Tasmania Part 2
DAY 4
With some new group members and a guide we headed West to the Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair National Park. We stopped to pick up supplies for that evening and headed to our cabin in the park itself. After settling in we went to Dove Lake for some lunch. You could choose the walk you wanted to do and I chose to do one of the harder ones up to Marion's lookout for some great views of Cradle Mountain.
I took a different route down which took me alongside another lake and waterfall, through some forest and out along a board walk. I also stopped to see Waldheim - a replica of the first lodge built in the area by Gustaf Weindorfer for guests visiting the area.
In the early evening there were loads of animals on the walk back to the shuttle bus including Bennet's Wallabies and Wombats.
That evening we all cooked a group meal and lit a fire in the cabin as it was pretty cold. We also saw a big Possum wandering around outside the lodge.
DAY 5
Next day the weather was pretty bad as we headed towards Stahan. We still did a walk along an old railway line to Montezuma Falls and some old mine workings before going on to Henty sand dunes on the very edge of the west coast. It was very windy on top of the dunes so we didn't stay there long. Our last stop before Strahan was to see the longest stretch of ocean on the planet from Ocean Beach. The waves were crashing in all directions and it was very windy.
Back in Stahan we visited a saw mill and art gallery and all got an off cut of Huon Pine. Huon Pine is is one of the best boat-building timbers known to man due to its durability and its strong oil, which makes it resistant to water penetration. The felling of Huon pine is now restricted and only naturally felled timber is used.
That night we headed to the pub for the cheapest pint I've had so far in Australia - almost half the price I'd been paying on the mainland.
DAY 6
On the last day of the tour we visited the Nelson Falls and Franklin River.
In the afternoon we stopped at Lake St Claire and finally at Mt Field National Park and the stunning Russell Falls.
Finally we headed back to Hobart via the picturesque Derwent Valley.
That night I went out with some of the group for a beer in Salamanca Place then had another great steak meal at the Ball and Chain restaurant.
After the tour I had some time left in Hobart to chillout and catch up with my blog and emails. On my last day I went back to the Saturday market at Salamanca before flying back to Melbourne.
It was the start of the racing season in Melbourne and it was entertaining watching the people dressed up to the nines who had been to the races all afternoon drinking.
I caught the Greyhound that night to Adelaide. The bus journey was a killer as it left Melbourne early evening and got to Adelaide at 5 in the morning. It was cold and I woke up at every stop. I'd arranged to check into a hostel at 6 am. The hostel opened at what I thought was 6.30 and was just about to have a go at the bloke working on reception when he pointed out that there was a half hour time difference between Melbourne and Adelaide!!
With some new group members and a guide we headed West to the Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair National Park. We stopped to pick up supplies for that evening and headed to our cabin in the park itself. After settling in we went to Dove Lake for some lunch. You could choose the walk you wanted to do and I chose to do one of the harder ones up to Marion's lookout for some great views of Cradle Mountain.
I took a different route down which took me alongside another lake and waterfall, through some forest and out along a board walk. I also stopped to see Waldheim - a replica of the first lodge built in the area by Gustaf Weindorfer for guests visiting the area.
In the early evening there were loads of animals on the walk back to the shuttle bus including Bennet's Wallabies and Wombats.
That evening we all cooked a group meal and lit a fire in the cabin as it was pretty cold. We also saw a big Possum wandering around outside the lodge.
DAY 5
Next day the weather was pretty bad as we headed towards Stahan. We still did a walk along an old railway line to Montezuma Falls and some old mine workings before going on to Henty sand dunes on the very edge of the west coast. It was very windy on top of the dunes so we didn't stay there long. Our last stop before Strahan was to see the longest stretch of ocean on the planet from Ocean Beach. The waves were crashing in all directions and it was very windy.
Back in Stahan we visited a saw mill and art gallery and all got an off cut of Huon Pine. Huon Pine is is one of the best boat-building timbers known to man due to its durability and its strong oil, which makes it resistant to water penetration. The felling of Huon pine is now restricted and only naturally felled timber is used.
That night we headed to the pub for the cheapest pint I've had so far in Australia - almost half the price I'd been paying on the mainland.
DAY 6
On the last day of the tour we visited the Nelson Falls and Franklin River.
In the afternoon we stopped at Lake St Claire and finally at Mt Field National Park and the stunning Russell Falls.
Finally we headed back to Hobart via the picturesque Derwent Valley.
That night I went out with some of the group for a beer in Salamanca Place then had another great steak meal at the Ball and Chain restaurant.
After the tour I had some time left in Hobart to chillout and catch up with my blog and emails. On my last day I went back to the Saturday market at Salamanca before flying back to Melbourne.
It was the start of the racing season in Melbourne and it was entertaining watching the people dressed up to the nines who had been to the races all afternoon drinking.
I caught the Greyhound that night to Adelaide. The bus journey was a killer as it left Melbourne early evening and got to Adelaide at 5 in the morning. It was cold and I woke up at every stop. I'd arranged to check into a hostel at 6 am. The hostel opened at what I thought was 6.30 and was just about to have a go at the bloke working on reception when he pointed out that there was a half hour time difference between Melbourne and Adelaide!!
posted by Phil at 6:55 AM
2 Comments:
Possum looks more like a guinea-pig! Cute though
Jen
x
I know someone who looks just like that possum....
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