stopped for lunch in Bicheno where I thought I might spot some little penguins, but no such luck. Very nice fish though, shame about the chips! I then headed to the Bay of fires where I had the whole place to myself. Again this is considered a highlight of Tassie, but while it was very nice, was not spectacular! A bit of a drive took me to the small town of Bridport, where I thought I'd spend the night and pick up some postcards for those who know the other Bridport in England. Turns out the rather small hostel had no dorms left (a single block booking of 7 had filled them up) but they pointed me towards the pub, which was a bit of a revelation to me: in these small towns the old town hotel often has very cheap old fashioned rooms upstairs. For the same price as a mid-range dorm bed I got a single room with a very comfy bed, a sink and .... an electric blanket! They also had a communal kitchen and tv lounge, as well as a lovely big bath, which I made use of! Of course it's also very near the bar!

Next day was to be wildlife day so after a quick look at the beach in Bridport I headed for the town of Beauty point where they had a platypus centre. I was getting up very early on this trip to make full use of the light (not only is it not so pretty to drive the scenic roads in the dark, there's also a big risk of hitting animals), so though it was open when I arrived, I had to wait almost an hour for the tour to start - I did get a nice free hot chocolate though! The platypuses were pretty cool, a bit smaller than I imagined, and full of energy (well some of them were). They also had echidnas, which I really loved! I stopped in Deloraine for lunch (no not fish and chips today - I was inland) and then headed to a wildlife park near Mole Creek, mainly to see Tasmanian Devils. Here I got to handle a devil (not allowed in many places) and a wombat (which did bite me quite a bit) as well as seeing gangs of devils being fed and hearing their crazy noises (and no, they don't spin). They also had quolls, kangaroos, various birds and a Koala, which only presented itself as a snoring grey ball of fluff in a tree. After this I headed in to Launceston and had time to go and visit cataract gorge before checking to the hostel. Cataract gorge was pretty but unfortunately I didn't have time to do the fairly long walk up the gorge before dark. In the hostel here they had a piano, and I couldn't resist a shot, and so met a french guy who likes Yann Tiersen! He'd travelled in South America and gave me some tips. I also met his coworkers, and I have to say they were 'bogans', but for once I met some people in Tassie! The hostel also had a very fat cat called Fuji, who was on a diet.

Photos:

This is Wineglass Bay.

This is the Bay of Fires

This is a rather smelly Tasmanian Devil.