Sunday 28^th December

Today turned out quite eventful! We set off in the sunshine along the Tasman highway from Launceston that wound its way through a pastoral valley between Mount Arthur and Mount Barrow, before climbing over forested hills to Scottsdale. Shortly afterwards we went on a minor unmade road, a stony forest track, to look at Ralph Falls and then onto St Columba Falls. Both these were great waterfalls and well worth the effort of getting there and Iain did a sterling job driving our little car over a road really designed for 4WD vehicles.

We continued on to St Helens and Bingalong Bay where we were booked for two nights. I was driving and managed to stall the car on a very steep lane up to the accommodation. Luckily Iain took over, reversed down and got us up to the top in one piece! There we discovered that they had no record of our booking (made over 12mths ago by TasVacations) and we were unable to stay there as they were full. Fortunately they rang a hotel in St Helens and managed to get us a room but its not the same. Actually the hotel is very good and has a nice swimming pool and we have a verandah and a spa bath so it’s not all bad news!

Having sampled the pool and the spa bath

we decided to stay at the hotel for dinner rather than walking into the centre of town, which we shall no doubt do tomorrow!

Saturday 27^th December

Another sunny day and after a late start we made our way to the chairlift over Cataract Gorge. Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and ended up toiling way up and then down a hill that we could have made our way around but we did eventually find the chairlift which has the longest single span in the world.

We then walked along the gorge and back before returning on the chair lift and walking around the other way over the suspension bridge and back to the end of the gorge and the harbour area, where we caught the 3pm river cruise. We went up the Tamar for about a third of the way (it is about 70Km long and the longest tidal estuary in the world) and then up to the gorge and the River Esk (North and South). The trip took 2.5 hours and included a small wine and beer tasting session as well as afternoon tea and was very pleasant.

Friday 26^th December

It was another sunny day and we drove via Lake Cathune lookout (rather unspectacular!) and Round mountain lookout (which was much better!)

and stopped near Mole Creek to go for a 40 minute walk up and down through a lovely forest to a lookout over the Alum Cliffs.

We sat there admiring the view and having our lunch before returning and driving to Launceston. We are in a charming little cottage (Scottish cottage so very appropriate!) which has a lovely garden. There are four cottages altogether but we are the only guests. It has been renovated with great love and care and it shows, and feels this. We relaxed with a cold beer in the sunshine in the garden and then wandered down to the waterfront and booked a Tamar boat trip for tomorrow afternoon. We got back about 5.30pm and opened the champagne that we hadn’t wanted to drink yesterday while I prepared dinner and updated the diary and Iain sunbathed.

Thursday 25^th December

Today we decided to do the Dove Canyon circuit in the morning. We caught the shuttle up to the Ranger Station and saw a wombat grazing at the side of the road.

We then did the 2.5-3 hour walk (5Km but graded difficult) in 2hours 18minutes! It had some rough stony bits and steep ups and downs but with beautiful scenery. The sun was shining again and the walk ran across button grass swamp to Knyvet Falls, and then alongside Pencil Falls and Pencil Creek.

There was a steep rocky scramble up and then a path along the edge of the Dove Canyon which was so deep we couldn’t see the bottom from where we were walking.

The path then wound up through forest before returning across button grass swamp again on a boardwalk. Apart from the start and end of the walk the path was unmaintained but no worse than many we’ve been on in the UK. We arrived back in time to change for lunch and catch the shuttle bus up to near Cradle Mountain Lodge where we had a fantastic buffet lunch.

After lunch we had a short stroll along the Enchanted Walk which was all on boardwalk but quite lovely and then watched a video and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Wednesday 24^th December

I woke at 6.30am to brilliant sunshine that continued more or less all day! We went to the visitor’s centre (about ten minutes walk) and picked up the shuttle bus that goes up and down to Dove Lake underneath Cradle Mountain. We alighted at Ronny’s Creek and took the Overland Track across to Crater Falls and Crater Lake.

 It started on a good boardwalk across swampy land covered in button grass and with lots of different wild flowers and shrubs and then climbed up a beautiful little valley with Crater Falls tumbling down at the end. The whole walk was transected by numerous small creeks and burbling streams. We climbed to around 1000m looking over Crater Lake and then took the path down past the Wombat Pool and Lake Lilla to Dove Lake which involved quite a few ups and downs.

At Dove Lake we decided to do the circuit as the weather was still so good.

We stopped to eat our sandwiches and then continued along a lovely path, sometimes stony and sometimes with boardwalk and then had to go up another steep hill (not fair!!) before continuing with gentle undulations back to the car park. We climbed up Glacier Rock and took some photos and altogether we did around 13Kmand had some great views of Cradle Mountain. We caught the shuttle bus back and relaxed with a well earned beer!

Tuesday 23^rd December

Today we decided to divert to look at Dip Falls and the Big Tree before travelling to Cradle Mountain.

It was cloudy and overcast but the road was fairly good, even the unmade sections. We drove through varied countryside, forests and farmland and the rain only started once we had seen the falls and the tree (which was indeed extremely large) and eaten our lunch in the picnic shelter. Some of the trees in the forest around the Big Tree were even taller than the ones we saw at Mount Field NP.

We then drove up to Burnie to stock up at the supermarket and get fuel and got lost a few times!

We then travelled through heavy rain, with thick cloud obscuring the mountains, to Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village where we have a cabin for Christmas.

We had some excellent flathead (a locally caught white fish) that I fried, accompanied by potatoes and spicy vegetables.

Monday 22^nd December

Today was cloudy but warm so we wandered through town and I explored a shop that sells everything from cheeses, freshly baked bread and deli items to shoes, bags and knick knacks! I bought a pair of shoes as I haven’t any apart from my trainers and it’s a bit chilly to wear open sandals – that’s my excuse anyway! We took the chairlift up the Nut – Iain climbed up the zig zag path yesterday evening but it looked very steep and the chairlift was fun. We then did the 2Km walk around the top which had some good panoramic views. 

Once down we walked out to the fisherman’s quay at the end of town and, as it started to rain a little, we returned to our cottage to use the shared laundry opposite and then went to lunch at the hotel. We both had excellent fish dishes so we’ll only have soup and some salad tonight. I stayed at the hotel to send out our e-mail Christmas cards which took quite a time!

Sunday 21^st December

Today the sun shone as we drove up to Stanley via Zeehan and the Reece Dam which was well worth a quick look and was only 4-5Km out of our way.

We then drove up to Corinna on a reasonably good unmade road and took a small ferry across the Pieman River. We then spent ten minutes walking to an old Huon Pine, on a board walk next to the river, before continuing on to Waratah. We drove up and down a couple of impressive hills and took some good photos at the Savage River lookout. The hills are so densely covered in forest that the views were quite infrequent.

Waratah is an old mining town and quite picturesque with a waterfall right in the middle of the town that was used for power. We stopped at the only place that was open – the Buschoff Hotel, built in the tin rush in the latter part of the nineteenth century – and had bangers and mash – great stuff!

We then continued onto the Murchison Highway that was way too grand a title for the small road that wound around hairpin bends through forest and then farmland to the coast.

We arrived in Stanley just after five and we are staying in what, many years ago, was the bakery. Our bedroom has a large baking oven in the wall! We are self catering here so we made Green Thai Chicken curry for dinner. We have to go over to the Stanley Hotel for internet access which is a bit of a bind but Stanley itself looks very quaint and we are looking forward to exploring it properly tomorrow.

Saturday 20^th December

Today was decidedly wet so we decided to drive up to Zeehan and take a look at the Pioneer Heritage Museum. As well as mining memorabilia it also houses a vast collection of geological specimens, both rocks and crystals including the Tasmanian Chocoite (an orange crystal). On the same site they also have preserved a Masonic Lodge, a Courthouse and the Gaiety Theatre. 

We sat down in the theatre and watched an interesting film showing the history of the area including the founding of the mines and the building of what is now the ‘Wilderness Railway’ from Queenstown to Strahan. I was also interested in the letters and reports of the Lyell mining fire where 42 of the 176 miners lost their lives. The original notes that were passed up and down between the trapped miners (at 1000m) and the rescuers on the surface were on display with a transcript of the contents as well as writings from some of the descendants of one who died. On the road back we stopped and took photos of an echidna who was wandering across.

We also called in at the supermarket to get supplies for the next few days as it is very well stocked with lots of variety and we don’t know what will be available later on. The rest of the afternoon we just relaxed and I got up to date with sorting the photos.

Friday 19^th December

Today was forecast sunshine and showers but it was mainly cloudy as we embarked on the Gordon River cruise this morning starting at 8.30am. We first went out to the entrance of Macquarie harbour through Hell’s Gates. This is a 200m channel that joins the Gordon River and Macquarie harbour to the Southern Ocean. The convict labour force brought tons of stone to divert the current so as to make the channel deeper and also built some breakwaters. We travelled up the Gordon River, as it cut a winding channel through steep forested hills, as far as the Heritage landing where we disembarked for a short nature walk in the rain forest. Apparently the Gordon River area has seven of the ten possible factors to allow it to become listed as a national heritage site.

We had an excellent buffet lunch on board and then sailed to Sarah Island an infamous convict settlement in the 1830s. We spent an hour walking around the ruins with a guide who was very good at making the information come alive, before returning to Strahan. He also plays a major part in the longest running play (22 years) in Australia, which we saw in the evening.

We arrived back about 2.30pm and wandered through the park to see the Hogarth Falls, which were lovely; before returning to Franklin Manor where we are staying.

At 5pm we went back down to town to an outdoor amphitheatre which had tarpaulin sails for a roof. We were given blankets and sat down to enjoy ‘The boat that never was’. There were two actors and a lot of audience participation with Iain playing the swindler, John Barker, from his seat and various others going up on stage. It was very well done and we are tempted to go back tomorrow!

Thursday 18^th December

Today we managed to get away before the rain started but during most of our drive the hills, mountains and lakes were hidden by cloud. We drove to Strahan (pronounced Strawn) along the Lyell highway, passing Tarraleah power station (hydro electric) and stopping for some lunch at Lake St Clair visitor centre near Derwent Bridge. We also stopped at a place called ‘The Wall in the Wilderness’ which is an ongoing art project by Greg Duncan. It consists of 100 panels of Huon pine that he is carving to depict Tasmania and its history and wildlife. The carving was wonderfully detailed especially when he was depicting faces or material – it looked so realistic that one wanted to touch to make sure it was really wood.

We were hoping to do a couple of short walks at Donaghy’s lookout and Nelson Falls but it was really raining too much for it to be an attractive proposition. Luckily it had stopped for a while by the time we reached Iron Blow Lookout above Queenstown, as it was really quite spectacular with the de-forested hills displaying a variety of colours from the different ores in the rocks. Queenstown is a mining town and the hills around were, and still are, mined for copper.

We arrived at our accommodation which is in a beautiful old house built for the harbour master and only ten minutes walk from the centre of town (such as it is). Strahan is hardly your thriving metropolis! We did have a very good dinner at Hamer’s bar and grill – marinated wallaby – which was the first time we have tried it.

Wednesday 17^th December

Today’s weather was a mixture of hot, brilliant sunshine and sudden showers. We had a late start because I took the opportunity to do the washing and we decided to do the longish drive to the end of the tarmaced road at Gordon Dam, which we hoped would give us some good views. We weren’t disappointed and although the drive took a couple of hours each way it was worth it. The road wound its way up and down pre-Cambrian hills and through large tracts of forest and at times went alongside Lake Pedder. We had some good views of the surrounding mountains, Mount Wedge and a mountain ridge called the Sentinels. Once at Gordon Dam (the highest in Australia) we ate our picnic lunch sat on the steps of the closed visitor centre as there were no picnic tables, and then walked down across the dam. There were 197 steps and luckily my toe didn’t cause me any problem.

I drove back and then up to a car park in Mount Field NP that Iain had decided it would be interesting to go to. It actually took ages because the forest road was unmade and very twisty. It was getting late and the rain set in so although we reached Lake Dobson we didn’t walk around it as we had originally planned.

We eventually arrived back at 5.30pm so I had time to do my diary and sort through some photos before dinner. We are somewhat out in the wilderness here and run out of provisions so Sue and Peter are cooking again for us.. Iain has chosen rack of lamb and I am having Saganaki prawns so I can find out what they are!

Tuesday 16^th December

Today we drove up to the top of Mount Wellington as the weather was clear and we had some tremendous views of Hobart and the southern part of Tasmania.

Once back in Hobart we picked up Iain’s medication at the chemist (still a lot of money despite being a ‘discount chemist’!) and headed off towards Mount Field National Park and our next accommodation.

We have a self contained unit of bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and covered verandah with table and chairs and a couple of comfy chairs as well, set in a beautiful cottage type garden. Having settled in and had a cup of tea we drove to the Mount Field visitor’s centre and parked the car before doing a short half hour walk to Russell Falls. As we set of the skies darkened and by the time we were walking through the forest a storm was in full swing with thunder and lightening almost overhead and amplified by all the surrounding hills. It was very exciting (or terrifying, depending on your point of view!) and we had our waterproofs with us. The forest was full of the most amazingly tall swamp gums, some reaching to 75m. We thought the trees we saw yesterday were amazing but these were even more so! Russell Falls were lovely although it was hard to get photos in the rain.

We saw a Pademelon at very close quarters as he/she was busily cropping grass near the visitor’s centre in between the showers.

We then returned to the car and made a short drive up to another car park to do the ‘Tall Trees’ walk which we extended to go and view the Horseshoe Falls. The sun came out and the forest felt quite different! We saw a couple of wallabies right by the path and got some good photos and Iain went a bit further to view the Russell Falls again from the top.

We managed to get back just before the rain set in again and relaxed before dinner, which is being made by our hosts. I chose salmon and Iain fillet steak. As I was trying to plug in my camera to recharge I knocked over my glass of white wine and not only smashed the glass but managed to cut my big toe that bled profusely over the floor until I managed to apply pressure. I bandaged it up and it seemed okay. We had a lovely meal and felt very cosy under cover as the rain pelted down on the verandah!

Monday 15^th December

Another lovely sunny day and we drove down to Huon, along the Huon River and past the picturesque village of Franklin, and then to Geeveston where we swapped our voucher for tickets for the Tahune airwalk. This is a very long aerial walkway in the Tahune forest. From Geeveston it was a 29Km drive along a winding and potholed, but tarmaced, forest road to the visitor centre where the various walks start. We arrived at 12.30pm, just as one of the rangers was setting off on a free public tour over the aerial walkway with only a couple of people, so we joined them. He was very knowledgeable about all the trees. The forest has some Huon pine near the river but is mainly made up of Stringy Barks (a type of Eucalyptus) that tower up to 50m+ high. Their trunks are free of any lower branches and shoot straight up into the canopy. Some are several hundreds of years old but are not registered as ‘Giant Trees’ with protected status until they are over 85m tall – staggering! There was also a lot of myrtle beech which has two toned foliage as the new growth is light green or russet in colour against the older dark green leaves. He also showed us Leatherwoods that were used as ‘Bushman’s band aid’ because of their sticky exudate and disinfectant properties and the hole of a funnel web spider (very poisonous). The walkway was only built relatively recently to try and generate interest in the area and rejuvenate the local economy. It has been very successful and they got three times the number of visitors they were expecting in the first year. The aerial walkway also has a cantilevered section from which one can see the confluence of the Huon and Picton rivers.

Having done the aerial walk we decided to have our picnic lunch sat on a bench in the sunshine and then do a one hour circular walk through the forest that crosses the two rivers on long swing bridges.

We then did a short circular walk (Huon pine walk) which was lovely, part alongside the river and part on raised walkways.

Iain did all the driving today because my right eye was red and watering, although it had improved by the afternoon. We took a minor road to cut off a corner of the highway which was shorter by about 6Km but actually much slower. We didn’t mind though because it was more interesting and had some good views. Having reached Hobart we visited a bottle shop and Woolworths to get some dinner.

Sunday 14^th December

It was another lovely day, so after breakfast, we decided to drive to Port Arthur. On the way we stopped at a viewpoint and then, before going to Port Arthur itself we drove along the peninsula to a place called ‘The Remarkable Cave’ which was certainly worth the detour. This was a cave which had eroded to such an extent that the sea came through as it had two openings.

We then drove back to Port Arthur, which was an old penal settlement and still has the ruins of the old penitentiary and various other building dotted around, as well as some dating from when it was closed in 1877 and became the township of Caenarvon for a while. We enjoyed a short boat trip around the bay, looking at the Isle of the Dead, and the site of the first young offender’s prison in the British Empire, before eating our picnic lunch that I had made up and exploring the rest of the site.

On our way back we visited a Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park and went to a feeding and presentation on these strange animals. They have been nearly decimated by a virulent facial tumour that is transmitted through biting.

Once we got home we decided to drink the bottle of champagne, before I made seafood pasta for dinner.

Saturday 13^th December

We arrived in Hobart to brilliant sunshine, picked up our hire car and drove to our accommodation expecting to only be able to park the car. We were actually able to settle into our ‘Convict Cottage’ which is part of a National Trust heritage building and has a lovely secluded balcony as well as a living room, kitchen and bathroom (with a spa bath!) and an upstairs bedroom with aforesaid balcony. We were also treated to a bottle of champagne, chocolates and a fruit basket!!!

Because we arrived so early we were able to wander around the colourful Salamanca market (only open Saturdays) and the dockside, before having a lovely, if somewhat expensive, seafood lunch. Most places were take away or fast food but we managed to find a place where we could have a relaxed lunch with a bottle of white wine. We shared six oysters, done three different ways, as a starter, before having grilled locally caught fish and salad – delicious. We then wandered back and later drove out to find a supermarket. We had almost given up when we came across a Woolworths so we stocked up for the next couple of days.

Friday 12^th December

It was a bit drizzly today but we walked over to Cathedral Square. Everywhere you look there is evidence from the earthquake of 24/12/12 and the subsequent rebuilding of the centre of Christchurch. Especially moving was seeing the devastated cathedral itself.

We then went to the museum as the art gallery opposite where we are staying is still closed awaiting some remedial building work. It was quite an interesting museum but after having a cup of tea overlooking the botanic gardens, Iain continued to look around the museum and I walked back to the B & B.

We were picked up at 1pm by the shuttle and arrived at the airport to find that our ticket numbers were invalid when we tried to check in. After queueing for a while, they sorted out whatever the glitch was, and we proceeded to check in. We were quite relieved as we had visions of having to change flights, stay in the airport all night and other nightmare scenarios – imagination is a wonderful thing!

We arrived in Sydney and found our way to the hotel shuttle bus that deposited us at the Stamford Plaza. We had a nice room on the 7^th floor but didn’t fancy either of the two eateries attached to the hotel so we ended up getting room service which was actually no more expensive than eating in the restaurant and much more comfortable. Also we had a 6am pickup so an early night was called for!

Thursday 11^th December

The weather was even worse today and we drove through driving rain and cloud-covered mountains to Greymouth. Having dropped of the car and checked in our big bags without problem we went across the road to an original Speights Brewery and bar to have a bite of lunch. The train was delayed by thirty minutes but we managed to get a seat in the station and the rain gradually eased off.

We couldn’t see the high mountain peaks because of the weather but the scenery was lovely especially as we travelled along the top of the spectacular Waimakariri Gorge and the rain eased enough for me to go to the outside viewing carriage.

Our B & B is near the centre of Christchurch and, as we were 45 minutes late arriving, we went straight out to get dinner – Thai again this time.