Tassie the East Coast

Wow two blogs in one month- well Tassie is just so beautiful that we wanted to share some great pics (and it's snowing here in Hobart so whilst we braved the cold this morning we are defrosting inside our cossie van this afternoon) We are now in Hobart. To get here we have travelled some spectacular country. From Devonport we headed to Launceston via a little town called Carrick. Carrick had this amazing cooper studio with everything imaginable made from cooper and then specially glazed to be very life like. Below is a pic (for all my overseas friends these are Kookoburras- a native bird here in Oz) (

Launceston was a caravaners nightmare to get around despite been labelled "RV Friendly town" and paid parking down here is Tas is a racket!! So we made some day trips up the coast and came back later to have a look at Caterac Gorge in town. Having lived in Armidale it is funny that we are finding gorges and even the waterfalls on our travels fairly unremarkable- we were spoilt with the best of God's creation in that respect at the Dale. From Launceston the Tamar Valley and a river divide the area. On route up the East of the valley we saw little but excessive fog (but been such a narrow valley the sun brigthened to give us the view on route down the West). We visited the gold mining museum of Beaconsfield. Many of you will remember Beaconsfield was where we watched on patiently in 2006 to see 2 miners release after 14 days trapped underground- a remarkable story. They used some of the most basic tool like water bottles, poly pipe and even witches hats to get air and water down to the guys and along side that was some of the most technologically advanced equipment of the time- ironic.

Beaconsfield mine We travelled as far as the coastal town of Georgetown before eating some super fish and chips at the little town of Beauty Point. This coast is the Tasmanian's "Gold Coast"- but not at this time of years- it's freezing. The fairy penguins are all at sea much to my disappointment- though Neil found me one to see- just didnt mention it was a dead one washed up on the beach. We crossed the Batman bridge- one of the oldest cable bridges- a weird structure with only one pilon.

A war memorial on route- carved with a chainsaw! From Launceston it was free camping the specatular North East and East coasts. The "BIG" towns on the map to our surprise only had 2000 or less residents - where in the world else do you get unspoilt deserted coast. We took a days R and R at Bay of Fires free camping on the beach. I love free camping- no charge and your own %100 beachfrontage. I have been making some jewellery, hair clips etc- to sell at local markets so sitting on the beach was great inspiration. Frecineyt National Park and the beauiful Wine Glass Bay and Sleepy bay made for some spectacular bushwalking. Pictures speak a thousand words (all bar the exhustion of climbing to the vantage points :)). Bay of Fires

Wine Glass Bay

Sleepy Bay

We settled into a great van park in Hobart with super friendly permanent residents and a pizza place whose smell wafts over the whole park over and tastes amazing! Took a day trip out to Port Artheran 1820 convict colony. The things people went to prison for in those days would rarely make it to court today- deported for stealing bread and other food- mostly to feed their families in a time when welfare was a foreign idea. These men were also amazingly talented building the stunning settlement whose ruins we visited. They were stonemasons, timber workers, accountants and everything in between. I had no idea but the good convicts could actually get an education and also learn a trade to help rehabilitate them- a new idea in those days. The boys prison would give you shivers- 4 yrs old and you could work back back then, 7 yrs old and you were responsible and tried as an adult and at 9yrs old you could not only be imprisoned with the adults but also deported to Australia too.

The commandants and their wives and families were also game or crazy coming to this remote land to start a new life- we got to see thier lives and hear thier stories. We expolre Hobart yesterday and today checking out the beautiful port area and then Salamanca- an old cobblestone area of the city with stunning old buildings and super craft and gourmet food all against a backdrop of the snow capped Mount Wellington as snow sprinkles in our hair.