New Norfolk, Tasmania

Yesterday we made the nail biting journey along the A10 highway (??) from Strahan to New Norfolk via Queenstown.  I can tell you now that just because it has an A in front of it does not necessarily mean that it is a "good" highway.  It is very narrow in places and on one bend we were only inches away from rubbing the van along the side of the cliff face as we came around a tight corner.  We reached a height of almost 900 metres above sea level and of course when you go up, you must come down.  I am so grateful that my husband is an expert driver and uses the gears in our automatic car to help with the braking as we go down extremely steep mountains. Even so, when we stop for our lunch break the pads on the van still feel warm.  The journey is just 266kms but took us six hours.  The views though are absolutely incredible.  From the stark barren mountains around Queenstown, that are still being mined, to magnificent lakes, to fields of wildflowers and all the while the blue of the ever present mountains.

When we reached Derwent Bridge, and the turnoff to Lake St. Clair we were remembering our time here with friends for Christmas 2021.  It was such a lovely place and one that we won't be visiting on this trip regrettably.  However we do stop at the Hungry Wombat for a lunch break of pies and coffee. 

It was a relief to finally arrive into New Norfolk, let me tell you.  It really was a difficult drive.  We unhitched the van, had a bit of a snack and then rested for an hour or so.  But by 4 we were both looking to stretch out the legs so we decided to do the clifftop walk that begins just behind our caravan park that is right on the Derwent River.  So typical of us, we thought we would just walk a couple of k's and ended up walking almost 6!  It didn't help to get a little lost along the way and my phone to run out of battery!  However, after many steps and hill climbs we finally made it back to the van.  At one stage we found ourselves across the road from the oldest continuously licensed hotel in Australia (1815!).....

New Norfolk is going to be our home for four nights and the things we have planned are:

• Mount Field National Park
• Hobart (Hop on Hop Off)
• Discovering New Norfolk area

It rained a little last night but looking at the weather app it was to be clear skies for the remainder of the day so we decided to drive to the Mount Field National Park (around 40k).  We have been here before, briefly, on the bus tour we did in 2011.  Back then we walked into the well known and beautiful Russell Falls that is just a five minute walk.  Today we decided to do the three waterfalls that is just over 7k walk.  

The drive to Mount Field is beautiful and we pass through the little townships of Bushy Park, Karanja & Westerway.  This is hop growing country and we are enthralled by the high trellises that hold these climbing plants.  It is the flower on the hop vine that holds tiny pods of Lupulin that are used in beer making.

 Once we arrive at Mount Field National Park we are pleased that there are hardly any other cars in the carpark so we may just have the track to ourselves, for at least part of our hike.  It is a a steep walk up a hill at the start our hike. but after that, it is very gentle and quite easy.  The hike is absolutely picture perfect at every turn along the path.  The trees so so high into the sky that by the end of the hike both Philip and I have kinks in our neck from looking up.  

The first falls we come to are Lady Barron Falls.  There is not a lot of water flowing over this particular small waterfall so we only stay long enough for a quick photo....

As we walk deeper into the rainforest we walk down a long staircase (200+ stairs) that takes us into picture perfect places.  That worries me somewhat because if you walk down, surely you must, somewhere walk back up. Thankfully the rest of the uphill is very gradual. This place really reminds us of Mount Lewis at Julatten!

The next waterfall we arrive at are Horseshoe Falls.  They are well named as they are indeed in the shape of a Horseshoe.  It was worth the hike to get to these lovely falls with tree ferns lining the walls of the falls and moss covered rocks laying lazily at the base.  So lovely....

It is just a five minute walk to Russell Falls from Horseshoe Falls, and they are deserverdly the highlight of the Mount Field National Park.  There are many people here, jostling for photographs, as the falls are only a five minute walk from the Visitors Centre.  Most people come to Mount Field just for the opportunity to view these absolutely incredible falls that tumble almost 60 metres over two drops.  They flow almost year round.

After the walk we purchased cups of steaming hot black tea and found a picnic table outside the Visitor Information area to set up our picnic lunch that we had packed for just this occasion.  It's a funny thing that while you are walking there are no aches or pains but once you stop you start feeling them!  We are both feeling a little weary tonight so will have an early night and we will probably drive to Hobart (around 40k) tomorrow, depending on the weather.  Till then.....

Strahan Part 2, Tasmania

Our time in Strahan is coming to an end.  Tomorrow we make our way east to New Norfolk that is just 40k outside Hobart.  I have re-kindled my love of Strahan as it is such a gorgeous little town.  The town is struggling, no doubt about it.  The rail is closed, there is talk about shutting down the lucrative salmon industry because of depletion of oxygen in Macquarie Harbour that has seen a decline in numbers of a rare stingray, and tourists only come in the summer months.  Many of the restaurants have closed their doors, never to re-open and others are only open for a few hours each day. 

But there are still so many great things to do in the area.  Yesterday we walked around 7km to Hogarth Falls that are almost in the heart of Strahan.  The afternoon was perfect for a walk as the sun was shining and the cold winds had eased.  It was a very pleasant walk along lovely rainforest pathways that lead to the falls.

Today we woke to yet another cold morning but thankfully the rain has gone but has been replaced with south-westerly winds.  I don't know what is worse!  But we get ourselves dressed warmly and walk down to the waterfront to board our little boat Sophia, along with four others, for a trip to Pillinger ghost town, Bonnet Island, Hells Gates and the Salmon Farms.  

Pillinger, on Macquarie Harbour, was originally set up in 1899 as a port for the North Mount Lyell Mining Company that laid a railway line directly from Queenstown to Pillinger. However by 1924, after a new mining company took over the North Mount Lyell Mining Company the preferrred port became Strahan, so Pillinger was abandoned and left to be re-claimed by the forest.  There are still remnants of an old stone kiln, an oven and boiler and old railway tracks.  Our guide shows us photos of what Pillinger looked like back in the 1900's.  It certainly was a lovely town that looks very similar to Strahan.

Our walk through the old township took almost an hour and back on board our boat we were served a delicious morning tea (in my case hot chocolate!).

The next part of our journey took us past one of the many salmon and trout farms that line Macquarie Harbour.  There are three companies that farm fish here. They are Tassal, Huon Aquaculture & Petunia.  There are large ships beside the nets and these ships are loaded full of fish food that is piped to the tanks.  The feeding is a completely computerised system run out of Hobart!

Next we head to Hells Gates.  This is an 80 metre wide channel that separates Macquarie Harbour from the Great Southern Ocean.  We pass through the narrow channel and marvel at the large breakwater that was built between 1900 and 1902.  It is a dangerous stretch of ocean that has claimed many ships and lives.

Our last stop for the day is at the tiny little Bonnet Island, that is just a little over 5 acres.  It is close to Hells Gates and is home to a remarkable old lighthouse that is still operating.  We take a walk around this tiny little island before heading back to our boat for lunch.

While we are eating lunch on board our boat, we can clearly see the fires that are raging in the forest behind Strahan.  They are in an area that is not accessible by road so choppers have been running backwards and forward with their buckets of water.  The buckets of water are so small that it would be like spitting at the fire....

It was a fantastic five and a half hour tour and much better than cruising the Gordon River that we did last time we were here. (That was actually quite boring.)  This was a much faster paced tour and as we came in side by side with one of the big cats that cruises the Gordon, and then passed it, we patted ourselves on the back for choosing well.

Strahan, Tasmania

We arrived in Strahan on Friday.  The roads in Tasmania are less than perfect, and we had remembered that from our last trip that was on a bus tour.  They are very windy and narrow in parts but the scenery is pretty spectacular in every direction.  We reached the township of Tullah and stopped to stretch the legs and we found a lovely little coffee shop, with a pet llama, that you were invited to feed from a bucket of carrots.  The coffee shop boasts the best coffee in town and as it is the ONLY coffee shop in town the claim could said to be true :-)

We arrived into Strahan mid afternoon and went for a drive around the town to get our bearings.  Everything is within walking distance of our caravan park so that is always a bonus.  A visit to the tourist information centre confirmed what we already knew, the Wilderness Rail Journey ex Strahan is closed for repairs, but we can still do a small trip ex Queenstown so that is what we decided to do yesterday.

The rain fell on the roof of our van all through Friday night and it was still raining Saturday so it was probably lucky that we were doing the rail journey.  It is just 40km from Strahan to Queenstown but it is an awful road full of S bends and very narrow.  There are road works in some areas and if we were to come back next year the road will be greatly improved.  It won't be fun dragging the fun up this road on Tuesday!

It was still raining in Queenstown and I read that they average 2500mm rain each year.  That's even more than we averaged at Julatten!  We had arrived early for our train trip so we walked around the town centre under the cover of an umbrella.  Thankfully the rain is not heavy.  

Queenstown is not a pretty town and I remember driving through here 12 years ago and thinking that the scarred barren mountains, caused from mining, made the town look very inhospitable.  However, the trees have started to regenerate on those mountains and in another twenty years you will probably not know the place.  I hope so.  Of course it is still a mining town (copper and gold) and large smelters dominate the skyline.  We found a lookout called Spion Kop so we drove up the narrow road and parked the vehicle to walk the remainder.  It was a very steep path to walk, even more so than Stanley Nut, but thankfully only short.  The views over Queenstown from the lookout were pretty impressive.

Back at the Queenstown Railway Station our train awaits us.  She is a lovely train, fully refurbished, and very comfortable for our hour long journey to Lynchford and return.  Once we arrive at Lynchford we are invited to "pan for gold" in a long trough that has been filled with rubble and water.  Philip has a go but I decline.  The water is freezing!  There is a very cute coffee shop here at Lynchford and we are tempted but decided to wait until we get back to Queenstown.

The drive back to Strahan from Queenstown was much easier now that the rain had eased and we could actually enjoy it.  Still not looking forward to towing the van along this road though....

Last night we went to the play "The ship that Never Was".  This is Australia's longest running play - almost thirty years - and it was hilarious.  There are only two actors but people are picked from the audience to play various parts.  It was great to have so much audience participation.  The play starts at 5.30pm and ends before 7pm so we are tucked up and in bed by 8.  Perfect for us grey nomads.

Tomorrow we take a boat tour to Pentecost Island.  We are praying that the rain clears so that we can enjoy the trip more thoroughly, but hey, you just have to go with the flow......