Back again so soon

1.4.11

We head for the Longford revival a car racing weekend an event that has been revived from many year ago, and the first thing we see is the Go Go mobile :0)

Rob Checking out an actual Go Go mobile

A  car taken to longford

The Race was a racing mile and cars were racing solo against the clock within a category and much of the track we could'nt see so hence not a lot of photos.

Off to the evandale markets close by where we spotted a  Man's delight!!

4.4.11

Working our way back towards Devonport ( ready to leave tassie on the 10th) we head for the Tamar Valley ( A wine region ) On the way we pass Grindlewald - a Swiss village here's a few snaps

Funny things outside each home - not sure what it represents??

Swiss holiday village replica.

5.4.11

 Up to Devonport ( Our ferry leaves from there) and Coles Beach for a night, then on to Rianna then Leven Canyon just to wind up our last few days before heading back to the Mainland.

Coles Beach Devonport

Humour at Leven Canyon

10.4.11

Off onspirit of Tasmania back to Melbourne

11.4.11

Off to New South Wales to a place called Deniliquin - Yes try to get your teeth around that name in one Hit!! We are going to our first CMCA (campervan and motorhome assc of Aust) rally with 1200 other motorhomers.

Wow - lots of rules and when youv'e learned those theres more!!

Lots of great evening entertainment -so we take a bottle of wine and meet some friends ( we met in Tassie) sitting there quietly talking at the very back and having a wine when a voice says.... Well guys how do you feel drinking in a no drink area ( there were others drinking earlier so that's why we thought all was OK) well if he repeated himself once he did it ten times until I had to give him a message ( a polite but to the point message) so no more drinks during evening entertainment until the last night and we were even allowed to decorate a table!!

Looked pretty tidy initially - forgot to take a pic after!

Wev'e decided probably no more rallies for a while - it's a long time since school...

18.4.11

Back to Melbourne for a while Painting!!


Tara these are for you at last - my Hat making results, The black one was'nt an option but hey you have to make the best of a bad job.

This is my Fav!

Luv this one too

Well........................

Soooo much for regular posts!!

21.3.11
Off to the Huon Valley still in the Apple Isle of Tasmania - Where most of the Apples are grown.

We stop off at Franklin where we park on the riverfront for $6 per night, the Tavern is across the road so no drink and drive probs :0) And it's here we see the largest 5th wheeler wev'e ever seen! Check out the size of our Citroen compared to it on the right of the photo.
They are also having thier annual show with fancy dress, log chop, and evening Dragon Boat races etc;
We also meet two really great people Robyn & Gordon whom we are hoping to keep in touch with.
Whilst we are here we visit the apple orchards which seem too numerous to mention, with Apple varieties wev'e not heard of before.
In the main street is the Lock up that dates back to the 1800's - Glad I was'nt around then seeing as they only stopped using it in the 80's!

Franklin River free camp

The fifth wheeler - check out the size of Rob and our Dolly!

The start of the logchop

Whoa iv'e always wanted to look like this say's Robbo

Dragon boat racing at sunset

The Franklin tavern where rob fancied himself as part of a skiffle group!

The lock up in the main street

Moving on around the huon valley to Gordon where we freecamped on the edge of the river where you can pick your own Oysters!! from the waters edge - Oh I wish I loved Oysters, nevertheless a beautiful place to camp and to be serenaded around the campfire with another traveller playing his guitar - Oh this is the life.

Rob standing at the waters edge checking out the Oysters

Camping at Gordon

30.3.11

Off back to hobart and staying at the showgrounds - pretty ordinary! We go to the Obligatory Cadburys Chocolate factory with no intention of spending anymore money on improving the size of my hips!! Alas temptation got the better of me.

Then on to Mona an incredible Art exhibition with some really controversial stuff, We took lots of photos ut they didn't turn out too well so if your interested go onto the website and see if you can have a look

Bizzarre

Space age Car

A Mummy 2000 yrs old done with Xray

30.3.11

Working our way through the centre of tassie to oatlands in the Midlands to see Callington Mill, this was operational til 1892 then gutted by fire and recently restored and now grinds thier own flour

Callington Mill

Rainbow at Oatlands

Nothing like an early morning dip!

Originally the gateway to the local goal and since re-erected as the gateway to the local school

This is how some shopkeepers operate in Oatlands - glad its not my local shop.

A more modern house still keeping the traditional external chimney

31.3.11

Ross a small hamlet in the midlands boasting one of the most beautiful bridges dated 1836, constructed by convicts one of whom is Daniel herbert who was pardoned for his efforts whilst being paid one shilling a day.

186 carvings ranging from animals ,plants,to Celtic gods and godesses.

Imagine earning your pardon this way today arrrgh

Just of to make a call - what year was this???

Not sure what's going on with these taswegians - this was the humerous sign in a bric a brac shop in Ross.

March 2011

12th Feb
We park at Primroese Sands whilst I (Pauline ) have a week back in Melbourne to study Hat Making for a week - that was fun I made three Hats ( When I work out how to download my pics from my I phone I will post my Hats.
Back to Primrose sands to pick up Rob ( Who had had rather a liquid week with some newfound friends ( who I aptly named Peter  - they all had traits of Robs brother!!)
On to Port  Auther and a cruise down the Tasman peninsula to see lots of wildlife, Albatross, Dolphins (my camera or me  were not fast enough to capture them!) We saw lots of sea caves and rock formations.

Dolorite rock formation

Albatross

Sea Cave

On from The Tasman cruise to Coalmines Historic site where convict Labour both mined and constructed this site and all of Port Arthur.

We now travel up through the central highlands to Launceston, Longford, Evandale, Deloraine and on to Mole creek national park where Rob decides to take up a sport......Fishing!!!

Please let there be a fish this time!

On to Gowrie Park for some free campimg and rest and relaxation!!  - great spot on the way to Cradle Mt. Where we visit Nowhere Else! Lower Crackpot, and Paradise god help us!!

Gowrie Park

Neargy Railton the town of Topiary

On to penguin along the North coast- incidentally they say that this is the only place in the world called Penguin, it has a much larger than life statue of a penguin, but there are real fairy penguins on the beach.
We reached Stanley to a place called the nut a rock formation that shot out of the ground many years ago and is a tourist attraction today.

View from the Nut at Stanley on Northeast coast

8th March on down the rugged west coast to Zeehan this was once the prime silvermining town and is now almost closed down here is a pic of the once very popular hotel and Gaiety theatre that used to hold 1000.



The Grand Hotel incorporaring the Gaiety Theatre Zeehan West Coast tasmania


9th March on to Strahan (pronounced strawn) a really picturesque place on  Macquarie harbour discovered by sailors searching for the source of the famous Huon Pine that is now becoming a lot more scarce. Here they promote the Gordon  river cruises.


Macquarie Harbour Strahan



Macquarie Heads campsite

 We stayed out at Macquarie Heads a beach camp some 11kms along a dirt road, but great camping at $6 per night, no facilities except a drop toilet (Argggh) not quite my style!!

Maquarie heads Beach Looking out to Hells gate Strahan

11th March over the mountain ranges on to Queenstown a copper mining town and home of the wilderness railway that runs between Queenstown and Strahan.


13th March We travel through the Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers Nat Pk a wild drive winding up the mountains and back down againat Derwent bridge where we came across an artist Greg Duncan who had created his own private collection called the Wall in the wilderness (when completed it will be 100 metres long) it is all carved out of Huon pine and its a Mural that examines subjects that are part of Tasmanias history and in fact some still in debate today such as mining and logging.
Photos were not  allowed but we bought the book and will photograph a couple of pages soon . Inside the front door of the exhibition was an overcoat -it looked as if it was made of leather but infact was carved from Huon pine, it was truely amazing.



14th March on to Wyatinah and then Hamilton a small Hamlet near Mt Field National park where we had a walk through the Tall timbers some 79metres high and to Russell Falls and Horseshoe Falls, a really lovely couple of days.

17th March on to Glenorchy - a suburb of Hobart where we spent a few days doing city walks and went to the Salamanca mkts - I had heard countless times over the years how Fab these were and we went yesterday - and welllllll they were very nice but not quite what I had summed them up to be, Oh well nothing ventured!

Salamanca Place hobart

An early Post box still in use in Hobart

Were off again tomorrow and after this mammoth event post I am going to post a little and often now.

8th Feb finally some reception!!

We have had telco problems - Long story but now sorted and on to Myrtle bank recreation park where we parked on the edge of the river had hot showers and all for $3 per night this was too good to miss( about 30mins from Launceston)
This was the massive tree in the park - a Radiata pine, 49mts tall and 140 yrs old. Here is a pic

The beautiful old lady is the tree, and the Mural on the electric pole was in a place called Lillydale done by a local artist who put her stamp on all the poles.

On to Tomahawk on the north coast then Cosy corner in the bay of fires on the North west coast- It is an area of idyllic white-sand beaches, placid lagoons and hidden coves.

The name Bay of Fires was given to the area by English navigator Captain Tobias Furneaux in 1773 when he observed numerous fires along the coast.
5th Feb Moving further down the coast to the Frecinet national Park. We are parked 50mts from Coles bay will do a video of it tomorrow to post  - Picturesue
We walked to wineglas bay a 4her return walk we called it wineglass to wine glass cos we were zonked when we returned!! We stopped at Freycinet lodge and I'm not sure wether we rehydrated or dehydrated, but it was good to get back on smooth ground.

This is a movie of wineglass bay from the lookout -the first leg of our walk about 30-40min. I think the clip shows it all.
Just backtracking a couple of days - Our Dolly (Citroen) seems to constantly attract attention -we were in St Helens on our way here and Lo and behold another citroen came hooning around the corner ( the only other one weve seen in tassie) the driver waving furiousley, he turned around and chased us until we stopped and three hours later after lots of Dolly talk we find ourselves back at Peter and Beatrix house - where Beatrix shouted out with glee "another Duck" ( They are German and fondly call 2CV's Duck) More Dolly talk!! but nice to meet new people, next day we stop in st Helens and met someone from stroud, God it's a small world.
Running out of time now and will post some more great pics tomorrow.
Signing off for now :0)