One Perfect Day

The view from our campsite at Cosy Corner campground - south - in teh Bay of Fires area on the north-east coast. We were just metres from the water and the lovely sand and boulders. A few rock pools and little bays in between the rocks. Very nice!

Jon enjoys the outdoor kitchen, cooking up a storm for a late breakfast.

Further up the beach we found our own little swimming spot. Gorgeous! The water wasn't bad either....he he!

Part of our little bay. The water was chest deep in places and you could actually swim out to the rocks that bordered the bay.

Bay of Fires....I wonder how it got its name??

For me, Kirsty, Friday the 27th was just that....perfect! Had a sleep in and then lay in bed looking out the window at our view. The stunning Cosy Corner campground beach beckoned....startlingly clear water, rock formations that astound and white beaches as far as the eye can see. Eventually we got up and my darling husband enjoyed his outdoor kitchen, cooking me hashbrowns and pancakes for a late breakfast. We packed up and made our way up to the next bay for a swim. The water was crystal, had gentle waves and was freezing cold! But so invigorating and refreshing. Even Jon braved the fresh conditions. How lovely to be the only ones enjoying the water in our own private bay. The Bay of Fires area we were in is famous for its white sand beaches and rock formations that glow orange in the sunlight. That we got to enjoy all the best bits of this area in warm sunshine was such a delight. Again, our photos just don't do it justice, but perhaps you can tell by our smiles how much we enjoyed the morning. The afternoon took us off road....always a bit of fun adn we made our way further north and then west again. Camped under the Batman Bridge, right on the Tamar River. Found more oysters! Ahhhh...GREAT day!

Hobart and up

Our time in Hobart finished with a tour of the Cascade Brewery...the oldest in Australia. Very interesting and yummy! Jon liked the harder stuff, but give me their raspberry cordial any day! We learnt all about hops and malt and making, bottling and packing beer. Headed out of town late in the afternoon and made our way north to Mayfield Bay camping reserve which looks out across Great Oyster Bay to the Freycinet Peninsula. Just a beautiful place....ok...truth be told, there are no ugly places in Tasmania. But this one really is special. Had our first dry night in a while - bonus! Spent the day in and around Coles Bay and Freycinet NP. Found another 4WD track...no winch needed this time. The Hazards are the pink granite mountains on the peninsula and they were looking very fine today...sparkling alongside the crystal clear turquoise water of the bay. Just beautiful! 18 km north we had a flying visit to the Friendly Beaches....again, clear turquoise water but this time, white fine sand. Beautiful! We're camping the night on the coast again....I can hear the gulls and the waves as I type. You know...BEAUTIFUL!

The Great Short Cut

This is not the best way to save time. Jeffrey's track - a little interesting "minor road". Luckily we had plenty of day light and well..... we are on holidays. We had fun seeing what the fully loaded Navara could negotiate through. 

Mental note, if we are in a hurry, stick to the bitumen....... we did this a few days ago but I have worked out how to load video.

The South

Kirsty: "Yum! The biggest and some of the best oysters I have ever picked! Worth bringing the hammer and oyster pick all this way!"

Jon: "Take a picture, take a picture! This is the view from the berry farm on Bruny Island."

Kirsty: "Pose with the 'sushi' Honey...I know how much you love it!"

Jon: "Ahhh....!!"

This damage was done when the Steve Irwin rammed a Japanese whaling ship 2 months ago in the Southern Ocean. Docked in Hobart Harbour.

Two brilliant days in Tassie's south on Friday and Saturday as both of us got to check off an item from our 'to do' lists. Friday was spent on Bruny Island, south of Hobart. The scenery on these 2 islands, joined by an isthmus, is quite stunning. And the local produce...to die for! Kirsty enjoyed shucking fresh straight-from-the-rocks oysters, and we both loved the tasty fudge. Found the world's best little berry farm....right by the ocean! Strawberries in the backyard and the ocean in the front.....does it get better than that! Visited an old convict-built lighthouse that used to have a light that was fueled by sperm whale oil! We had the whole day on the islands before heading off further south. In fact, we went as far south as you can in Australia...South Cape Bay. A 1 hr 35 min walk thru grasslands and forests led us to the 'bottom' of Australia and it was BEAUTIFUL! Rolling waves from Antarctica, brilliant sunshine, crystal, clear water, giant kelp, white sand, rocky cliffs and cold, cold! Yes we did go in....up to our ankles. The screams on the video footage suggest why we didn't go any further! But there were a couple of keen surfers out enjoying the perfect conditions. Crazy! We're now enjoying  Australia's 'prettiest and most historic' capital city...Hobart. We got to have a tour of the 'Steve Irwin' the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling boat that tries to stop illegal Japanese whaling in Antarctic waters. Most interesting. Now our plans are to head east and north along the coast. Our last week in Tasmania....boo!

Russell and Jeffrey

Another day of adventure lead us to Mount Field NP and the beautiful Russell Falls. It's a stunning 3 tiered waterfall and well worth the short walk in to have a look. How lovely to sit in the sun and have a picnic lunch by a quick flowing stream afterwards.

The afternoon continued in equally spectacular fashion with our 'jaunt' thru Jeffreys track....Kirsty's 'minor road' shortcut to the Huon Valley. The 4 WD track was a bit wild and wooly and obviously a few patches are favourite places for locals with monster trucks to go and take on the track. There's a couple of pics of us 'stuck' and then actually on our way again. Lots of fun and awesome driving by JVI. Kirsty has been relieved of navigational duties for a period of indefinite suspension! By the way, that 'shortcut' of 13km took way longer than the 75km trip through Hobart would have taken!

All happy ...on the move again.

Not the best ad for the Max Trax....they didn't work in this situation! Thank goodness for the winch.

Oh yeah... this is what we looked like 'stuck'. Pics are deceptive. The ruts were more than knee deep and a big rock off to the other side that we got wedged on. 

And to finish....the beautiful Russell Falls.

More Mt Rufus

Sandstone outcrops on one side of the mountain.

Mountains as far as your eyes can see....360 degrees.

Rocky top on Rufus

17km x 3km Lake St Clair looks small from 1416m.

Mt Rufus pics

Our mission: climb this mountain.

You bet we did! Jon at the top. Of course I made it too...who else took the photo?

The sponge 'forests' and underground waterways.

Some of the more unusual plant types on our 8 hour circuit hike.

Victory! Still 1.5 hours from home....you can tell by my face where not quite there yet....but so glad we took on Rufus.

Photos, just like words, could never do this day and the magnificent views justice. So you'll just have to be happy with the few little pics we have attached here....and we'll have to keep those mental pics we took fresh and alive for years to come.

Takes you breath away

There are some moments in life that just take your breath away. Or moments that are so great, there are just not enough good words to use to describe them. We have had a couple of those moments in Lake St Clair National Park. This World Heritage listed 'Eden' has delivered us beautiful sunny days and stellar views. On the first day we were here, we took a ride on 'Wild St Clair' a boat trip up the 17 kms of lake. Every way you looked....mountains. Big ones, rocky ones, ones with waterfalls and all stunning in the afternoon light. This glacial formed lake is 3kms wide and 167m deep at its deepest point. It is the start of the Derwent River....which flows 156 kms south east to Hobart. Part of the boat trip was a visit to the cool temperate forests at Echo Point where we had the chance to sample the nicest water I have ever tasted straight from a mountain stream. The next day dawned bright and sunny...again...so we couldn't waste the brilliant conditions. Hiking boots on, day packs full, we set off up Mt Rufus. 1416m above sea level, this mountain provides anyone game enough to climb her (ok...it wasn't that hard...not as tricky as Cradle anyway) with stunning 360 degree views all the way to Cradle Mtn (almost felt like that); across to the Walls of Jerusalem NP and down through the Gordon Franklin Wild Rivers NP. Mountain after mountain after.....get it? And we had crystal clear views, with only high cloud. I have simply 'never seen anything like it' and coupled with the sense of achievement of climbing my 2nd mountain in a week, I loved it! The trek home took about 4 hours and wound through the most amazing landscapes....underground waterways, lakes, barren, rocky outcrops, rivers, sponge valleys, button grass plains, snow gum forests, enchanted woods...you name it, we saw it. Jon kept an eye out for Treebeard and Robin Hood...but by the end of our 8 hour hike, I was just looking forward to seeing the CMC and Navara and taking a hot shower. Just one of those days and one of those adventures you can't put a price on.

4WD Excitement

A couple of pics to share this great adventure with you. We had fun dodging and ploughing straight thru the potholes in the rain. Montezuma Falls were worth the trek though! Have had another exciting 4WD adventure this afternoon...by accident. Usually Kirsty does a fine job reading the maps...this time - not so great. Instead of it being a 'minor road' it was a real true-blue 4Wd track. We even got bogged and had to winch ourselves out! And got the Nav on only 3 wheels a couple of times. A bit hairy for K...she got out and walked part of the way. Who ever knew we'd do so much 4WDing in Tasmania??

Catching Up

One last look at 'The Mountain'.

King Billy walk ....the King Billy pines provide multi-purpose timber and are HUGE trees! Jon's in awe.

We've slowed down a little since our epic climb last Thursday. Since then we have.....completed 5 short walks round Cradle Mountain; sat by a fire in a Chateau as a thunderstorm raged outside; tackled a VERY muddy 4WD track to the tallest falls in Tassie - Montezuma Falls; crossed to the west coast and survived a very wet and windy night at Macquarie Heads (near Strahan) in the tent; eaten fish 'n' chips Tassie West Coast style....a pink fleshed steak of ocean trout and crinkle cut chips; driven windy roads thru to Queenstown with it's 'moonscape' surrounding hills. Adventures unfold every day and we are so thankful for the opportunity to see this amazing place and share the journey together. Thanks to those who are following the blog and to those who have commented. We have appreciated your thoughts. 

The GREAT Day

Cradle Mountain Tasmania....just waiting to be climbed by J & K. That bit on the right under the cloud is the summit.

Jon made it!

We both did....me at slightly faster pace than a tortoise...but still, I got there!

This is partly why I was so slow. Climbing on the rocks was a bit tricky. This was what greeted us as we headeed back down....cloud had come in to rest on the mountain. But obviously, we made it down and all the way back to Dove Lake. What an experience!

My favourite sight during the animal spotlight tour. So cute!

Caves & Canyons

Inside Gunns Plains Cave - that's a shawl formation behind us. Looks a bit like bacon!

'The Wedding Cake' inside the cave.

Leven Canyon

Some of the 697 steps.

Lake Gardiner....just us at this campsite. Beeyootiful!

The Dream

“The end was near for Sam and Froddo. Mount Doom rose before them, its shadow falling over them. For the two intrepid travellers, the journey to this point had taken them by streams, over mountains, through canyons. They were weary, with cracked lips and sunburn….yet something within their bellies burned….forcing them to draw on reserve strength that would enable them to conquer this final peak.”

I felt just like Froddo on Thursday as we scaled Cradle Mountain. And Jon was my Sam…..encouraging, patient, faithful. We set off just before 11 in superb conditions….so very different from our last trip here in September. Our trek took us via Ronny’s Creek with its easy boardwalk surrounded by wombat poop. Past Cradle Falls cascading through the ravine. By the boatshed and sheer cliffs of Crater Lake. Up onto Marion’s Peak with its spectacular views of Cradle Mtn and back to Dove Lake. Up over another boardwalk to Kitchen’s Hut and into the foothills of Cradle. As we ate our lunch at the hut, I took a few big gulps…’I am really going to climb THAT????” After a 9 minute lunch break it was onward and upward onto the goat track and then……..the hardest thing I ever done in my life. The boulder scramble! Another 600m of scrambling over large rocks, searching for foot and hand holds and heaving yourself that next step higher. An hour 39 minutes after we left the hut we sat at the summit of Cradle Mountain…wow! The views were awesome, despite the cloud deciding to visit. And the sense of relief and achievement that accompanied reaching this goal we’ve had since mid-last year, were fabulous. We enjoyed a 25 minute break and chat with a German tourist up top, before making our descent, which only featured one fall and injury, a few heart-in-mouth moments and took a little over an hour. Our return to base was via the ‘steep and rough’ track down Marion’s where you certainly did need the chains they provide along the track. We arrived at Dove Lake just in time for the 6.20 shuttle bus back to the lodge….7 hours, 11 minutes after we had left.  Mission accomplished!!

Stayed the night in luxury at the CM Lodge in a Pencil Pines cabin with gas fireplace…a nice treat. But didn’t get to sleep until very late as we capped off a memorable day with the night animal spotting tour and a visit to Devils @ Cradle. We got to pat a devil, watch them feed, laugh at baby quolls hanging upside down to eat, and spot a multitude of animals….including my absolute favourite – a mummy and baby wombat. What a day!

 

The Nut and other stuff

The Nut - Stanley in the north-west

Mr & Mrs Nut at the top....beautiful afternoon.

The dam wall Jon was so impressed with.

The old hay bailer at Steamfest...was an 8 man job.

The steam tractor has a go at the tractor pull. Sure and steady.

Here's a few pics to go with what we did at the beginning of the week. It's been a good one!

10 & 11 March

Day tripped from Riana, leaving the camper at Pioneer Park. Headed up to the coast and out west as far as Stanley. Beautiful coastline…including lovely Boat Harbour Beach and the unusual Winged House…Google it! At Stanley…only a 2 hour drive that took us about 4…meandering…we climbed The Nut. Thought my heart was going to bounce out of my chest. Only took about 10 minutes and then we did the walk round the top…half an hour. Saw the shearwing bird nests…these amazing little critters migrate to Alaska every year from Tassie. Phew! Now that’s a hike! Then the 2 nuts on The Nut took on one last challenge for the day…race the chairlift to the bottom of The Nut. 3.05 mins later…we won!

And paid for it the next day….my quads were so sore…but good prep for climbing Cradle Mountain in the near future. Took in Gunns Plains Caves this morning….astounding what you can find in a hole in the ground! Limestone formations a plenty….really quite beautiful. We walked round in the 11-degree cave for an hour with our very knowledgeable guide Geoff. My comment to Jon afterwards was that God is obviously ‘beyond our comprehension’ creative….not only has he covered the surface of the earth with amazingly beautiful things, He hid them away too. These caves are amongst 150+ just in the one valley. Later we went to Leven Canyon, another above ground creative wonder. Hiked 697 steps….down hill fortunately! Tonight we camped right beside Lake Gardiner in a freebie campsite…just us, with water views and right beside a gurgling, crystal clear creek. Cold night, but stunning spot – worth the dirt road trek in.

March 7 & 8th

The Tastes of Tassie food festival on the banks of the Mersey River in Devonport - Sunday 8th March

The view from our caravan park spot as The Spirit of Tasmania departs for Melbourne

Us on the Spirit...we were trying to get mainland in the background but it was such a sunny day, you can't see it.

Bye bye Melbourne....early Sat. morning.

Loading the Spirit.

Prayers were answered! The crossing of the Bass Strait on The Spirit of Tasmania was a calm one...not a spot of seasickness in sight. Our 6am start was a bit of a shock to the system....pitch black still. But we made it to the dock with time to spare and settled in for the 10 hour journey. Time passed quickly...thanks to 3 movies in a row! So in all honesty, we didn't see much water. We decided to stay another night in Devonport as there was so much to do and becuase our caravan park spot was so nice....right on the ocean and river front with a superb view of the Spirit as she comes into dock and heads back to Melbourne. It surprised us both that Dport is a town of 25 ooo.....a city really. Went to the Church of Christ for the morning service and were reminded once again what a small world this is. We met a couple who are involved in the Christian Motorcycle Assoc. who know people we know in Gladstone! Gastronomical delights awaited us in the afternoon as 'Tastes of Tasmania' took over the banks of the Mersey River. Along with a couple of thousand other people we wondered from stall to stall in brilliant sunshine, looking for tasty morsels to devour. Yum! They had three live music stands and cooking demos on as well. Delightful! Took a tourist drive round town in the afternoon before a walk in the evening...there are heritage walking tracks all the way along the foreshore. Saw the Spirit come in and dock and unload. What a process! Camping rigs of every style and size pour off the boat, as do truck trailers, motorbikes, cars, pedestrians and bicycles. Quite a show.

250kms

March 6^th

Enjoyed a sleep-in before chatting for nearly 2 hours to people camped in the next campground to ours. They had a group of 3 tents / vans and were about 50 metres from us….didn’t hear them at all! They were admiring our Carry Me Camper and plied Jon with heaps of questions then offered us a tour of their set-ups. One has something similar to ours…we just have the poorer cousin. Nice folks though and they gave us lots of survival tips….from how to put out fires, to using Vicks to stop mozzie bites stinging, to how to cook a lamb roast in the camp oven. Very helpful! Started our 2 hours run into Melbourne around 1pm…ahhh….this is holiday life after all, can’t rush things! Big Italian lunch at Traralgon, which I hoped would keep us full all the way thru til bedtime. Nearly – just had Vegemite sandwiches for dinner! Caught up with our friends Sean and Emma on the east side of town and enjoyed afternoon tea with them and picked up our mail. Then, the treacherous journey into the city during peak hour. Saw 1 accident but my excellent driver – helped out by Navigator 1 (me) and Nav 2 (Ms. Sat Nav) – got us to our caravan park in 1 piece. We are one in a big tin of sardines here for the night, 9km north of the city. We’re in the ‘elite’ part of the park I think, surrounded by tourists in big motor homes and Winnebago’s everywhere. My guess is more than half of them will be tussling with us tomorrow as we get onto the ferry to Tasmania. Hope that alarm goes off in the morning!

And the pics keep on coming!

The 'Mountain Man' goes to work...these 2 big trees were no match for JVI or the Navara's Ironman winch. Great mountain adventure!

It's incredibly dry in country Victoria.

The start of Stock Route Spur Track - 3.4 kms d-o-w-n! 

The Dargo River...northern section...was burned in a fire a couple of weeks ago.

Dargo River...southern section.