Updating post with photos Hobart. To. Strahan. 15th. March.

From staying on the Derwent River in Hobart for four nights today we drove up the Derwent Valley to the west coast to Strahan for the next two nights.

Long trip, we left at 8.15am and we didn't arrive until 3.00pm with only about an hour stopping on the way. It was overcast most of the day with light rain and cold in the hills. We had a real mixture today following the Derwent River, over the rolling hills of the farms,  through the state forests, p

assing a few lakes,  over a lot of twisty steep climbs over the high hills. But finally arrived to our destination.

First of all we checked in to our accommodation then went down to the very small town of Strahan to book our seats for the Gordon River cruise tomorrow. Hoping that the weather will be O.K. Just can't tell from one day to the next what it is going to do.

We drove up the A10 past New Norfolk, as we saw that village yesterday, we then continue a 100km to a place called Tarraleah situated  1km off the A10 highway which could easily be missed but well worth a stop to see. It is now a resort in the central highlands was once a hydro village settling in the early 1930s. It was a thriving town up until its closure in 1996. The hydro station still operates, however are mostly automated. The town once housed 2000 people but today there are only four people living there. The town was originally build for the hydro workers and families. In 1996 most of the houses were sold and relocated around Tasmania. The village is now privately owned which was brought by a Tasmanian family and has been  restored over approximately seven years.  The few houses that were left have been beautifully restored and are used for holiday let's.  A really lovely open grassed area with a cafe, pub with accommodation. A good half way stop between Hobart and Strahan whether it is just lunch or overnight. I would recommend a overnight as it is a long trip in one day.

Tarraleah streets with the old houses where the hydro workers and their families live.

The town square in behind here is the only pub and we had lunch next door in the cafe.

These houses were all done up and they are now used as holiday accommodation.

The hydro system today is amazing with big pipes overland from the river dropping down very steeply to the hydro station. As the photos below show.

When we drove down the hill this is the power station receiving all the water from the Derwent river.

THE WALL

Another 45km on we reached the WALL. Where one man over  years has carved out wall after wall of the men.  So cleaver when you look into the detail. And this is what it looks like if you can imagine each panel is one metre wide and three metres high....each wall would have been about 40 metres long x 2

                 

It is an amazing structure of 100 hand sculpted timber panels, each one metre wide and three metres high. The scale of the work is staggering and must be seen to be believed. All of this has been developed over the last ten years by an Australian Grey Duncan. He is still working on his wall. the close for four months over the winter months so more wok can be done. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos so all I have is photos taken from a book but of cause looks nothing like the real thing.

This is the long building that houses the WALL

The entrance.

One of his carvings.

A little further on we stopped at Lake St Clair in the Cradle Mountain -- Lake St Clair National Park which is situated at the bottom of the Cradle Mt National Park where we will be passing through on Saturday which is further North. 

We then continued over very winding steep hill country through the mining town of Queenstown. (A complete contrast to our Queenstown in NZ) The steep hills seemed to take for ages to cross over but we finally reached our destination. Queenstown in the valley. Worst mountain crossing we have had.

As we arrived into Strahan we were greeted by this sculpture which looked like old driftwood.

 Our stay at Aloft Boutique Accommodation, 15 Reid Street Strahan.  It is a private home with two holiday lets on their back section. Has everything we need.

Studio room but very spacious.

Swansea ... 24th March.....

Today was an overcast morning and the weather predictions were for heavy rain so we decided definitely not to drive over the the Freycinet National Park as we wouldn't see much. So we decided to go inland about an hours drive to Campbell Town and Ross. Ross is the place I wanted to see from Launceston but didn't have time. So I got to go even though we won't see it in the best of weather. We stopped at Campbell Town first and had a wander around,still no rain but not far away. Then 10km down the road to Ross. These towns are on the main route between Hobart and Launceston. The highway known as the convict highway which was built by the convicts in the early 1800s. As we were at Ross the rain really came down. The locals loved it as they needed rain badly. Had a good look around, had lunch, I had a scallop  pie which Tassie is famous for and PT had a salmon and Brie pie very nice. I must admit that I have had a few Scallop pies since I have been here. We then headed back to Swansea to just relax in the afternoon before we fly out tomorrow.

Our accomodation in Swansea called  Freycinet Waters, which is a B&B but they have a one bedroom apartment up behind the house you can just see a little bit of  a trellis railing far right up behind the house one story up.

This is our balcony.

Looking from the kitchen, lounge and bedroom door is behind PT

We don't go down for the B & B breakfast as Karen fills the fridge up with all the breakfast food for the two days for us to cook as we please. Heaps of food but we couldn't face such a big breakfast so we are cooking it all up for dinner tonight. This bread was freshly home cooked and on the bench when we arrived. Yum.

     

This is looking over some of the Freycinet National Park when we arrived yesterday in very windy conditions.

This is looking out to the National Park when we went for a walk this morning what a contrast.

This is looking out to nearer the end of the Peninsular taken when we arrived yesterday.

This is looking over the bay from the end of the wharf this morning no wind.

Swansea has  a very swept up boating ramp. A few boats going out this morning no wind.

We have now driven to Campbell Town inland by an hour. The oldest brick arch  bridge in Australia so they claim. Completed in 1838, it has 1.250 million bricks every single one of them handmade by convicts, then they built the bridge on dry land . When completed they were told to divert the river beneath its arches. This was accomplished by digging the new river course one Km on both sides of the arches. Workmanship of the convicts. 

The old church  1857.

They have now built a walking trial around the town with bricks giving us the information as below

Campbell Town also had these wooden carvings.

Weather really closed in the approach road to Ross of the main highway.




Going up the Main Street of Ross. Really pretty Town so much character. So pleased we managed to get here.

The Ross bridge 1836. The convicts built it between 1833 - 1836.

Looking down the street from the top end of the town.

These mean we're sitting outside the coffee shop where we had lunch and saw me taking photos and called out what about us. They wanted to give me a big wave all laughing.

The convict Female factory where the women work behind high security fences from1848 until it closed in 1855.

Not a good photo pouring with rain but we noticed most of their sheep where very grey. Not white, not cream, not black, grey looked unusual. And no it wasn't because they were dirty they were everywhere.

When you have finished reading this post I have now managed to sort out yesterday's photo problems and have posted them in yesterday's blog.

Scroll down to previous post.

 This is our last night in Tassie. We have had a good mixture of weather but mainly been good to us. It seems a big country to drive around but we think that it is because the roads are very narrow and surface is terrible, we just get so shaken up. Really hard going over the windy mountains roads, exhausting work for PT. really have to concentrate. It's been a lot of fun and have really enjoyed it. The scenery is very like New Zealand but we don't have all their history to go with it. It is just so full of the convict days. If only those guys could see how we all life now. The contrast is beyond our imagination

Tomorrow we will leave Swansea about 8.30am we have just short of two hours driving to the airport. Have to hand in our car at the airport. Will add the mileage we have covered to this post when we get back as we haven't finished driving yet!!,

We arrive home at 10.00pm tomorrow Sunday 25th March so lots of catching up to be done when we get home. PT will be keen to get back up to the Bach to attend to his lawns...................

We travelled 3850km

Launceston to Swansea. 23rd March

We left at 8.15am leaving Launceston to Swansea on the East Coast. Started off very overcast and by the time we hit the mountains the rain came down. We crossed two mountain ranges one very high and twisty. There was two options to get to this place over the mountains further north on the A3 highway through Scottsdale and St Helens and down the East Coast To Swansea which is the way we came. Or we could have gone further south and crossed  inland over to Swansea but that way we would have missed the coast. When we reached St Helens the sun tried to come out for a bit and the temperature was warmer.

We had about an hour here going up to Binalong Bay which is part of the Bay Of Fires. Where the boulders on the beach are vibrant orange.

Had some lunch and then headed down the East Coast and slowly the sun came out, arriving at Swansea about 3.00pm another big driving day. PT finds the big driving days quite hard as the roads here are rather narrow and twisty crossing over the mountains and the surface of the roads are so wavey and bumpy which knocks you around a lot. We are staying at a B&B tonight but the house has a separate one bedroom apartment which is what we have. Very comfortable. It's called Freycinet Waters, Swansea and we are here for two nights. We came here to do the Freycinet National Park which the main attraction is Wineglass Bay. You have to climb very high and on a nice day get amazing views but after we were told how steep it is with very deep steps we now realise we can't do this re the knees which have got worst since I have been over here. Also the bad weather is coming in tomorrow heavy rain so wouldn't be worth even going to the National Park. Plan two,  would be to go over to Ross and Campbell town about an hour inland. I was hoping to get down there from Launceston but ran out of time. I am having trouble downloading my photos again tonight. My iPad keeps telling me I have no space on my importing page (from my IPhone) and I just can't work out how to delete on that page.  All it says is how to import but nothing for deleting .I have been beaten. 😖. It has let me do a few photos below but that's it so I guess there will be no more photos tomorrow.

Technology!!!!!!!!!!🤔

Guess what I have somehow got the rest of today's photos imported to my iPad (it is now the next Day 24th)

Waterfront at St Helens.

Binalong Bay, Bay of Fires.  Just about 10km north of St Helens on the East Coast where we arrived after crossing over from Launceston.
The orange colours in the rocks are quite vibrant.

Walkway down to the bay.

Binalong Bay.

Still no sun . But just imagine how white this sand would be and  how turquoise the the water would be with the sun shining on it. When the sun did come out a little further down the coast the water really changed colour.

Looking back the other end of the beach.



More of the boulders.

Just along near some more boulders we found this little boat harbour. Binalong beach in the background.



As we were driving down the East Coast. Couldn't really see much of the coast as there were so many trees between the road and beach.

There were just a few accesses to the beaches. And a lot of the coast has these lovely sandy beaches. Today was an easterly wind so they were pretty wild.

 We have now arrived at Bicheno to see the blowhole which was performing well in these rough windy easterlies.

We still got these boulders down at Bicheno. These were just next to the blow hole.

Still beside the blow hole. Who needs to go to St Helens to see them.......

Now approaching Swansea a lookout looking over to the Freycinet National Park way in the distance.

PT has just walked into the kitchen and said where is the dishwasher? This is the first place without one........ although we have been lucky and having a washing machine in all the places which is a big help when you don't have to do all your washing by hand like when you travel in Hotels. Well this is unfortunately my lot for tonight. Looks like I will have to down load the rest of the photos for the blog when I get home. Although I will still post tomorrow's blog as to what we decide to do. We have two nights here.

Good night!