Tasman Peninsula - Eaglehawk Neck

11 – 12 January 2025

One of  the things that Mick likes to do when we are in Tasmania is to get out to sea on a Pelagic birding trip. Organised by a dedicated group of locals, he was fortunate to get  a spot on one in December but it was cancelled due to rough weather. The trip was then rescheduled to January – and then cancelled again due to the weather. This time we decided to go and have the night at Eaglehawk Neck anyway. The accommodation was booked and we probably wouldn’t get a refund with the very late notice anyway.

We left Hobart after lunch and, because it was a hot day (by Hobart standards) we felt it was important to go and sample the ice cream at the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry at Taranna. As always, the ice cream was delicious. We checked into the hotel and had a quiet afternoon, which included a short walk on the beach, before having dinner in the Bistro.

On Sunday morning we went for a walk down to the Tessellated Pavement which is accessed from just across the road from the hotel, but we had neglected to check the tides – this popular tourist attraction is best observed at low tide, and was almost completely covered with water when we were there. We didn’t mind as we’d been there a number of times before and we were really just looking to have a nice walk.

We checked out of the hotel and headed off to the local Pirate’s Bay market. We parked near the Officers’ Quarters Museum and walked to the community hall via the beach. We were a bit surprised to see some penguin tracks on the beach and up into the dunes. We found Tom at the markets – on the job as Discovery Ranger – and wandered around looking at the stalls. The only thing we bought was a coffee.

Our next stop was out to the Coal Mines Historic Site where we ate our picnic lunch in the car while it drizzled with rain outside. After lunch we went birding near the Main Shaft as we watched an approaching storm. On the way to the site we had seen where the famous “Neil the Seal” must have been recently – as evidenced by the “Slow Down – Animal on the Road”, but he wasn’t basking on the road, as is his habit.

Even though there was rain about we decided to head down to Roaring Beach – another spot we thought we might have been to before, but realised we hadn’t. It turns out this is one of a number of Roaring Beaches in Tasmania and we had been to the one at Southport. Perhaps we should start a collection!

Mick did a spot of birding on the way
through the dunes at Roaring Beach

This Roaring Beach is popular with surfers and the carpark was almost full when we arrived. We walked through and over the dunes to the beach and walked along for a short distance. Light rain made it less pleasant than it might have been but it didn’t deter the board riders. 

We made that our last stop for the day and set off to return to Hobart. Even though Mick was disappointed he had missed out on the Pelagic, we still had a great weekend.

Tasmania once more

15 December 2018 - 7 March 2019

Our trip to Tasmania this time was to be very different to our previous ones. This time we would stay at our daughter's house in Hobart, with our very own granny flat. Repairs, renovations and improvements were sure to keep us busy, but we hoped to get out and about a bit on this, our eighth visit to the Apple Isle. An added bonus this time was that our younger daughter had also made the decision to move south so we would be spending time with her too.

After a reasonable calm night crossing we met up with Jo and Miller and drove to Hobart in convoy with them. The week before Christmas was filled with preparations and the excitement that goes  with being together at this time of year. Christmas day gave us beautiful, warm weather and the opportunity to enjoy lunch outside.

Musk Lorikeets attacked the backyard fruit trees.

One angry looking bird!

In the end we didn't get away as much as we had hoped but we did manage a couple of excursions. We had wanted to travel south but fires raged throughout the forests of southern Tasmania making travel into this part of the state impossible. The fires were so extensive at times, we could see and smell the smoke in Hobart over a  number of weeks.

The smoke cloud that frequently engulfed Hobart.

Mount Field National Park

Mount Field is a bit of a favourite place and we planned to meet Josh's family for a picnic lunch. We had hoped to go up to the alpine section of the park but it was closed due to the risk of bushfire. We had to settle for the main section near the beautiful Russell Falls. We took the short walk to the falls then  set up in a picnic/BBQ shelter area near the river. After lunch we set off on the Russell Falls walk again but this time we took the longer walk that meets up with the Tall Trees walk. Some sections involved many stairs and a few quite steep climbs, but it is always worth it to be in the forest.

Russell Falls

Salamanca Markets

No visit to Hobart is quite complete without a visit to the weekly Saturday markets at Salamanca Place. Selling all sorts of local produce, food, crafts and other locally made wares, there is always a crowd. If the weather is good it's a great way to spend a Saturday morning. The day Mick and I decided to go, the way into the city from our home on the eastern shore was closed to allow for erection of a new pedestrian bridge so we took advantage of the free ferry service from Bellerive. A short stroll from home and we were just in time to board. There is no regular ferry service in Hobart from the eastern shore to the city, so this was quite a treat for locals and visitors alike. Our timing was out for the trip home so we caught the bus instead - not nearly as much fun as the ferry.

Puddleduck Vineyard and Winery
A guided tour of this small family vineyard and winery was the perfect gift from Julia and Josh. Only 15 minutes from out temporary Hobart home, we booked for a day when the forecast was for perfect weather - and it just happened to be New Year's Eve. With only one other couple on the tour, we had a really personalised look at the winery, and tasted some wine straight from the barrel. We also learned about the different methods used for making sparkling wine. After the tour we settled in for a wine tasting which we accompanied with a platter of delicious local goodies. Working our way through the various wines including Bubbleduck, riesling, rose and pinot noir, the biggest surprise was the verjuice. I always thought (thanks to Maggie Beer) that this was used solely in cooking but you can drink the good quality product and it is delicious! Who knew? Of course we took home a bottle of bubbles to see in the new year - and it was very nice indeed - even the beer drinker enjoyed it.

The wine tasting was perfectly complemented by a platter of local produce.

Taste of Tasmania

Each year the Taste of Tasmania is held on the Hobart waterfront. Originally aimed at giving Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race participants and visitors a reason to stay on a bit longer, this week long festival has now celebrated its 30th year. Busy and fun, with over 100 stallholders entry was free (although there is talk that this might change), but there were also a number of paid activities such as cooking workshops, demonstrations and classes, and a New Year's Eve celebration. Julia went along to a cooking class - well, ice cream and sorbet actually, but I guess you can count that as food. We went in with Jo and Miller to meet her for lunch afterwards. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day, just perfect for a day out. It was so hard to choose what to have to eat, and the array of locally produced wine, cider, gin and whisky left our heads spinning. Something we have noticed in Tassie is that vegetarians and vegans are generally well catered for, and Taste was no exception.

The maxi yachts are surprisingly accessible to the public.

The winner Wild Oats XI with Taste of Tassie in the background.

Some of the Taste entertainment.

Inside the big food hall.

Summer Record Fair

Mick collects vinyl records so a visit to the Hobart Record Fair was a must. Julia came along with us to the Republic Hotel in North Hobart where a number of traders had set up stalls. We arrived early (to get the best pick) but everyone else seemed to have the same idea. There were so many records you were almost guaranteed to find something worth buying. It looks like the fair is held twice each year - summer and winter.

We also took in some Hobart street art.

'I don't want my photo taken'

Eaglehawk Neck Pelagic

Mick has wanted to go on a pelagic trip for some time and we found a Facebook group dedicated to just that. I joined and kept an eye on the posts advertising upcoming trips, and bingo, there was to be one out of Eaglehawk Neck while we were in Hobart. We decided to make a weekend of it so booked a cottage nearby for two nights. A cold early morning start, and not the calmest of seas, but well worth it for the bird photographer.

Buller's Albatross

Northern Giant Petrel

White-capped Albatross

White-capped Albatross

White-chinned Petrel

Yellow-nosed Albatross

Kettering

Once again we headed to a location because of the chance for a particular bird sighting. (Lewin's Rail) Kettering is on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and is where you catch the ferry to Bruny Island. We booked a couple of nights and spent the days exploring the area as well as looking for birds. We went for a drive along one of the back roads to Cygnet and Huonville (on the Huon River). When the bushfires were at their worst the road south from Huonville was closed, but had been reopened by the time we visited. We stopped for lunch in a pub but didn't travel further south, instead returning to Kettering along another back road via Woodbridge.

The view from our accommodation at Kettering.

Tasmanian Native Hen or Turbo Chook as the locals call them.

Spotted Pardalote

Dusky Woodswallows settle for the night.

Apparently a good spot for Lewin's Rail. Not today though.

 Bruny Island

After a couple of nights in Kettering we boarded the ferry to Bruny Island, this time staying in a cabin in the caravan park at Adventure Bay. The ferry is now operated by SeaLink and runs about every half hour. The cost for a standard vehicle is $38 return. There is no charge for passengers, and cheaper rates are available for early morning and mid-afternoon sailings. Once on Bruny we headed for the Bruny Island Cheese Company for cheese - of course - then we had hoped to do the Cape Queen Elizabeth walk but the small parking lot was full. We decided we would try again another day, but we were out of luck - the car park was full each time we went past. We also stopped at Truganini Lookout and the new carpark had plenty of parking spaces. We walked along the boardwalk to the beach then decided to tackle the stairs to the lookout. We must be fitter than when we first visited  in 2004 when we didn't make it all the way to the top. I guess we do a lot more walking these days. We stopped for picnic lunch at Adventure Bay before settling in to our cabin, with a lovely view of the bay.

The barge sails out of Kettering.

Beautiful views and beautiful weather.

The Neck lookout on Bruny Island.

Southern end of Adventure Bay.

Green Rosella

Getting shots of Swift Parrot really made the trip worthwhile.

I saw a family of Brown Quail around our cabin but could not get close enough for a decent shot.

On the other hand, this Dusky Robin was very obliging.

Hooded Plovers are a real favourite of mine.

Hoodies

Kelp Gull

Juvenile Kelp Gull

There's always a Pied Oystercatcher to photograph.

I wanted to keep it simple for this trip to Kettering and Bruny Island so I decided to concentrate only on two birds I hadn't seen before, Lewin's Rail and Swift Parrot. Anything else would be a bonus. No luck with the Lewin's but I found Swift Parrots in a flowering gum in front of the caravan park. There were probably about 15 - 20 that I saw and heard higher in gums along the beach and around Adventure Bay.

Blue-winged Parrot

Blue-winged Parrot

Juvenile White-fronted Chat

A bird guide who was staying next door told me about a road on North Bruny where he had seen Blue-winged Parrots. We checked it out and found the parrots with no trouble. They were very skittish and always stayed further away than I would have liked. All the same, it was an enjoyable birding session. Mick