Trip to Tasmania

We flew to Tasmania, the island state south of mainland Australia, for a week of exploration before heading back to Canada.  From the city of Launceston, where we landed, we rented a car, and quite rightly, drove on the left.  On the way to the East coast, we stopped at a well known cheese factory, but we were too late to sample their fare. We did capture on film a nice pastoral landscape near its grounds.     






 Our first official stay was at Binalong Bay (and, yes, by that time it had been a long bay, er, I mean, day).  Tony liked the welcome!

The bay was equally beautiful.  Actually, the whole area is called the Bay of Fires, and is a series of beautiful coves with lovely beaches.

Next we headed inland and stopped at Cradle Mountain National Park. On our first day there, after setting up our tent in a local camp, we walked around the lake (Dove lake) near Cradle Mountain (in the background).  

Another view of Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain.

At a reserve in Cradle Mountain National Park, one of the workers feeds Tasmanian Devils.They are endangered, largely because of an odd form of facial cancer, and so they are extremely difficult to spot in the wild.  If you ever hear one growl, however, you would surely be able to identify it without any trouble as it makes a rather distinctive wail (and it does sound like the cartoon character).

 

One of the best known walks in Australia is in the park--called the Overland Track--and part of it follows Cradle Mountain.  One of the side trails leads up to the summit itself.  Here, about an hour or so into our walk, Tony checks out the map, but as the picture shows, the trail is pretty clear which way to get to the summit, so stop stalling....

 

The peak is reached, and what a view!

Reaching the summit and then the return journey to the car park was one of most arduous day hikes (about 7 hours over sometimes rough and very steep terrain) we have ever had--although well worthwhile--so it its not surprising we fell asleep in our celebratory drinks that evening.   

Next, we headed west.  Carolyn views the scene at the dunes near charming coastal town of Strahan.

Fishing boats around the harbour at Strahan.

Along the way to the capital city of Hobart, we traveled through Franklin River National park, a pristine wilderness of mostly rain forest (and a few lovely waterfalls). 

In Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, there is a new world class art gallery named MONA (Museum of Old and New Art). Although it seems that Carolyn is back at the Australian open, the tennis court is actually part of the entranceway to the art gallery. Nothing about the building or the art inside is easily described so we won't try to do so.  

Tony in front of one of the larger art pieces in the gallery

One morning in Hobart, we visited the harbor and saw a show of prized wooden sail boats. 

So long, Australia.  You were very good to us!  Here is a parting shot of Sydney Harbor from a window seat of the plane making a very lonngggg flight to the west coast of Canada--our next destination!