Tassie - Bridport

Well here we go, onto our last destination in Tasmania. Where did those three months go?
North from Hobart, we took the Heritage Hwy to Launceston. Back past all those beautiful historical homes and towns, we just couldn't resist one last coffee stop at Campbelltown, and Oatlands, and Ross, and Longford. Only kidding!! We made one stop in Oatlands, at the Bakery opposite the mill site, in a beautiful old convict built, sandstone building.

Our lovely site at Bridport Caravan Park.

Driving through Launceston, we travelled up the eastern side of the Tamar Valley, through the vineyards and on up to Georgetown, and Low Head at the mouth of the Tamar River. The area around Georgetown is quite industrial. There are two power stations and an aluminium smelter. It is also the point from which electricity is exported and sold across Bass Straight, to Victoria.The area also has a lot of maritime history, as it was a base for pilot ships, for vessels entering the busy trading ports along the Tamar. There are a lot of restored buildings, and historical walks around the area.The caravan park here was to be our fall back if the caravan park at Bridport, which we had heard mixed reports about, was not good. We didn't have to worry, Bridport Caravan Park was great.

On the 1st tee at Barnbougle Lost Farm.

The lady at the caravan park was most helpful. She gave us 6 sites that she thought would suit us, and told us that we were free to choose any site that was vacant. We chose an elevated site opposite a small beach. A walking track went past, just below our site, which gave us a steady stream of locals to talk to. It also provided a pathway into the township, about 15minutes walk. We really loved the site and the town of Bridport. It was a nice little town with all that we needed to survive. Two pubs, a great bakery, lovely little cafe and a good supermarket. What else could you need? Oh I know, two of the worlds best golf courses, just 5 minutes out of town!! The magnificent, and now world acclaimed, Barnbougle Dunes Golf Links, and its new addition, Barnbougle Lost Farm Golf Links, are now a major reason why people visit Bridport, and I have to confess, it was my motivation. Something every golfer has on their bucket list. Now only 93 to go!!

Rolling fairways among the dunes.

A little indulgence please, for the golfers among our readers. www.barnbougledunes.com.au 
www.barnbouglelostfarm.com.au 

A Golfer's dream.

Clubhouse at Barnbougle Lost Farm.

The courses have been designed along the lines of the great Scottish and Irish links courses. The magnificent sand dunes and coastal location were perfect, and renowned course designers Tom Doak and Mike Clayton did the rest. These are Public Golf Courses, both are walk only, and each course has 4 separate tees, to ensure that golfers of both genders and all abilities enjoy their golfing experience. When you add the local rules, that allow balls to be dropped out of fairway divots and footprints in bunkers, as well as lost balls being treated as hazards, thus allowing you to drop a ball near where you lost it, makes it very enjoyable indeed. Big wide fairways, and huge greens, it is an unforgettable golfing experience. The club houses at both courses are excellent, and there is accommodation at both, as well. Barnbougle Dunes has cabins, whilst Barnbougle Lost Farm has a new Resort Hotel with Day Spa and a beautiful restaurant perched atop the dunes, looking down over the course and along the beach. We enjoyed a wonderful long lunch here on our last day. Beautiful fresh local seafood washed down with an excellent local pinot grigio. It doesn't get much better, and was a perfect culinary end to our Tassie adventure.

"Renovators Delight" at Gladstone

Between golfing adventures, we enjoyed the many wonderful coastal walks around Bridport. We took a drive out to another beachside town about 40 kms east, and with the intriguing name of Tomahawk. Apart from some lovely beaches, there is nothing at Tomahawk, apart from lots of fishing shacks. A little further down the road is Gladstone, and having thought that Tomahawk was close to the end of the earth, we soon realised we were wrong. Gladstone is!! We were tempted to pick up a bargain at the local real estate agent, but resisted the temptation. We drove back to Bridport, amazed at how modern and out of order it is with the surrounding area. Beautiful modern homes, both permanent and holiday. One can only assume it is the result of the Barnbougle influence, and that of the nearby premium wineries. Some of Tasmania's best known wineries are in the nearby Piper's River district. Names such as Piper's Brook, and the magnificent Aussie sparkling Jansz, are from this region. Many of the lesser known local wineries are just as good, but it is a shame they are so expensive. The cellar door price for local Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir is $30 to $40 per bottle. Not many people can afford to drink wine at these prices on an everyday basis. But I guess the answer is they are not everyday drinking wines. Their volumes are small when compared to mainland producers. Their quality is mostly high, so therefore can be sold at premium prices. The great shame is that all wines are not great or even good, yet they command the same pricing!

Relaxing in Bridport

Bridport provided us with mostly good weather and a chance to relax, and reminisce over what has been an amazing time in a wonderful part of our great country. The scenery, the history, the wonderful produce and friendly people, have all made it a time to remember.

So on Friday 20th April, we packed up. This had been a very quiet caravan park with hardly ever more that 10 caravans staying at a time, and when you consider the park has 140 sites, you can look pretty lost! We took the chance to give the caravan a good scrub and wash, before we hitched up and headed for Devonport. We found a parking spot for the caravan and car and then did a last look through the centre of town, with the Spirit of Tasmania looming large in the background.

At around 5.30pm we joined the queue to board the boat, and at 7.30pm we were sitting on the deck, drink in hand, watching the lights of Devonport slide by as we turned around in the Mersey River, and headed out to sea, and our overnight trip to Melbourne. The seas were quite calm, and we enjoyed a smooth sailing.

Tassie - New Norfolk, Port Arthur, Hobart Town.

Along the Derwent at New Norfolk.

After a wonderful stay along the Huon Trail, we headed out to New Norfolk along the Derwent River west of Hobart. It is a lovely little town and our caravan park is right beside the river, and very close to town. We plan to have a lazy few days. John has managed to get an infected ingrown toenail, and needs to see a doctor, and New Norfolk has a very good Medical Centre. It isn't long before Dr. Jenny has sliced, diced and wrapped the toe, and now just a couple days of rest with no shoes, and all is well.

Along the road to Lake Pedder.

Gordon River Dam.

We have come out here, mainly because it is a good base to explore one of the only other wilderness areas we haven't been to, Lake Pedder, the Gordon River Dam and Lake Gordon. It is a lovely drive out to Lake Pedder, through the forest areas around Medina, and the Mt. Field National Park. The scenery is spectacular, with vast forest areas giving way to flat plains, and those huge granite mountains. It is one of the last bastions of the forest protesters, and we pass one of their roadside tent camps. What a mess!! But I guess it is all made from recycled materials and solar powered!! Maybe Bob Brown will return now he doesn't have a job!!. All along the road in the forest areas, are large quantities of bee hives, placed in openings in the forest. The bee industry is very big in Tasmania, with lots of honey produced here. The hives are moved all over the place, to take advantage of which forest trees are in flower. When we reach Lake Pedder, there is a magnificent lookout that also provides some of the history surrounding the lake's establishment. 

Bee Hives along the
road to Lake Pedder.

The original Lake Pedder, is now deep below the surface of the new much bigger lake, and there is still an active movement trying to get the lake drained and returned to its original form. Good Luck!! We drove all the way out to the Gordon River Dam. Gone are the glory days of protest. We have seen only 3 other tourists all day! The dam is quite amazing. It is built across a very narrow section of the river, and holds back a huge volume of water. The Power Station at the dam, is operated by remote control from Hobart!!

Hop fields near New Norfolk.

The area around New Norfolk is lovely farming country. The Derwent Valley is big for hops, a crop you don't see a lot of. Apparently it requires a lot of sunlight.  On the fantastic tour of Boags Brewery I did, I was surprised to learn how little hops are used in the brewing process, and how they need 16 hours of sunlight a day to reach maturity, so places like Tassie are perfect. This years crops have all been harvested, but the fields were being prepared for the next crop. They grow on a vine, and it can be really long, supported by wire trainers and poles. Looks like really tall grapes!!

The Salmon Ponds at Plenty.

Another great attraction to visit is the Salmon Ponds, at nearby Plenty. This is the home of Australia's first trout hatchery, with the eggs being brought out from England, which was no mean feat given there was no refrigeration. It took a few attempts, but they finally succeeded,  and now the place is a wonderful picnic area set among beautiful gardens, beside the Plenty River, as well as still serving as a trout hatchery, to replenish the rivers and lakes of Tasmania, and as a museum showing the history of trout fishing. We spent a lovely afternoon walking among the trees and ponds, feeding the fat trout and salmon.


With the toe now fully healed, we packed up and headed for the Hobart Airport Big 4 Holiday Park. We had booked here for a week, months ago, to avoid the Easter Holiday rush, and allow us time to relax and spend time in Hobart, and complete our unfinished tour of Port Arthur. It is a lovely new park, with large concrete slabs, and fantastic new facilities, and the manager, John, is very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, on our first day, we got a bit of sad news. John's Aunt Mary, his dad's only sister, had passed away at the grand old age of 91. John had a long family association with Aunty Mim, and wanted to go to the funeral, which was to be on the Wednesday after Easter. So on the Tuesday he headed for Sydney, and was home on Thursday night. It was good to see mum and the family, albeit briefly. Thanks Keith and Nancy for putting me up,and looking after me. Carol put the time to good use, with a bit of spring cleaning, and a trip into town on the courtesy bus, for bit of retail therapy. Judging by her success, she must have missed me a lot!!

Tessellated Pavement
near Eagle Hawk Neck.

Over the Easter break, we made the most of our available time. Saturday, we were back at the famous Salamanca Markets. It was cold and windy with some showers, but we enjoyed our walk around these fantastic markets. We found a wonderful bakery nearby, called "Daci Daci". Great coffee and goodies, and excellent wood fired breads. The place was packed.

The Dog Line at Eagle Hawk Neck

Sunday was back to Port Arthur. We had our "Tickets of Leave" from our first visit. This is a great idea that allows you to get back into Port Arthur on future visits for 2 years. You pay a small fee up front, then come and go as you please. Along the way we called in at Eagle Hawk Neck, to see the tessellated pavements. This amazing geological event, just looks like pavers! We also read about the "Dog Line".  For those of you who know the area, Eagle Hawk Neck is a very narrow piece of land, that you cross to get to the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur. To stop convicts escaping by land, a number of savage dogs were chained in a line, across the entire width of the land, and just so they could not reach each other, but so close that a man could not go between! It proved very successful!!
We also went out to see the Blowhole and the Tasman Arch. The sea was benign, so the Blowhole was a non event, but the geology around the area is fantastic.

John & Carol at Port Arthur.

Port Arthur ruins.

The Old Catholic Church, Port Arthur.

Part of the Commandant's Cottage.

Port Arthur is a wonderful part of Australia's history. For those who haven't been for a few years, there is now a great Visitors' Centre, with fantastic interactive displays, and a good restaurant/cafe. The grounds are beautifully kept, and when you see and read what was at the site in the period from the 1830's to the 1860's, it is a hard to comprehend. Thankfully, that horrible atrocity committed by the madman Martin Bryant, is remembered in a very low key way, with a remembrance pool and cross, and the old cafe has never been restored. Your admission includes a tour with much of the history explained, and a cruise out to the Island of the Dead. It is unimaginable that so many people are buried on such a small rocky island. It is a huge area, as is evidenced by the fact that this is our second day. Much of the wooden work, such as roofs and windows, have gone from the stone buildings, but they are doing a wonderful job of restoring and maintaining the history of the place. Many of the old buildings have interactive displays, and staff on hand to explain who lived there and what daily life was like. It is very well done. As you read about the lives and times of those convicts, you cannot help but be moved. The suffering they went through, and the things they achieved, were quite extraordinary.

The Remarkable Cave

Leaving Port Arthur we decided to drive around the southern part of the Tasman Peninsula. We saw a sign that said to Remarkable Cave, and it was! We saw some fantastic scenery along the way, and when we reached the end of the road, we followed a track and a steep timber stairway down to the Remarkable Cave. It was an opening that had been cut through from the sea to a small beach. You could peer through to the sea. A local arrived, and was really unhappy that there was no sand!! We didn't understand what he was on about, but he explained that at really low tides, a lot of sand is washed through the tunnel, and you can walk through to the beach on the sea side!! Today wasn't that day. We drove back to the caravan park through a host of small seaside villages full of holiday shacks, and because it was Easter, full of holiday makers.

John freezing on Mt. Wellington.

Heading for the viewing platform
Mt.Wellington.

Monday was John's mum's birthday. Can't believe my mum is 88. It dawned really cold, but crystal clear. We had arranged with brother Neil, to set up a Skype call to surprise mum on her birthday. We heard that there would be snow up on Mt. Wellington, so headed up to see how good the weatherman was. He was spot on! It was snowing and it was freezing!! How amazing it was. We left the cold, bright sunshine behind in Hobart and soon arrived in Antarctica!! It was unfortunate that Telstra spoiled the party. Our Internet connection was poor, and unsuitable for a Skype call. It is unfortunate that we have had the same problem throughout Tasmania too often. Talking to the locals, it happens all the time, so Telstra needs to get their act together. The other providers just need to get an act! Would you believe, that tour providers ask for a phone number and carrier. If it isn't Telstra, they say they will take no responsibility, if they can't contact you in case of change!! 
We headed back into Hobart, in search of a hot lunch. We found the China Town part of town, spied a dumpling house, and were soon tucking into delicious steaming dumplings and noodles, just what the doctor ordered. That evening we even took in a movie. It was the first movie we've seen in 3 months! We saw "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", and had a real good laugh.
Back at the Airport Big 4 Holiday, life was a moving feast of people and camper vans. It seems that heaps of hirer's use the park as a first or last stopover. In addition we had a a Chinese Junior Badminton Team staying in the cabins, as well as a few caravan owners just like us. There was always something going on. We enjoyed our stay, and on Friday morning we packed up, and headed for our last port of call in Tasmania, Bridport, on the far North East Coast. It is time for John to indulge in a little golf, at the world famous Barnbougle Dunes golf course, just out of Bridport. 

Tassie - The Huon Trail

Famous for delicious apples.

The Huon Valley and the entire Huon Trail, have captivated us. The waterways, the forests, the mountains, the gorgeous little villages and towns, the amazing variety of fresh produce, the wonderful cafes and restaurants, and friendly people, make this our favourite part of Tasmania.

We started our stay in the far south, at the lovely little town of Dover. The caravan park is right opposite the beach, nestled under a hill. It is a fantastic setting, and such a shame that the manager is without doubt the most rude, unfriendly, unhelpful person, we have met in Tasmania. Thankfully, the setting soothed me, but I can tell you that this guy is single handedly dragging the gay community of Tasmania down. Bitch!! But not even he, could take the gloss off our stay.

On an early morning walk, we met a couple walking their Scottish Highland Terrier called Fergus. They explained to us that the area was popular with Hobart based people, like them, who had a "shack" in the region. Some of the "shacks" are quite grand. The towns therefore have a lot more houses than people, and the services of the towns seem minimal for the number of homes. They did tell us the good spots to go to eat, and there weren't many!! We met them at The Post Office Restaurant that night. It only opens for dinner, and only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but it is good. We shared some magnificent, local Dover mussels, and a terrific wood fired pizza.

The coast near Southport.

The Whale Sculpture at Cockle Creek.

Driving south, the scenery is just one wow after another. We travelled through the township of Southport, a real holiday centre full of "shacks" set around a beautiful bay. A little further along the way is the tiny village of Ida Bay, home to a small gauge railway that uses an old mining track to run tourists to the waterfront and back. We opted not to wait the 2 hours until the next run, and instead kept going south through the magnificent forests that line the shore, all the way to Cockle Creek, as far south as you can drive your car anywhere in Australia. Entering the National Park, we then walked out to the Whale Sculpture, a magnificent life size bronze sculpture of a Southern Right Whale calf, that represents both a tribute to the whaling industry long ago, and the fact that the species has come back from the brink of extinction. So now we can say we have been to the extremities of our country to the North, South and East!! Only one to go!!!

Giant Swamp Gum.

North of Dover, is the timber town of Geevestown. We took the coastal drive through Police Point, which winds right along the water, past fish farms and processing plants, as well as through some wonderful grazing country, and some little bays full of "shacks", almost on the beach. It is a magnificent drive. We stopped at one of the many roadside honesty stalls, and bought our first bag of apples. Royal Galas, and they are so crisp and fresh, and only cost $2 per bag! 

Cantilever on Tahune Airwalk.

Ready to walk the
suspension bridge.

Geevestown is quaint, and has a Timber Heritage Centre to tell us about the history of the industry in the area, and can sell us our ticket for the famous Tahune Airwalk, which is about 30kms away in the unbelievable forests, which are home to the tallest hardwood trees in the world. Most are Swamp Gums and Grey Gums, and they are huge, the tallest being 100metres tall. The airwalk is amazing, as it winds through the tree tops. It creaks and it sways, and the cantilever, out over the river, is only for the brave. Carol is brave. John took one look at how it was swaying, and chickened out! Having completed the airwalk, we decided to do the long way back, over the two swing bridges. It was a beautiful walk among the forest giants, and across the swinging bridges, back to the car park. A Wonderful afternoon, ended with us stopping off along the way back, at all the marked forestry attractions. The Big Tree was awesome, and the Walk Above the Waters were the picks.

The Wooden Boat Centre.

A little further north is another quaint township called Franklin. It is set on the water, among the apple orchards. Our reason for a stop here, other than coffee at Petty Sessions Cafe, was The Wooden Boat Centre. Here the old crafts of wooden boat building are being kept alive, through students doing TAFE approved courses, building wooden boats. You may have read, or seen on TV, how famous chef Tetsuya, has built a traditional wooden boat, utilising the famous huon pine, and other wonderful local timbers. This boat was built here, and is currently undergoing final fitout just up the river. It was a great tour for two, with a guide, full of passion and salt water in the veins.


We moved from Dover after four nights, and travelled across to the village of Cygnet, and the local caravan park. The park is very basic, but it is the area we want to be in. The manager, Ronnie, is unbelievably helpful, going out of his way to make sure we are happy with our site. It is quite funny, really. We look like the Queen Mary 2 at a row boat regatta! The park is full of some very basic permanents in beaten up old caravans, as well as dozens of small igloo tents, belonging to the backpackers who are in town to pick apples and strawberries. Along the way, and just out of town, we stopped at Pop's Place, a roadside honesty stall, full of fresh fruit and vegies, to stock up the larder. The quality, selection and cheap prices are terrific.

Pop's Place - Roadside produce.

Cygnet is very quaint. It is a bit alternative, with lots of hippies stuck in the '60s, as well as a lot of gays. Around town, you've never seen so much untidy long grey hair, dreadlocks and harem pants. There are some great cafes in town, especially The Red Velvet Lounge and The Lotus Eaters Cafe. Both had been written up in the Sunday papers, and Carol had kept the articles to be sure we didn't miss a trick! Both were excellent.


A short drive across the peninsula, are the trendier towns of Kettering and Woodbridge. Not many "shacks" here! Kettering has a huge marina, and is the departure point for the ferry to Bruny Island. For many months now, we have been carrying the name of the Woodbridge Smokehouse around with us. We had seen it on the telly, with famous chef Maggie Beer, singing its praises, so we said we had to go when in the area. It proved difficult to find, but a chat with Christine, waitress at the Mermaid Cafe on Kettering Marina, set us on the right path. It is hard to find because it doesn't sell to the public, but Christine assured us to "just mention my name", so armed with directions we set off. We pulled up at a large shed, set high on a hill in an apple orchard. We walked up to an open door, where inside was a guy on the phone. He held up his hand and indicated to give him five minutes. After 15 minutes, he stuck his head out the door and yelled "help yourself to an apple, I'll only be a minute". Three apples later, we finally met Roger Scales (great name for a man who works with fish!), owner of www.woodbridgesmokehouse.com.au What a character!! We really hit it off straight away. We got a tour of the smokehouse, a history of his life and business, a tour of the farm, and when we told him we had sold up and were travelling around Australia, we got a tour of his house, much to his wife's surprise, followed by a sales pitch for his house! He is building a new house further up the hill, and thought we would make really nice neighbours! We waved goodbye to Roger, his wife and two dogs, and left, suitably weighed down with packets of the most wonderful smoked ocean trout, oh and a lemon he picked off the tree, with instructions to "just wave it past the fish as you eat it"!! This was just one of those great moments in life!! We giggled all the way back down the hill.

The isthmus that separates North and
South Bruny Island.

Bruny Island was an all day trip. We had been here when we did the fantastic adventure cruise with Lynne and Paul, and knew then, that we would come back. We started the day at the Mermaid Cafe, and coffee with waitress Christine, where we reported back on our successful visit to the smokehouse.Bruny Island is quite large. It has a North and South side separated by a long isthmus, that is also a penguin rookery. We climbed to the top of the long wooden staircase, built over the dunes, and could see the hundreds of burrows built by the tiny penguins. The view from up top was fantastic.

Carol at Bruny Island Lighthouse.

Bruny is sparsely populated, with only about 650 permanent residents. Again there are lots of "shacks" owned by non residents. The island is famous for the adventure cruise, its beaches and protected waterways, its rugged scenery and for its produce. We sampled it all. We drove from one end of the island to the other. We sampled fantastic Get Shucked oysters, magnificent Bruny Island cheeses and wood fired bread, delicious berries from the berry farm, beautiful soft Pinot Noir at Australia's southern most winery, and had a great lunch at the Bruny Hotel, which surprised us with a Ceasar Salad with a difference. It was topped with crumbed local oysters! Yum! 

Lunch at Peppermint Bay

The final Sunday at Cygnet first saw us at the local market, held every second Sunday. It was an amazing array of locally grown, fresh produce, plus some extraordinary locally made breads, cakes, pies, sauces and relishes. We topped up, including a piece of a wonderful English style pork pie, that tasted as good as it looked! From the market we drove back over to Woodbridge, this time to have lunch at Peppermint Bay, a quite famous out of town eatery. You can actually take their fast catamaran from the Hobart waterfront to the jetty at the restaurant, have a great lunch, and get the boat back, and on a beautiful sunny day the boat was pretty full. We picked a table out on the deck of the bistro, overlooking the water, just perfect for a casual lunch. We shared a lamb & pickled zucchini panini, with some great hand cut chips and aioli, washed down with a glass of Tassie Pinot Gris, just delicious!! 

Fresh fish off the trawler.

Following lunch, it was one last visit to the Kettering Marina, and this time we stumbled across a local fisherman, standing on his trawler, filleting fresh fish, and selling it to anyone who wanted to buy. Guess who was at the front of the queue? So now the freezer is full of fresh fish fillets again, this time morwong, stripey trumpeter, which the locals call the best fish in the sea, and some cod.
So our stay in the Huon area has come to a close. We have loved every minute of it. It is very much our lifestyle. Who knows Roger? We just may be neighbours yet!!!! Keep smoking those  trout, as it will be a condition in the contract!!!