Day 10 (16-Mar-15) Hobart - Mt. Field National Park (225 km)

Our last day – and so not a moment to lose! With everything packed we headed west out of Hobart for Mount Field National Park. There we again linked a number of separate trails into a single route that introduced us to the 2^nd largest tree species on the planet! The Tasmanian swamp gum tree Eucalyptus Regnans is actually the tallest hardwood tree in the world, and also the tallest flowering tree in the world. Only the Sequoia redwoods of California, which are softwoods, are taller. The tallest swamp gum ever found was an astounding 98m high! The walk through this forest was probably the most visually stunning experience of the entire holiday, and only a few other treks come to mind that equal or exceed the majesty of this place.

And it was not just the two of us that were left with such an indelible impression. French explorer Bruni D’Entrecasteaux first sighted Tasmania in 1792, and was so mesmerised by these giant forests that he wrote the following entry in the ships diary:

“…trees of an immense height and proportionate diameter, their branchless trunks covered with evergreen foliage, some looking as old as the world;

“closely interlacing in an almost impenetrable forest, they serve to support others which, crumbled with age, fertilised the soils with their debris;

“nature in all her vigor, and yet in a state of decay, seems to offer to the imagination something more picturesque and more imposing than the sight of this same nature bedecked by the hand of civilised man.

“Wishing only to preserve her beauties we destroy her charm, we rob that power which is hers alone, the secret of preserving in eternal age eternal youth”

I could not hope to be as articulate, so it seems fitting to close this account of our holiday to Tasmania with Bruni’s sentiments. This island is indeed a wild and rustic place, teeming with wildlife, and home to an immense diversity of landscapes, flaura and fauna. Thankfully, the people of Tasmania have come to realise that only Mother Nature, not mankind, can preserve this unique habitat for generations to come, and so have entrusted much of the land back to Her stewardship through creation of numerous national parks. We can only hope that the timber industry does not find a way to access their abundant resources and denude the very essence of these fabulous places. 

Day 9 (15-Mar-15) Hobart and Southern Region (247 km)

On our second to last day we forfeited breakfast (as there was little room or appetite for yet more food) and dashed off by car to the summit of Mount Wellington. Alas, as we neared the summit, we found ourselves driving through a snow shower! Given it is still officially summer ‘down under’ we were both very surprised and decidedly under-dressed. Undeterred, we continued to the top to take obligatory photos of Hobart and the coastline far below; nearly freezing to death in the process. A thermometer situated at the observation deck indicated that the air temperature was 1C, with the high winds adding a -10C wind chill. Running around in shorts and flip-flops was thus a very incongruous sight.

Alas, with clouds covering the summit ridge, we were unable to see much at all. We thus headed in a dispirited mood back down the mountain. Half way down however the weather started to break, with clouds giving way to blue skies and the sun bombarding us with its warmth. We thus reversed course and headed back to the summit. This time we were afforded spectacular views of the city and surrounding coastline, all of it captured on video and photos. Feeling victorious at completing our mission successfully we headed back down the mountain and embarked on a leisurely drive south, through Huonville and Geeveston, to the southernmost point on our Grand Tour of Tasmania, at Dover. We then returned to Hobart via Cygnet, Veron Sands and Woodbridge, arriving back at the hotel at 16:45hrs. The entire route offers great views of North and South Bruny islands, and the many oyster and salmon farms in the Houn River separating the islands from Tasmania.

Following a quick cup of tea we elected to go for a long walk – Astrid is insistent that we complete a minimum of 10,000 steps per day, equating to about 9 km. We thus headed for the Botanical Gardens, stopping off at the Cenotaph that is very visible from almost anywhere in town, given its elevated perch on the banks of the River Derwett.  Our route through the park brought us onto the Soldiers Memorial Avenue, also known as Soldiers Walk. Lining each side of the path are two rows of stone plinths, with plinths in each row spaced 10m apart, and the path stretching some 1.6km directly towards the Cenotaph. Each plinth has a brass plaque listing the name, date of birth, occupation, address, church affiliation, and regiment of Hobart soldiers killed in The Great War. The plaques also give details of when each soldier was killed, where, how, and whether they have a known grave, and if so, the name of the cemetery. A tree is sited next to each plinth, with many having been replanted since the avenue was first created by a traumatised and bereaving city back in 1919.

Walking along this path of remembrance and reading the many plaques is a very sombre experience, with some stories unbearably hearth wrenching – those with brothers also commemorated along the same walk, some who had not yet turned 16, others killed on the same day, in the same battle, with yet others who had married only a few days/weeks before leaving Australian shores, never to return. And of course those killed at Lone Pine Ridge at Gallipoli have a special place, both along the avenue and in the Australian psyche, as it is this battle that created the ANZAC legend, and which to this day has all Australians wearing their pride for ANZAC accomplishments on their sleeves. Suitably, we completed the walk just as the sun set behind Mount Wellington, with only the eternal flame left to illuminate three simple words engraved on the side of the cenotaph facing the Soldiers Walk – LEST WE FORGET.

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Day 8 (14-Mar-15) Strahan - Hobart (316 km)

As expected the weather had turned for the worse overnight, and we departed on the long, exposed and lonely drive over the ‘Great Divide’ that separates the wet, wild and fertile western half of Tasmania, from its semi-arid eastern half. The first port of call was Queenstown, which is the complete antithesis of its namesake in South Island, New Zealand. While the latter is a ski resort set among stunning pristine landscapes, the former is a now a rundown copper mining town, set among some of the worst environmental damage I have ever seen – entire mountainsides devoid of foliage and then laid bare by the subsequent loss of all top soil. This was entirely unexpected, and given the gloomy weather, left both Astrid and I feeling very depressed. Frankly, we were glad to leave town as quickly as possible, though this meant having to travel up through the mountains that had been so badly scarred by the mining boom. 

We then continued along then Lyell Highway to Derwent Bridge, where we exited left to enter Lake St Clair National Park. The visitors centre at the park marks the end of the famed Overland Track – a four day hike from Dove Lake at the foot of Cradle Mountain that is rated as one of the best in the world of comparable distance. In order to revive from the arduous driving we elected to go for a brisk hike, linking three separate routes – Watersmeet, Platypus Bay and Larmairremene Tabelti. Platypus Bay is so named as it not uncommon to spot these animals along the shoreline of Lake St. Clair. Alas, despite our best endeavours, we failed to spot any, leaving us seriously ‘miffed’. Nonetheless, the rest of the outward journey was very enjoyable, and afforded us glimpses of the entire lake, which is very sizeable. We also encountered a number of hikers that were completing the final stage of the Overland Track, and were clearly relishing the prospect of a hot shower and dry clothing. Their appearance was a stark reminder that the western half of Tasmania has very high rainfall - indeed on average it rains for 8 days in every 10.  

As if to remind us of this fact the heavens poured forth on the return leg back to the Visitor Centre, soaking us to the skin. However, given the oppressive heat that we’ve had to endure in Queensland over the past four months, we found the experience very ‘refreshing’, and it certainly seemed to invigorate the lush green forest around us, with the lichen and moss soaking up the rain to reveal their brilliant green and red hues. Once back at the car we continued our journey towards Hobart, encountering a handful of other vehicles at most during this 175km stretch.

On arrival in Hobart we dumped our gear at the hotel, which turned out to be a bit rundown, but ideally located close to the harbour. After traipsing around Battery Point we decided to retreat to a restaurant specialising in seafood and gorged ourselves on the 'catch of the day' – all of it going by the ‘selfie’ photos of the many dishes we ate. As is customary in such establishments, the entire feast was accompanied by copious wine. Astrid and I then staggering back to the Hotel, with bloated stomachs, and feeling decidedly light-headed. 

Day 7 (13-Mar-15) Cradle Mountain - Strahan (232 km)

With weather forecast to be much improved we got up even earlier than usual to glimpse sunrise – and what a shock that proved to be! Emerging onto the balcony I was greeted with sub-zero temperatures, with a thick layer of frost covering all the car windows and headlights. Invigorated, we opted to bolt for the car and head straight for Lake Dove before anyone else got there. Alas, on arrival, it seemed that one other couple had the same idea. However, the spectacle of Cradle Mountain set against a crystal clear blue sky, with a near perfect reflection created on the flat calm surface of the lake, was sufficiently expansive to share with a few other folks.

With camera batteries drained we headed back to the hotel to scoff down a quick breakfast and then embarked on the scenic drive along back roads to Strahan (pronounced ‘strawn’). This is situated behind a headland in Macquarie Harbour, which extends 30km to the mouth of the Gordon River. It’s location protects it from the near constant westerly gales that roam the Southern Ocean; the so-called ‘Roaring Forties’. This weather system circles the bottom of the world almost non-stop, interrupted only by the southernmost tip of South America. For this reason there are NO major population centres at all on the west coast of Tasmania, as the next landmass due west is Patagonia!

On route we diverted off-road to Granville Harbour, a tiny settlement that at the time of our visit was actually sunny and tranquil; a rare event according to the locals. That said, the waves breaking onto the shore line either side of this natural harbour generated massive walls of white spray. In my opinion, only the intrepid and foolhardy would attempt to venture onto the sea, and we caught sight of a few old ‘sea dogs’ that lived in the settlement who had clearly spent their lives doing just that. They sported resplendent white beards on leathery faces that were marked with deep crevasses, and possessed callused hands the size of dinner plates.

On arrival in Strahan we checked into  another humble, yet quaint, cabin affording magnificent views of the harbour area. We then immediately got back into the car to watch sunset at ‘Hells Gate'; the narrow passageway from the Southern Ocean into the Macquarie Harbour. Dinner was a humble affair; ready-to-eat microwave fare, made palatable with yet another bottle of wine – luvely jubbely!

Day 6 (12-Mar-15) Cradle Mountain

After yesterday’s exhausting schedule we opted for a lie-in – until 07:30hrs. We then had a hearty cooked breakfast to fuel up for the day ahead. On arrival back at Dove Lake we embarked on a hike around the shoreline, which is considered one of the 60 best walks in Australia. And it did not disappoint. Even though clouds again shrouded the summit of Cradle Mountain the scenery along the route is simply stunning. On return to the car park we then hopped on the bus back to Ronny Creek to search the river banks for Platypus – alas to no avail. Having failed to do so we decided to hike back along the Cradle Valley Board Walk to the Rangers Station via Snake Hill, where we then hiked the short Enchanted Walk.

Having covered a total of 21km we then elected to return to the Hotel to visit the Photo Gallery. This is a surprisingly large gallery, with a total of 10 rooms lined with stunning photos of flora, fauna, marine life and landscapes. Following this visual feast we ducked into the room for a quick shower, before then heading off for a walk through the forest surrounding the hotel in the hope of catching sight of more wildlife as dusk fell. Aside to a few pademelons however the majority of nocturnal animals were clearly having a sleep-in! Following dinner we came up with the idea of getting back in the car, armed with flashlights and cameras, for our own night time safari. And we were not to be disappointed, with a quoll rushing across the road just in front of us. We also chanced upon a female wombat with a juvenile in tow, as well as another with a baby tucked away in its pouch. We also caught sight of larger male wombats, a bush tailed possum, and of course numerous wallabies and pademelons.

 

  

Day 5 (11-Mar-15) Launceston - Cradle Mountain (147 km)

In order to avoid ‘rush hour’ we elected to leave the city before 07:30hrs. To our great joy, the unseasonably warm and sunny weather of the past four days was still holding. However, as the morning wore on, ominous dark clouds rolled in from the west. Nonetheless, the scenery on route was stunning, and we were treated to a chance encounter with an echidna – all caught on video. On reaching the hotel at Cradle Mountain National Park, we found ourselves being battered by a cold rain and a bitterly cold wind – which was not entirely unexpected given the park is drenched in rain for 280+ days in the year. Undeterred, we changed into warm hiking gear and proceeded directly to Dove Lake, arriving just before noon.

Given the late hour and inclement weather we elected to go for a short walk only to Wombat Pool. However, on arrival at the pool, the weather seemed to clear a little so we elected to continue higher instead to Crater Lake, with the intention of returning to the car park via the famous Overland Track. However, on arrival at the lake, we could see patches of blue sky, and the wind appeared to wane. We thus elected to hike up to Marions Lookout, with a revised plan to then return to the car park via Marions Lookout Link Trial; a steep but quick descent off the mountain. Lo and behold, on arrival at the lookout, we now found ourselves blasted by a cold westerly wind, and pelted by hail. This soon abated however, and so following a quick snack, we opted for a forced march across the high plateau to Kitchen Hut, with the intention of returning to the car park via the Face Track, which traverses Cradle Mountain below the summit tower. That was the intention anyway….

Suffice to say, on arrival at Kitchen Hut, despite freezing conditions, horizontal rain, and very slick conditions underfoot, I found myself being ‘beckoned’ by the mountain now looming overhead. It was just after 14:00hrs and so the dash for the summit had to be a fast one if we were to get off the mountain before the last bus left the car park at 18:00hrs. I thus left Astrid in the warm and safe confines of the Kitchen Hut and rushed for the summit. After a short steep hike the route veers right across a large boulder field to beneath the last tower. The route then points straight up over a col. By then I was completely shrouded in cloud, which made route finding very difficult. Thankfully, I chanced across another climber, and we quickly agreed to complete the ascent together.

On reaching the summit we took obligatory photos of the head stone and each other before then beating a hasty retreat off the mountain – there was no point hanging around given the zero visibility. However, as is often the case, the descent was trickier than the ascent, but we nonetheless managed to make it back to Kitchen Hut unscathed. Astrid and I then beat a retreat to the car park, arriving at 16:45hrs, with arrival delayed a few minutes by a chance encounter with a large wombat – our first in the wild!

After returning to the hotel, we showered and changed for the evening meal, before then embarking on a group tour to visit the ‘Devils At Cradle’ sanctuary to watch more Tasmanian Devils feasting on a fresh carcases – somewhat macabre, but entirely natural, and a great delight! Seeing these guys playing tug-o-war with the carcass, all the while growling and hissing through clenched teeth and attempting to bite each other on the rump, was amazing. It was also incredible to see them devour the entire carcass – including hide, bone and teeth! We then embarked on a night time safari, catching sight of numerous wombats, wallabies, possums, and a very rare encounter with a wild Devil! We returned to the Hotel at 23:15hrs

WHAT A DAY!!!!

Day 4 (10-Mar-15) Coles Bay - Launceston (216 km)

We again adhered to the daily ritual of a pre-dawn alarm, frenzied breakfast, and a rushed start on yet another less travelled, very indirect, but again scenic drive; this time to Launceston. The Gods must be watching over us, as the skies had cleared overnight and we found ourselves bathed in sunshine all the way to Launceston, with not a cloud in sight. On arrival at 13:30hrs we dropped our luggage off at the hotel before then embarking on the famed hike up Cataract Gorge to the First Basin. We then continued along the Duck Reach Circuit to the decommissioned hydroelectric power station at the Second Basin. At the time of its construction in the 1880’s it was the largest such power station in the Southern Hemisphere, generating both DC power (for use by street arc lamps) and AC power (for home incandescent lamps). The views from the bridges at both the First Basin and Duck Reach were stunning. After completing the 15km circuit we wandered through town for a quick beer and to look for a suitable restaurant. After a fruitless search we chanced upon a very decorative Chinese restaurant almost next door to our Hotel. Again, we found ourselves emptying another bottle of wine over dinner – purely for medical purposes of course.

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Day 3 (09-Mar-15) Taranna - Coles Bay (208km)

After a deep slumber we snatched a quick breakfast before then getting back on the road for a less than direct, but scenic, drive to Coles Bay on Freycinet Peninsula. And the scenery beneath deep blue skies did not disappoint. On arrival, we scouted the coastline for a scenic spot to grab a quick picnic lunch. We then headed into the National Park to hike the 11km Wineglass Bay/Hazards Beach circuit, via the Wineglass Bay Lookout on the saddle between Mt Amos and Mt Mayson. The views on route were fabulous, and were little diminished by a sudden cold penetrating rain that chilled us to the bone part way round. Once back at the car we managed to squeeze in some last minute shopping at the supermarket for the evening meal, which was washed down as ever with a bottle of Pinot Gris.

Day 2 (08-Mar-15) Tasman Peninsula (73 km)

We spent our first full night in Tasmania wrapped up in two duvets shivering against the cold and being kept awake by blood-curdling primal sounds originating from the wildlife sanctuary next door. Evidently, we found ourselves immersed in a wild and rustic setting! And the noise and lack of sleep may also explain why neither of us heard the pre-dawn alarm. However, a spirited argument between two laughing Kookaburras in the tree over our cabin ensured we were nonetheless wide awake just as the first rays of sun streamed through the kitchen window.

After a hasty breakfast we jumped in the car for the short drive back through Eaglehawk Neck for views of the Blow Hole, Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen along the coastline facing the Tasman Sea. These natural wonders have been crafted over deep time through various weathering processes – terraforming in action. We then drove to the end of Waterfall Bay Road for a hike along the famous Waterfall Bay Walk to the lookout at Waterfall Bluff. This elevated vantage point at the top of a 700ft sheer cliff face offers phenomenal views along the coast as far as the dolerite columns and pinnacles that are a major draw for rock climbers around the world.

Suitably impressed we rushed back to the car and reversed course through Eaglehawk Neck to The Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park next door to our cabin. There we watched ‘Missy’, a Tasmanian Devil, being fed chunks of flesh from a freshly killed possum, before then proceeding to help feed a large gathering of assorted Wallabies and Pademelon. Strolling through the rest of the park we chanced upon other Devils feverishly scavenging for carrion of varying amounts and types that is deliberately concealed in different places each day to ensure they do not habituate. When not scavenging they seem to delight in chasing each other; hissing and growling in the process, and staring each other down with jaws wide open. 

We also managed to catch our first sight of Quolls, a smaller marsupial carnivore – and so very cute. It was then time to rush down to Port Arthur Historic Site, the setting for the most notorious penal colony in the British Empire. It was difficult to imagine the hardships and brutality that inmates had to endure in this tranquil and beautiful setting. However, the many informative exhibits at the museum, along with the heartbreaking personal stories and letters from the incarcerated and the numerous historical records on display, did much to reveal their trauma.

Our mood was thus solemn as we then proceeded to check in for the 3 Hour Wilderness Cruise with Tasman Island Cruises.  They use custom-built 1000hp zodiacs to ferry up to 43 passengers out of the sheltered cove at Port Arthur into the jaws of the Southern Ocean. These high speed boats are specially designed to contend with the massive swells that circle the bottom of the world, with the skipper deftly manoeuvring the inflatable close to the highest vertical sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere at Cape Pillar, before then rushing off at speed to round Tasman Island. This is home to the famous lighthouse that sailors head for in the annual Sydney-Hobart boat race. We then headed north at high speed past waterfalls, rock formations, archways and deep-sea caves. The coastline is part of the Tasman National Park, home to a wide variety of wildlife including hundreds of fur seals, both Australian and New Zealand subspecies, and abundant sea birds in their thousands, including Buller’s albatross, diving gannets, sea eagles, cliff-nesting cormorants and giant shearwaters. However, the highlight of the trip was a close encounter with a small pod of common dolphins, followed by a super pod of bottlenose dolphins. Both groups delighted in riding the bow wave created by the fast-moving zodiacs, with the larger bottlenose dolphins doing so effortlessly for several kilometers. The albatross, with their massive wing span, also had no difficulty keeping up with the boats, gliding effortlessly into a slight headwind to keep them permanently aloft. The skipper had also spotted various whale species during trips through the same waters end of last month. Clearly the waters in this part of the world, while cold, are teeming with wildlife.

On returning to shore we then rushed back to our cabin in Taranna, showered, and then drove back to Eaglehawk Neck to watch the sunset at the Tessellated Pavement. We then drove round to a beach close to the Blow Hole to wait for Fairy Penguins to emerge from the sea. Alas, by nightfall, they had still not returned, and so we slumped back to our cabin for a late supper. We scoffed down our meagre rations with the help of a large bottle of wine, which was self-prescribed to dull throbbing aches and pains courtesy of the 3 hour spine-jarring jet boat ride through the Southern Ocean. We then crawled into bed exhausted, but were unable to find a comfortable sleeping position - clearly we had not drunk sufficient wine to completely deaden the senses... 

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Day 1 (07-Mar-15) Hobart - Taranna (87 km)

Awoke 04:30hrs, excited at the prospect of embarking on our first holiday in 18 months. Astrid has spent the past week applying her considerable and renowned military-scale campaign planning skills to compile a detailed ‘assault’ on Tasmania. ‘Orders of the day’ have been captured in a spreadsheet listing route, distances, ETD’s and ETA’s, times allocated for ‘bio-breaks’, sustenance and fluid intake, along with in-depth SOP’s on what to do, where, when and how.

The taxi arrived promptly at 05:15hrs for the short transfer to Brisbane airport. On arrival we found ourselves already having to contend with a surprise attack from Qantas – they would not book our luggage all the way through to Hobart, forcing us to instead to collect our rucksacks at baggage claim in Melbourne and then redeploy them for the connecting flight to Hobart – much to Astrid’s chagrin. However, a hearty breakfast in the Qantas lounge managed to assuage Dutch anger, with the flight to Melbourne departing on time. Alas, the connection to Hobart was delayed an hour – much to my chagrin!

On touchdown in Hobart we collected our ‘trusted steed’ from Redspot. Owing to the late arrival we did not have time for the planned excursion to the summit of Mount Wellington on the other side of town. Instead, we headed east towards Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula. On route we stopped off in Sorell to load up on provisions – ostensibly of an alcoholic nature. We then diverted off the A9 onto a longer but more scenic route through Lewisham and Dodges Ferry to Dunalley. 

The number and variety of birds that we encountered on route took us by surprise, particularly the number of black swans and shearwaters. Of course, we were hoping to catch sight of wild Tasmanian Devils and Eastern Quolls, but apart from numerous road signs alerting us to their presence, they were conspicuous by their absence.

After a short stop at Tessellated Pavement overlooking Waterfall Bay to snap a few photos of the dramatic cliffs facing due south towards the next land mass, Antarctica, we trundled into Taranna, and booked ourselves into a delightful cottage for the night.