Tasmania

Four seasons in one day. An account of our visit to Tasmania between Jan 28th and March 20th 2016. Click on any image to enlarge. Banner: Cape Hauy.

Manchester to Heathrow, Heathrow to Singapore, Singapore to Sydney, Sydney to Hobart. A long day, about 23 hours of flying but it got it all over with in one go. At Hobart we stumbled bleary-eyed and jet-lagged into the airport Travelodge where we crashed out as soon as our heads touched the bed. Next day it was only a short hop to the Maui depot where we picked up our motorhome for the next two months. We stayed at the nearby Big4 Airport campsite for a couple of nights to get ourselves settled and make sure that everything worked as it should.

Shopping at Sorrel and then a visit to Hobart which is a very pleasant city and, because it was a Saturday there was the famous Salamanca market where I nearly bought a bottle of very expensive 40 Spotted Tasmanian gin. Named after the 40 Spotted Pardalote, a rare Tasmanian bird. Purely by coincidence, friends Howard and Janet were visiting Tasmania on a shorter trip and we shared a couple of campsites with them over the next few days.

So off we went. We headed South from Hobart and took the ferry to Bruny island, and armed with a book of recommended walks that we had bought we headed to South Bruny island across The Neck which connects the two. Apart from the road to the settlements of Alonnah and Adventure bay, all the roads are unsealed though generally in good condition. Beautiful and remote and with beaches to die for. We walked to the Fluted Cape, a series of dolerite cliffs and later based ourselves at a bush camp and walked around the Labillardiere Peninsula, which, despite the warnings of it being a serious walk was more like a long day out on the Southwest coast path. A great walk just the same.

1. Bush camp at Jetty Beach
2. Sue and The Neck
3. The Fluted Cape
4. Cape Queen Elizabeth
5. The beach at Cape Queen Elizabeth
6. Southern Right Whale near Adventure Bay
7. Adventure Bay

 

Back on the mainland, we drove South to the bush camp at Cockle Creek, as far South as the roads go in Australia. From there we walked overland through forest and heath to the magnificent South Cape Bay where huge breakers from the Tasman Sea were racing in. Looking South, the next stop would be Antarctica but the only penguin we saw was a dead one on the beach. This was a superb area, we walked along the beach for a km then cut inland to a high viewpoint on a promontory

Back North again, we stayed at Dover Caravan park from where we visited the splendid Hastings cave and the following day took the long gravel road to Harz Mountain National Park and climb Harz Peak. An easy peak with a minimum of scrambling across wild heathland. Next day pushed back to Sorrel for supples then on again to the Tasman Peninsula and the Big4 caravan park at Port Arthur where there was lots of wildlife. Using this as a base we were able to explore the cave-riddled coast to the South.

1. On Harz Peak (1254m)
2. Cockle Bay
3. South Cape Bay
4. Swift Parrot
5. South of Port Arthur
6. Eucalyptus.
7. Tasmanian Devil in the Unzoo

From Port Arthur we took the long gravel road to Fortescue Bay and walked to Cape Hauy on a very windy day. The views and the cliffs we mesmerizing, no-one seemed to be climbing the Totem Pole, the amazingly thin finger of rock in the gap between Mitre Rock and the mainland.

We drove North, calling in again for supplies at Sorrel then up to the pleasant little campsite at Triabunna where we were able to book a ferry to the nearby Maria Island where there was lots of wildlife - Wallabies and Wombats and some spectacular "Painted Cliffs". We were unable to book a later ferry so were unable to climb the island's famous rocky Bishop and Clark peak on Mount Padder. Next day we booked a trip to Ile des Phoques which included a gourmet meal on board and a chance to go swimming with dolphins.

1. The Totem Pole
2. The Magistrates House, Maria Island
3. The Painted Cliffs
4. Wombats
5. Common Dolphin
6. Cape Fur Seals
7. Into a sea cave.

North again, this time to the Freycinet Peninsula. It's a popular holiday spot with the Hobartians and despite it being late summer we had to book ahead to get on the campsite at Coles Bay. It's a lovely area though, with fabulous beaches and a row of rugged peaks known as The Hazards. We climbed one of them, again with signs warnings us of extreme danger and not recommended for children or old people. Hah! Mount Amos did require a certain amount of padding up slabs which would probably be a bit skiddy in the wet but all went well though there was a strange whining noise in the air which seemed to accompany us to the top.

1. First view of Freycinet with the Moulting Lakes in the mid distance
2. The Hazards
3. Mount Amos
4. Sue on one of the many slabs
5. On the summit

Famous at Freycinet is Wineglass Bay and with the aid of our walking book we crossed the pass between two hazards, dropped down to check out the beach, crossed some jungle to Hazards Bay which we thought was even better and then back to the start through some snaky forest. After our stay at Coles Bay we moved north again to the pleasant little town of Bicheno where there was an interesting granite shore line and a blow hole.

1. Above Wineglass Bay
2. Tea Tree flower.
3. Shells on Hazards beach.
4. Eucalyptus
5. The seaside at Bicheno

From Bicheno we visited the Apsley Gorge which can be descended by boulder hopping and scrambling if the river is not too high. Again, there was this strange whining noise in the air. Next day we took the scenic drive North then West to the second city on Tasmania, Launceston where we walked up the Tamar gorge, past a deserted power station which was overwhelmed by floods in 1929 and back through forests to our starting point. The temperature was almost 30C and most of the Launcestions seemed to be in the water.

From Launceston we went to the small town of Deloraine to a pleasant campsite on the river bank, surrounded by aggressive Tasmanian Native Hens which were endlessly squawking and fighting amongst themselves. Deloraine formed a good base for walking in the nearby hills known as the Great Western Tiers. The weather turned wet but me managed a good outing in the dripping temperate rainforest where there were magnificent Tree Ferns (Dicksonia).

1. Apsley Gorge
2. Apsley Gorge
3. Apsley Gorge
4. In the rain forest with Tree Ferns
5. In the rain forest with waterfall

 

A dryer outing allowed us to climb the local peak known as Quamby Bluff (1228m). This involved some rough scrambling up boulder fields but the views from the summit were superb. Our walking guide gave it 3 hours return on moderate tracks. It took us 5 hours over some very rough stuff.

Getting a bit tired of Eucalyptus forests we decided to head up to the lop left hand corner of Tasmania to the Rocky Coast National Park. This was quite different with heathland and lots of, er, rocky coast. We stayed at Rocky Cape Tavern and Campsite which was free and very pleasant. Not quite free, just the parking and we paid a few dollars for electricity and amenities though this still only came to 16 dollars (£8) per night. Decent bar and restaurant. Using the campsite as a base we completed two long walks looping along the coast. Although there were stretches of silver sand there were also stretches of savage quartzite tipped up to form knife-edged ridges.

On our last day at the park we visited the small town of Stanley with its pretty painted houses, overlooked by The Nut, an ancient volcanic plug which can be ascended by chair lift or very steep track.

1. Quamby Bluff
2. Summit of Quamby Bluff
3. Sundew
4. Blue Tongued Skink, fat and sluggish and over 30cm long.
5. Rocky Coast 1
6. Rocky Coast 2
7. The Nut

Cradle Mountain National Park is the one that everyone has heard of, and we had to book well in advance to get onto the campsite, despite it now being late summer. It's a stunning place and also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a bit like Yosemite there was a free shuttle bus up the valley, assuming you've paid for your park pass. On our first day there the cloud was down and our trek up to Marions Lookout revealed that we were in the thick of it. We dropped down to the lake side and joined the track which runs round Dove Lake. Good choice apart from the fact that we were going in the opposite direction from everyone else. Around the back of the lake the track is on splendid boardwalks cantilevered out from the dense forest.

Next day the weather had improved and the cloud had lifted somewhat and we took the walkway from Ronny Creek down towards the Interpretation Centre, then diverted through Dove Canyon which was quite deep and rocky with lots of fine waterfalls. On our last day we set out optimistically past crater lake to Marions Lookout once again and continued allong the Overland Track to the shelter known as The Kitchen Hut. The cloud obstinately covered Cradle Mountain and seeing little point in an ascent in thick cloud we returned down the Horse track

1. Dove Lake
2. Wet Eucalyptus
3. Mountain Currants
4. Leatherwood flower
5. Fabulous Mosses.

We sat around on a mossy knoll for half an hour wondering whether we should have pushed on for the summit, the cloud thinned now and again to reveal it. Too late.On our last morning we caught the bus up the Dove lake to reveal Cradle Mountain with no clouds on it.

We left Cradle mountain for Sheffield, no, the other one, famous for its murals. There were all over the town and were fine works of art. From our campsite near Sheffield we attempted to climb Mount Roland. It proved to be a long trek in, about 16km circuit and though we may have been close to the summit it was impossible to see anything for the cloud.

1. Cradle mountain from the Horse Track
2. National Park Logo, A Tasmanian Devil
3. Cradle mountain next day.
4. Sheffield, Sue and the Thylacine
5. Sheffield, Sue buys a ticket
6. Sheffield again.

Time was running out and we headed South then East, past the great central lakes to the Mount Field National Park where we had booked in for two nights. There's some great walking to be had here, as well as some very tall trees, approaching 90m (300ft). From the campsite there was a 15km dirt track to drive up to the car park at Lake Dobson where we started one of our walks. 29C a few days ago, 5C at the car park. Great walk though crossing Tarn Shelf then round in a long loop past refuge huts and Lake Webster and back to the car park. Six hours with the threat of snow.

From the campsite there was also the shorter waterfalls and tall trees circuit which we combined into a 3 hour outing.

From Mount Field we moved to a site in New Norfolk which was only about 40 minutes from Hobart. From here we drove to The Springs on the slopes of Mount Wellington, above Hobart and contrived a 5 hour outing from the many paths on its flanks. At one stage we walked below an escarpment of crags known as The Organ Pipes where there were parties climbing. Next day it rained and we visited MONA(Museum of Old and New Art), an art gallery dug into the soft sandstone of a peninsula. There was some strange art there, all of it modern and that by Gilbert and George often provocative and rather rude.

1. Pandani Grove, Mount Field NP. After 15 years these become top heavy and fall over.
2. Tarn Shelf, Mount Field NP
3. Russell Falls, Mount Field NP
4. Swamp Gum, Tall Trees.
5. The Organ Pipes with climbers, Mount Wellington
6. View of Hobart from the summit.

Next day we dropped off the mobile home at the Maui depot and headed for the airport ready for the long haul. Because of flight problems we had an overnight stay at Travelodge in Sydney and as it was only a couple of km from the harbour we fancied that we could easily walk there next day, see the sights and walk back in time for our flight. Not to be, it tipped it down with rain for our entire stay. C'est la Vie.

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Costs:

Booking with Trailfinders, flights with BA, economy plus, Maui campervan for 57 days and 2 Travelodge hotel nights: £10758

Campsite fees: $A 1476 (£738)

Fuel Costs: $A 385 (£192)

Park pass for 2 months: $A 60 (£30)

Food: $A 3550 (£1775)

Extras - ferries, galleries, caves etc. $A630 (£365)

Total cost of 2 month holiday for two: £13858

chrisandsue59@gmail.com