Tasmania

Saturday 21st

Off to Tasmania, boarded the boat about 4.30 sailed at 7.30pm.

Very smooth sailing I am in a shared cabin whilst writing this in the bar with a beer and a guitarist  playing Stones music I have yet to find out who I am sharing a cabin with!  Boat has recently had an update good lounge chairs. Got back to cabin all the other ladies where tucked up.

Sunday 22nd.  

Docked at 6.30 we where all woken at 5.45 to get ready to go! My room mates complained about someone snoring to much I had to admit it may have been me! We docked at Devonport and found a lovely little cafe for breakie.

 Then on to Latrobe for a wander,moving on to Deloraine where we walked through town to to river and would you believe it we saw a Platypus swimming past us. So lucky not usually seen in natural habitat. And I brought a lovely silk/cotton top.

I walked up the High Street and saw a really nice top just had to buy it but had not brought my bag. Eli went back to car, whilst she had gone I got chatting to shop lady who suddenly showed me a baby Wombat she had rescued after his Mum had been run over by a car. So sweet.

  Onto Westbury for a coffee stop. Longford where Mick brought some iron wheel frames to use as bases for sun shades. These are the shops Mick likes to poke around in for something different for their home.

Then Woolmers Estate, I went on a tour of the house, M & E had done that before so they just toured the gardens. The house was very interesting,it had been left as it was in 1975 as it was lived in. I did the gardens after. the Rose Gardens where spectacular.

Off to Brickenhead our first delightful cottage for the night. We looked around the farm grounds. Saw lots of baby ducks. Beautiful old farm buildings Mick was in his element.

Then had a read, a glass of wine, dinner and an early night!

Monday 23rd

Slept well until I was woken by a Turkey. He needs to be on someone's Christmas platter!

Left about 9.30 stopping at Evandale, really old General Store brought postcards and Eli brought a book on Quilting. The onto Campbell a Town and all along the pavement there are bricks showing the name and age of the convict sent to Tasmania, the ship they where on,their crime - steeling sheep or a watch - nothing terrible. Finally the sentence. Usually 7 years. 

We then arrived at a very pretty town of Ross, I brought some rabbit mittens whilst M & E looked at Antiques. Through next to Oatlands where stopped for lunch in a cafe dedicated to Erol Flynn, the famous actor who was born here in Tassi.

 Our last stop before getting to our beautiful cottage in Richmond was Hobart, capital of Tassi.

We had a wander round the pier areas and Salamanca Place, looking at all the old buildings.

Tuesday 24th

The sun was shinning but it turned into a very windy day.

We headed off to Historic Site of Port Arthur. This is a World Heritage site, an island  breached by a natural causeway, depicting the historic buildings of the punishment station for repeat offenders from all the Australian colonies. By 1840 more than 2000 convicts, soldiers and civil staff lived there. Convicts where put to work on every possible project, from manually driving water wheels, blacksmiths and making bricks for construction of theses buildings. The settlement finally closed in 1877.

A wonderful day ending the tour with a cruise round Port Arthur going pass  the Boys prison and The Isle of the Dead.

We headed back to Richmond and I had a couple of hours wandering round town, the bridge here was built by convicts. 

The shops where lovely, a beautiful Woodcarving shop also selling Gollies - not seen them in UK for a long time.

Brought a lovely patchwork bag ,although I must not buy any more stuff or I will have get myself another case to bring home!

Wednesday 25th

Long drive today right across Tasmania,through Queensland, a large mining town to our harbour cottage right on the water front. 

We did stop on our journey to visit The Wall. Two huge long walls ,100 meters when completed, of wood sculptures.this is all done in Huon Pine expressing the identity of Australia men,women and animals. Very beautiful. Unfortunately no photos are allowed. These were taken from a book

The weather is not so good here in Tassi a lot cooler and it rained on and off all day. But we managed a dry walk round town booking a lovely resturant on the water front for evening which turned out to be delicious. Best Fish dishes ever.

Thursday 26th

Boarded the Gordon River Cruise on The Lady Jane.at 8.30 Very comfortable boat and we had front seats fab. 

Headed out of Strahan harbour towards Hells Gates. Then turned and followed the river down through the fish farms passed Sarah Island towards the heritage landing where we went for a nature walk in rain forests. And it rained!

 Back on board for a smashing lunch,ham,chicken and naturally smocked salmon with lots of salads. We the stopped at Sarah Island, no rain this time HAIL. What's going on! Only lasted a short while then the sun appeared walked around a much smaller convict settlement hard labour was chopping down the wonderful Huon Pine trees used in boat building.

Back to Strahan just in time to watch the wood sawmills in action.

Had a fab evening,went to a small theatre on the quayside to a play called The Ship That Never Was, a story told by two actors of a convict escape managing to get to Chilli before being recaptured. Full audience participation and would you believe it I played the part of the Parrot, for those that don't know I have a puppet parrot on the boat which used to drive Baz mad I'm sure he would have had a good laugh at me tonight.

Friday 27th

Drove for a couple of hours or so up to Stanley stopping at Burnie for lunch. I am staying in The Stanley hotel and M & E  are in a small cottage at the end of the street. 

I decided to go up in the chair lift to the top of The Nut and have a walk round enjoying the spectacular views. Very windy up there and the path walking down was extremely steep.

 We had a lovely meal in the hotel bistro I forgot to take photo of my TBone steak but it was delicious!

Saturday 28th

After having a walk down to the water front at Stanley and seeing the Big Lobster and a few of the pretty houses we left to head back to Devonport for the evening ferry.

Calling in at a town called Penguin had to have a photo of the Big Penguin.

Then stopped at Sheffield to view all the lovely wall murals. M & E found some Antique Shops to look in and Mick brought a lovely old big watering can, just like the ones we used at Hildons. Just a few of the murals 

Back on the Ferry I only had two ladies to apologies to if I did snore. However one was as bad as me so didn't feel too bad.

Sunday 29th 

Back at the Shed, Mick went through pick up Klara from the kennel whist washing was done,pictures to look at before a BBQ dinner and an early night.