Tasmania. Lillicoe Beach, Sheffield, Lake Barrington, Lake Gairdner.

On our last day in Devonport we met an amazing man peddling his way around Australia. Ulreich, from Germany had done in excess of 5000 kms across the Nullabor, through the Snowy Mountains and now in Tasmania. Needless to say he was as fit as a fiddle and very tanned after so many hours in the sun. He is keeping a diary which will be the basis of a book and he has promised us a copy when it's done. All of his belongings are in a small bike trailer towed behind his bike. I wonder if that is more energy efficient than saddle bags which we saw on a traveller today heading towards Cradle Mountain. These people are brave and adventurous, well informed and living testament to the joys of enjoying the journey, not just the destination!

 

Also on our final evening in Devonport we went with two other couples we met in the van park, to Lillicoe Beach to see the Little Penguins. The babies were in nests on the rugged cliffs above the beach where they waited for the parents to come out of the ocean after dark to feed them. There were three rangers with red light torches there to point out the nests. We waited until after 10pm for the adults who were mobbed by the chicks, their own and others, when they arrived at the top. It was late in the breeding season and the chicks, mostly larger than their hard working parents were nearly ready to go to sea. A lot of the nests were empty.

National Parks have built this ramp to assist the tired parents on their way up the cliff to the nests.

Next day we drove the short distance to Sheffield to see the murals which have dragged the town out of the rural doldrums by attracting many tourists to the area. They adorn 50 buildings with scenes portraying the towns history and the Tourist Office has a self-guide pamphlet showing the route and explaining the paintings. They were very interesting. We had lunch at The Blacksmiths Gallery in the main street where I had THE BEST EVER salmon salad for $6.50!!

This mural, from a grateful community, tells the story of a dedicated country doctor who tended to the needs of the town for thirty years.

Lee, a very helpful young lady in the tourist office told us about a great free camp on Lake Barrington where we went for the night. Our spot overlooked the lake through beautiful trees and we slept like babies.

 

After a midday getaway we drove towards Cradle Mountain. The road twists and turns through beautiful countryside, past sheep snuggled under huge sheltering pine trees, fields of poppies grown for medicinal morphine and masses of wild flowers. We failed to ring ahead for a booking so couldn't get in to the only caravan park until the next day. We so backtracked to a turnoff just south of Moina and camped on Lake Gairdner where we had a swim in the surprisingly not-too-cold water. We chatted to young Sydney-siders and a couple from Brisbane.

Despite intermittent service we managed to talk to Cush and the girls and wished her a happy 34th. birthday.

Next morning we had another swim in the lake before driving to the Cradle Mountain National Park 30 kms away. Places are so close we are having trouble keeping our batteries charged despite putting the solar panels out each day.