Tasmania

“Round Australia 2010 - a story in two parts”

Introduction
This is a big country. Heard it before? Probably, but, trust us, it is. We've seen a couple of other 'big countries' and Australia is right up there. Not only that, but one, not too small, part of it, is separated from the mainland by more than 200 kms of water. Our story in two parts is a direct result of the highly inconvenient location of our smallest state, Tasmania.

A large vehicular ferry runs from Melbourne to Tasmania and, for a while, we considered including 'Tassie' in our soon-to-be-accomplished van trip around the continent. High ferry prices and the availability of cheap flights caused a rethink. On top of that, a “mate's” deal on a motorhome out of Hobart eventually sealed the deal, so here we are in Hobart, fitted out with a a six berth camper with all the mod-cons.

Travelling this way is not new to us after three van trips in Europe, so we were off and running on the first afternoon - Hobart parking opportunities checked out, food stocked up, booze fridge full and gear packed away.

We'll return to Brisbane after this part of our trip and spend a couple of months back at home before we head off on Part Two of our journey.


Australia 2010 Part One


9-10 February 2010

Our previous experience of Tasmania is practically nil. Paul was here as a teenager and Janita has never been here. First impressions: - brown not green, hot not cool, quaint, friendly and small. North to South, East to West, is no further than 300 kms. Tasmania is about twice the size of Belgium with a population of half a million people. About one quarter of the island is pristine wilderness and many other areas, having been logged in the early part of the previous century, have now become National Parks.

Anticipating no traffic or parking problems in Hobart City, we had taken the freeway directly from the airport to the Hobart waterfront. Our feelings about the city were right on. Parking was cheap and plentiful and even in our rather large motorhome, we had no real problems negotiating the city's lightly trafficked streets. Satisfied that we could easily drive into town and park the next day, we hit the big shopping mall on the east side of the Tasman Bridge.

Our van is probably better designed than any we have had before. With only the two of us, there is plenty of space. All the electronics, water and gas systems are simple and, probably for the first time for us in a hired van, everything works.

Day Two, very warm weather welcomed us to Hobart city. Most of the interesting parts of the city are around the waterfront. Hobart is Australia's second oldest city but it has remained comparatively small, so avoiding much of the historical vandalism that has destroyed the history of all of its sister states' capital cities.

Around the old waterfront, Hunter Street warehouses and factory buildings look much the same as they did in the 19th Century. Sure, the facades are basically all that is original, but the streetscape has been maintained. Most of this street was once dominated by Henry Jones' IXL Jam factory. The brand name endures today - which multi-national food conglomerate owns it now, who knows? Well-maintained public buildings line much of the waterfront and the effort made by the city fathers to preserve this precinct has clearly succeeded. Tourists and locals flock to the fish markets, river-side walks and the famous Salamanca Square. Once a line of colonial warehouses, the street now boasts some of the swankiest eateries in the state.

Yet another colonial memory rewards the fitter tourists (like us!) who climb the hills behind Salamanca Square to Battery Point. Here, many of the original colonial suburban houses of Old Hobart Town line the narrow, winding streets. Roses flourish in Olde English-style cottage gardens, the gem of them all being Arthur Circus. We have not seen anything like this anywhere in Australia and only rarely, overseas. There may well be other colonial-style urban commons like this but we haven't seen them. No more than a dozen cottages line the narrow road around a small, grassy common. Although the flush of spring has long passed, the gardens in this cooler climate are still spectacular this far into summer.

A stroll through the central city shopping area followed by a walk up to the Cenotaph and the Domain and we had 'done' Hobart by just after lunch time. Don't be put off by such a short visit. It is a very small city.

The village of Richmond completed our first day 'on the road' in Tasmania. Primarily, it's the Richmond Bridge that people come to see. Built in 1823 using convict labour, it is the oldest bridge in Australia and a Tasmanian icon. A shot of the 1836 Catholic Church through the bridge must be right up there with the Opera House as a tourist photo opportunity. The village also has a number of well-preserved colonial buildings from the same period as the bridge. And the convicts had to live somewhere, so there was, of course, a gaol! A well-preserved one at that.

11 February

Distances in Tasmania are, on the surface of it, a bit of a joke. Today we drove about 120 kms, but with the winding roads and a big van, we were at it fairly solidly. The Tahune Forest Air Walk through the Huon pine forests was our objective. On an overcast day, the forest was cool and pleasant to walk, but we would probably have better enjoyed some of the views from the elevated walk in sunnier weather. Our drive to our overnight camping spot at Gordon on the D'Entrecasteaux Channel followed the water most of the way. Fish farms, oyster leases and little marinas full of small sailing boats made for a pleasant afternoon. A large bag of local apples at $2 helped as well!

Here at Gordon, water laps a couple of metres from the back of the van. We have a beautiful view out our back window of Bruny Island and it's all free!

12 February

We love ferry trips. Seriously!

Lord knows how many times we have been waved onto a ferry in a lumbering motorhome. Today's trip to Bruny Island bought back memories of dozens of similar trips crossing Channels and Straits from Scandinavia to Morocco... and back.

Perhaps Bruny lacks the romance of Sicily, Sardinia or the fjords of Norway, but it has its own charm - crockery-shattering corrugated dirt roads lined with giant eucalyptus running down to pure white beaches with azure water for a start! We climbed to the South Bruny lighthouse this afternoon in a chilly wind to goggle at coastal vistas reminiscent of the west coast of England – only sunny!

The island takes its name from Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, a French explorer who was part of the early maritime history of Tasmania. Many a European mariner found their way to this once-isolated part of the globe. None of them thought much of their discovery's prospects. At some stage, the Dutch, French, English and even a few lost Russians ventured to the 'Great Southern Land'. Unfortunately for the indigenous inhabitants of Tasmania, it was the English who finally found some purpose for this corner of the globe. The Island gaol that they made of Tasmania left no place for the original aboriginal inhabitants. With true English efficiency, the early colonists had exterminated the indigenous population by the mid 1870s. Truganini, the last indigenous Tasmanian, died in 1876. Her ashes were eventually scattered in the sea off Bruny, but not until she had suffered the final indignity of, years after her death, having her skeleton exhumed and displayed in a Tasmanian museum. A monument to Truganini rests on an oft wild and wind-swept hill less than a km from our camp site in the bush camp on the narrow “Neck” that separates North and South Bruny.

13 February

A boat cruise – well, more like a cruise missile ride – was the highlight of our day today. Luckily, it was a calm day with only a small swell. Even moderate seas would have made this trip far more adventurous. Not to be shown up by the few younger souls on the trip, we opted for the suicide seats at the front of the boat. Good fun as it turned out, but every now and then, the less seaworthy of 'us' thought she was drawing her last living breath as we pounded and thumped through the swells.

Thrills of the ride aside, the scenery and wildlife was well worth the not unsubstantial fare. The seal colony was the highlight. The sight of hundreds of Australian Fur Seals cavorting in the calm blue waters, lounging on the rocks and bickering amongst themselves kept shutters clicking, despite their stench.

Distances in Tassie are not what we are used to. So short are the distances that we have been having trouble getting the leisure battery charged. Last night, we had a total 'black-out'. Camped in a free bush camp, we were working off the van's second battery which hadn't picked up enough charge. No pump for water, no lights AND no TV or DVD! Disaster! A bit sad really that roughing it has become so much like staying in a motel!

14 February

Port Arthur is a Tasmanian and, indeed, an Australian Tourist icon. The Convict history of this remote penal settlement is well known - as are the tragic events of April 1996, when a lone gunman killed 35 innocent people and injured many more. A small memorial garden recognises this sad event, but, appropriately, there is no attempt to capitalise on the Port Arthur shootings.

Tourism here is extremely well-managed. Remoteness is really a bit of an illusion these days. It is about an hour to Hobart from the Port Arthur site. Nevertheless, the road is uncrowded and the many points of interest along the way are patronised, but not crowded. Port Arthur itself is a very slick operation. Car parks were packed and escorted groups of 30-40 people dotted the site. Surprisingly, there was still a feeling of space and freedom to roam and explore.

Since we arrived five days ago, we haven't been more than 100kms from Hobart, yet we have been constantly on the move and well-occupied. Tonight, we are settled into the village of Kempton on the highway north of Hobart, still well inside that 100 km zone! Five or six motorhomes sit with us in a nice little rest area behind town. Those who arrived early enough were able to grab the four FREE powered sites. We are in the bleachers, camped on the grass. As the Grey Nomads flood across Bass Strait, small towns like this will attract heaps of business by providing similar facilities.

15 February

Imagine your ideal 19th Century English village. Got it? Now forget it. It doesn't exist anymore in the UK. Don't panic though. Oatlands in central Tasmania has it all - a perfect Georgian Village complete with cottage gardens and rose bushes. In a very atypical Australian move, the local council has even put all the power underground. The other villages on the old road between Hobart Town and Launceston don't come within cooee of Oatlands.

Cutting across to the east coast, we were treated to a beautiful, clear and sunny afternoon to enjoy the spectacular views and walks of Freycinet National Park. The tracks were difficult, even for us fit types, but the rewards were well worth the effort. Wineglass Bay is about a three hour walk over some very steep territory. The beach is an almost perfect arc of white sand with small wallabies smooching to the exhausted bushwalkers. The National Park was packed and, to our shock, the camping area at the National Park was also. A bush camp down the road a bit was equally well-patronised, but we found a spot and are now enjoying a restorative beer.

16 -20 February

February is peak season in Tasmania. It is the driest month and temperatures are usually between 20C and 25C.So far so good, weather wise. But the crowds! Tasmania is a small place, so the thousands of tourists suck up all the accommodation and camp sites with amazing speed. The owner of our caravan park in Strahan told us that numbers double each year and the 'season' gets longer and longer. At the Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park, we were so desperate for a shower that we paid an exorbitant $32 for a non-powered, non-watered site in a park with no toilet dumping facilities.

The National Park itself was an altogether more pleasurable experience. The Tasmanian National Parks Service really has its act together with great, clean facilities in the Visitors' Centre, a regular shuttle bus between trail heads and well-marked and graded tracks. We did the walk around Dove Lake at the foot of Cradle Mountain and part of the track, back to a shuttle pick-up point, 9 km in all. It was a fantastic walk on one of the 10% of days that it doesn't rain.

The day before our Cradle Mountain experience we spent in Launceston with Paul's cousin, Louise, her husband, Brian and daughter, Annie. Launceston’s centre doesn't have too much to distinguish it from most other small Australian cities. However, on the very edge of the CBD, is the fabulous Cataract Gorge. The walk around the gorge including a chairlift ride over the second basin of the gorge was the sort of bush experience that you just don't find anywhere else in Australia – or the world for that matter.

Many towns simply die as their need to exist disappears. Gold mining ghost towns litter Australia and California. Highway by-passes have killed off many a rural community. Zeehan, on the west coast, has refused to die. Once a thriving mining community that boasted the largest theatre in Tasmania, Zeehan could have disappeared into the undergrowth. What saved it? Perhaps the investment in substantial stone rather than mining-town timber and corrugated iron buildings? Or the spirit of the community?

Today, Zeehan is still struggling. But the town's history continues to attract tourists to the fantastic Pioneer Museum. Most of the existing main street looks like a restored 19th century town. Behind these buildings lurks one of the greatest local historical museums we have seen anywhere – and that's a BIG call! The good citizens of Zeehan have conserved much of their past in a museum that leads visitors through back entrances to the historical buildings that line the main street. For us the highlight was the Gaiety Grand Theatre. Still undergoing restoration, this monument to the grand past of this now, almost deserted town, recalled visits to other historic movie houses like the fabulous Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma.

The town of Strahan, our home last night and tonight, was the centre of a once-booming timber logging and milling industry. The much-prized Huon pine was logged here until the mid 1970s. Now the area sits on the edge of the World Heritage listed area of Western Tasmanian wilderness that covers about 25% of the state. Last night, we camped on Ocean Beach, west of Strahan. A convivial group of fellow free campers from all over the world shared the spectacular western sunset with us.

The Gordon River will ring bells for many Australians who remember the hard-fought protest movement that stopped the Tasmanian Government's project to build the Gordon-Franklin Dam in the early 1980s. We did a great cruise up the Gordon through Macquarie Harbour. One of the highlights of the day was a guided tour of the old convict settlement of Sarah Island. Prisoners were the first timber-getters on the Gordon. 1300 of them laboured under cruel conditions to build a settlement, cut the timber and develop a thriving shipbuilding industry, all within a dozen or so years. Once the new penal settlement at Port Arthur was completed, prisoners were moved off Sarah Island. All but ten were gone by 1833. This small group was left behind to fit out the last ship to be built on the island. They had other ideas though. The Frederick sailed off through Hell's Gate, the treacherous entry to Macquarie Harbour, but Port Arthur wasn't in their plans. Some months later, they scuttled the Frederick off the coast of Chile. Now the British don't take kindly to mutiny, so it is not surprising that four of the escapees found themselves back in Hobart Town on trial for their lives. The trial was highly controversial as transportation was coming under heavy criticism, both in Britain and Australia, by this time. Public support was squarely behind the escapees and in a clever legal move, they were acquitted of the capital offence of piracy on the grounds that the Frederick was never registered so legally all the ten stole was a bundle of timber constructed in the shape of a ship.

21 February

Heading back to Hobart today, approaching the end of our trip, we have cruised through the West Coast Wilderness doing a few walks and wandering the main streets of the few towns that survive from the heady mining and logging days that sustained this area in its pioneering days.

Near Derwent Bridge, we visited the 'Wall' – a ten year project undertaken by artist Greg Duncan to carve life-size figures of the West Coast pioneering history in relief out of Huon Pine. The detail is fantastic – he could rightly be called the Michelangelo of timber!

Tomorrow, we'll wander about Hobart again and clean up the van ready for its return and our flight home, but not before we treat ourselves to a famous Tasmanian Scallop Pie!

22 February

Well we had the famous Scallop Pie. Very nice, but here we go again!

Prices are getting out of hand here and elsewhere in Australia. $17.80 for two smallish pies and one ginger beer! Lucky we've been doing a lot of free camping so the budget can stand it. It's about value for money, not simply price. Our trip up the Gordon River was expensive at $99 each, but it was good value. We were given a great lunch, full, informed and interesting commentary throughout the trip and fantastic scenery on an extremely well-appointed boat.

On the verge of our 6 month trip around Australia, we are getting a little concerned about the crowds of fellow grey nomads we may encounter and how we will all manage to cram ourselves into the camping grounds, bush camps and caravan parks. Reading and hearing about the hordes of retirees 'on the wallaby' around Australia, it hasn't seemed real to us until this trip. If Tasmania is any indication, there are probably hundreds of thousands of them/us meandering along the highways and by-ways near you! And, according to caravan park managers we have spoken to, the increase is exponential.

So, in a couple of months’ time, we will hit the roads with them. Watch OUT!