GUMNUTS.....AND OTHER STUFF: An Amble Around the Apple Isle. 3rd to 11th November 2007

This holiday was taken in 2007 but only put on the blog in January 2018.

This was the first time we had flown to Tassie, the first two trips down there were by boat and we took out own car, a 1988 Magna. This was also our first holiday with a digital camera, videos were limited to 13 seconds with no sound (the sound of the wind in the video below was edited in).

The weather was good to us (as per previous visits) with only one day with rain but a jumper/jacket was required every day as some days were pretty cool.

All the 'special-effects' editing was done in 2007 and I have left them alone.

Videos have to be watched on this page

and

click / tap on photos to enlarge.

Cape Tourville Lighthouse Lookout.

The Wind in Tassie

The red line is where we went.

Saturday 3rd
We get off the plane and into our hired Toyota Camry Altise and we are away.
We stay at St Helens

We got off the plane and drove to the right, towards the east coast.

Forest EcoCentre, Scottsdale.

This fellow thought we were the expected guest.
We weren't but he still gave us a tour of the gardens.

The gardens.

Waratahs grow well in Scottsdale.

A little flash of red in the bushes, a Beautiful Firetail.

Another little flash of red through the bushes.

And some more red. Red Lichen on the rocks, Binalong Bay.

Binalong Bay

Saint Helens fishing fleet.

Anchor Wheel Motel, St Helens.
They had lost our booking (the second time now in Tassie) but after
some running around, by us, all was finally fixed.
(Now, as at Jan 2018, from $114.)

Sunday 4th
We are booked in for 2 nights at the Edge of the Bay Resort, Freycinet.

It was election time, go Bob.

Binalong Bay

Sand, imitating snow, at Binalong Bay.

It was windy at Binalong Bay.

Binalong Bay

'Mop Top' rocks.

Binalong Bay

Windy and ("Sh.t it's cold") at Akaroa.

View from Akaroa (I think).

Grass trees near Bicheno.

Bicheno.

Bicheno Blowhole

Echidnas seem to be more 'yellowish' in colour in Tassie.

View from near the Friendly Beaches camping area.

We had a great view from the Edge of the Bay Resort, Freycinet.

There was a cave that was occupied, pre whiteman,
by aboriginals at Cape Tourville.

Remains of an aboriginal midden at Cape Tourville.

Cape Tourville Lighthouse Lookout.

Cape Tourville Lighthouse

Monday 5th
It's raining at Freycinet so we go for a drive to Swansea.
Back in Freycinet we climb to the lookout over-looking Wineglass Bay

The Loontitetermairrelehoiner Track near the
shearwater (muttonbird) breeding area, Swansea.

Along the Loontitetermairrelehoiner Track.

Schouten House Beach, Swansea.

Tidal zone vegetation.

A rest spot on the way up. Looks pretty rough but I think it was comfortable.

Wineglass Bay Lookout

Wineglass Bay Lookout

Our accommodation.

Making friends with a local on the way down.

Rustic fencing.

These came with the cabin. Bennetts Wallaby.

The Hazards, across Coles Bay.

Room with a view.

The cabins at Edge of the Bay Resort are now
(Jan 2018) from $891 for 3 nights.

Now, what can we have for dinner.............

................ yep, that will do nicely.

Just a minute each side or it gets tough.

Sunset at Coles Bay.

Went spotlighting and saw this 'yellow' Brush-tailed Possum.

Tuesday 6th
We are booked in for 2 nights at the City View Motel, Montagu Bay (Hobart).

The opening (right) to Moulting Lagoon.

Looking out over Moulting Lagoon Game Reserve to the Hazards.

Moulting Lagoon Important Bird Area .

The Red Bridge crosses the Elizabeth River at Campbell Town.
Built in 1838 using penal labour, it is the oldest surviving brick arch bridge in Australia.

The Red Bridge, Campbell Town.

Most horses in Tasmania can read.

Uniting Church, Ross, was built in 1885.

Bridge and Uniting Church, Ross.

The old convict built stone stables stand near the Uniting Church in Ross.
Historic building.

Ross Bridge, completed in July 1836 and crosses the Macquarie River. The sandstone bridge was constructed by convict labour, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia.

This is the only example of a stone bridge in the World that includes carvings along all of its arches. The mystery of who and why they were put there still hasn't been fully solved.

Carvings on the Ross Bridge.

Ross Bridge.

We stayed at this house in Ross on our previous visit
(which is now not as cozy since being renovated) at the end of Bridge St .

Street scene, Ross.

Oatlands was the place of exile of the Irish nationalist leader Kevin Izod O'Doherty.
This is probably my favourite town in Tasmania because of all the old houses that are still there. It was so cold here that the batteries in the camera weren't holding a charge.

The Callington Flour Mill, Oatlands, was built in 1837.
(in 2011 it was fully restored)

Plans of the Callington Flour Mill, Oatlands.

View from the Callington Flour Mill, Oatlands.

The Mill Garden, viewed from the Callington Flour Mill, Oatlands.

View from the Callington Flour Mill, Oatlands.

Descending from the flour mill.

An old house in Oatlands.

I liked the garden of this old house in Oatlands.

The High Street has numerous charming Georgian buildings dating from the 1830s.

Buildings in Oatlands.

Lilac flowers.

Some may think this is still a gaol.

A dry-wall and flour mill in Oatlands.

A dry-wall, house and flour mill in Oatlands.

As Oatlands is buils on a rock platform it only makes sense to have a rock / stone garden.

No need for a mower here.

A feature in the rock / stone garden.

The High Street has numerous charming Georgian buildings dating from the 1830's.

Someone has high hopes.

Footpath and steps cut into the stone on the corner of High and Stanley Sts.

An old house in Oatlands.

Steps cut into the stone in front of St Luke's Uniting Church.

An old house in Oatlands.

Flowers of the Hawthorn hedgesrows.

JERICHO PROBATION STATION The Jericho Probation Station was established in 1841 and was constructed to house the 200 convicts who were used to construct the road linking Hobart and Launceston, it was closed in 1848. These walls are all that remain of the probation station.

Richmond

Hope he doesn't 'cock' his leg.

Richmond Bridge and St John's Church.

Photographing the church through the arches of the bridge is the 'challenge' in Richmond.

Richmond Bridge over the Coal River built in 1825.
This is the oldest bridge in Australia.

Wednesday 7th
We pay a visit to a friend of Lynn's mother. Then we go for a drive down to the Tessellated Pavement and Pirates Bay on Eaglehawk Neck. Back in Hobart we drive to the top of Mount Wellington and then stop off at Constitution Dock before returning to the motel.

Derwent Bridge (from the Motel, I think).

We visited Myrtle, a friend of Lynn's mother.
Myrtle passed away in November 2017.

Myrtle's son, Barrie, lived close by.

The view from Barrie's place.

Echium Dawn.

The Denison Canal is a man made canal located at Dunalley.
The canal opened for use in 1905 and was built to shorten the fishing and trade routes between the east coast and Hobart.

Tessellated Pavement

3 star accommodation.

Clockwise from top left: Wattle, daisy, Goodenia ovata and a pea.
Seen on the walk to the water.

Blow Hole at Pirates Bay.

Pirates Bay

Doo Town, Eaglehawk Neck.

A glimpse of the Port Arthur Historic Site.

It was cold (4C, I think) and foggy up on Mount Wellington.

Mount Wellington

Then the sun came out. View from Mount Wellington.

View from Mount Wellington.

Old tall ships at Constitution Dock.

Old ferry at Constitution Dock.

Thursday 8th
We head for Poatina where we are booked into the Poatina Chalet on the edge of the Great Western Tiers. But first, a visit to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

Getting some tips in the glasshouse at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.
With horticulturalist Margot White (?).

I've forgotten which daisy family these were in.

"Good morning Peter, would you like to have your photo taken with me?"

Lynn having her photo taken with the best, Peter Cundall.

Peter Cundall on the job.

Wooden shingle roof of a hut / small house in the Japanese
section of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

The French Memorial Fountain in the gardens, by Tasmanian artist Stephen Walker in 1972 to mark the bicentenary of French voyages of discovery that visited Tasmania.

The historic Dysart House in Kempton .
It was built in 1842 as the Green Ponds Hotel.

Snake on a slope, Kempton.
(on Google maps, as at 22/01/18, this has been changed to 'FESTIVAL, FEB 19')

St Mary's Anglican Church Kempton, was built in 1839.

Elizabeth (Bruce) Flexmore's grave in St Mary's Anglican Church Kempton.
Elizabeth was a First Fleeter, she died in 1835.

The old Bothwell State School operated from 1887 until 1965.

St Michael and All Angels church, Bothwell.

One of the features of St Michael and All Angels church is that it has a fireplace and chimney.
The church was built by the stonemason Thomas Lewis in 1891.

St Luke's Uniting Church, Bothwell.
It was designed in 1828 and completed in 1831.

'Rock Cottage', Bothwell.

Ratho Farm Golf Links, Bothwell, which is thought to be the oldest
golf course in the Southern Hemisphere.
The greens are fenced of to keep out the sheep.

Feral deer, near Poatina. Can you also see the Banded Lapwing?
I've just seen it for the first time since taking the photo 10 years ago.

I think I ate some of these.

Still a little bit underdone.

A tunnel adit (from Latin aditus, entrance) to a power station.

The view from in front of the tunnel.
A water-race (left) runs down to a storage pond.

We stayed at the Poatina Chalet was the former Hydro village of Poatina.
The owners (Christian youth and community organisation Fusion) have endeavoured to
preserve the orginal ambience of the 60's era both in the rooms and in the public areas.
Lynn said this place gave her the creeps and only left our room to have dinner and then
locked herself back in the room as soon as she was finished. I thought it was great,
siiting in front of the open fire, reading some nice magazines and watching this great
evening sky from the public lounge, all on my own.

I saw these deer jumping a fence while I was going on a walk below the Chalet.

Lynn had gone back to our room, so I had to watch this dramatic evening sky all on my own.

Friday 9th
For our last 2 nights in Tassie we are booked into the Cosy Cabins at Cradle Mountain.

Low cloud, from Poatina Chalet.

Glass monument to HEC (Hydro-Electric Commission, now Hydro Tasmania) at Poatina.

Glass monument to HEC .

Cloud covers the Great Western Tiers.
This is the bottom of the water-race, it could be used for irrigation.

White clouds and Hawthorn.

Flowers of the Hawthorn hedges rows were a highlight.

Says it all. Cow Shit Ave.

The weir, across the Meander River at Deloraine, was built to hold back the water
which, in turn, drove the wheel inside the Electric Power Station which was built in 1907.

Mount Roland

Mount Roland, behind Sheffield.

Sheffield, the Town of Murals.
'Garden Of Eden 15 miles'
'Paradise 5 miles'
'No Where Else 5 miles'

Sheffield, the Town of Murals.

.............and bumble bees.

Paloona Dam

"Hey Bill, dinner has arrived...................

.................and its bought breakfast as well"

There was something swimming around in this small pond, it was.................

..............a platypus.

Platypus

Cradle Mountain and the boatshed, Dove Lake.

After a heavy night.

Some hot action in Tassie.

Dove Lake

Ahhhh, that feel good.
Wombat having a scratch on a road-side post.

Nice and cosy in our Cosy Cabin.

Relax time.

"More visitors, do we have enough wine?"

Saturday 10th
We walk from the Visitors Centre to the Ronny Creek Carpark, Waldheim Cabins and the northern part of Dove Lake. Then back to the carpark and catch the shuttle bus back to the Visitors Centre.

The walk from Cradle Mountain Visitors Centre to Ronny Creek Carpark (5.75 Km)

The walk to Ronny Creek Carpark.

Time to take in the scenery, on the walk to Ronny Creek Carpark.

A skink on the boardwalk.

Dead trees along the walk to Ronny Creek Carpark.

A shame to see them dead..............

..........but not a big shame.

One of my all-time favourite photos, a field of Pandani (Richea pandanifolia).

Waldheim Cabins

Welcome
"This is waldheim where there is no time and nothing matters"
Gustav Weindorfer 1874-1932.
(The solitude almost drove him insane)

I think this is a Tasmanian Pademelon.

Waldheim Cabins

Tangled rainforest.

As we had walked around Dove Lake on 2 previous visits we decided not
to do the full loop this time. This is just a sample of what there is to see.
Then back to the cabin for our last night on the Island.

Dove Lake

Moss 'flowers'.

King Billy Pine or King William Pine
(believed to be in reference to the Tasmanian aborigine William Lanne).

Cradle Mountain

Lichen and moss

I remember the man who took our photo had an old film camera
and we talked about these newfangled 'digital' cameras.

Button Grass reflections.

It bought the child to show us.
I think this is a Bennetts Wallaby.

Hello junior.

Sunday 11th
We make a dash for Stanley, then back along the north west coast and
down to Launceston for a perfectly-timed meeting with the plane back home.

Cosy Cabins
(now, Discovery Parks - Cradle Mountain)

Smoke from bushfires on the north/west coast.

Boat Harbour Beach

The Nut at Stanley

Highfield House

Stanley and The Nut.

Kings Park Beach

It will be cold when he falls into the water.

Tatlows Beach

Joseph Aloysius Lyons CH, the tenth Prime Minister of Australia from
January 1932 until his death in April 1939 , was born in this house in Stanley.
He was the first, and to date (January 2018) the only prime minister from Tasmania.