Port Augusta

26 – 29 August 2023

After 5 fabulous nights at Gluepot Reserve we drove out through Morgan, where we had lunch. From there we drove on towards Burra so we could stop in to the Red Banks Conservation Park. It would have been nice to camp there but after 5 nights in the bush without a shower we really needed to get to a caravan park. We stopped in the day use area “the oval” and Mick spent a bit of time looking for birds. Reluctantly we moved on, still not sure where we would end up. We decided to drive through Laura, looking for suitable caravan parks along the way. We didn’t find anything that appealed so while we were at Laura we phoned ahead to book into the park in Port Augusta where we always stay.

As usual, we spent a day washing, shopping and doing general maintenance at camp, and on the other day we headed out early to Arid Lands Botanic Gardens. The gardens were looking particularly lush and there were so many plants blossoming. We wandered around for a couple of hours before having a delicious morning tea at the onsite café. We then finished our “town” chores and repacked ready to travel into a more remote location.

Mick had heard about the birding at Mount Ive Station and had been keen for some time to get there so we added it to the itinerary for this leg of the trip. We had arranged to meet birding friend, Paula, on the Birdsville Track in a couple of weeks’ time so were able to fit in a visit to this spot in the Gawler Ranges.

We left Port Augusta and drove to Iron Knob where we had a quick look around what was left of the town and then turned off the highway for the two hour drive on the unsealed road to Mt Ive. The road condition wasn’t great to start with but improved as we went along. 

We knew we wouldn’t make it in time for lunch and, as luck would have it, we reached the only picnic spot along the road just on noon. The marker indicated it as “Edward John Eyre Camp 6 Site” and consisted of a small drive through parking bay and a picnic table. Not much, and given the wind was howling, it was sufficient for a quick chicken and salad wrap, then back on our way.

Gluepot Reserve – Babbler Campground

 21 – 26 August 2023

After a couple of very pleasant and relaxing days at Lake Bonney, we set off for another one of our favourite places – Gluepot Reserve in the South Australian Riverland. We stopped in Waikerie to pick up a parcel at the Post Office and to do some more shopping. We then crossed the Murray River on the ferry and drove on to Gluepot.

Gluepot is a protected area and the largest block of intact mallee in Australia – and it is well known as a fabulous spot for birding. This would be our fourth visit. We stopped at the visitor centre to check in and also to have our lunch, then made our way to Babbler Campground. There had been reports of Scarlet-chested parrots in a location not too far from Babbler so it seemed the logical choice.

In the late afternoon one of the volunteer rangers called in and told us that we were the only ones camping in the whole reserve – there was no-one in either of the other two campgrounds. This didn’t last as over the following days a number of other campers arrived. The beauty of Gluepot is that the vast majority of visitors are birders – it’s too remote for caravanners looking for a cheap place to stay.

I went out with Mick a couple of times looking for the parrots, as well as to walk the Mallee Fowl Walk one morning. We actually did see a Mallee fowl not far off the track, but it didn’t stick around long enough to have its photo taken. We went out for a drive just on dark one night looking for Spotted nightjars but were not successful. Mick went out birding each morning and afternoon and processed photos during the middle of the day. I caught up on some reading and enjoyed relaxing and pottering around the camp.

Because there were a number of birders at the camp, much information was shared – not just about Gluepot. It was while we were there that we made up our minds that we would definitely go to another good birding spot – Mount Ive Station – even though it was a bit out of the way.

We had initially booked in for three nights but ended up staying for five. We could perhaps have stayed longer but had run out of drinking water so had to move on. Maybe next time we’ll allow a week. Even though the nights were cold – and fires are not permitted – the days were pleasantly cool and there was not a drop of rain while we were there.

Before leaving the reserve we called in to the ranger station and to check on another camper who had been having tyre trouble on his rented car, and to pay for our extra nights. We let Rob know that we would be spending about ½ hour at one of the hides before heading back to the main road so would be behind him if he needed help along the way. After the session at the hide – where we met up with another of the camper/birders we drove back towards Waikerie without seeing Rob. Knowing he had made it that far we presumed he had been able to get all the way to Waikerie where the two tyres could be fixed. I guess we will never know for sure.

Instead of returning to Waikerie we headed towards Morgan where we stopped to buy fresh bread and we discovered the local church market where I purchased a couple of books – just in the nick of time as I only had one left in my stash waiting to be read. We drove down to the riverside park to air up the tyres and have some lunch. While checking our location on WikiCamps, we discovered we were sitting near the Old Historic Morgue! It was located on the river so the deceased could be transported by steamer from outlying areas, for burial at the local cemetery.

Lake Bonney

 19 – 21 August 2023

We left Bendigo on yet another very cold morning and stopped for coffee in Bridgewater where we considered our options. We consulted the weather forecast and decided that after several nights of sub-zero temperatures we would take a cabin for a couple of nights. We wanted to get as close to Waikerie, and Gluepot Reserve, as possible so we booked ahead to Lake Bonney, at Barmera. We figured we could handle a big day’s drive knowing that we had a place for the night organised.

We stopped and had lunch in a park at Nullawil, just one of many towns with fantsatic "silo art", and continued on towards Mildura. We turned off before Red Cliffs and drove along a minor road before rejoining the highway near Lake Cullulleraine.

We continued on towards South Australian but before reaching the border we stopped at the quarantine bins and deposited an avocado and what was left of a soggy cucumber. We hadn’t given much thought to quarantine when we left Bendigo as we hadn’t initially planned on travelling across state lines. We continued on to the quarantine check point where the car and fridge were inspected, before driving on to Barmera in the South Australian Riverland.

We had called ahead to make sure that our camper trailer could be accommodated near the cabin and were pleased to be offered an empty site in front. Our cabin had views to the lake even though we were a few “streets” back.

We took advantage of the space and comfort and cooked a big pot of bolognaise sauce to go into the freezer. We also shopped and Mick spent a lot of time going through the photos he had taken in and around Bendigo. We walked by the lake and enjoyed having water views for a couple of days.

Bendigo

14 – 19 August 2023

Once we had settled into camp for the first time since April, and after giving the trailer a thorough clean to remove some mould that had appeared, we set about enjoying our time in Bendigo. We visited the Greater Bendigo National Park a couple of times in search of the Purple-gaped honeyeater – again successfully. We also returned to Bell’s Swamp and Castlemaine Botanic Gardens for the possibility of better photos.

On Wednesday we were joined by John and Judy, Townsville friends who have been “grey nomads” for a couple of years. We last saw them in Mount Compass in November 2022. Once again we enjoyed a couple of great days with them. Unfortunately the weather was awful – daytime temperatures in the low teens and an overnight low of -3.9! Definitely not the best weather to be camping in. We had booked to stay for three nights in Bendigo but extended for two more when rain was forecast. We didn’t want to have to pack up wet, especially when it was so cold, and we were happy with our ensuite site, so staying on was the logical thing to do.

This was around the time we were getting up. 

Apart from birding and socialising we restocked the fridge, freezer and pantry ready for the next part of our journey. We visited the Bendigo Pottery Centre where we saw there are a number of artisans as a well as the well-known local pottery. It was an interesting way to spend an hour or so.

Eventually we had to move on and were lucky to have a nice sunny morning to pack up. We weren’t sure where we would end up, but decided to set the GPS for Waikerie (on the way to Gluepot) and decide where we would stop once we were on our way.

The Final Leg – Devonport to Geelong

 Spirit of Tasmania – Devonport to Geelong

13 – 14 August 2023

After way more time in Tasmania than we had originally planned we had the latest renovation at a point where we were ready to leave and head north. We had spent almost the whole of winter in Tassie and were pleasantly surprised at how nice it had been – by all reports it had been a very mild winter so we considered ourselves lucky. In between renos and general house and garden tasks we had managed to get in some family celebrations (both girl’s graduations, birthdays, and a wedding anniversary) as well as a few weekends away.

We had spent our last few days in Tassie on the West Coast at Strahan, and as expected, the weather wasn’t great. We went for a wander in town, but, being the “off season”. We had booked a 6:45pm sail, so had most of the day to fill in on our way to Devonport.

We took out time leaving Strahan and made our first stop in Zeehan for coffee. From there we continued on to Rosebery where we had lunch in a nice park. We then drove a short distance out of town to Stitt Falls. The walk to the falls was about 30 metres so only took a couple of minutes to a slightly underwhelming waterfall – but it did fill in a bit more time.

We drove through to the turn-off to Waratah and drove in to have a look. We went for a short walk to the Waratah Falls viewing point. We also walked a little way along the river then continued back towards the highway. We decided to take another detour to go to the north coast via Hellyer Gorge. We’ve visited several times and it’s a good spot to spend some time. The day was clear, but cold, and we walked down to the river and noticed the water level was much higher than usual, making access to the walking path almost impossible. We returned to the carpark where Mick spent a long session trying to photograph some birds.

From Hellyer Gorge we drove north to Burnie then continued along the Bass Highway to Devonport. For once our timing was perfect. We had timed our arrival coincide with the start of boarding instead of check-in as we usually do. We were checked in and through security and quarantine checks with very little waiting. We were directed to a lane (one of about 20 that were all mostly full) and pulled up beside a birder  who Mick had met in South Australia a few years ago, and had stayed in touch with via Instagram. We knew he had been in Tassie but it was quite a coincidence to be stopped right beside him in the queue to get on the boat. After a really quick chat and an invitation to join us for a drink, our lane was directed to board – we had only waited a couple of minutes.

Once settled into our cabin we made our way to the bar and were joined by Chris for a couple of drinks and a chat about birding. He gave Mick a few tips for our travels through Victoria and South Australia. We had dinner and returned to the cabin for a very comfortable, calm crossing. The biggest downside of a 6:45am sail is the very early wake-up call.

Mick had a couple of birds he wanted to chase on the way between Geelong and picking up the camper trailer in Bendigo so we were pleased to be on the first vehicle deck to disembark and on our way to Barwon Heads in search of the Double-banded plover. We found the beach and walked along for quite a way without success, turned around and went on the opposite direction and found them not far past where we had entered the beach. We should have turned left instead of right. Mick spent a while lying on the sand taking photos before we set off again.

Our next destination was Castlemaine so we stopped in Daylesford for brunch at the bakery then continued on to the Botanic Gardens in Castlemaine. This time we were searching for the Powerful owl. Mick has looked for this species in various locations without success but this time his perseverance was rewarded with some good photos of the owl with a galah it had caught.

The next stop was Bell’s Swamp near Neereman. This time the target species was the Australian Painted snipe. Again, Mick was successful in sighting the bird – three for three, so all in all a great day’s birding, even though he didn’t get a great photo. We had a quick lunch by the swamp and headed into Bendigo to pick up the camper and settle in to the caravan park. We had decided to stay in Bendigo for its proximity to Bell’s Swamp and also the Greater Bendigo National Park.

Part - Time Tasmanians

We would spend two long stretches of time in Hobart with our daughters from the end of 2022 until mid-way through 2023. We would become "part time Tasmanians" and enjoy life in the southern capital, but would also return to the mainland for a short trip around Victoria. Our first visit was at the beginning of December so we could spend Christmas and New Year with the girls, then we left at the end of February and returned again just prior to Easter. We would have our first winter in Tassie - something we were not entirely sure we would enjoy. Because we would be busy with building work, we didn't anticipate getting away much, but we would try to make the most of out time "down south". As it turned out, we did manage to fit in a few weekends away, as well as some special events.

                

A  Couple of  Graduations 

16 December 2022 and 28 April 2023

The first special occassion for us was daughter Julia's graduation -  Bachelor of Science (Majoring in Plant Science) in December, followed by Jo's graduation -  Bachelor of Antarctic and Marine Science  - in April. We were so pleased we were able to attend both University of Tasmania graduation ceremonies and immensely proud of both our girls. They both managed to get through with the challenges posed during Covid lock-downs and had to adapt to a different way of attending university, as well as working to support themselves. 

A Pelagic Weekend

16 - 19 December 2023

Mick is a keen bird photographer and had booked to go out on a pelagic boat trip leaving from Eaglehawk Neck. These are very popular and places fill up fast. He had arranged a spot for the Saturday and Sunday, when we were in Tasmania at the start of the year. Because the boat departs at 7:00am we booked to stay at Stewart's Bay on the Tasman Peninsula from Friday night to Monday morning. Mick is usually fine out on the water, but this time he did get seasick and contemplated missing the Sunday trip. Armed with some anti nausea medication provided by a fellow passenger, his second day was much better than the previous one. 

While Mick was at sea, I took a drive to Nubeena looking for the markets but coudn't find any sign of them so called into the supermarket before heading home. On the Sunday morning, the sky was bright and clear so, after I had dropped Mick off, I drove over to Devils Kitchen and set off on the Waterfall Bay Walk. This walk in 3.5km return and hugs the cliff line, affording some spectacular views. At one of the lookouts I could see the boat taking the birdwatchers out into the Southern Ocean. The walk is rated a Grade 3 but I found it to be quite easy and definitely worth it. After the walk I also visited Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen, which are both just a short walk from the carpark.

A Family Get-Together

27 - 30 January 2023

Back in 2020 I had planned a family get-together to celebrate my 60th birthday in May of that year, but Covid put an end to that plan, so it was decided to reschedule at the start of 2023. My sister and her partner would travel to Hobart and we would all spend a weekend on the Tasman Peninsula. The girls were both working in jobs that allowed them to be there from Friday night until Sunday afternoon so we were able to have a lovely few days together in a house on the edge of Safety Bay. Because of the timing, we were able to make it a combined 60th birthday (me), belated graduation (Julia), early graduation (Jo) and 65th birthday (Bronwyn). 

Bronwyn and John spent a day at the Port Arthur Historic Site, while we went for a walk with the girls to Point Puer, one of the stops on the boat tour from Port Arthur. It was a lovely walk along the beach and through the bush which gave an interesting perspective looking back at the historic site across the bay.

On Sunday, John stayed at home to work while the rest of us drove down to Remarkable Cave. We then went along the track to Maignon Blowhole and towards Mount Brown. Jo was keen to keep going but we talked her out of it - it looked too strenuous for us old folks. The girls left after an early dinner on Sunday night and we packed up and headed off on Monday morning.

Before leaving the Peninsula we called in to show the visitors The Blowhole and Tesselated Pavement. We had to keep moving as Bronwyn and John had a plane to catch but we did have time to watch (and photograph) some dolphins cruising in Denison Canal at Dunalley.

Aurora Australis

24 April 2023

I've long been fascinated by the aurora and have wanted to try to get a photograph of the Southern Lights, but when we have been in Tasmania over summer, that would have required staying up way too late. On the morning of 24 April we started to see reports, and photos, of Aurora Australis from about 4:00am, and visible to the naked eye. Julia consulted her sources and determined that conditions would be good that night so we headed out just after dark to Goat's Beach, out towards South Arm. 

The small carpark was packed but there was plenty of room on the beach to snag a spot and set up the tripod. It was really cold but we had rugged up in our puffer jackets and beanies. Julia and I only had our mobile phones but were very excited to see our first photos. We both took so many snaps - many of them destined for the recycle bin, but also a few quite acceptable ones. When we returned home, of course Mick was sorry he hadn't braved the cold to join us with a "proper" camera. Maybe next time. 

Another Pelagic Weekend 

29 April - 2 May 2023

Mick was able to book onto another pelagic thanks to some cancellations and Jo was to go with him. For this one it would be just the one day, but we booked an extra night's accommodation so we could make it into a short holiday. Jo stayed with her partner at Fortescue Bay, and we were at Taranna so she picked Mick up along the way.

The weather was perfect for this one, with reasonably calm seas - as calm as it can be out off the continental shelf anyway. With the sun shining I set off to visit the Coal Mines Historic Site. Not as well known, or as well develped as Port Arthur, this site is no less fascinating, and in a fabulous location on the Lime Bay.

At the entrance to Coal Mines Historic Site, a sign provides details of a number of walks. The walks, however, are not signed and once I started to make my way around the site I realised the walks are really just paths that take you from one point of interest to another. I walked around the bay to Plunkett Point then back the way I had come, and up the Incline Plain to the Mine Shaft. That part of the walk is a very steep uphill (of course) path that was once used to take wagons to and from the mine. At the Settlement, there are ruins of many buildings, including the Convict Barracks and the solitary confinement cells. All around the site, signage details not just the history of the Coal Mines, but personal stories of those were inprisoned there.

A Birthday Celebration

 6 May 2023

Having a birthday while in Hobart with family meant a celebratory brunch of pancakes, followed by presents! My sister had gifted me a High Tea at one of the hotels in town and we had booked for 3:00pm. We enjoyed a very fancy afternoon before heading home for a very quiet evening. No need for dinner that night!

Dark Mofo - Dark Park

9  June 2023

Dark Mofo has become a highlight of winter in Tasmania and provides a perfect excuse to get out and about when it's cold and dark. Sometimes controversial, always interesting, this was our first opportunity to experience this very popular festival.

We ventured out one Friday night to visit Dark Park - bars, food trucks and perfomances created a wonderful atmosphere. Everywhere we turned, both indoors and outdoors, was something weird, quirky and interesting. We started off in the Blue Velvet Lounge where we had drinks (of course), listened to some music and saw the Giant Teddy. From there we moved on to see a performance installation by Sundanese artists, instrument builders and alchemists. 

Our next stop was out into the cold, dark night to grab a bite to eat from one of the many food trucks and to marvel at the Spectra - a light installation that we could actually see from home. Our final stop of the night was to add our fears to the Ogoh-Ogoh : The Purging. Derived from a Balinese Hindu purification tradition, we wrote down our fears and banished them to the belly of the giant platypus.

A Birthday Getaway - Southport

15 - 18 June 2023

We have been down to the south of Tasmania a few times and wanted to return so booked three nights in a cottage on the edge of the forest at Southport. We've stayed there before and love the location but were not optimistic about the weather. When we arrived it was cold and cloudy so we were grateful that the fire had been set ready for us to light. 

Although the weather wasn't great we did manage to get out for a drive down to Roaring Beach one morning. We went for a walk along the beach and then along a bush track to an old graveyard. We continued around the headland then back along the track to the carpark. 

Mick spent some time at the cottage photographing birds but as we were both feeling unwell we didn't go out again until the day we left when we drove down to Lune River for a browse in the Lunaris Gemstones shop. They have some really interesting, mainly Tasmanian specimens for sale. 

From Lune River we headed back to Hobart and home in time to join the girls for another Dark Mofo excursion.

Dark Mofo - Winter Feast / Ogoh-Ogoh: The Procession / Ogoh-Ogoh :The Burning 

18 June 2023

We returned to Dark Mofo on the final night, starting with something to eat at Winter Feast, before taking part in the Ogoh-Ogoh procession. The giant platypus into which we had cast our fears on our visit to Dark Park, was carried through the streets from Winter Feast to Dark Park, accompanied by musicians, other giant creatures and members of the public who were encouraged to join in. 

It was such a fun event and something totally different to anything I had been part of previously. Once we arrived at Dark Park we joined the huge crowd to await the spectacle that was The Burning, where the giant platypus, with all our fears inside, was set ablaze. What a sight! It was such fun to be able to take part in this wonderful winter festival.

Celebrating a Wedding Anniversary - Cradle Mountain

28 June - 1 July 2020

We decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Cradle Mountain and were able to get a great deal on accommodation at one of our favourite places to stay - Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village. We hoped that visiting in winter might mean we would see some snow so we watched the forecast closely. Unfortunately it wasn't looking good. We did see that snow was predicted to fall on the morning that we were to arrive so we made the decision to leave Hobart as early as possible.

We were on the road around 7:00am and headed up the Midland Highway with a stop in Campbell Town for morning tea. We continued on and turned off to Sheffield where we had an early lunch at the bakery. Once we arrived at Cradle Mountain we stopped at the Visitor Centre to get our bus tickets and headed straight up to Dove Lake. So far, no sign of snow. We debated whether to get off the bus at Ronny Creek and go looking for wombats, but decided to keep going to Dove Lake.

Finally we had made the right decision - as we approached the bus stop the first few flakes of snow started to fall. In the end it wasn't much - just enough to take a few photos to show we had been snowed on as we walked. It didn't last long so we hopped back on the bus and went back down to Ronny Creek to hang out with the wombats for a while.

The weather was pretty awful for the rest of our stay so we didn't venture out again, instead relaxing and enjoying the view out to the bush and the visiting currawongs. The on-site restaurant had just reopened so we had dinner there to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary. The meal was delicious and we were seated by the fire which made for a very nice night.

On the morning we left, the weather was a little better so we went up to the Enchanted Walk - a short, easy walk, but always a favourite. Back on the road we had lunch in Sheffield again before driving back home to Hobart.

Yet another Pelagic

14 - 16 July 2023

Mick was fortunate to be able to get a spot on another Pelagic out of Eaglehawk Neck so we booked to have a weekend at Mason's Cottages at Taranna. The cottages are conveniently located just as short drive from the departure point for the boat trip.

We drove out to the Tasman Peninsula after lunch and were delighted to find that we had been upgraded from a studio apartment to a 2 bedroom cottage. It was so nice to have the extra room for our two night stay. The weather was cold but the cottage was warm and very well equipped.

On Saturday morning I dropped Mick off at the Pirate's Bay boat ramp and headed back to the cottage. The weather wasn't great so I decided against going out to do one of the many walks around. Instead I pottered around at the cottage before collecting Mick from the jetty at 3:00pm. Our visit coincided with the Lightwave Festival and we toyed with the idea of heading over for dinner but decided to stay in.

On Sunday morning we packed up and went for a drive to Nubeena and White Beach and stopped in at the Pear Shed. There is an onsite cafe - really just a coffee van and some outdoor seating - and a gallery with some interesting artworks. From there we headed home, making a few stops along the way to look for birds - of course. This would be our final excursion from Hobart before leaving in August.