We spent the day doing the washing. Walk into Zeehan township which was pretty much deserted. We were the only patrons in the Cecil pub. In the afternoon we drove to Strahan and booked our Gordon River Cruise for the next day.
Camp site Zeehan
MacQuarie Harbour, Strahan
3rd Jan
This morning we wondered around Queenstown. We walked up Spion Kopf lookout which has great views of the surrounding hills and the township. The vegetation is gradually recovering, there is a lot more than the last time we were here but when you drive out of town you can see the mining companies are still raping and pillaging the landscape. We had a drink at the Empire Hotel which has a beautifully carved Blackwood staircase in the reception area.
Then it was off to Strahan for the afternoon Gordon River Cruise. The boat left at around 3:00pm out through Hells Gates into the Southern Ocean. Unfortunately it was a particularly calm day so we didn't get to experience it's full choppines. Then off to see some fish farms in Macquarie Harbour before continuing on to Sarah Island for a guided tour of the ruins on the island then down the Gordon River and into the rainforest. Another guided tour of the rainforest checking out the Huon Pine trees then back to Strahan arriving at around 9:30 pm. We got word that our favourite tunnel (Spray Tunnel) is now inhabited by glow worms so we went to check them out on our way back to camp. It's like fairy lights lining the tunnel.
Queenstown
The Bridge
Gordon River
Fish Farm
Hells Gate
Sarah Island Bakery
Heading home
4th Jan
The weather forecast was for a hot day so we decided to drive along the beach at Trial Harbour. This proved to be a good decision and we relaxed on the beach and had our lunch watching the waves break over the rocks. All of a sudden the weather changed, within minutes there was a cold front and clouds upon us. So we'd had enough of the beach and headed inland. It was misty all the way back, We drove Reece Dam part Tasmania's Hydro system. It had turned really cold so we headed for Rosebery for tea and we had a top meal at the Top Pub.
Reece Dam
Trial Harbour beach
5th Jan
Today we thought we'd tackle the four wheel drive track to Montezuma Falls. It was very muddy and chopped up.We drove for an hour before we came across a big bog hole with plenty of evidence of other people getting stuck, we decided bugger this and turned back managing to crush the wiring for the trailer lights and short out the back of the ute in the process. So it was a detour to Rosebery for fuses and lunch. Since we hadn't reached Montezuma falls we took the tourist drive and walked in along the old tramway. Turns out this was a lot more picturesque than the four wheel drive track and only marginally quicker.
leatherwood tree
Montezuma falls
Suspension Bridge
Flying saucer crash
Tramway bridge ruins
6th Jan
We left Zeehan heading towards Lake St Clair. Stopped in Queenstown to pick up supplies and look through the museum which was basic but informative and interesting. Well worth a visit. We spent much longer than we planned there on our way to Lake St Clair the weather turned to shit, and by the time we got to Lake St Clair there were no campsites left. We continued on to an alleged campground at Bronte Park. First we drove past and ended up at one of the lakes so we turned around and headed back to the little town. There was a hand painted campground sign but not a reception place or people just a bunch of old fishing shacks with caravans poking out of them. We found a small grassy spot with some power outlets (that we don't need) and a toilet block. We enquired at the general store and asked "where can we camp" the reply was "wherever you like" then we asked "who do we pay" the reply "dunno". So we just pitched our tent on a nice grassy spot. So far the most the noise we have had is the birds and cows. Couple of other campers came in and asked the same question we did, our response was "dunno". So they camped here as well.
Aqueduct
Bronte park Campground
Luxuary
7th Jan
It's a lovely although and we were woken up by the Maggies woodling. We drove the 20 minutes back to Lake St Clair and did the Shadow Lake Death March, which took us 5 and a half hours through some very interesting landscapes and vegetation. At the halfway mark we stopped at the lake for lunch and soaked our weary feet. At the end of the walk it was time for a well earned beer and cider at the Derwent River Hotel where we caught up with some campers we met in Zeehan.
Guinea Flower
Linta pointing out Little Huegl
Tree pimples
8th Jan
Still no sign of the caretaker at Bronte Park campsite. We packed up this morning and went back to Lake St Clair for a short walk. Next stop was The Wall Gallery, a series of carved Huon Pine panels. It's far from complete but the craftsmanship is stunning. Unfortunately we do not have any photos as we were not allowed to take any in the Gallery, you really have to see it to appreciate it anyway. The weather forecast for the next few days in the hills is cold around 14 degrees maximum and wet. So we have headed south towards Hobart and have taken a Motel in New Norfolk.
Mount Olympus
A stick
9th Jan
After a noisy night in the quirky Junction hotel we checked out a day early and booked a room in a quaint B&B just across the Derwent River away from the main road. We then headed into Hobart and did some shopping. On the way back to the car we stumbled across a public park that had been a Scottish Pioneer Cemetery. All the headstones have been moved to the border of the park leaving only a few of the large monuments in place. It had nice views looking down into Hobart. We took the back way home to New Norfolk within 20 mins of leaving Hobart we were in the country. When we arrived in New Norfolk we walked around the town and visited the New Norfolk Asylum. What a big complex it used to be. It was in operation from around 1830 until 2000. Some of it has been preserved or re-purposed and some is in ruins.
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