our destination. The gardens are not far from Devonport at Eugenana and are run by volunteers. There is a $5 entry fee and a small kiosk serving toasted sandwiches, savoury muffins and scones at rock-bottom prices, with all proceeds used to maintain the site. Most continents are represented in the extensive grounds, and pathways meander all around. There is even a lake which is home to a platypus that was feeding in the middle of the day.
From Ulverstone we continued along the coast road to Penguin, but only stopped briefly on the foreshore for a look at the beach. Next stop was Burnie - just to have a look at the op-shops, then on towards Boat Harbour. We remembered a small cafe on the beach and planned to have lunch there, but it was closed, so we pressed on. As it was getting late we decided to stop at the Rocky Cape Tavern - right on the highway - for lunch and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly locals and good meal. We realised later that the friendly local who had chatted to us, was the owner who had recently bought the pub when it was facing closure.
We enjoyed the sea views and found the spacious apartment to have everything we needed. On Wednesday morning we headed off to The Nut and chose to ride the Chair Lift to the top, and return. Fortunately the ride to the top was reasonably smooth, but it was quite windy at the top. According to Parks Tasmania The Nut is a "143 metre high massif, towering above the picturesque town of Stanley". Once at the top we walked the 2.3km circuit track, passing several spectacular lookout points as well as a forested section. This is graded as a Level 3 with some uphill sections and stairs. We found it to be an easy walk.
From there we ventured back into the village for a look at the shops and morning tea. There are a number of businesses that cater well for tourists. We had thought to drive over to Arthur River, but with camera batteries flat, we decided to meander back towards Devonport.
The sky was clear so we walked over to the Visitor Centre and obtained a bus pass to allow us to use the National Parks bus service. This would have to be one of the best National Parks we have visited both in terms of natural beauty and visitor amenities. They actively discourage visitors from driving the winding and narrow road up to Dove Lake - the most popular spot - so provide a free shuttle bus service that picks up and drops off at a number of stops. You do have to obtain a National Parks pass to access the bus, and to enter the park and Parks Tasmania offer a variety of options from one day, one park, to visitor passes that are valid for two months (great value for travellers from interstate) and year passes.
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Enchanted Walk.
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Sunday morning was cloudy, but with no rain predicted, Julia and Josh drove up from Devonport to join us for the walk around Dove Lake. Again we took the bus, arriving at Dove Lake at about noon. We headed off for the 6 km walk around the lake, stopping at various points along the way. The walk is along well formed paths, boardwalks and an number of stairs. We walked in a clockwise direction, as recommended, but this way does have a very long uphill section close to the end. There are some sections that are rocky and slippery in the wet. The stated time for the walk is 2 - 3 hours and we finished it in 2 1/2 with a stop for a picnic lunch.
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| Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain. |
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| Small creek flowing into Dove Lake. |
Because of the number of people visiting that day we had to wait in a queue for the bus, returning to the visitor centre at about 3.30pm. After warm drinks, Julia and Josh headed home and we went out for a walk around the property - stumbling upon a very "birdy" spot.
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| Scrubtit. Another Tassie endemic. |
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| Definitely a Tasmanian Thornbill. Looks like a tick on its beak. |
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| Female Pink Robin. |
We had a very friendly visitor during the evening - a resident possum appeared at the door and seemed to be asking for food. We know never to feed the locals any processed food so cut a piece of banana and offered it.
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| A large possum with a very thick coat enjoying some banana. |
We had intended to go back up to one of the walks on Monday morning, but the rain had set in overnight spoiling our plans.
29 - 31 March
Port Sorrell
Other visitors were arriving at Julia and Josh's house for Julia's birthday so we planned a short, close-by escape for a couple of days. Our destination was the small village of Port Sorrell - just 1/2 hour out of Devonport. Arriving late-afternoon we settled in and considered our touring options for Monday.
The day dawned clear, with just a few clouds so we took a walk along the beach near our accommodation. Lovely views and a very nice walk. You can get a brochure that details a number of walks in the area, but we settled for just this one. We then jumped in the car and drove over to
Narawntapu National Park. This park is just across the estuary of the Rubicon River but is a half hour drive and requires a Tasmanian National Parks pass.
Our first stop was the visitor centre where we collected a map and some information about walks. We set off on the Springlawn Nature Walk (one of the
60 Great Short Walks of Tasmania) which takes you by the lagoon to the bird hide (of course). From there walkers have a number of options - to continue on the loop, up to a point and down to the beach. We headed towards the beach and the easy flat walk we had been on, became an steep climb over sand dunes. We didn't go all the way, but turned back once we reached the top of the last dune before the beach, walked back to the road and returned to the visitor centre that way.
The visitor centre provides a number of services including camp site bookings and ice creams - very thoughtful!. After a cold treat we walked the other way along the Springlawn Walk to a spot where a particular bird had been sighted - but no luck. Then it was across the road and in search of another bird - again, no luck but the bonus of s lone wombat who seemed totally oblivious to the photographer snapping away just metres from it.
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| At last! A Wombat. |
Before we left the park, we visited each of the three camp grounds - the first is adjacent to the visitor centre and provides toilet, hot showers (purchase a token), rubbish removal and a dump point. Sites are powered and a good size. The second camp ground is very small, has only toilets and small, uneven sites suitable only for small tents. The third is by the river and very large, proving large, flat, grassy sites, some picnic tables and fire pits.
On Tuesday morning we indulged in a treat - breakfast at
Anvers Chocolate Factory for Julia's birthday. A great menu - including some very tempting sweet treats - and a lovely warm fire made for a perfect start to the day. Visitors can also view the chocolates being made and purchase from an extensive range of delicious chocolates and fudges in the factory shop. Highly recommended for chocolate lovers, the centre is on the Bass Highway just out of Devonport.
2 - 5 April
Bruny Island
Bruny Island has always been a favourite destination and Mick has always wanted to stay at
Inala (a specialist birding facility) so we booked for three nights and hoped the weather would be good. Our very early (for us) start from Devonport was prompted not only by the distance we needed to travel, but also by the forecast severe weather for the north of the state. We drove through rain and some amazing clouds as the promised wild weather approached.
A quick stop at Campbell Town for coffee and a second breakfast of "Banjo's" yummy sausage rolls revealed just how cold it was outside the car. We continued along the Midland Highway and on through Hobart, to Kettering to catch the ferry to Bruny. Our timing was perfect - we arrived with about 15 minutes to spare before the next ferry departed. The
vehicular ferry leaves about every hour and costs $35 return - cash only. There is an ATM at the cafe for those who arrive without cash.
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| One of the beautiful beaches on South Bruny. |
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| Paradise! |
After the short trip across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel we drove along the Bruny Island Main Road to South Bruny. Because we were too early to check in we decided to detour via Adventure Bay for a look around. There are lots of places to stop for some gourmet treats along the way - wine, cheese, oysters, chocolate and berries. We resisted this time. We headed over to Inala, via Alonnah and Lunawanna, and along Cloudy Bay Road. Our cottage - Nairana - is set up for birdwatchers - with a balcony overlooking the bush, and easy access to a number of hides and birdy spots - Mick was in his element, spending the rest of the day with the camera in front of his face.
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| Lots of different Robin species on the property including this Dusky Robin. |
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| Scarlet Robin |
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| Pink Robin |
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| Flame Robin |
The cottage has been very well designed, with guests able to sit on the lounge and see outside to the bush. It contains everything you could need including gas heating, full stove, spa bath, washing machine and dryer so we were well set up for a few days of luxury.
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| Bennetts Wallabies were very common on the property. |
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| A white wallaby was regularly seen around the grounds. |
Information is provided in the cottage about various aspects of the property and wildlife, in particular a warning not to feed the possums and wallabies, and the possums' ability to open the sliding screen doors. In the evening we were visited by two residents possums, who stood at the (closed) doors and gave us a look that clearly said "take no notice of what you have read - open the doors and feed us". We resisted and they eventually left, looking very disgruntled.
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| The Strong-billed Honeyeater is another Tassie endemic species. |
Most of Friday was spent relaxing with a good book (me) and photographing birds (Mick) so we were both well catered for and happy. I also went for a drive down to Cloudy Bay. The road from Inala is dirt, but well maintained (as are most of the unsealed roads on Bruny). Cloudy Bay was cloudy, and the sea was not inviting despite evidence that this is a popular sport for surfers. It is in the
National Park so a Parks Pass is required. There is vehicular access to the beach, which is necessary to get to one of the camp sites. There is also a walk around the headland to another beach. I ventured off along the path, which was part boardwalk, part narrow path, and then across the rocks onto the sand. Despite the icy cold wind, it was a beautiful walk. While on the beach I spotted a couple of Sooty Oystercatchers, a bird which Mick had been hoping to photograph. Naturally I took a photo using my little camera - purely for identification purposes!
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| A camera shy Sooty Oystercatcher |
On Saturday morning we both ventured down to Cloudy Bay, but this time the Oystercatchers were out on the rocks and harder to get to. It was still cold but the number of surfers and others there suggested a better day for surfing than the previous one. There were also more cars on the beach so the photography options were diminished somewhat. We drove back to Alonnah for lunch at the pub.
The Hotel Bruny prides itself on excellent local produce and information is provided about the local producers and suppliers whose ingredients are used to make the delicious meals. Great meals are something of a surprise and treat in such an out of the way location. This pub is one of two that claim the title of southernmost hotel in Tasmania (and therefore Australia). We have also visited the other one - Southport Hotel.
After lunch we made a spur of the moment decision to drive over to the
Cape Bruny Lighthouse, simply because we had not been there before. Again the drive is along unsealed road into the National Park. The views from various spots along the road are magnificent. The lighthouse story is told in a small museum housed in what was once the Relief Lightkeepers Cottage. First lit in March 1838, it was last lit in May 1998 and added to the National Park in 2000. This is another beautiful spot on a beautiful island.
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| View of the lighthouse across the bay. |
Back home to Inala, and some more birdwatching and photographing completed a lovely day. Sunday morning was absolutely glorious so we made the most of the remaining time at Inala with some time at the hides. From there we drove over to Adventure Bay - this time taking a shorter road - only 10kms - through beautiful forested hills. The road is marked 4WD only and is rough, narrow and steep in parts. It has not been well maintained, but we didn't need to engage 4WD at all. I guess the warning is a precaution and I certainly wouldn't drive that road in wet weather, not matter what sort of a vehicle I had.
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| The endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote |
Bruny Island is one of the last strongholds in Tasmania for the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote. This endemic Tasmanian lives in colonies in Blue Gum forests and feeds on lerps. A lerp is a sugary, protective (limpet-like) covering exuded by the larvae of the psyllid insect onto the surface of a leaf. At only 9 - 10 cm in length, this tiny bird is very hard to spot as it forages amongst the leaves. At Inala, a two-storey platform / hide offers you a closer encounter with the Pardalotes than you could ever expect from the ground.
Another hide has been erected behind the office / reception that overlooks a bare tree trunk about 50 metres distant in an open paddock. The staff collect fresh road-kill and place it beneath the tree trunk in the hope of attracting birds of prey. This great opportunity to observe feeding raptors may also save some from becoming road-kill themselves. I was lucky enough to photograph a Grey Goshawk (white morph) from this hide. Mick.
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| Grey Goshawk (white morph) |
A short distance from our accommodation was a small water hole where it was possible to sit quietly and observe birds as they drank and bathed. Although not hidden from their view, a good variety braved my presence and came in. The light was always very low when I was there, not ideal for crisp photographs, but getting close was the compensation. Mick.
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| A tiny Tasmanian Thornbill takes a tub. |
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| Male Crescent Honeyeater giving me the evil eye. |
We had a picnic lunch at Adventure Bay, and stopped to take some photos on the way back to the ferry. Luck was not on out side this time - we arrived with about 10 minuted to spare for the 12.35pm ferry only to see it had already left! We were not sure what had happened - Easter Sunday and the end of daylight savings perhaps. The disclaimer says the company has the right to change timetables without notice at any time, so I guess that was one of those times. Our ferry eventually had us leaving Bruny Island at 1.15pm so we didn't have to wait too long.
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| Hooded Plovers live and nest on the beach. |
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| Beach and Banksia at Adventure Bay |
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| Camera-shy Christie. |
Arriving back on "the mainland" the clouds were starting to close in - no more beautiful day - and there was some rain as we drove through Hobart on our way to Mount Field National Park - our next stop.
6 - 7 April
Mount Field National Park
We had made a brief (a few hours) visit to
Mt Field on a previous trip to Tassie so we were keen to have a slightly longer stop-over. Because it was the Easter weekend, it was difficult to find accommodation but we did find a cottage at Maydena that would suit our needs.
We arrived at the National Park mid-afternoon so stopped in for afternoon tea and to pick up the walks brochure. The weather was still good so we also went on the walk to Russell Falls. This is an easy, short and very popular walk, and is another of the 60 Great Short Walks of Tasmania.
We left the park, bound for Giant's Table and Cottages in Maydena. This old style holiday village (was it once a chuch camp, or perhaps a workers compound?) is very family friendly with lots of "farm" animals, as well as a pond which is home to platypus. Again, Mick was able to photograph a platypus. He is getting quite a collection from around the country. The cottage was cozy and would have been big enough for a family, so suited us very well.
On Monday morning we again called in to the visitor centre to check on some walk details, and drove up the narrow winding road to Mount Dobson. This is where one of Tassie's snow fields can be found. The climb up the mountain took us top an elevation of over 1040 metres so it was cold, but the sun was shining. We took the Pandani Grove walk - yet another of the 60 Great Short Walks of Tasmania. A well made path, with some gentle uphill sections, and the usual gorgeous surroundings made for a very pleasant morning.
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| Wombat Moor. |
We headed back down the mountain a short way to walk the Wombat Moor - but not a wombat in sight!. The narrow boardwalk takes walkers up the hill to the start of a longer track (5 hours return). We stopped to takes photos and the clouds that had been forming in the distance were suddenly upon us and the light rain started to fall. How quickly the weather can change - visitors to National Parks in Tasmania are advised to always come prepared for all weather.
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| Autumn colour is more noticeable inland. |
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| Great scenery and dramatic clouds made the drive a memorable one. |
We returned to the cafe at the visitor centre and a nice lunch before getting on the road back to Devonport. We decided to travel via the Highland Lakes Way. This road is unsealed for much of the way but is a very beautiful drive through high country (up to 1100 metres elevation), with spectacular views at various points. The road ends up at Deloraine and it was then a short trip back to Devonport.
8 - 10 April
Strahan
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| Female Crescent Honeyeater. |
As our time in Tassie rapidly drew to a close, we decided on one more excursion. Julia was on holidays from TAFE so she was able to join us as we ventured to the west coast and
Strahan. We left mid-morning (no need for an early start - it's not really that far) and drove along the Bass Highway, taking the turn to Strahan at Somerset, just past Burnie. We made a pit-stop at Hellyer Gorge and walked the short circuit track down by the river. It was cold, but a nice way to stretch the legs. From there it was on to Zeehan where we stopped to browse in the op-shop (there are two but the other one was closed), then finally to Strahan. On our way into Strahan we noticed a large fire which we later found out to be controlled burn.
Later in the afternoon we drove just past the shopping and tourist strip and parked the car at the park, before heading out to walk along the water towards Regatta Point. This is a very pleasant stroll on a pathway to the West Coast Wilderness Railway station.
In the morning we drove out along the road towards Macquarie Heads in the hope of finding some birds to photograph. We didn't go all the way to the heads, and there weren't too many birds about. Back into town and a chance to explore the shops and tourist places. There are a number of shops selling beautifully crafted timber pieces, but my favourite is the one that sells raw timber. They have some enormous slabs that would be perfect as table tops. Shame we couldn't fit one in the car - and they are quite expensive, depending on species, size and quality. Huon pine is available - it is all salvaged from the river now, rather than being cut down.
Later in the afternoon we went back down to the "People's Park" to walk the track to Hogarth Falls. This is yet another of the 60 Great Short Walks of Tasmania, and is a short, easy walk through the forest to the falls. There are a few steps and some uphill sections but nothing strenuous. It has become a favourite when visiting Strahan. The park also contains picnic tables and well-maintained toilets.
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| An Olive Whistler encountered on our walk. |
From there we drove out to Ocean Beach. This is a spectacular long beach that is always cold and windy. We didn't stay long!
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| Windswept and cold Ocean Beach. |
On the Friday morning we hit the road again headed for Arthur River and the Tarkine.
10 - 11 April
Arthur River - The Tarkine Wilderness
We drove back to Zeehan and then on the (now) mostly sealed road toward
Corinna. This area was once used for logging and mining and some would like to see it continue but many (like us) would prefer to see it kept in as natural state as possible and to regenerate those parts that have been damaged in the past. The drive takes you through some beautiful country.
On arrival at the Pieman River drivers must press a buzzer to summon the ferryman - The Fatman Barge - in order to cross the river to Corinna. The vehicular ferry costs $25 for a regular car, and only operates during certain daytime hours (9am - 5pm, and until 7pm in summer). This area marks the start of the Tarkine Wilderness and beyond Corinna there are no services until Arthur River.
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| The road winds through buttongrass heath. Very concerning are the massive areas of dead forest seen on much of the drive. |
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| Much of the heath on this drive is perfect habitat for the Striated Fieldwren. I couldn't get very close to this one with the camera but was very happy to add it to the life list. |
Once across the river we stopped for coffee at the hotel. Corinna was established as a mining town, but has now been restored as a lovely tourist town, with accommodation, pub, river cruises and bush walks. We drove on through towards Arthur River, stopping at Lindsay River for a picnic lunch - a nice spot but no picnic tables or toilets.
On arriving at Arthur River we went out to a lookout at the mouth of the Arthur River, known as "The Edge of the World" - "the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on the globe". Set off from here and you won't see land until you reach Argentina. As is expected on Tassie's west coast, it was cold, and windy but beautiful.
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| "The Edge of the World" |
We ventured the 13km up the road to Marrawah for dinner at the country pub. Good food and a nice atmosphere despite mixed reviews we had read.
On Saturday morning we left Arthur River to return to Devonport, travelling via the newly sealed
Tarkine Drive. We took the long way back towards Smithton, through some beautiful rainforest which helps you understand why there is such an active environmental campaign to protect the area. We stopped at one of a number of camping grounds, and there are also a number of walks in the area.
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| One of the rest areas on the Tarkine drive. |
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| The view from our Arthur River beach house was very nice. |
Because our time was limited, we didn't linger but will return one day. We stopped for a picnic lunch before returning to Devonport. It was our last day in Tassie and we had to repack the car ready for our trip across Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania.
On Sunday morning we rose early, packed the last few things in the car and made the short journey to East Devonport to board the ferry. We arrived way too early – we were able to check in quickly, but then spent a long time waiting in the queue to board. Next time we’ll leave home much later and hopefully not have to wait for so long. Once aboard, garaged on the second bottom deck, we settled into our cabin for what turned out to be a very calm crossing.
Goodbye Tassie – we’ll be back soon.
