TASMANIA 6 - Burnie.

20.1.2014

A very happy birthday to Amelia Rose Munday who is nine years old today. Milli is our oldest granddaughter and we know that big brother Alex, Jacob, Addison, Isabelle, Eden and mum and dad will make sure she has a very special day. Lucky we had some service and could ring and talk to you Milli.

The drive from Cradle Mt. NP to Burnie was through undulating countryside, descending to the Hellyer Gorge and back up onto the coast at Somerset and then Burnie. The first part down to the gorge was through dense rainforest and was really beautiful. The light was dappled and at times the forest closed over our head as we drove along. The edges of the road were carpeted with speckled leaves inching under the smaller fringing tree ferns, backed by tall trees. Now and again there were brightly coloured wildflowers demanding their share of the sunlight. It was delightful. The loop walk along the river was short but pretty and we met people who took our photo and vice-versa.

In Burnie, our first stop was the Information Centre which also houses The Makers Workshop. There were two local artists at work: a printmaker and a glass bead jeweller. We spent some talking to Julie Irvin, a collograph printmaker, who was more than happy to explain her printing process and the inspiration she found in nature. She uses straw board which can be carved back in layers to produce varying tones and textures, shellac painted on the surface of the block, and etching inks to produce her fine designs. I thought her work was really interesting and the production of the plates very portable.

There were many other art works on show and some amazing full-sized paper figures as well as a huge selection of hand-made paper for sale. Lots of books and textiles too. Very impressive. We indulged ourselves with coffee and a delicious florentine and then bought local cheeses, St. Clare and Brie.

Our camp that night was on the headland at Cooee Point looking out over Bass Strait, nose into the wind. A beautiful spot but we are nearing 'roaring forties' territory and a strong wind blew all night and we had rain.

Among others there, were two lots of travellers we have camped with before on this trip so it was a bit like old folks night as the eight of us sat around the 'fire in a remodelled gas cylinder', yarning and swapping information about things to see and free camp sites. Love this life!

21.1.14

First thing next morning was a visit to town for a new battery as we killed the last one by letting it go flat once too often. Afterwards a bit of shopping to stock up on basics.

All that attended to, we drove out to Guide Falls not far from Burnie and had lunch there. Then westward to Wynyard. The information centre had a big exhibition by a local artist, Ruth Steadman(?), whose watercolours were lovely. She also had Lino prints and some sculptures. The town itself was a picture with brightly flowering petunias planted at every intersection along the Main Street and beautiful gardens full of summer flowers.

We took a scenic drive up to the lighthouse lookout where the coastal views were stunning. There is a great short walk from the lookout to the lighthouse which follows the cliff edge. Continuing along the drive, we passed a lot of houses built along the cliffs with enviable views and meandered through the narrow lanes alongside fields of poppies and green cabbages. Everywhere, there is a patchwork of fields with coastal cliffs and ocean in the distance. Very beautiful!

Fields of barley.

We spent the night at the showground where a young cricketer practiced for about three hours in the nets with his coach giving advice. Glenn thought cricket must be important in the town for it to have such a large, roofed practice complex. For exercise we watched some runners doing their laps while we had a quiet read and a small wine, feet up on the perimeter fence!

Boat Harbour.

The following day we drove to Boat Harbour, all of 17 kms away. We drove down to the beach and immediately spotted the familiar vans of Joe and Lourdes, Erroll and Beth. This is the third time we have camped together and probably won't be the last as we are travelling the same way at a similar pace. Joe has gone fishing so they are hoping for fresh fish for dinner. We are tucked in behind the reeds at the rocky end of the beach where we have some protection from the wind.

View framed by the the caravan door.

Another couple from Canowindra came in behind us and Milton knows my brother Peter in Cowra. It's a small world as the saying goes.

The following day dawned warm and sunny so we treated ourselves to a morning on the beach. The sand is so white and the water so blue as a result that the colour reminded us of the Nth. West Cape around Ningaloo Reef. The water temperature was a little cooler though I have to say, but we bravely and slowly entered the water and had a good swim along the beach from end to end and back and felt very pleased with ourselves afterwards. So much so that we bought fish and chips for lunch and then lazed in the sun and read for a few hours.

 

TASMANIA 5. Cradle Mountain National Park -16.jan 2014.

The road from Lake Gairdner, near Moina, to the National Park was winding at first and then flattened out across the Middlesex Plains where the skeletal remains of dead gums ghosted against the blue sky and littered the ground as far as the eye could see. Initially I thought the cause was 'die-back' which effects gums on the mainland but a ranger said it was drought.

The entrance to the park is marked by signs and a two huge root balls at the side of the road. We booked into the Discovery Campground which has campsites tucked into to private little nooks of bushland where you feel as though you are the only people there. We walked to the Visitor's Centre for information and to buy tickets for the shuttle bus which ferries people in and out of the park, dropping them at the beginning of walking tracks.

Our first walk just about ruined our knees, unused to hard climbing of late as they were. We walked for 5.5 hrs yesterday, along the Overland Track from Ronny Creek, past the Crater Falls and Crater Lake to Marions Lookout.

Setting out from Ronny Creek along the boardwalk which protects the land and plants from a multitude of feet.

 

We retraced our steps back to to Wombat Pool track and then walked past Wombat Pool, then Lake Lilla to Dove Lake. The climbing was hard in places, especially a section near the top of Marion's Lookout where there is a chain to assist with hauling yourself up, but the 360 degree views are spectacular. It rained at the top and everyone rushed for wet weather gear to cover packs and bodies, but it was just a short burst and we were soon back to sunny skies.

Crater Lake was magnificent, with not a breath of wind to ripple the surface. The reflections were mirror images and the water so clear the stones were visible.

 

 

The lake from higher up the track.

Glenn at the top of Marions Lookout where it was so windy we had to hang onto our hats.

I

Looking down over Lake Leila and Lake Dove in the distance as we continued to descend to Lake Dove which was the end of the day's walk. From there we caught the shuttle bus back out of the park and walked to the campground.

The following day we did some beautiful, shorter walks.

One was a very interesting loop walk through a pencil pine rainforest where we saw two wombats out in the early evening, grazing very close to us and quite oblivious of our presence. There were a lot of massive fallen trees, covered with lichen and the forest floor was damp and dark. It felt like I imagine Hobbit country to be!

Another beautiful walk called the Enchanted Walk, followed a swiftly flowing creek, heavily shaded, designed to appeal to children.

 

It was interesting to read about an Austrian-born man named Gustav Weindorfer, and his wife Kate. Their vision was instrumental in this area being protected as a national park in 1910. It is a pristine wilderness accessible to people of all abilities. We have really enjoyed walking this northern part of Cradle Mt. NP.

 

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.

 

TASMANIA . The trip across Bass Strait and Devonport.

We took a night crossing on The Spirit Of Tasmania and the loading was uneventfull, if a bit delayed. It's easy to understand why they require so much information on booking when you see how vehicles are directed to particular sections/decks and packed in. We slept soundly in the compact cabin after a light meal, a visit to the information office and a general look around the ship.

Our first stop once we were on dry land was the Farmer's market in Devonport for breakfast. The cherries and berries were absolutely delicious and we managed to demolish about half a kilo of them. We bought some other fruit and vegetables and then found a caravan park. We stayed in the Abel Tasman park which looks over the Mersey River and recharged our batteries because we left the van fridge on battery while we were visiting Keith and Maree and drained out all the power.......OOps!

In Devonport we found the small Don Market which had great plants but none of use to us while we are travelling. The Puffing Billy train is also nearby. We had read about the Antique Emporium and spent several hours browsing the two floors which are filled with a combination of nice antiques and imported junk. The collection of old tools, kitchen implements and china is extensive.

The views over the Mersey River from the town are lovely and you can watch the huge Spirit Of Tasmania as it powers in or out of the port. There is no missing the blasts of sound as it announces its presence.

Coles Beach Devonport.

 

The lighthouse on The Bluff from where you can just make out the mainland in the distance.