Bet you thought we had disappeared off the face of the Earth. Not quite, but we have been as far south as it is possible to get by road in Australia, where there is no power and hence no communications. Let me fill you in.
On Friday the 11th we went into Hobart City for a look around and to find our way to the boat show, and also to find out where the SALAMANCA MARKETS were held, as it was our intention to spend Saturday doing the markets and then the boat show. We managed to get a park right in Salamanca Street which is adjacent to the wharf area, so decided that since we were this close we might as well take a look.
We spent the afternoon wandering through the various exhibits and displays, and went on board a couple of the big three masted sailing boats. Some of the displays on the art of wooden boat building were absolutely fascinating, the skill and workmanship unbelievable. After about 4 hours we were all feeling a bit knackered, but realised we had only seen about a quarter of the show.
Saturday saw us back in the city, and like thousands of others, driving around looking for a parking place. We finally found a parking building sign with parking spaces available. After joining the queue of cars going in, we went up 10 floors and got one of the four spaces left. We were only about 200m from the wharf area. Talk about lucky.
Then it was off to wander through the SALAMANCA MARKETS. About 500 stalls selling everything that nobody really wants. Then it was back to the boat show for the rest of the day.
Sunday, we had promised Cameron that if he got all his school work done early enough we give him a treat. We had seen a Mini Golf Course advertised as one of the best in the world so thought we would give it a try. Another wonderful experience for us. Then it was off to see the views from Mt WELLINGTON. Mt WELLINGTON is 1250m high and overlooks Hobart. It is a half hour drive from the city. The views were amazing and we would have stayed longer if it wasn’t for the wind coming straight off Antarctica and blowing right up our kilts.
Monday we left our camp at NEW NORFOLK to go south to a place called COCKLE CREEK. Fellow campers had recommended it as a must see. Looking at a map of Tasmania, if you go to the southernmost point, and then just to the east of that there is a small bay or inlet. At the very southern end of that inlet is COCKLE CREEK, and as I said earlier, it is as far south as you can go by road in AUSTRALIA.
It is on the edge of the huge SOUTHWEST NATIONAL PARK and what a wonderful spot. Camping is free and facilities are limited to long drop toilets, and one water tap along about one and a half kilometres of beachfront camping. The bay is extremely sheltered and the whole area reminded Christel of the Able Tasman National Park at the top of the South Island.
Needless to say we spent three idyllic days there, swimming, fishing, sunbathing, and wandering along the magnificent beaches. A fellow camper loaned us his kayaks, and that was the last we saw of Cameron. Fishing from the beach wasn’t very rewarding, but by dropping a line over the side of the kayak a bit further out, we were soon reeling in flathead, a small fish prized for its flavour. Straight from the sea into the pan it was delicious. At one time Christel was standing knee deep spinning, when she looked down and saw a stingray about a metre across quietly cruising past her.
All too soon we had to pack up and leave. We had heard that our beautiful sunny weather was due to change on Thursday, so we had decided to head back into civilisation then. Sure enough we woke up Thursday morning to light drizzle. It stopped long enough for us to pack up, and then with many a backward glance, left this little piece of paradise behind and headed back towards HOBART. Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Wayne for the 16th. I hope your day was as enjoyable as ours was.
We had information about several touristy things to see and do on the road between HOBART and COCKLE CREEK. First were HASTINGS CAVES and the nearby thermal pools. The caves were deep in the bush of the Southwest National Park, and were discovered by bushfellers during the World War One. They were well worth a visit, going 40 meters underground with lots of magnificent stalactites and stalagmites. The thermal pool was a bit disappointing, only 28 degrees but a lovely spot to visit. On our walk from the pool back to the car we were lucky enough to see a female Lyrebird quietly going about her business in the undergrowth.
We camped Thursday night at the small seaside town of DOVER, with street names such as Slaughterhouse Road and Blubberhead Street. It was a whaling station in earlier days. Then yesterday, we headed north again. This time our destination was the TAHUNE AIRWALK 29 km east of GEEVESTON. This was another magnificent experience. The Airwalk is 28 metres above the ground, and goes for over half a kilometre through the tops of the giant HUON PINES, and assorted gum trees. Even at 28 metres above the ground, sometimes you were still less than half the height of some of these gigantic trees.
The end of the Airwalk is cantilevered about 30 metres out over the HUON RIVER and at the end is 48 metres above the river. Needless to say you need a good head for heights to go out there as it sways and rocks quite a bit. Cameron was having a ball seeing how much sway he could get going. Christel wasn’t the only woman who couldn’t bring herself to venture out on the cantilever, but we aren’t allowed to mention that.
On our way from GEEVESTON out to the Airwalk, we stopped off at a couple of sightseeing spots, one of them to see Australia’s largest tree. A Swamp Gum. It’s not the tallest, but is the biggest in terms of cubic metres of timber with 368 cubic meters of usable timber. It is 87 metres tall, (the tallest is 99.6 metres), dead straight, and is 6.2 metres across at the base. It is estimated to weigh 405 tons. I don’t know how it compares with our Giant Kauri, Tane Mahuta, but it was certainly awe inspiring to stand in its presence.
On our way back from the Airwalk we came around a corner and there was a male Lyrebird scuttling across the road. Another lucky encounter for us. After that we continued north coming back through HOBART, crossing over the Tasman Bridge to our Campground at SEVEN MILE BEACH. Luckily we put the tarp up over our tent last night, as this morning we woke up to a very wet Saturday.
We will now see what the weather brings us before moving on. From here we hope to get down to PORT ARTHUR, and then start up the East Coast. We have booked our return tickets on the Ferry for Thursday the 10th March. So far we have travelled over Australia’s highest sealed road, been to the end of its most southern road, travelled over its oldest bridge, seen its oldest pub, and its largest tree. What can be left?
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