Waratah to Hobart

We arrived in Waratah just after lunch and duly checked out the caravan park, part of the reason for staying here and not at Cradle Mountain was the $40/night difference in price, it seems children give van parks an excuse to charge what they like so Waratah it was to be, only 30mins from Cradle Mountain anyway so perfect for a day trip. Waratah is an old mining town where copper was found in the mid 1800’s which kept the town on the map until late 1900’s when the mine closed. There is quite a lot of local history to read about as you wonder through the town and they have also moved an old single battery stamper complete with hut into town and built a shed around it so you can see how one of the locals mined on his own after the mine closed.

Another benefit to Waratah was the Platypus viewing areas just next to the park, we have been to a few places which promise sightings of Platypus and never managed to actually see one, our first night at Waratah had us watching three swimming around the lake, we really enjoyed seeing them.

Cradle Mountain is a wilderness area used by many prior to an Austrian couple building a chalet there and inviting friends to experience the area they loved so much. I had already prepped the kids and Kellie that I wanted to do one of the walks at Cradle Mountain, not being what you would call the most active bunch we usually manage a few short walks but the walk around Dove Lake is around 6km and takes 2-3hrs. Getting to the park in reasonable time we went straight for the walk, we would look at the visitor centre on our return so taking a shuttle bus up to the lake we started out on the walk. The wind was blowing quite strongly requiring a firm hold on our hats but as the walk meandered around the lake we got to take in the impressive views of Cradle Mountain, a beautiful spot and well worth the visit. I did try to wind the kids up about taking one of the longer and steeper walks up to one of the peaks but they now do not seem to believe me. Even with a short stop to have some lunch we still managed to complete the walk in just over two hours.

With the walking out of the way I spotted another local attraction devils@cradle, now we had being talking about Devils with the kids but they still have not seen any live so I thought it would be a good idea to check it out. The facility is a breeding centre for Devils to help in trying to stop the species going extinct, after a short video introduction the guide showed us around some of the Devils picking some up for us to pat, feeding another with a bone which it quite happily was crunching through. Also in the park where Eastern Quolls and Spotted Tailed Quolls, another couple of species living on the edge of existence. However the highlight for this family were the two baby Common Wombats being cared for after their mothers were hit by cars. they were only 8 and 10 months old and we all got to have a pat of the older one, if you could have one of these as pet I think we would be first in line.

Speaking to a fellow traveller in Waratah I mentioned we had not booked our return journey to Melbourne on the ferry, he advised to look into it quickly as friends of his struggled to find a ticket. Good job he told me as the latest I could book was 23rd February otherwise it would have been April and we don’t want to be here that long really.

The next day we headed off again towards Strahan, the road travels south through Rosebury and Zeehan where we took the road less travelled towards the coast and Strahan. Realising now that we only have 3 weeks to fit in Hobart and the East Coast we planned to stay only 2 nights in Strahan which would allow us to see a little of the area. Walking around the waterfront we checked out which Gordon River cruise company had the best deal, in the end we bought tickets for the Gordon River Cruise company and at $260 including lunch seemed the best value. Next on the agenda was to see a play I had read about before called ‘The Ship That Never Was’, it was due to start soon so we had a quick fish and chip dinner (one of the best!) and went back to enjoy the show.

The Ship That Never Was tells the story of a group of prisoners being incarcerated on Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbour building a boat and sailing to Chile. Four of the prisoners were returned to Sarah Island after the British found them in Chile, the others went on to escape and live their lives. The play has been running since 1984 with over 5000 performances and is very entertaining, some audience participation is involved and Lili took up the challenge like the little starlet she is, Fred was not so keen so hid under my jacket when required. Certainly if you are in Strahan ad this to the list of things to do.

Up early we arrived at the cruise boat on time, the Lady Jane Franklin II was to be our vessel for todays explorations, along with a few other people. Heading out from port the Captain gives some commentary which was both interesting and humorous regarding the local area and shipping past. First stop was Hells Gate, this is the opening to Macquarie Harbour, only 60m at its widest and then you are into the Southern Ocean, standing on the bow may not have been Kel’s best decision as we started rising and falling in the 5m swell coming at us. Turned around we head back to into sheltered waters and check out one of the fish farms this area is popular for, now we know the difference between Ocean and Rainbow trout, do you?. Now we pick up speed and head across the harbour to the Gordon River, impressively deep and mirror like surface due to the tannins from the trees up river it is a quite amazing view, at one point we are dropped off at Heritage Landing where you stroll along the walkway through the rain forest, we even spot a Tiger snake basking in the sun. Back on the boat lunch is served from the buffet, excellent food and fresh smoke salmon kept me going back for seconds. The final stop on the voyage is Sarah Island, met by a guide we are given a theatrical guide of the island, learning of some of the punishment the prisoners were put through and also the people commanding them, the Island was used to send convicts that had offended again once in Sydney, sending them to Sarah Island was to break their spirits and many did not leave the Island. Back on the boat and were are back in Strahan where we have a lazy evening at the van before packing up the next day Hobart bound.

Wanting to get to Hobart on Friday so Kel could check out the Salamanca Markets on the Saturday we left Strahan early’ish and made our way to Queenstown stopping for lunch and a wander around this mining town it felt very mad max in the way the mine spoils are piled around the town. Then a quick stop at Lake Lyell, this is the end of the overland track a 5 day walk from Cradle Mountain, stopping to check out an Echidna on the side of the road on the way out we managed to get to a place called Dunrobin Bridge where we could camp for the night, meaning only a short trip into Hobart the next day.

So now we are in Hobart, planning to spend a week but will see, still so much more to see and only a short time to see it.

 

Devonport to Waratah –Tasmania Week 1

So our first week in Tassie is complete, the first thing we noticed is you do not cover much distance but do cover a lot of places, much like the UK all the towns are close together so seeing many things in one day is easy to do.

Having spent our first night at the local Discovery Holiday Park in Devonport we decided to move on and try some of the free camping available, also I was wanting to catch up with another acquaintance from a forum I frequent so we decided on the Penguin as cool place to stay.

On the way to Penguin we took a detour and did a quick loop through Railton, Sheffield (town of murals) and back via Spreyton where they have a cider factory, quite a nice drop too.

The campsite was at the surf club and maximum stay 48hrs but with no other facilities this was a good test of our set-up and I have to say I am very happy. Waking up right on the beach (after crossing the railway) we were able to go swimming in the surf the kids had a great time exploring the rock pools. We also got to catch up with Ian and his red dusted interior Landcruiser when he visited, much appreciative of the icey can of Boags that appeared from the centre console, I knew there had to be something worth having in a Cruiser!.

From Penguin we could easily explore along the coast and of course having a name like Penguin the little feathered rock hoppers had to be around somewhere. It was in Burnie one evening we went to the Penguin viewing area, each evening a volunteer comes down and gives a little introduction about the Fairy Penguins in the area and from the boardwalk they have constructed you can see the young penguins coming out of their burrows waiting for mum and dad to return after a day at sea gathering fish and squid to feed the young. We did not finish up until 10.30pm as it was so cool to watch, the weather was also pretty cool by then so the heater in the car got a good run on the way back to camp. Also whilst in this area we checked out the town of Burnie, sampling some whiskey at Hellyers Road Distillery and spending some time at the visitor information centre they call the Makers’ Workshop. This is a really interesting place where they have combined a visitor info centre with a working facility where artists can come and work whilst people wander by and have a chat, the display also shows the history of Burnie as a port and the paper and timber industry based in the area.

It was time to move on again further along the coast, we wanted to head towards Stanley and found on the maps a campsite called Black River, this is a conservation area and we finished up in or own camp with a short walk to a small beach, perfect for a refreshing dip in the afternoons. At $13/night for a family of four this is a great way to save some costs and the location could not be beaten, only 20mins from Stanley so checking out that area was going to be easy. Stanley is a small town, originally called Circular Head back in the early days when first settled by the Van Diemens Land Company, the town sits at the base of a volcanic plug which the locals call “The Nut”, quite an imposing sight on the skyline when approaching the town. You can walk to the top of The Nut if you like steep gradient pathways, our like us you can catch the cable car the 120m up and walk around the top along the leisurely walk taking in the views over town and across the beaches either side. After our strenuous day so far we went over to the main wharf to try our hand at fishing, now those that know us have heard of our amazing failure to catch much worth keeping and today was to be no different, despite people just up the wharf bringing in all sorts Kellie managed to catch the ugliest bugged eyed fish we had ever seen, and on been told its spikes were poisonous we kept our distance and returned it to the depths with some new mouth jewellery. Thankfully Kellie had better success the following morning during her early walk along the beach which at low tide revealed oysters and pipis (small clams), I ate the oysters and they were pretty tasty, the pipis got returned as we did not have time to cook them, next time.

Our next destination along the coast was to be the far west at a small town call Arthur River, again due to the distances involved we took a detour through Smithton to grab some supplies and were able to arrive at the campsite mid afternoon. After having a quick chat with the Ranger we found out of some activities they had planned being a long weekend (we had almost forgotten  about Australia Day!) and found out where to collect some firewood as the evenings were getting a little cool and we also wanted to use our campfire cooking implements. So the next day the we joined Ranger Fi for a talk about Tasmanian Devils and work going on in the area to track them and how to track them, next the kids were all taking turns tracking down a hidden collar in the bush. The next camp to ours had been visited by a couple of Devils and Quolls the previous evening so they were there, we just did not see any. This area is one of the few where the Devils do not suffer from the facial cancer other populations of Devils are afflicted with, how long that remains is to be seen.

The Arthur River is a starting point of some fairly adventurous 4wding, being on our own we just stuck to the main roads and a couple of tame side tracks checking out some of the fishing villages heading south. We also got to visit the ‘Edge of the World’ which is just out of town, from here the next stop is South America so the area takes the brunt of the roaring forties and it shows in the battered coastline.

It was Australia Day holiday Monday when we left Arthur River, if we could make it to a town called Waratah we would be able to base ourselves there to visit the impressive Cradle Mountain National Park.

Until then.

Canberra to Melbourne.

 

We had arranged a visit to Kellie’s cousin in Canberra and thought it would be good to try and check out a couple of the attractions in town, also we were to catch up with an acquaintance whom we believe to have been following us on previous travels!.

So on a hot and dry day we arrived Canberra, stopping off at Sharon and Paul’s we left the kids and checked in at a local caravan park, thinking we would be needing the aircon later in the day this was the best option.

The next day we planned to check out Questacon, this is a science based museum and learning centre for kids but also plenty to keep the adults amused. The highlight for our family was watching Dad hanging from the 3m vertical drop and letting go, quite the heart starter was that one.

Next on the agenda was lunch, first we needed to find a supermarket for supplies, not before sighting the bright orange Land Rover of Julian our desert nomad follower. You can check out Julian’s website www.sports-trek.com, from our first meeting a year ago in Sydney we have since met in the Simpson Desert and now Canberra, a case of who is following who?. After coffee we said our farewells and took the obligatory car photos and went on our way.

Our next stop was to be the Australian War Museum, now I had not done much reading on this and thought it was only the War Memorial and a small museum, WOW, what a surprise this place was, even Fred was taken in by all the stories and military equipment on display, if you are ever in Canberra I would highly recommend this attraction.

So after another yummy dinner thank you Sharon and Paul we were on our way the next day for Victoria, somewhere, planning for Cann River.

Driving out of Canberra the forecast was high 30’C but we were experiencing 45’C at some points, so taking it easy we made our way through Cooma & Bomballa before finally setting up camp at Cann River caravan park. This was a nice little spot with a shallow river running past the park which the kids could splash around in safety, we also took a quick trip out to the coast to have a dip in the ocean, our first of many for this trip.

From Cann River we headed west on the highway through Lakes Entrance where we all had a swim in the surf, Fred and Lil are now starting to like the surf and Fred is getting quite adventurous so will be keeping an eye on him more now. Lunch on the foreshore for me prawn sandwich with oyster entree was a great but we had to push on as Sale was our destination for today.

Passing through Bairnsdale and funnily Stratford (on the river Avon) we arrived safely in Sale, we had read about the showgrounds being well priced so checked in for two nights. From Sale you can explore to the coastal town of Seaspray and check out the towns old swing bridge which still operates.

We were now close to the appointment with the ferry to Tasmania so after two nights in Sale we made our way to Melbourne and a chance to catch up with Kel’s cousin Donna. We had an early dinner knowing it would be an early start in the morning for the ferry.

The Spirit Of Tasmania ferries run overnight most of the year so you have to book a cabin, during the peak holiday times they also run some day time crossing meaning you do not have to pay so much for the ticket, you then just sit in the common areas and take in the views. We arrived early at the wharf so stopped for a roadside brekkie before checking in and boarding the boat. Leaving the wharf the run across Port Phillip Bay was uneventful and it was only on entering Bass Strait that it was found the rest of the family did not share the same sea legs as Dad!. The crossing takes about 9hrs so for some the long low swell could not end soon enough but eventually it did and we approached Devonport and left the ferry to check in at the local van park to rest for the night, now our trip was really happening and Tasmania is to be our home for the next 4-5 weeks.

As you can see we have covered a fair bit of distance so far but so much more to see and do.  

The story so far.

We left the Hunter Valley the morning Wednesday 8th, this time our departure was less rushed and with fewer people to wave us off. We had planned to head to Wellington having missed the caves on our first trip which only got as far as Dubbo, taking the Golden Highway out to Sandy Hollow we cut across the Bylong Valley and popped out at Mudgee.



As it was getting late we decided to stay in Mudgee for the night which also gave us a chance to have a wonder through the town. Lovely little place with some very interesting old buildings which are being put to good use, the theatre below seemed unused but sure would make a fantastic venue for something.


The next morning it was looking a little grey and wet the direction we were heading, after a quick drive via Gulgong we made it to Wellington and headed straight for the caves, entry fee paid it was on with the tour of Cathedral Cave.




After lunch as it was so wet and chilly we decided to head south, the intention was to make Cowra for the night, we took the Mitchell Highway via Orange for a fuel stop. We released it was getting a little late in the day as we approached Canowindra, calling ahead to the caravan park to make sure they had room it was decided to stay there a couple of days to explore the area. Bonus on arrival was the pay 2 nights and stay for 3, the park is a little old but only has about 14 powered sites and a few camping sites used by backpackers working in the local fruit picking industry.
Canowindra has quite an interesting local story about the finding of some fossils of fish in the local area which were previously unknown species, from the initial finding back in the 1950’s to today they have built the Age of Fishes museum which we found to be very interesting.



From our base in Canowindra we were able to explore south to Cowra to see relatives for lunch (thanks Bruce & Anne), we also checked out the visitor centre which has a very cool hologram telling the story of the Cowra breakout. Heading out of town we took the chance to visit the site of the POW camp which housed a number of nationalities during WW2, it was here that over 200 Japanese POW’s died attempting a mass breakout in 1944.



I had found in Parkes this weekend they were holding the annual Elvis festival, been in the area we had to go to see what all the fuss was about. We made it just as the parade was taking place so missed a few but managed to catch the end.



Parkes is also famous for The Dish, the movie with Sam Read depicting the Apollo mission was based on this facility and it is still amazing to see the huge dish on the horizon when approaching. They now show a cool 3D movie about Mars and the various planets out there, all very interesting.



It was now getting late in the day so we headed back via the Henry Parkes Centre where they have the Elvis museum, car museum and old machinery exhibit, from then on we hit the road via Forbes.
We were only staying the two nights at Canowindra but decided on a third as the weather was looking hot on the Sunday, so a lazy day around town and the afternoon in the pool was a nice break. Monday 13th we packed up and headed to Canberra via Yass where we stopped for coffee with the boys (cheers Greg & David).
So the trip so far looks something like this, thanks HEMA for allowing me to use their maps in the blog.



We have a ferry to Tasmania booked 19th Jan so until then.

On the road and back again!!!

Happy New Year everyone and anyone following our adventure, 2013 was not even finished before we were to experience our first difficulties.
Having spent Christmas with the family we were keen to head off and meet up with friends in Victoria, I had made arrangements with a friend in Dubbo to stay on their property NYE so off we went.
Saying goodbyes and being a little teary we finally hit the road around 3pm NYE, madness I know but when you gotta go you gotta go!.

We only had a 4hr journey ahead of us and the excitement of going to Western Plains Zoo the following day was something we were all looking forward too, it was about 2hrs into the journey when the car decided to spoil our fun. 5th gear started to rattle, not an uncommon problem with this model of car with high mileage, I just wished it had appeared earlier but hey ho.
We made it to the property at Dubbo using 4th gear and had a quiet night with John and his grandkids before retiring for the night.
On New Years Day we decided to leave the property and head towards Dubbo with the van, worst case we could call the NRMA and have their mechanic check the car over which ended up being the case. Being the 1st Jan no mechanics were available so we checked into the Big4 van park and settled in expecting to be there 5 days minimum, it was decided we would see the zoo in the morning and wait to see what the local mechanics advised before continuing on, the car drove fine but 5th was an issue.
The next day (2nd Jan) I made some calls which confirmed know-one locally could assist with fixing the gearbox, I did make contact with Ben @ Modern Motors in Dungog who confirmed they had a new gearbox on the shelf and I could have it fitted the following Monday, decision made.
We visited the zoo during the day, it was quite hot around 32'C to be walking too much but thankfully this zoo your drive around and park up to check out the savannah exhibits thus avoiding getting to hot.

We arranged to check out the next day, the car should be ok to tow the van back and worst case we call the NRMA again. So on the 3rd Jan we drove back to the in-laws in the Hunter Valley (in 4th!), today the car was dropped off at Dungog and this afternoon picked up with a reconditioned gearbox, new clutch and flywheel, should last another 300,000km!.

This is a mural/sculpture at Merriwa, quite impressive showing the wool industry.

8th January we plan to head off for again, this time no going back.....

On a brighter note we sold the VW Golf we had for sale. :)