From Bruny Island we drove back through Hobart, then to Dunalley, where we crossed the onto Forestier Peninsula. We stayed in the free camp beside the pub with another forty or so vehicles. As we drove south, we stopped just before Eaglehawk Neck which is the second isthmus which separates the Tasman Peninsula from mainland Tasmania. The views into Pirates Bay and beyond are impressive.
We walked down onto the Tesselated pavement at the northern end of Pirates Bay and then looked at the blowhole which was far less impressive than the one at Kiama on the NSW south coast.
We wandered through the excellent Officers Quarters (1832), the oldest wooden military building in Australia. It is a museum now.
We stayed in the lovely caravan park at Port Arthur and enjoyed hot showers, washing machines and bush-screened sites. The possums and green rosellas were very friendly too.
During our stay we were approached by two men, very interested in our Cooper tyres. They were from Australian Caravan And Motor Home Magazine and wanted to know if Glenn was happy with the tyres. We have done about 40,000 kms, a lot of that on dirt roads, including the Kimberley, Gibb River, Mitchell Falls, Oodnadatta to Dalhousie Springs, Kakadu, the Pilbara and more. We have Cooper tyres on car and van and have not had a single problem with them over that distance.
Glenn agreed to do a segment for their magazine so the next day they came back and proceeded to set up cameras etc. They were very affable and organised video taping of an interview between Fred Wright, Editor at Large of the magazine and Glenn. He was wired for sound and the ad was recorded and will be in the June edition of the magazine which always has an accompanying DVD.... a movie star at last!
Our after dinner friend at our campsite.
Port Arthur.
At the end of the Arthur Hwy is the infamous penal settlement of the 19th. century where prisoners from London's jails were sent to 'a new life'. It's impossible to walk around the site without sensing the horror of the place where human beings were treated brutally in the name of rehabilitation. The location of the settlement on a point with ocean on three sides and the 'dog-line' guarding the narrow isthmus, (100mtrs wide at high tide), made escape almost impossible, though a few did manage it.
Despite the tragedy of the place, it is very scenic with a beautiful harbour and magnificent convict ruins. Most of the buildings are constructed from handmade bricks or sandstone blocks of warm ochres and the reconstruction underway is utilising the same local materials.
These cells were just big enough foe a man to lie flat in.
Many of the gardens still have original flowers and trees that were planted by the wives of officials there
A number of the cells have been restored and the interiors demonstrate the 'hand-work' done by prisoners, such as shoe-making and broom-making.
We spent two full days exploring Port Arthur and were impressed with the way each visitor was linked to a particular convict, told of his crime and led through a display of his daily routine and his eventual death or release. The were talks at various buildings, explaining such things as medical treatment, punishment, chapel, and the lives of officers and problems of isolation for families. The solitary confinement punishment. cells where prisoners were kept in sound-proof and pitch dark conditions, sometimes for months, were monstrous. No wonder so many lost their reason. There is a lot to see and well worth the time.
After leaving Pt. Arthur we drove to Tarrana, to The Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park which functions as a quarantined breeding centre for devils to help protect against the spread of Devil Facial Disease. Although we thought the entry fee a bit steep at first, it was well worth it. During the day there were feeding times for devils, quolls, birds of prey and some very informative talks on conservation. As well, we got up close and on first name terms with two Tawny Frogmouth Owls.. Kermit and Flora.. who even enjoyed a pat!
I have to say, the table manners of these two sisters were VERY poor. They fought a five minute tug-of-war over their hairy piece of wallaby and growled and snapped at each other the whole time. When one got the upper hand and ran away with the prize, the other chased and attacked. Eventually the chunk of meat tore apart and they each chewed happily on their own piece. Better entertainment than the last Neil Diamond concert we saw!
No comments:
Post a Comment