to the south end of Tassie

Tuesday 19 March we are going South, as far south as we can drive…to Cockle Creek in the Southwest NP.  There are 4 free camps down here and we chose the 4^th  (Bolten Green Campground) in the NP, there was no camping fee but we do have to have a Vehicle Parks Pass, which we do. 

We had two beautiful days here so we used them to do some walks. We parked the car and walked along the road to the whale sculpture,

a reminder of the amount of whaling that was done here in 1850’s and now the waters are a bit of a sanctuary for the whales and where they start their journey north.  Then it was a 2hr walk return to Fishers Point and the ruins of the Pilots Station. On the start of the path into the bush we come across a black snake sunning himself and he quickly slid off into the bush….he/she was about 3ft long.  Most of the walk was along the beach and over rocks,

We had to get around the point

 

Some of the walk was along the beach

some through the bush

This was the last bit and the hardest ...for me

I was quite please with myself getting there and back as rock hopping has been something I have not been able to do for a long time; at our destination we found our resting spot with a bit of telly, haha.

Back at camp, and my legs were a little tired to say the least.  At dusk all the animals came out for a feed, little wallabies everywhere and they came near us to a couple of tire tracks full of water for a drink.

 

Wednesday was another beautiful day and there was another walk close by that went to the most southern point on foot so we took on the challenge, 7.7km one way, 4 hr return, grade 3.  I figured we could do that after my big effort yesterday. We had to sign the register book and clean and disinfect our boots

and then about 20mins into the bush, another black snake….

About half way along the track, walking through the grassy plains, Steve starts backing up towards me and …. another black snake…this one was about 5ft long (maybe a tiger snake).

I have seen more wild snakes since I’ve been in Tasmania than in my whole life time.  We had to wait as the snake decided to have a little rest stop on the track and we finally tapped the boards with my hiking stick and he/she quickly jumped up the bank and off into the grass.  Well, after 2 1/2hours we came out onto the coast at South Cape Bay on top of the South Cape Cliffs,

Antarctica is out there somewhere

big surf on this part of Tassie

Rest and lunch...I thought this was a seat but it is part of the walking boards over the coal

This is some of the last of the track before the coastal cliffs

We made it...Sandy Cape Cliffs

and this is where turn around:  but first we sat and had lunch and enjoyed the view; and looking out, there was nothing but ocean between us and Antarctica….amazing! The walk can go on for days but we believe that we had got to the most southern point by foot and now…crap…we had to go all the way back!!!  Needless to say we made it but the last hour just about killed me (but I only fell over once) and it took my leg a good day to recover.  Steve and I were both very tired after our big walk, it took us 5 hours,  Steve decided to have a very, very, very refreshing swim in the bay, sticking my feet in for a cool down was enough for me, we were even too tired to cook dinner…I think we had banana lollies, cup of tea, some cold chicken and Steve had his two last beers.

Thursday  we woke to a drizzling wet day  so it was pack up and off, a stop at the Ida Bay railway but just for a cup of tea and cake didn’t want to wait an hour for the next train ride but we were keen to go to Hasting Caves and the thermal springs.

this is part of the floor of the cave

place to relax and warm up

The thermal pool

We had 40mins before the tour so we went to have a look at the spring and do the 30min walk in the rain, of course, and in the creek bed we saw a platypus, what a bonus.  Hasting Cave is an underground dolomite cave, the usual stalactite and stalicmites but impressive all the same.  Then down to change and a few laps of the thermal spring and a hot shower after then over to the roaring fire in the picnic area.  Tonight we stayed in the campground in Gordon, $5/night, with flushing toilets…Wow.  We had some calm (weather) time so I cooked up apricot chicken and rice and we even got to sit and enjoy the water view. 

Soon after the wind picked up and it was jump into the van time and pull down the hatch. 

Nighty-night.

Last days in Hobart

Our last couple of days in Hobart  were busy, Sunday we drove south to Geeveston and then out on the dirt road to Tahune Airwalk.

 

This morning was cold and the by the time we arrived at the airwalk (10am) it was about 8C, brrrrrrr and drizzling rain.  The airwalk is a suspended bridge that goes through the tree tops of the Huon Pine Forest area ending up with a view looking along the Huon River while we sway in the breeze. 

 

 

We spent about 2 hours here walking the trails, crossing 2 swing bridges

 

and generally being the nature lovers we are (really I am just walking off the chocolates and chips I am eating).

 

Then on the drive out we stopped at a couple of lookouts, The Big Tree (6m in diameter and 87m tall)and learning lots about the logged area back in the day.

Back to Huonville, we booked a jetboat ride here for 1.15 but we were at the airwalk for so long we didn’t get to huonville till 2.45pm but we got our ride at 3.30pm. 

We were the only ones on the ride and John, our captain took us up the Huon River about 12km and we had some very close calls with some tree branches and touched rocky river bottom many times, the river is at its lowest atm so lots of exposed rocks, had about 30min ride and about 6 spins at high speed; again the big kids having some fun.

Monday 18 March was our last day in Hobart and we hadn’t really seen much of the CBD so we went on the Ol’ English Red Double Decker hop  on, hop off bus. 

We sat up on the top deck and had the front seat, great possie.  We had a 90min circuit with a very entertaining bus driver and the bus was full because today the cruise ship was in port.  We learnt about the Penitentiary Chapel on the bus tour so we went to have a look and got a discount on our entry because we were on the bus tour.  This is were the convicts came to when Port Arthur closed down, now there is only the Chapel, solitary cells and the gallows left.

Well, what a tour, as interesting as it was…. We had a lovely old guy who loved his history and a couple in the group who loved to ask questions.  We were the last tour of the day and our 75 min tour turned into 2 ½ hours (four of our 8 party tour group left before it finished)…anyway we got out of there about 5pm.  We grabbed some dinner and a few groceries on the way home and then it was pack up and washing to be done because tomorrow it was time to move on.

Hobart

I forgot to mention that while we were in Nubeena, our last night there we went into the RSL to have a few drinks and we were talking to a man original from Yorkshire I think and if anyone remembers a few years ago on Big Brother and the girl, Reggie, (who said bugger all the time) won that particular year; well this guy is her dad. Now Reggie lives at Paradise Point in Qld.


We have a beaut view of the water at Treasure Island Caravan Park,

the Cadbury factory to our left Mmmmmm and a sewerage plant to our right  Ewwwwwww.  No its not that bad we can hardly ever smell the sewerage plant hahaha.  It was hot when we arrived 33C but the car shows 39C were we are, so we unhooked and left the van locked up and went for a drive up to Mt Wellington and the drive was great but the view was magnificent. 

 

 

hiding out of the wind trying to take a photo
 

I'm not sure if 1270m is classed as a mountain but up here it is windy enough to blow the spots off a leopard.

 

Back at camp we were greeted by the residents who tend to make themselves at home where ever they please.

Richmond is our next visit and  "Old Hobart Town", it is a miniature replica of Hobart in the 1830's, everything is made by hand, even the figurines.  It was fascinating.

While we were here the wind started to blow again and Richmond is a town full of old beautiful cottages and the Richmond Bridge oldest bridge in Australia made by the convicts still used as a road today

and the oldest Catholic Church in Australia

by lunchtime it was blowing a gale again and we decided to head back to camp before doing anything else. The car was shaking in the wind while we were waiting for the  traffic lights to change.
At camp the neighbouring campers had dropped all our poles off our awning and tied down our awning to the van and put rocks on everything so it didn't blow away or get too damaged.  We did have a tear in the awning where a pole has gone through one of the corners but a local guy patched it up for us for about $80.
We actually put a few things away and because the wind was still blowing we left it as it was and went to "Mona".  Now Mona is a ..... museum of art old and new.  We had several ppl tell us we should see this so my curiosity got the better of me and I didn't even know what I was going to see.  Steve and I enjoyed it BUT one has to have some sort of appreciation for art and a very open mind.  It is not everyone's cup of tea but it is interesting, weird and fascinating all at the same time.  Some would say some art is crap well Mona has a piece of art work that does crap.  Yes it is fed in the morning at 11am and it craps at the other end daily at 4pm.  It is all run by computer and we were not there to witness the event at 4pm but the room does have an unusual aroma to it, if you know what I mean.  Mona also has lots of ancient artifacts, paintings and sculptures and I think we came out of there quite enlightened.

the fat car

cement truck made out of steel

The wind had settled a bit but there was still continuous gusts, so in between these gusts I tried to quickly make a couple of steak sandwiches with some minute steaks.  Well I had everything ready, toast in hand, tomato sliced, lettuce:  steak on bread and guess what.....a gust of wind.....blew the steak of the bread, the board with the tongs, knife and all the sliced tomato blew over and off the bench.....there was even a slice of tomato stuck to the side of the van that we didn't notice until we had finally finished dinner.  What do you do...we just laughed.
Guess where else we went?

Bit disappointed, they don't do tours of the factory any more but we did get a video display and explanation of how the chocolates are made.  Stocked up on a few treats and left.
We have just spent the last couple of days driving around the surrounding areas of Hobart and looking at cottages, beaches and lots of old stuff.

 

Friday nights are interesting in Tassie, the next pic is about two ppl over indulging with some alcohol and drugs and a broken window and a woman with some cuts to her body and a man bolting from the police.

Police tape across an onsite van at the caravan park

Anyway getting to every day stuff.  Every Saturday is the Salamanca markets

 and today is no different except the Webers are here and what happens when the Webers are around .... it rains.  We got through half of the markets and even had a lovely hot spud for lunch but showers were predicted and cold weather.  Well we were prepared for the cold but not the showers/rain so now we have a new umbrella from Kathmandu shop to add to the rest of our collection of wet weather gear that was in our car parked ten minute walk away from where we were.  But the Greek Festival was on in a building on the pier so we went in there and watched some Greek dancing and smashing of plates and had some hot prawns and scallops on skewers so that was fun.

 

Rain stopped for a bit so back to the car and into the CBD did a bit of window shopping out of the cold 11C and thought we will go back to camp get all our winter woollies on, have a cup of tea and blog....and now it is raining again and we are curled up and cozy in our warm van of 16.5C  and wait for it...tomorrow we are going to Huonville to do a jet boat ride yehhhhhh!!!
But I really hope the weather improves!  Could be wearing the sexy thermal numbers tomorrow.

Until we read again.