Coles Bay

1 - 4 December 2024

After a reasonably smooth crossing and a good night’s sleep, we disembarked at East Devonport just after 7:00am – which meant we had most of the day to fill in before we could check in to our cabin at Coles Bay. Although we were keen to get to Hobart to see the girls, we had decided on a short break in the East Coast first. We left Devonport and drove to Deloraine where we stopped for some breakfast and to buy some fresh food, as we hadn’t brought any with us. We also went for a walk down by the river which was very nice, but we didn’t see any of the platypus that live there.

Because we had so much time to fill in we decided to travel to the East Coast via Scamander. That route took us through the mountains and down to the coast. Scamander is a beautiful spot and we have stayed there quite a few times. There are usually lots of shorebirds but when we arrived this time the beach looked quite different. There had been a massive storm, with a huge rainfall, overnight and the sea was pumping. There was so much sea foam, seaweed and driftwood on the beach, even the locals had come down for a look.

We spent a while on the beach at Scamander then drove south to Bicheno where we stopped for lunch in the park. We continued on to Coles Bay where we were able to check in to our cabin a little early. We had never stayed at the caravan park there and were very pleased to have a view from our deck.

We planned to go into the Freycinet National Park to do some walking but we didn’t have a current Tasmania Parks Pass. We made enquiries but discovered we would need to obtain new Tassie Seniors Cards (I thought we already had) to get the concession price. Once we had organised that we decided to go to the park in the afternoon when the weather was better.

We walked around in the village of Coles Bay and down by the water before having lunch and then driving to the Freycinet NP Visitors’ Centre to arrange our Parks Pass, and then on to Cape Tourville Lighthouse for the short walk. This walk is easy and takes in some fabulous views.

We decided to have dinner on Monday night at the hotel which was just a short walk through the caravan park. The place was very busy, expecially for a Monday night, and we were glad we had arrived quite early. The meals were good and reasonably priced.

On Tuesday we waited until the afternoon when the weather improved to go on the Wineglass Bay Lookout Walk. This one is a Grade 3, 2.6km return hike. We did this walk with the girls when we holidayed in Tasmania 20 years before and the lookout viewing platforms have been improved quite a bit since then – but you still have to walk up many stairs to get to the magnificent view. It’s worth the effort – but our legs did hurt afterwards. We treated ourselves to an ice cream when we returned to the village – we felt we had earned it!

Wineglass Bay from the Lookoout

View of The Hazards from Honeymoon Bay

On our final morning we went back into the National Park for a short walk on the beach at Honeymoon Bay. As usual there was a spot of birding as well. Finally we decided it was time to head towards Hobart so we left Freycinet and returned to the Tasman Highway for our journey south. We stopped at Triabunna for lunch from the famous Fish and Chip van – always good – and then continued on.

Mick was keen to take a detour to the Tasman Peninsula so we made the decision to take the scenic route along the Wielangta Forest Drive. Even though it took just as long as going via the main roads, it was a beautiful drive. The purpose of the visit – birds of course! Jo’s partner Tom had let us know that the Swift parrots were still about at Fortescue Bay so we just had to go there to see for ourselves.

Arriving at Fortescue we sought out information about the likely location and even though Mick didn’t get a photo, we did hear them and see them fleetingly as they flew over. After stopping to chat with Tom, we finally set off for Hobart to have a couple of months with our daughters.

Scamander

 2 - 5 February 2022

Scamander is another Tassie favourite place. There's an inlet, beach and easy access to one of the east coast's tourist hot spots - Bay of Fires. After taking the scenic route from Cradle Mountain and then stopping for lunch in Campbell Town, we back-tracked about 10km to take the road through Fingal and St Marys to the coast. Again we travelled through farmlands and mountains before reaching the coast at Scamander. We had not booked accommodation so we explored our options and ended up at the place we have stayed at a number of times.

Pelican Sands is right on the inlet and allows direct access to the beach - and the numerous birds that hang out there. The views are fabulous and the location is convenient so we booked in for 2 nights. After a long drive (by Tassie standards anyway) we settled in for a relaxing afternoon which included a walk on the beach. 

On Wednesday Mick headed out early with the camera and I joined him later in the morning. The inlet is currently open to the sea but has been completely closed off in the last few years. There is a bridge that can only be accessed at low tide otherwise you have to wade through sometimes very deep water. This time with the low tide we barely got our feet wet. The weather was looking good, and with the promise of a few more great days we extended our 2 nights to three. 

We treated ourselves to dinner at the onsite restaurant - Fast Freddy's serves fantastic and authentic Italian meals at reasonable prices. They were quiet busy but the food and service was great. We had dined here before and we expecting the same quality as before and we were not disappointed. Freddy's gets great reviews, and deservedly so.

On Friday morning we set off to drive to St Helens, about 20 minutes north of Scamander. Our timing wasn't right for morning tea or lunch so we decided to keep going on to Binalong Bay. Binalong Bay is at the southern end of the Bay of Fires and boasts stunning beaches and scenery. We stopped at the first stretch of beach we came to and went for a walk on the sand. We then took the walking track which went out past the boat ramps and Skelton Bay, towards the point. We took lots of photos and stopped for an ice cream on the way back to the car. We headed back to Scamander for lunch and another relaxing afternoon by the beach.

On Saturday morning we finally set off to return to Hobart, making a stop at Triabunna for fish and chips for lunch. The fish van at the marina is another very popular spot and there were lots of people with the same idea - enjoying lunch by the water. 

Scamander

 11 - 12 December 2021

Because the east coast of Tasmania is a very popular tourist destination we booked ahead for a spot in the caravan park in Scamander - hoping that the weather would clear. We set off from Mole Creek, through Deloraine and on towards the turn-off that would take us through St Mary's. The weather wasn't too promising and it was icy cold and drizzling rain when we stopped at the local market in Fingal. We could see blue sky ahead so were hopeful.

It was only lunch time when we arrived in Scamander so we opted for another pub lunch rather than going straight to the caravan park. Another nice meal, this time with a fire going, and a great view of the river mouth. After lunch we drove the short distance to the caravan park and checked in. We were expecting it to be quite crowded but we were surprised to see only three sites occupied (including ours). We chose a spot near the camp kitchen and amenities. It was cold and windy but the rain held off long enough for us to go for a long walk along the bush tracks to the beach then up to the river mouth and back through the bush to the caravan park. 

We took advantage of the well equipped camp kitchen, which we had all to ourselves, so we could stay out of the wind. After our final night camping for a while we set off for our temporary home in Hobart, and time with our girls.

Tasmania - Orford and Scamander

22 - 26 January 2017

Mick has always wanted to go to Maria Island and the opportunity presented itself when Julia and Josh made the decision to move to Hobart and needed help with transporting a load of boxes one weekend. We drove straight to Hobart where we duly delivered the household goods and then headed towards Orford for a couple of nights. It had been our intention to stay at Orford and visit Maria Island on Monday, but when Mick called to book a few days before, he was told there were no seats left for Monday but we could go on Tuesday. Despite the less than ideal weather forecast we accepted this alternative and booked our ferry tickets.

After a big day's drive we found our accommodation at Orford, went for a short drive to get our bearings and planned our next day's activities. On Monday morning we set off to explore the area, starting first with a drive to Triabunna where we would catch the ferry to Maria Island. For a small village there was plenty to keep us occupied for a while including a short walk along the shore, an art gallery, museum, men's shed and op-shop. We enjoyed our visit so much we returned later for lunch of fish and chips from the van located near the marina. Good, tasty and fresh!

Orford is a popular fishing destination.

Back at Orford we walked along the beach and part the way along a designated walk that has interpretive information via qr code which has been created by the local school students. We also walked along the "10 minute walk" through the bush from the main road to the beach.

Juvenile Yellow Wattlebird

Green Rosella

A Pacific Gull has a bath in a tidal creek at the finish of the 10 min walk.

The east coast is supposed to be a good location to see Swift Parrots. I have not had any luck finding these rare birds and that did not change on this trip. As a consolation, I had not photographed Cape Barren Geese before and they are abundant on Maria Island. At Scamander, there is a fenced off breeding area for Little and Fairy Terns as well as Red-capped and Hooded Plovers. It is important not to go too close to this area as it may disrupt breeding. However, plenty of birds venture out to hunt in public areas where they can be observed and photographed. It's a favorite place of mine. Mick.

On Tuesday morning we set off for the 9:00am ferry from Triabunna to Maria Island. When we booked the tickets the weather forecast had indicated "windy" but unfortunately by Tuesday morning it now read "gale force winds with 2 - 3 metre swells". I'm not much of a sailor so I was not looking forward to the journey in a smallish ferry. Despite the swells the journey was not as bad as I thought it would be and I managed to get there and back without the slightest hint of seasickness. 

On the way over the ferry captain advised that most walks should be done in a clockwise direction so that you would not be walking into the wind on the exposed sections. We didn't mean to ignore this advice but that's how it worked out. We initially set off for the Reservoir Walk, in a clock wise direction, but the wind made bird photography impossible so we continued on past the turnoff and onto the Fossil Cliffs walk. This didn't seem so bad while we were walking through the treed area, but once we came out onto the exposed hills we fully understood why we should have gone the other way! We went down for a closer look at the fossils in the cliff face and then battled back down to the jetty. Next time we will follow the advice given by those who know. Our poor planning resulted in a very uncomfortable and heavy going walk.

Although we only saw one Wombat, they are supposedly common.

Spectacular coastal scenery near Fossil Cliffs.

A bi-valve fossil.

This old equipment shed offered some respite from the howling wind towards the end of the walk.

We made our way down to the picnic area in the campground for lunch and found a fairly sheltered spot. There are no shops on Maria Island so you have to carry everything you need with you. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and a rest then set off up the hill towards the Painted Cliffs. We didn't get far before deciding against that particular venture. We were booked to return on the 2:30pm ferry and didn't think we could get there and back in the wind. We were also feeling very tired from the previous walk too!

Cape Barren Goose

I found White-fronted Chats around the camp ground.

We spent some time exploring around the old town of Darlington. Maria Island was initially established as a penal settlement, before the establishment of the more famous Port Arthur. There are convict built structures and others from later times when the island was home to farmers and whalers. Some of the buildings have been restored, and others are to be restored. You can enter some and learn more about the inhabitants. As a National Park, a current parks pass is required when you visit. There is camping and accommodation in the old penitentiary building. Transport around the island is by foot or pushbike which can be hired on the island.

The return journey was even rougher than on the way over, and as a consequence the ferry arrived a good bit later than anticipated. Once back on dry land, we hit the road to Scamander. We stayed there last year and enjoyed a great location right on the beach. This time, the restaurant attached to the motel was open so we treated ourselves to a really nice meal after a very big day.

Our accommodation is bottom left.

The river mouth at Scamander.

Juvenile Pacific Gull

Australian Pied Oystercatcher

'Let's count those legs again' Silver Gull

Red-necked Stint. There were lots of these little waders around.

Swamp Harrier

Fairy Tern. These breed on the beach. This one was having some quiet time away from the nest.

Caspian Tern.

Juvenile Black-faced Cormorant.

On Wednesday morning we drove up to St Helen's then on to Tea Gardens where we stopped at various beach and lagoon spots to take some photos and absorb the fabulous scenery of the Bay of Fires. We returned to Scamander for lunch and later in the day I drove up into the hills to visit another friend  who moved from Townsville to Tassie. Mick spent some time on the beach taking photos and I joined him for a walk.

Bay of Fires. We would probably have had a swim but forgot our swimmers.

On Thursday morning we drove back to Devonport, through "the middle", stopping at St Mary's for coffee and then Deloraine for lunch. Mick felt it appropriate to have a pie, seeing it was Australia Day.