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.

Return to the Mainland

11 -12 February 2023

We booked to return to the mainland from Tasmania on the late sailing – 11:30pm. Not an ideal time, but it allowed us to spend our last day in Hobart with the girls, and get packed up at a fairly leisurely pace. We calculated our travel times and set off after 4:00pm. We decided that dinner in Deloraine would work out well time wise, so we headed to the pub where we have eaten several times before. After a nice meal, we continued on to Devonport, arriving at 9:00pm, which was when check-in was due to start.

Waiting to board in Devonport

We joined the queue and were through check-in and quarantine fairly smoothly, but then we had a very long wait to board. We sat in the queue watching almost every other vehicle drive line off before it was finally our turn. Once onboard, we went straight to our cabin as it was well after 10:00pm by then.

The Bass Strait forecast suggested we may have a bit of a rough night, but it wasn’t as bad as we expected. The late sailing time means arriving late too – which makes for a nice slow start to the morning. We had a light breakfast and waited to disembark. The reward for the long wait to get on was that we were on the first deck to be called to get off.

Getting out of Geelong was painless compared to the nightmare that was Melbourne and we were soon on our way to Bendigo to collect the camper trailer from storage.

Bound for Sydney

Hobart to Melbourne

8 March 2019

After eleven wonderful weeks in Hobart, it was finally time to return home. Leaving Tassie is always bittersweet, glad to be heading home but sad to be leaving family behind. This time was especially so as we were leaving both daughters and their partners after being with then just about every day. After cramming all our gear into the car we set off for a leisurely drive to Devonport to catch the Spirit of Tasmania for a night sail to Melbourne. We stopped for a picnic lunch by the lake in Oatlands, and for a look in the antique shops in Campbell Town before arriving in Devonport a little earlier than we had planned. As we drove over the bridge we noticed that cars seemed to be boarding somewhat earlier than anticipated so we drove down and boarded with very little waiting. It’s so much easier in Devonport than Melbourne, not least because you don’t have the traffic and motorways to negotiate.

A favourite TV show of ours, Rosehaven, is filmed in this office in Oatlands.

Bruthen

9 March 2019

The night crossing was calm enough to allow a reasonable night’s sleep but we had to be up early for disembarkation. Once again we had ended up parked on the lowest vehicle deck, right in the corner so we were almost the last vehicle off. There is nothing you can do about that except exercise patience. The staff directing you how to get in and out of these tight spaces are marvellous. Eventually we were on the motorway bound for the storage yard to pick up the camper trailer, with a detour to Sunbury for breakfast. We had planned to head straight for Sydney up the Hume Motorway, but made a very last-minute decision (minutes before picking up the camper) to instead go towards the lower Snowy Mountains. We realised it was the start of a long weekend in Victoria, ACT and Tasmania, so tried calling a couple of caravan parks looking for a powered site. We were out of luck at a few places we tried, but finally received a positive response at Bruthen. This small community caravan park is just out of town, and on the river (although there wasn’t much water when we stayed). It was a friendly place and perfect for an overnighter.

Juvenile Crimson Rosella moulting into adult plumage.

Crimson Rosella

While talking to my sister on the phone we made another spur-of-the-moment decision to have a very long day so we could join Bronwyn and John on the NSW south coast where they had been camped for a couple of days. The following morning we stopped at Orbost to do some grocery shopping, then at Cann River for coffee. It’s a nice drive through to New South Wales towards the coast.

Merry Beach

10 March 2019

After a couple of stops for lunch and some more groceries, we arrived at Merry Beach, a little way from Bateman’s Bay, to find a caravan park chock-a-block full for the long weekend. It seems that this is a regular spot for families and groups from Canberra on this particular long weekend. Bronwyn and John had a lovely spot right on the beach but we were not so lucky. We spent most of our time enjoying the view from their campsite. The beach was beautiful but there were far too many people for my liking. We had a couple of nights before we had to be in Sydney but decided that this was not the place to spend them. After a few phone calls we secured a spot for the next two nights at Kiama – close enough to Sydney for the final leg of this part of our trip home.

I spied this Grey Goshawk on the way back to the highway.

Kiama

11 – 12 March 2019

We set off for Kiama and stopped at the markets at Ulladulla. We didn’t buy anything at the markets but we did buy some fish for dinner at the local fish shop nearby. We arrived at Kiama fairly early and were pleasantly surprised to see that the caravan park was nowhere near full. The caravan park we chose was a little way out of town, right on the beach and huge. The areas closest to the beach were taken up with a variety of cabins but we didn’t mind the short walk to the water from our site as the park was very spacious with lots of trees and great facilities. We ventured into town for some shopping and also to have a look at the famous Kiama Blowhole. As expected there were heaps of tourists doing the same.

Our stay in Kiama was really just to kill some time until our scheduled visit to Sydney to have some work done on the camper trailer. We had booked it in at the Cub factory to have a faulty zipper replaced and also to have an external 240v power point installed near the kitchen. Cub had estimated they might need the camper trailer for up to two weeks so we spent some time while in Kiama, considering our options and booking some accommodation out of the city. We planned to spend a couple of nights with family and friends in the city and the rest of our time as far away as possible. We decided the Blue Mountains would be a good starting point.

We tackled the drive into Sydney and dropped the camper trailer off at Cub in North Rocks before making our way to Lake Parramatta for lunch. It was a really hot day so we retreated to an air conditioned cinema and shopping centre before making our way to a friend’s place for an overnight stay.

The Last Leg - Queenscliff to Tasmania

Queenscliff
12 - 14 December 2018

Rain was forecast, but from the afternoon so we were able to get packed up with the canvas dry. The last thing we wanted when storing the trailer was to have wet canvas which would be very stinky and mouldy by the time we returned in a couple of months time. We left Werribbee and tackled the freeways to get the camper trailer to a storage facility on the outskirts of Melbourne. The sky remained clear all the way there and for the rest of our journey back down the Belleraine Peninsular to a cabin in a caravan park at Queenscliff.

Our decision to get a cabin was based on the weather forecast and it was the right one. The rain started shortly after our arrival and continued throughout the two days we were there. We had to completely repack the car to accommodate the fridge and various other bits and pieces we had taken out of the trailer for our time in Tasmania. It wasn't much fun doing it in the rain, but it would have been way worse if we had the trailer with us still. We had hoped to do some exploring in the area as we hadn't been there before, but the weather was against us.

We were booked onto the Spirit of Tasmania for a night sail so were grateful we were able to get a later checkout enabling us to have an early lunch before heading into Geelong to kill some time. After an afternoon at the movies -and a parking ticket - we set off for Melbourne earlier than planned due to a severe weather warning.

We could see the storm ahead as we drove along the motorway, but had no idea just how bad it was until we were right in it. Being on the motorway there was no way we could pull over, so with white knuckles and a knot in my stomach, we drove on. Turning off the motorway to make our way to Station Pier lead us to the scariest moments as we found ourselves in the middle of a traffic jam caused by rising water across the intersection ahead and no way around it. Vehicles were driving through it in all directions, some were turning around and a few were stuck in the middle. We opted to drive through as we didn't know where else to go and other high clearance vehicles were getting through. Holding my breath I drove on and around the corner, sticking to the highest point in the middle of the road. More water over the road, but not as bad, saw us crawling along with the rest of the traffic. We were very relieved to arrive at our destination and the queue to check in to the Spirit of Tasmania.

Some of the heaviest rain we had ever experienced at the worst possible time.

Safely onboard at last! You have no idea how welcome these drinks were.

By the time we had boarded, the storm had all but passed and we enjoyed a couple of well-earned relaxing drinks before dinner. The overnight Bass Strait Crossing was not as calm as we hoped, but calmer than we had expected. Arriving in Devonport we had breakfast and met up with daughter Jo and drove the final leg to Hobart where we were to spend about 10 weeks.

Heading Home - Victoria

Devonport to Melbourne

29 January - 30 January

After just over 7 weeks, it was finally time to leave Tasmania. We had enjoyed Christmas and New Year there and the school holidays were over so it was time to head home. We booked a day sailing on the Spirit of Tasmania, and again had a very calm crossing of Bass Strait. There are various entertainments onboard and we took part in the afternoon trivia competition.

The Spirit slips out of Devonport.

I saw plenty of Short-tailed Shearwaters on the crossing but no Albatross this time.

On arrival in Melbourne we were off the boat quickly and made our way to a motel in the suburbs for an overnight stop before heading to Bendigo to collect the camper trailer. 

Bright

30 January - 1 February

The forecast was for temperatures in the thirties so we scrapped our plans to stay in Bendigo and decided we would drive up to collect the camper trailer and then head to the coast. When we arrived in Bendigo we stopped at a shopping centre for coffee and supplies and checked the weather forecast - a must when camping. The forecast for the coast was for rain so we made a last minute change of plans and decided to head for the high country. While the days would still be hot, the nights would be cool and there would be no rain - much better.

We drove across Victoria, with the temperature reaching 39° and finally arrived in Bright, a medium sized town in a beautiful location. We chose a caravan park on the river and settled in as the temperature started to drop to a much more pleasant level.

In the morning we set off to drive up to Mount Buffalo. As expected the road is winding but is an easy drive. On arrival at the top, near the old chalet, there is an extensive visitor area with a number of lookouts, picnic areas and toilets. Interpretive information is also provided. We spent some time marvelling at the fantastic view of the Snowy Mountains, including Australia's highest peak - Mount Kosciuszko. There area also a number of walks so we went part way along the Underground River track to Haunted Gorge Lookout. There is a camping area further along the road at Lake Catani, but we didn't go that far.

I thinks there's a comma and exclamation mark missing from this sign.

Marbled Xenica butterfly 

The lookout at Mount Buffalo

Yellow-faced Honeyeater

Male Satin Flycatcher at Eurobin Falls.

On the way back down the mountain we stopped at the Eurobin Falls Track. As it was getting close to lunch time we only walked as far as the Ladies Bath Falls. This is a really pretty spot and there were some people swimming there.

The water looked clear and inviting.

Ladies Bath Falls. One of the prettiest little falls I've seen.

Back in Bright we explored the town and walked a short way along the river walk. Bright is a popular spot for cyclists and we saw many on the roads, including making their way up and down Mount Buffalo - serious stuff! A town map shows a number of options for walking along the river as well as a popular spot to swim. We might just return to Bright one day.

Bairnsdale

1 - 3 February

The drive from Bright takes you through the Victorian High country, along excellent, but steep and windy, roads. Again the views are marvellous, and there are a number of places you can stop to take in the views and take photos. It was very cold, as you would expect. We drove through Mount Hotham, a popular ski resort and stopped for lunch at Dinner Plain. From there we drove on to Omeo, where we stopped at the Visitor Information Centre. Not sure where we would end up, we looked at a couple of small towns along the way and finally settled on Bairnsdale. Again we chose a caravan park on the river, and although it was very nice, it was nowhere near as nice as Bright.

High country.

Drive by shooting.

There are thousands of hectares of dead Snow Gums in Victoria's high country.

Sadly, fires have killed many thousands of hectares of snow gums in the high country of NSW and Victoria. This destruction will become much more common as climate change gets worse. Young trees can be seen replacing the dead ones but it takes generations to replace old growth forests. Mick.

Bairnsdale is a major centre so had all the services expected. It also has a morass! We had never been to one before so it was top of the list for birdwatching spots to try. A morass is an area of muddy or boggy ground, basically a swamp and Macleod Morass didn't disappoint. An extensive wetland with a system of tracks it is home to many bird species. Unfortunately it is also used for duck hunting and we could only imagine how many natives are killed "by accident" during the season.

Spotless Crake. It was impossible to get close to these wary little birds.

We spent quite some time there walking along the tracks. The only disappointment was the boardwalk leading to one of the bird hides. It started off okay but soon became overgrown, with grasses and reeds growing between the boards, to higher than head height. We had to fight our way through. When we finally reached the hide, it was unkempt and in very poor condition, Because the surrounding grasses and reeds were so tall, you couldn't see the water. While we would recommend a visit for birdwatchers, we would suggest not bothering with the boardwalk unless council has done some serious maintenance.

Eurasian Coot

Three amigos. Juvenile Nankeen Night Herons.

Time for some grub! Striated Pardalote.

Purple Swamphen

Fresh out of the nest. This Superb Fairywren chick was unconcerned by my presence. Not so the parents.

After spending some time exploring the town, including the op-shops of course, we returned to Macleod Morass later in the afternoon so Mick could take some more photos.

Lakes Entrance

3 - 5 February

We left Bairnsdale for Lakes Entrance and a couple of days with friends. Because we didn't really have far to go and we didn't want to arrive too early we left late and detoured via Metung. We found the park at Shaving Point and had a good look around at this beautiful spot. Metung is a very popular holiday spot and we could see why. We took our time there and had lunch in the park before resuming our journey to Lakes Entrance.

Bloody tourist!

A calm and clear day at Metung.

There are lots of waterside walks around the village

Lots of Black Swans call the estuary home.

We found a parking spot in town and set about exploring the shops - op-shops to be precise! After killing time in town we made our way to Ruth and Boyd's. Boyd was out fishing and returned with a nice catch of flathead which he cooked up for dinner. There's nothing quite like fresh fish.

Relaxing on Ruth and Boyd's verandah.

On Saturday morning we set off for Lake Tyers. The GPS did it's best and suggested the journey would take an hour which didn't seem right. We were right and she was wrong - again. A few minutes down the road we saw the turnoff and we were there shortly after. We wandered around for a bit, across the dunes to look at the sea and along the edge of the lake. From there we headed to another spot Boyd had suggested - Cherry Tree. It's a nice spot for a picnic and is popular for fishing. We walked a little way along the track which follows the creek and then headed back into Lakes Entrance for coffee.

View from the lookout at Lakes'

Back in town, following coffee, we walked across the pedestrian bridge to the ocean beach. Again, another really beautiful spot. Back across the bridge we had a picnic lunch in the park, and then set off for Buchan, which is back towards the high country.

View from the pedestrian bridge.

We found our way to Buchan Caves Reserve which is a very nice looking place. It was really hot - in the mid-thirties - so we stopped for an ice cream and a look around. You can do cave tours but we chose not to. There is a camping area which looked to be quite nice - one to keep on the list for future reference.

Back to Lakes Entrance, we stopped for a swim at Eastern Beach before heading home to Ruth and Boyd's. After a nice nice breakfast out on Sunday morning we had a look around the markets and packed up ready to hit the road again.

Mallacoota

5 - 6 February

We stopped for lunch in Cann River and made our way to Mallacoota. This is another lovely seaside village which is a favourite fishing and holiday spot. This is obvious when you check into the council caravan park and see the size of the park - over 600 sites, and heaps of boats around. While Mick was having a look at the bush near our waterfront site, he heard a strange growling noise and found the culprit sitting up in the tree nearby. Later this koala walked right by our camp on its way to another tree. It's a special treat to see one up so close.

Our koala neighbour.

The beach in front of our overnight camp.

Wonga Pigeon

Crested Tern

Pelicans and Coots

Despite the overcast conditions and occasional light spits of rain, we had a walk on the beach. I was drawn to a group of surfers making the most of the reasonable beach break. I got a couple of decent shots of one guy who looked like he was having great fun. On the beach there were a few terns around to practice on. The usual variety of birds around the camp; White-browed Scrubwrens, Eastern Yellow Robin, Brown Thornbill, and Wonga Pigeon. Mick

In the morning we went down to the other end of the caravan park, and the boat ramp. The weather wasn't great so we didn't spend long before heading off towards New South Wales.

Tasmania - Devonport, Leith, Southport, Port Arthur

Devonport 

We set off from Bendigo and into Melbourne, bound for the overnight ferry to Tasmania. We arrived early and found (very expensive) parking on the beach not far from Station Pier where we would board the Spirit of Tasmania. We had coffee and ice cream, and a walk along the beachfront before heading down to the wharf just on 5:00pm. For the 7:00pm departure, check-in commences at 5:00 and arriving close to this time ensured we were quickly though quarantine and checked-in ready to board. We ended up on garage deck 2 again – this is one of the small “under decks” where you can’t drive-on, drive-off like on the upper decks. Staff skilfully direct drivers to drive in or turn around into a comparatively tiny space. The reverse when arriving at Devonport is achieved with the same degree of precision.

We boarded early and found our cabin for the trip. I prefer the privacy of a cabin, especially as I tend to get a little queasy. This time the forecast was for a calm crossing so we were looking forward to a nice night. We had a couple of drinks and a light meal of pizza in one of the bars before retiring for the night. We enjoyed a good night’s sleep on calm seas. Rising early to shower and pack up, we ventured to get a cup of tea. Last time we tried the coffee which was dreadful so stuck to tea this time. In retrospect we should have brought our own favourite tea bags. We must remember to do that next time.

We arrived in Devonport and were disembarked and at Julia’s house just after 7:00 am. The day was cold and rainy – quite miserable after the warm sunshine we left the day before. We settled in, looking forward to time with our daughter and some Tasmanian adventures. We would use Devonport as our base and venture out from there.

11 December

The Cherry Shed -  It was cherry season so we checked in at the Cherry Shed at Latrobe after visiting the markets nearby. We had coffee as well as apple and cherry pie for morning tea. They sell lots of cherry products as well as fresh cherries when in season. Unfortunately we were a few days too early, with fresh cherries available from about 15 December.

Leith

14 – 16 December

We rented a beach house at Leith, just 15 minutes from Devonport for a couple of days away with Julia and Josh. We spent Thursday morning in Ulverstone, 15 minutes away, visiting op-shops and doing some shopping. We walked along the beach, only to find that there is virtually no sand until you get to the mouth of the Forth River. It was a pleasant walk, although quite tricky in parts on the small smooth rocks that cover the water’s edge. It is a beautiful spot and we very much enjoyed the ocean view.

A short walk along the beach brought us to the Forth River.

Little Wattlebirds were common in the garden. The orange colouration on the forehead is pollen.

We saw this young Bandicoot on a night walk. I think it is an Eastern Barred.

Southport

16 – 18 December

We left Leith, dropped Julia off in Devonport and were on our way south by 9:00am. We had to drive the entire length of Tasmania which is actually quite achievable and a bit of a novelty for Queenslanders. We stopped at Campbell Town for coffee and drove though Hobart to Franklin for a late picnic lunch. We arrived at our accommodation in Southport with blue skies above. The cottage we rented is nestled in the bush and well resourced. The owner showed us around, and explained that the wood fire was ready for the expected cold night. Yes, we did light the fire and were glad of it.

Taken as we drove by; the Sapphire Princess moored in Hobart harbour.

I would thoroughly recommend a stay at this cabin.

It was cold outside and cosy inside.

On Saturday morning we drove down to Cockle Creek. That’s as far south as you can go by car. It’s a lovely drive through forests and along the shore of Recherche Bay. We were saddened, however, to see a large block of recently cleared forest. Tasmania is home to the most beautiful forests but the government persists in allowing logging and clearing. We just don’t understand it.

Cockle Bay is a pretty little spot, with lots of camping areas within the National Park. A park office was manned by a volunteer and we used the available phone signal to buy a National Parks Pass. We always buy a 2 month pass, which at $60 is good value. It allows us to visit all National Parks, and even includes the shuttle bus at Cradle Mountain. We didn’t spend much time at Cockle Creek as the sky was darkening and rain was starting to fall.

Pademelon with joey.

We returned to Southport and had lunch at the pub. This pub and the one at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island, both lay claim to being the southernmost pub in Australia. Look at the map and decide for yourself. We sat by the fire as the outside temperature was only 12 degrees at midday. Once we arrived home, we lit the fire again and snuggled in for the afternoon.

Black-headed Honeyeater

Tasmanian Thornbill

Strong-billed Honeyeater were common around the cabin.

New Holland Honeyeater

Scarlet Robin visited the cabin several times.

Yum!

These curvilinear branches caught my eye.

After another very cold night, snug and warm with the fire going, we packed up ready to head off for Port Arthur. Before leaving Southport we took a drive out along Lady Bay Road on the suggestion of the cottage owner, looking for birds. We weren’t all that surprised to see snow on the mountains in the near distance.

A dusting of snow on the high peaks. Impressive to a couple of North Queenslanders.

The coast at Southport. It's a shame the sun went behind the clouds.

Stewart’s Bay – Port Arthur

18 – 21 December

We took our time getting to the Tasman Peninsular, with a long stop at Geeveston for lunch and a look around the shops as well as some shopping at Huonville and Kingston. On through Hobart and on the road to Port Arthur, where we stopped at Eaglehawk Neck for a (very) quick walk on the beach in a strong wind, and a look at the small museum. This museum is set up in the Officer’s Quarters, thought to be the oldest military building in Australia. This is the site of the Dogline – a line of ferocious dogs and a detachment of military officers who once guarded the narrow isthmus at Eaglehawk Neck to prevent convicts from escaping from the prison at Port Arthur. By all accounts this was very successful.

We had arrived on a beautiful day and took a walk around the grounds past some stunning coastal views.

Echidna. On a walk around the grounds at Stewart’s Bay Lodge.

There is one Tasmanian endemic bird I would love to get a good photo of, the Yellow Wattlebird. In my experience they prefer to remain very high in the canopies of tall Blue Gums though I have seen them lower down. Without my camera handy, of course. There were plenty around at Stewart’s Bay and the whole time we were there, they taunted me from on high with their loud, raucous calls.

Lucky for me, there were some other birds to practice on. Mick

Green Rosella. A Tassie endemic. Young birds are very green.

Grey Butcherbird. From the verandah of our cabin.

A young Yellow-throated Honeyeater (endemic). From the verandah of our cabin.

Male Superb Fairywren. From the verandah of our cabin.

Our cabin at Stewart’s Bay had a lovely view of bushland and the beach beyond. On Monday morning we decided to visit the Port Arthur Historic Site. I had visited before but this was Mick’s first time. We spent the best part of a day exploring the convict ruins and the stories of the penal settlement, as well as the village that emerged after its closure. We were amused to be asked on entry how we had heard about Port Arthur and found it impossible to answer – as Australians we have always known about it. This is a fascinating look into Australia’s brutal convict past which some may find confronting at times. The information provided gives a real insight into conditions imposed on prisoners, military officers and their families. These personal stories make for very interesting reading.

The ruins of the Penitentiary. Female Superb Fairywren on the fence.

The ruins of the Penitentiary from the military district looking up towards the church. The law courts on the left.

The Commandant’s House on the left and the Penitentiary on the right.

A team of archeologists are excavating the former ablutions block and exercise yards.

Modern pavers show where cell walls would have stood. Metal framework prevents further deterioration.

Wonderful colours and textures in brick, sandstone and plaster can be found around the old buildings.

Guard towers in the military district from the law courts

The law courts.

Standard entry into the site includes a guided walking tour and a boat trip out into the bay, past Point Puer Boys’ Prison and the Isle of the Dead Cemetery. There is an option to include tours of these two sites as well. Many of the houses and buildings are also open and set up to reflect their former uses. The interpretive information is excellent and well worth the time needed to read everything available. Entry is valid for two consecutive days so there is no need to rush.

The cruise boat and the Isle of the Dead in the distance. The Isle of the Dead was the cemetery for the settlement.

The Trentham cottage (1898-1904) is presented as it would have been in the day with a vegetable garden and chickens in the backyard.

There are regular ghost tours on the site. In keeping with the spirit of the place, I took these atmospheric portraits of Christie.

On Tuesday we went on a drive back to Eaglehawk Neck to see the Tessellated Pavement, Blowhole, Tasman’s Arch and Devil’s Kitchen. These geological features provide another view of the ferocious Southern Ocean as it crashes against the rocks. It’s a great insight into how erosion really works. We spent the afternoon around Stewart's Bay enjoying the peaceful surrounds.

Tessellated Pavement

Tessellated Pavement. A few brave blokes were surfing the break that can be seen off the point on the left.

Not a place I would choose to dress up as a seal.

The beautiful Stewart's Bay beach.

 On the way home we had a look at White Beach and I found a couple of sea birds to photograph.

On the way home I photographed this Black-faced Cormorant at White Beach. It wasn't until I uploaded the shots to my computer that I realized it was tangled in fishing net.

Hard to swallow. This Pacific Gull took a few goes to gulp down a whole fish. White Beach, Tasman Peninsula.

We set off for home in Devonport on Wednesday morning, with a stop in Sorrell for coffee and Ross for lunch at the pub. Distances between towns are generally short so it is usually easy to find a nice spot to stop.