The Goldfields

21st March 2011
After a night at a noisy highway truck-stop today was again rather uninteresting as we drove towards Echuca and got some necessities out of the way like visiting an auto electrician and getting on top of the laundry. We couldn't find the campsite I was looking for but stopped in a pleasant picnic area instead.

22nd March 2011
Arriving at the port of Echuca was like stepping back in time. The wharf precinct is predominantly the same as it was 150 years ago. Placidly sitting at the wharf in the steadily flowing current of the Murray, the P.S. Pevensey awaited it's morning passengers.



The river was up a couple of meters up on it's usual flow for this time of the year after all the flooding rain Victoria has had in recent months. Even with the extra water it gently meanders through the red gum countryside as it moves inextricably towards Swan Hill, Mildura and eventually drains into the Southern Ocean via Lake Alexandrina south east of Adelaide. Echuca which means meeting of the waters, the Murray and Campaspe rivers, in the local Koori language, was an important crossroads for moving produce, mainly wool from inland Victoria, NSW and even Queensland sheep stations via the river highways onto the train and down to port Melbourne where it would then make it's way across the world. Due to the abundance of high quality red gum timber which is durable in water, a thriving timber cutting and ship building enterprise also blossomed. Extensive and more reliable road and rail networks eventually led to Echuca's decline as a working port and it fell into disrepair before the local historical society initiated action to prevent further decline. It is currently undergoing extensive restoration work through Federal, State and Local government funding to benefit the growing tourism industry in the area.


After a pleasant hour on the steam paddleboat we joined a walking tour of the port to learn more about the local history. Later in the day we rode our bikes from Victoria to NSW. For want of a suitable campsite I decided to spend the night at the carpark at the end of the port overlooking the paddle steamers and the Murray river. It made for a very pleasant stopover with a park across the road for Jayden to play in.

23rd March 2011
Our bike ride yesterday scored me 2 flat tyres so today was spent on schoolwork, repairs and traveling to Bendigo as the rain came down. We stopped in at Bendigo Pottery before heading back out of town a bit to the Lions Club Park for our overnight stay.

24th March 2011
As I wasn't expecting much of Bendigo today's adventures came as a pleasant surprise. We started at the Central Deborah Gold Mine where we ventured underground 61 metres into a real although now abandoned gold mine. Jay and I were fortunate to receive a private tour as we were the only ones there at the time. Two lovely old gentleman who used to work in the mine when it was operational conducted the tour. Donning out hard hats and battery pack lights we decended into the mine shaft by elevator.



While the tunnels have been widened slightly and made safe for the tourists it was nevertheless damp and dank and had a genuine feel to the experience. Operating the high pressure drill was somewhat daunting for Jayden, however he got a blast out of setting off the simulated mine charges. The mine was abandoned just 4 metres short of a long white gold bearing quartz seam. We were able to see un-mined gold in the seam. Following a brief time panning for gold in which we found a couple of specks of real gold we boarded the tram and headed off for an audio tour of the city centre.


Amazingly, as no one seems to know what the road rules concerning trams are, we didn't get hit and the return trip through the city centre was incident free. Vaughan Springs was our overnight free camp spot. This park has been popular for over 100 years when the locals would gather for picnics. Boasting a natural mineral spring which disappointingly was closed due to contamination from the creek after the Victorian floods, the area has a giant slide, miniature railway, gazebo and fenced 100 yard racing track. Pictures of picnickers from the turn of the century utilizing the facilities gave an interesting insight into the past. Tellingly the denuded landscape in the photographs again shows how little regard the early Australians had for the environment. Being an alluvial gold field every tree had been chopped down as the miners ravaged the timber resources for housing, heating and cooking. With the harsh summer sun beating down on them perhaps they regretted their rash actions as the area was replanted with many European trees to provide shade and beautification.

25th March 2011
Just out of Daylesford are numerous mineral springs much acclaimed for their health and healing properties which we were finally able to sample. If you like the effervescent lightly carbonated taste of rust (iron) and the bouquet of sulphur (rotten egg gas) then you must get to Wombat Creek. BYO bottles and you can enjoy as much of this heady brew as you please.



Sadly Jayden's and my taste buds aren't sophisticated enough and after a few tentative sips we emptied out bottles and headed for the nearest tap.
With no free-camps within cooee of Ballarat by necessity we booked into the Big 4 caravan park. Being conveniently placed within walking distance to Sovereign Hill gave it the edge over other parks in the area. My next challenge with Frankie seems to be the front tyre which was decidedly low. We went and topped up the air pressure and it has looked OK over the weekend, however I think a trip to the tyre experts might be in order. The last thing I want is a flat in the middle of nowhere.

26th March 2011
Journeying back to the 1850's, today was spent exploring Sovereign Hill. Recreated from photos and drawings from the era, the township is a very authentic reproduction of Ballarat about a decade after gold fever struck.
From the diggers panning in the stream to the more organized mining operations which developed as the alluvial gold dried up, the town has captured the essence of the gold rush town. I was glad we'd had the opportunity to explore the mine in Bendigo first as the mines here, although once authentic, have been so touristified that they barely resemble any longer what the actual mines were like. We spent the late afternoon panning once more for that elusive glint of gold.


We did find a few tiny (nuggets is probably a tad generous) slivers of gold to put into our bottle (which probably cost more than the value of the gold within). Home to Frankie for a bite of dinner then it was back up the hill all rugged up in our winter woollies and jackets for the "Blood on the Southern Cross" sound and light show depicting the events leading up to and culminating in the Eureka stockade battle. This was extremely well done and very interesting. Both Jayden and I have a much better understanding of this important moment in Australian history through this experience. It was delightful hearing him recount to a young girl in church the next day what the Eureka Stockade was about. I'm confident that this type of learning will have a greater impact and stay with him longer than it would have had he learned about it in a classroom.

27th March 2011
Joining with a community of believers from the Church of Christ this morning was wonderful. I arrived early after some misinformation from the tourist information centre. I always find it interesting visiting other churches. It is easy to get so comfortable with our own church that we forget what it is like for newcomers. Being early I had about half an hour to hang around between services. Initially I stood back to see if anyone would come over. The children were very welcoming and Jayden was soon off and playing. It took a good 20 minutes before anyone approached. Interestingly it was the senior pastor who noticed me sticking out like a sore thumb and after a brief chat integrated me into a group for a cuppa. The service itself was very much like our own with some great music and sound biblical teaching. The sermon gave me much food for thought as I reevaluate how I would like to serve when we return to Sydney. After some hot chippies at the local milk bar for lunch we moved onto the Gold Museum which we'd run out of time to visit the previous day. A relaxing afternoon in the caravan park and catching up on some laundry has been a great way to finish off the weekend.

28th March 2011
Happy birthday Chris, we're thinking of you on your special day. After getting Frankie's tyres checked, rotated and balanced we had a picnic lunch at Lake Wendouree adventure playground. From there we bid farewell to the Goldfields and headed back to the coast for the drive along the Great Ocean Road. Bell's Beach, famous worldwide for it's great surf, was our first stop.


Preparations were being made for the Pro surfing competition which attracts surfers from around the world to our shores as part of the world surfing circuit. With no free camps listed in my book and all the headlands clearly marked with no sleeping in vehicles overnight we pulled into a little car park at the head of a bushwalk for the night.
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Freycinet National Park and The North East

16th March 2011
Isn't it funny how our memories can sometimes deceive us. My recollections of Wineglass Bay from my last visit were of us spontaneously deciding to wander over there from the campsite in little more than our swimmers and a towel and thongs. This time around it seemed like a much more arduous venture. The walk into Wineglass Bay took us about 1.5 hours over a spur between two mountains. The bay itself is pure magic. A perfect semi-circular bay with a stunningly beautiful white sandy beach which gives the shallow bay it's amazing blue-green colour. Again the attractiveness of the beach lures you into it's icy waters. Jay played jump-the-waves as I scanned the bay for signs of dolphins since it was here that I previously had the opportunity to swim whilst the dolphins played around us. Disappointed that we didn't get to see any this time we reluctantly headed off to complete our circuit. Following the Isthmus track to Hazard Beach which was littered with abalone shells, possibly the remains of aboriginal middens, we returned to the carpark, completing our 11km journey.



Slipping in another couple of hours driving north we retired for the night at Lagoons Beach free camp site. As Jay was keen for a campfire, and there was little wood around, we went and introduced ourselves to some grey nomads already relaxing by a campfire. It proved the place to be as traveller after traveller joined us around the warm blaze. Being a typical Cub, Jay wanted to cook something, preferably marshmallows, over the fire. Lacking marshmallows I whipped up a batch of dough and Jayden amazed the other campers by cooking damper twists over the open fire and then filling it up with creamed honey. It's been interesting seeing the response of many of the grey nomads to Jayden. Some are wonderfully friendly and delight in helping him out and including him in conversations. These invariably are the ones with grand children at home whom they are missing. The others, possibly travelling to escape their grand-parenting duties, treat him with disdain or simply ignore him. Many are traveling with their dogs (I don't know that I'd like that in the close quarters of a caravan or motorhome) and Jay has enjoyed meeting new people, often through their dogs.

17th March2011
It was only a short drive into St Helen's where we stocked up on groceries and enjoyed fish and chips at the mariner. Moving on a bit we headed for Binalong Bay which is part of the Bay of Fires Conservation area.



Another stunningly beautiful and enticing white sandy beach surrounded by large dolomite boulders with a distinctive orange lichen growing on them which gives the area it's name. It's easy to imagine how boats passing this bit of the coastline may have mistaken the lichen on the rocks for fires or even lava. Rock hopping, swimming in the bay, fishing and reading whiled away the afternoon. Moving into our campsite at Cosy Corner 2 free camp around 5pm we had a bit of time before dinner to join in with a game of cricket the kids had going. Wandering down to the beach after dinner we couldn't resist a bit more adventurous rock hopping over and around these blazing boulders.



As the sun set and the long Tasmanian twilight lingered we returned to the safety of the beach and chatted to a local fisherman dipping his line into the moonshine encrusted waves. Bearing marshmallows this time we were invited to join two couples around their fire. Peeping shyly out of the coastal heath we spied some New Holland mice and on a trip to the toilets a very large brush tailed possum.

18th March 2011
Today was again mostly driving. Distances are deceiving in Tassie and regulary take me much longer to cover than I would expect. We went into Tree-top Adventures outside Launceston only to find that we'd just missed the last group for the day which had been full nevertheless. At $175 for the two of us I was quietly pleased that we couldn't be accommodated. Instead we continued on through Launceston and up the Tamar River towards Exeter where we detoured off to the Bush Maze. Following our failsafe method we easily navigated the maze and the tackled some of the other puzzles and challenges around the grounds. The night was spent in a pleasant council carpark on the banks of the Tamar called Rose Bay Park.

19th March 2011
Sadly today is our last on the Tasmanian Isle. Starting the day with Colin Buchanan singing about the Beaconsfield mining disaster we set off for Beaconsfield Heritage Centre. This proved quite interesting and we spent a few hours touring the centre. This is still a working mine, however the only sign of such is the large shaft and elevator with the miners safety tag board in front, so familiar from the media coverage of Todd Russell and Brant Webb's ordeal of two weeks underground squashed like sardines into the tiny safety cage awaiting their mates on the surface to dig them out. Jay was kept occupied with many hands-on displays throughout the centre including panning for gold. A very worthwhile experience.



Onto LaTrobe we headed for our last night camping in another council run park behind the local IGA. A brief walk took us to a marvelous doll, bear and toy emporium located in the main street. I wish we'd had a bit more time to explore this old home packed to the rafters with every type of bear, doll, fairy, puzzle and science kit you can imagine. We were met at the door by a fudge bearing jester and given a map to help us negotiate the store's wonderful wares. Before we knew it we were being ushered out and back to Frankie where we had a simple dinner to use up some of the bits in the freezer which would go off the following day with no refrigeration on our journey back across Bass Strait.

20th March 2011
Another early morning to get us back onto the Spirit of Tasmania. Good-bye Tassie, hopefully it won't be so long between visits next time.



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Bruny Island and Port Arthur

12th March 2011
After catching up on emails at Maccas just outside Hobart we continued on our journey. Across on the car ferry we went to Bruny Island. It was getting late in the day as we pulled into the booking centre for Bruny Island cruises. As we'd been on the go constantly since we left Sydney I decided to book into an afternoon cruise and spend a second night on the island. After settling into Captain Cook caravan park we crossed the road and went for a walk along the beach at Adventure Bay.

White sand, crystal clear aqua waters and an abundance of bird life made for a very relaxed afternoon. Looking terribly inviting the waters lured us in (shrinkage factor of at least 8). Needless to say we didn't last long and headed back across to Frankie for dinner.

13th March 2011
Chilling out on the beach was the order of the day this morning. After test running his skim scooter which involves me running up and down the beach dragging Jay in my wake, not exactly my idea of a restful morning, he found some kids to play with on his Wahoo board then got busy building sandcastles on the beach. Once he was preoccupied with the other children, I settled into my book and a beach chair.
After lunch we rode our bikes down to the jetty in readiness for the cruise. You know you're in for a rough ride when all the passengers are offered ginger travel calm tablets and dressed in ankle length water jackets.



A 12.5 metre Naiad with three 300 horse power engines (the 4WDs of the sea) whizzed us along the rugged coastline of Bruny Island edging over the demarcation line between the Tasman Sea and the Southern Ocean. We stopped to peer into sea caves and drift up close to the breathing rock which is a type of horizontal blowhole. As the ocean pounds against the cliff wall it sucks in air only to expel it moments later in a blast of air and water. Speeding through the gap between the cliffs and The Monument certainly gets the heart racing.



The towering cliff walls of dolomite loom over you as you float around at the base of the Cathedral in a part of the world usually only seen by a few fisherman and abalone divers. Once in the Southern Ocean we came upon the rocky islands which are home to a large colony of male Australian fur seals. We got close enough to smell them. Jayden was delighted by their antics and giggled as they played and scuffled with one another. The females and younger pups live in colonies in other places further up the Tasmanian, Victorian and South Australian coastlines.




During the return trip a southerly change blew in making the journey quite exciting as we bounced over the rough swell in chase of the Albatross soarinng overhead. I was very grateful we were out there on a quiet day. Apparently swells of 4 metres aren't uncommon and the boats go out in all but a cyclone. Jay got very wet and cold and we reluctantly had to move into the more protected rear of the boat and add a few layers of warm dry clothing. This cruise has by far been the highlight of our tourist activities in Tassie.

14th March 2011
Heading off on an early start so we could catch the 8:30am ferry back to the main island began our long drive to Port Arthur. We could see the peninsula from Adventure Bay and as the crow flies Port Arthur isn't that far away but by land it was a deceptively long drive. Arriving about 11:30am we ate a quick lunch in Frankie and then spent the rest of the day exploring the many interesting haunts around the settlement.




Having opted for the audio guide we were able to move at our own pace with a running commentary. The ferry took us across to The Isle of the Dead where we joined a guided tour about the cemetery that has become the resting place for possibly a thousand convicts, soldiers and nobility. Leaving late in the day after many of the tourists had left gave us a chance to see the settlement in a different light. It was easy to imagine we had travelled back in time as the shadows grew long and a golden glow spread across the grounds. I would have loved to hang around for the ghost tour but had to decline lest I scar Jayden for life.



Grateful we'd booked into the nearby Port Arthur caravan park it was only a short drive to our campsite. Since there appeared to be an abundance of wildlife roaming the park we expectantly grabbed our torches and ventured into the dark. We were well rewarded spotting Bennett's wallabies, Tasmanian pademelons, southern brown bandicoots, brush tailed possums a scorpion and something with glowing green eyes in the spotlight which may have been a possum or possibly a quoll.

15th March 2011
Returning up the peninsula at a more leisurely pace we stopped off at the Tasmanian Devil Park where we got a great up-close look at the ellusive Tasmanian Devils, although we'd seen plenty in the roadside butchery. Jay enjoyed being an active participant at the Free Flight Bird Show which showcased a number of Australian birds. Visits to Tasman's Arch, the Devil's Kitchen, the Blowhole, Tessellated Pavement and the Dog Line. The Dog Line was set up in the narrowest part of the Peninsula to stop any convicts who contemplated escaping from getting too far.
Mean, angry dogs were set in a line across the land chained to a barrel which doubled as a shelter. They even had dogs out on barges in the water should any of the convicts attempt swimming around. If the dogs themselves didn't get you the barking would arouse the soldiers who would shoot you. Ironically Friendly Beach in Freycinet National Park was our overnight destination. Here we camped in the coastal heath overlooking the white sandy beaches of the East Coast. Dozing off as the waves crash onto the beach, looking out the window at a zillion stars and awaking to the sun rising over the ocean is one of the magical moments of free camping.



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Western Wilderness

7th March 2011
Today we headed towards Cradle Mountain. The big excitement of the journey was when we ran over a black Tiger Snake. I'd aimed Frankie so he would go straight over the top without hurting him. Unfortunately he reared up, flaring his head outwards so as to look threatening and struck at us as we passed over. Hopefully he missed!

8th March 2011
We got off to an early start today climbing aboard the 8:20am shuttle bus into Cradle Mountain. The area has become very tourist oriented. When I was last here about 24 years ago I felt like we were the only ones in the park and that we were entering into a wild and rugged wilderness area. This time with tourist signposts, boardwalks and people of all ages tromping about the park it no longer has that wilderness feel to it.
Walking the boards is definitely better for the environment and I could
see the old tracks that we'd sloshed through ankle deep in mud still trying to repair themselves. Crater Lake was our first destination. Reaching the iconic wooden shelter you'll recognize from any photos you've seen of the Cradle Mountain area we donned our raincoats as the weather began to turn nasty.



Onto Marion's Lookout we marched as the drizzle turned to rain and the wind picked up and cut through our clothing. From Marion's Lookout we had a good view of the peaks of Cradle Mountain. As much as I would have liked to scale the heights the path is not an easy one, marked only with an occasional pole defining the track through a boulder strewn cliff side.



Reluctantly we headed back down to Dove Lake to complete the circuit around the lake and through the Ballroom Forest, a moss and lichen decorated corner of the forest perpetually shaded by the mountains ringing that side of the lake. Jay took a bit of a slip down some narrow stairs bruising and grazing his back pretty badly. The rain had really set in by now and we'd lost sight of Cradle Mountain completely, justifying my decision not to go up there. Certainly not the place to be in a whiteout with a nine year old. After fueling up on some lunch we took the shuttle bus back to the visitors centre. The weather was much improved so we embarked upon another walk through The Enchanted Forest. This was a beautiful walk through the type of forest that was used as the basis for the Elves home in The Lord of the Rings. It didn't take much imagination to believe that fairies and pixies might dwell amid the mossy vegetation.



On returning to the carpark Frankie had a tantrum about being left alone all day and refused to start. The weather had caught up with us again and so I was feeling rather miserable and sorry for myself as I attempted to jump start him with a battery pack from the rangers station. Wanting to be close to help should I need it next morning we stayed the night at a caravan park in Zeehan. I'd hoped for a special birthday dinner at a nice restaurant but the best Zeehan could manage was a pub up the far end of town which I declined. I didn't even manage to find a bakery for a celebratory cupcake!

9th March 2011
Frankie kicked up a fuss again this morning and I had to clutch start him. Fortunately I'd parked on an ever so slight decline but it was just enough to get rolling and turn the battery over. First stop was the mechanic in Zeehan who checked the charge in the batteries and declared everything to be working fine. He suggested it may be the starter motor or perhaps a short circuit somewhere and advised I take Frankie to an auto electrician. Mind you there isn't one on the whole West Coast and the mobile service only comes to the West Coast once a week and had been in yesterday. With him up and running for the day I decided to head to Strahan anyway and take evasive action that night by disconnecting the dual batteries to ensure they couldn't be flattened overnight. It would also allow me to work out whether the start motor was really an issue or not.
Strahan is a charming little fishing village on the banks of Macquarie Harbour with beautifully restored late 19th and early 20th century architecture giving the place a Victorian era feel.




After lunch we went for an amble to Hogarth Falls from People's Park which was a popular gathering place for locals in the late 1800's. Delightfully we spotted a platypus playing in the creek along the walk. This is a rare treat especially during the day and with so many people wandering up the path. We felt very privileged. We were dismayed to find the caravan parks all full, as was every other type of accommodation, and so we headed onto the free campsite only to find it was closed. A quick chat with the nearby golf club owner secured us a spot in the golf club carpark for the night.
From there it was a flat and pleasant ride into Strahan village for a pantomime "The Boat That Never Was". This interactive reenactment of an escape attempt by some Sarah Island convicts to Chile was hilariously entertaining and interesting. An unfortunate delay caused us to be a few minutes late and we were duly picked on by the two-man cast.



Jayden found himself playing the 95 year old hero Bill and I starred as the parrot. Jayden enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame immensely and did a sterling job in his character acting. He has found it somewhat bothersome ever since though when people approach him randomly in the street and congratulate him on his fine performance.


As if that wasn't enough excitement for one night we were booked onto "Sophia" for an excursion out to Bonnet Island. This took us through Hell's Gate a narrow and shallow channel, the only entrance into the massive Macquarie Harbour which is four times the size of Sydney Harbour. The passage into the harbour is guided by three lighthouses as the channel does a dog leg halfway requiring vessels to line up very carefully with the coloured strips on the lights to safely navigate the journey. It was to one of these lighthouses on Bonnet Island that our boat journeyed. Onto the island we trekked after the late Tasmanian dusk finally turned to night for a glimpse of the residents, a colony of Little Penguins. We weren't disappointed and had numerous encounters with the penguins from close proximity. Jay got to within a few centimeters of these sweet seabirds.



Unlike other harbours Macquarie has a layer of fresh water sitting atop the heavier salt water for a large portion of it's capacity. This allows for very healthy fish apparently as they are able to move between the salt and fresh water to rid themselves of many of the bacterial diseases that are a problem in other waterways. Another anomaly concerns the tides. The harbour isn't affected by lunar tides as you'd expect. The tides are a result of the air pressure. A high pressure system allows water into the Harbour and a low pushes it back out to sea. Even on a calm night like the one we had you've got to admire the gumption of the convicts who thought they could escape the colony by heading into the Southern Ocean and making a bee-line for South America.
It was two very weary but satisfied travelers who eventually cycled back to the golf club around 10pm that night.

10th March 2011
Arising early in case Frankie decided to be difficult I was delighted when he started first time after reconnecting the battery. At least it ruled out the starter motor as being an issue. Consequently we arrived nice and early at the station for the Western Wilderness Railway trip into Queenstown.




It was a pleasant and informative trip with an interpretive guide keeping up a commentary about the landscape and local history the whole time. It was rather disconcerting to see the King River which had all the dirt from mining in Queenstown dumped into it over many years. Millions of tonnes of debris have silted up the King and poisoned the banks so that for a long distance very little is growing on the banks, not even the weeds that would usually flourish in the vacant space. The faster flowing sections are healthier and there was a profusion of Huon pines on the banks. These come in male and female varieties. Notably the males have an erect habit whereas the females have droopy branches. Huon pines are very slow growing. Estimates of the age of some of the large specimens that were cut down in Tasmania's early pioneer days put them at as much as 3800 years old. If I thought that the King River was bad however, it was nothing in comparison to the Queen which flows directly form Queenstown into the King. Even now that the discharge from the mines has stopped flowing into the rivers it is stained orange and looks disgusting. Our guide could remember as a child playing a game where instead of skimming rocks across the water he and his mates would have competitions to see whose stone would take the longest to sink into the sluggish waters of the Queen. Eight seconds was not unusual. He informed us that the Queen used to glug along more like porridge than water. At least the water is now flowing again, but estimates of between 100 and 1000 years have been put forward for the Queen to make a full recovery. Pulling into Queenstown I got my first glimpse of the town I've heard described as a moonscape. I had always assumed that it was purely the mining activities that had desecrated the place and whilst that is partly true a lot of the desolation is due to the fact that to keep the mines running and also provide both heating and fuel for cooking for the residents it used to be necessary to provide 2000 tonne of wood per day. 1000 men were employed just to cut timber to keep the fires burning, resulting in them needing to gradually spread over ever increasing distances to obtain this precious resource, and culminating in the denuded landscape that bears witness to the poor environmental practices of the past. I was embarrassed by the state of Queenstown and hope that if nothing else it will stand as reminder to Australia to take better care of our natural resources. A coach returned us to Strahan where we then had to wait over an hour for the jump start pack I'd ordered in to arrive on the afternoon truck from Burnie to provide me with a little extra insurance and peace of mind. We then drove back to Queenstown where I believe God taught me a lesson about how, with His touch, even the most ugly and desolate things can be made beautiful. The afternoon sun was setting over the distant mountains throwing a golden glow over the barren landscape. The colours that those naked hills shone as we drove out of Queenstown were phenomenal. It was getting dark as we drove into the Lake Burbury campground that evening to make our camp.



11th March 2011
Our last day in the Western Wilderness took us through the middle of the Gordon-Franklin National Park. We did a short walk through the rainforest around the Franklin River. I had never realized how close we came to losing this wilderness area. The vote in the High Court of Australia regarding the construction of the Franklin Dam was 4 votes to 3. If just one of those four men had voted differently our nation would have lost this last untamed area in Tasmania.



We bid the wild west a reluctant farewell as we continued east towards Hobart. A quick hike in the Lake St. Clair National Park which I found fairly uninteresting was followed by a visit to "The Wall in the Wilderness". Artist Greg Duncan (no relation to Ken) is working on creating a one hundred panel wood sculpture depicting the mining and timber history of the local area. The panels are amazingly detailed and allow you to see the progression of the work from a two dimensional rough sketch on the wood through the initial chiseling to the meticulously sanded finish. For Jayden and I however the individual pieces were by far the best. Akubra's, dry-as-a-bone coats, work gloves and satchels all carved out of single pieces of timber and so lifelike you'd swear they were made of leather rather than timber.
It was a long drive into Hobart where we stopped at Treasure Island caravan park Claremont so I could get some laundry done. Connecting onto the mains water pressure blew one of Frankie's hot water pipe connections inside the kitchen cupboard. I was just finishing cleaning up the mess after addressing the maintenance issue when a second one underneath the bus blew. Despondently I crawled under the bus to make the necessary repairs.



To cap off my stay in Claremont, when I got up the following morning and went to collect my washing several items had been stolen off the line leaving me with very few warm items of clothing. At first I was angry and miserable at this turn of events but again God used this opportunity to teach me some valuable lessons. With Luke 6:27-31 in mind I wrote a note to leave on the wall near the clothes lines to let the offender know that I was praying for them and that I hoped the clothes would keep them warm in the chilly Tasmanian climate. Our main reason for staying in Claremont was to visit the Cadbury factory, only to find when we got there Saturday morning that they aren't open weekends. Oh well, moving on.


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South Arthur Forest

Today's journey took us down the West Coast to Arthur River. The Arthur River drains it's tannin stained water into the wild waters of the Southern Ocean. We stood at a point known as " The End of the World". It is a bit bizarre to realize that you are breathing in some of the cleanest air in the world that has blown across thousands of kilometers of open ocean. You certainly wouldn't want to get caught in a rip here. The first landfall heading west from here would be the East coast of Argentina.


Moving on we headed down the coast along tracks of extremely fine white/grey dust which infiltrated into every nook and cranny of Frankie. Finally the open coastal plains mostly devoid of all but the hardiest vegetation gave way to the forests of the Tarkine.


Julius River in the South Arthur Forest is one of the most beautiful and magical places I've been. Swathed in mosses, delicate ferns and epiphytes, every tree is a majestic work of art. A myriad of shades of green emblazons every corner of the rainforest. Stately Manferns stand sentry around the forest floor. Each fallen tree and rock is a haven for the forest creatures hiding in the daytime dens awaiting evening to bring to life the forest.



Lake Chisolm is a plugged up sinkhole that has filled with water. Because it is lower than the surrounding forest it is very protected from the weather and is usually a giant mirror reflecting the surrounding forest. Today however the wind was unusually strong and ripples broke the still surface.
Tonight we are camped in the South Arthur Forest.
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North West Tassie

5th March 2011
Every corner you turn in Tassie provides you with a new and stunning vista. The morning started very cold getting down to zero. Jay is nice and warm in bed as he has the hot water tank under his bed which I'm leaving on on these cold nights. I however don't have such comforts and spent most of the night shivering. The day warmed up nicely although a fresh chill remained in the air. We headed off to Dip Falls and Big Tree. The Falls were unusual. Hexagonal basalt columns left from a volcanic past. The Big Tree was a survivor of the logging era of the 1920's. A huge based Stringy Bark tree estimated to be about 500 years old.




After that it was into Stanley and up The Nut on the chairlift. A pleasant walk around the top of The Nut gives great views east and west along the coastline. I picked up some scallops from the fishing port for dinner and we continued on our way.
Our last stop of the day was Tarkine Forest Adventures in Dismal Swamp. This is a state forest that has developed a 110m slide into a Blackwood forest sinkhole. Most of the sinkholes in the region have been drained for grazing. This one remains and is a haven for local wildlife. In particular the unusual forest crayfish which build mud chimneys for their homes.




We've seen a bit of local wildlife but sadly the vast majority of wildlife we've seen so far has been roadkill. National Parks of Tasmania estimate that as many as a million native animals are killed on their roads each year. One of the surprising sights for me has been the number of Tasmanian Devils we've seen. I had the notion that they were pretty rare but they are certainly in abundance in the North West of the state.
Last night we stopped at Green Point just out of Marrawah. It is a very popular freecamp site. There are at least 14 other vehicles all jammed into a council carpark overlooking the Southern Ocean. We went for a long walk along the beach at sunset hoping to see Little Penguins or fur seals but to no avail. Watching the sun set over the ocean for the first time in my life was pretty special, and something I probably won't see again no until we hit Western Australia.




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Crossing Bass Strait

There's something really special about waking up to a different view each morning. I'm amazed at how many other travelers there are out here. So many of them have sold up everything for a life on the road. I can see how the temptation to live a carefree gypsy lifestyle would be quite appealing. I think the thing I would miss most about living in one place is the connection with community.
This week has put my resilience and drive to do this to the test. We had a couple of quite long days driving first across the Victorian border and onto Lakes Entrance. It was a grey miserable day so we didn't mind spending it in the car listening to an audiobook of "The Hobbit". We got into Lakes Entrance around 3 pm and went for a long bike ride along the lakes edge. That was followed by another day of driving to Port Albert which was the earliest Port in Victoria (circa 1840). Initially it supplied stock to both Sydney and Tasmania and later to the Gippsland Goldfields. Our campsite that night had pleasant views over the harbour. The wind sprang up next morning and blew up a gale all day. It felt like poor Frankie would be knocked over.



Driving was quite a challenge all day being buffeted about by the winds. I'd planned on driving to Port Phillip so we could see the fairy penguins but when we stopped at a scenic lookout around the Bunarong Marine Park Frankie decided he'd had enough and wouldn't start up again. After a rescue call to CMCA/Lumley they were able to send a mechanic out to jump start us. He advised that the battery seemed fine and it was likely a problem with the alternator. He sent us off with a whereis map to Wonthaggi Auto-Elec. It was 3pm by the time we got there and they couldn't do anything immediately but booked me in for the following morning and sent me off to the closest caravan park. Upon arrival the office was closed as it was their afternoon off, typical! I tried the mobile number on the door only to discover that my credit had run out, of course. So after topping up my credit I tried again and got message bank, hmmmm! I quickly gave her a rundown of my predicament including the fact that if I turned off the engine it was unlikely that I'd go any further. When she still hadn't called back in 5 minutes I pulled into a visitors carpark space and tuned off the engine, just as the park owner pulled into the driveway, ironic. I tried starting him up again and ...nothing. Consequently we spent a night in the carpark. We were at least able to connect to power so I could recharge the jump start pack. Unbeknownst to me it also charged the car battery and so the following morning I was able to turn the engine over and limp my way back into downtown Wonthaggi. They got straight to work and replaced the alternator which was completely cactus. Jay and I spent the morning in Maccas doing schoolwork and making the most of the free Wi-Fi. By 11am they were done and we were on the road again (sung to the appropriate tune).
We belatedly headed to Port Phillip just to see what was there knowing full well we couldn't hang around for the penguin parade or we would risk not making the boat to Tassie next morning. In the words of John Lennon "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". We had a brilliant afternoon at a place called A Maze'N Things. We played putt-putt, explored the Illusion house and conquered the 3D maze. Next it was onto Panny's chocolate factory. We did the tour which was well worthwhile. It started by going through the process of making chocolate from the bean to the wrapper then moved into the fun stuff, a huge mural of Dame Edna Everage made out of chocolate creams, a replica of the statue "David" full size made out of solid chocolate. Paintings "Ned Kelly" and "The Scream" reproduced in swirls of white, milk and dark chocolate adorned the walls. The worlds largest chocolate waterfall (not quite as impressive as Willie Wonkers') and a solid ton of dark chocolate. Then it was our turn to make our own chocolate swirl pattern which we collected at the end and gobbled up. Lastly Jay was able to select the ingredients for his own chocolate, he chose milk Cola, and with lot's off flashing lights and impressive noises it spat his special chocolate out the other end. At the end of a very full day we headed further around the coast into the Mornington Penninsula where we spent the night in Chelsea.



A 5am start and an easy drive around the bay brought us to the Spirit of Tasmania. It was quite exciting loading Frankie on and moving onto the ship. Dosed up on Travel Calm, regularly nibbling on crystalised Ginger and sipping on Ginger beer got me across Bass Strait without embarrassment despite fairly rough seas. Quite an achievement for someone who gets travel sick playing on the swings at Crestwood Reserve.
We pulled into Devonport, Tasmania around 6:40pm. They were quite thorough at Quarantine at that end. Jay especially liked the trained Beagles that were sniffing out contraband fruit and vegetables. A quick bite at Maccas and we set off to find a campsite I'd picked out at Gunns Plains. Do you think I could find it in the dark? I did however spot three Tasmanian Devils, possibly a Bandicoot and some suicidal rabbits before stumbling across another suitable campsite. It was bitterly cold overnight and I shivered despite winter jammies, three blankets and my special inner sheet which is meant to improve my sleeping bags cold rating by about 8 degrees Celsius. Tassie is definitely living up to it's reputation in that if we don't like the weather we just have to wait five minutes for something different.
Today we stocked up on shopping at Burnie then went to a place called "The Makers of Burnie" which showcase local artisans. We took tour of a creative paper making business and made our own paper from pulp.


Fossil Bluff near Wynyard was our next destination. Here the whole cliff is embedded with shells. The shells aren't actually fossilised which, as I understand it usually means that the original substance has been replaced with minerals which, like a cast, fill the space to preserve the shape of the original. Where they were exposed you could see that the shells looked exactly like shells you'd find on the beach today. As they become exposed the calcite bleaches and dissolves away. They certainly didn't look like 400 million year old fossils as the interpretive signs would have us believe. Looked more like a heap of mud and shells had been swept up and dumped in a cataclysmic watery event. Hmmm... wonder what that could have been? (OK I'll get off my soapbox now but I reserve the right to get back on again whenever it pleases me.)
Around the corner from Fossil Bluff is Table Cape. A short walk from the lighthouse reveals breathtaking vistas of the North West coastline. I would love to come back in spring when hectares of Tulips on the hilltop make an amazing patchwork display. Again plenty of evidence of Tassie Devils around the top of the cliff. Tonight we are in a lovely little bush caravan park at Crayfish Creek just out of Stanley which is tomorrows destination.


- Posted using BlogPress from Julie and Jayden's iPad

We're off!

We've survived our first week on the road! Glorious weather has been an enormous blessing as I get used to both the driving and camping aspects of the adventure. Saying goodbye and driving off were extremely difficult. In much the same way as "The Big Drop" at Questacon requires a great deal of courage to let go, I found that that initial letting go has been the biggest hurdle so far. Our first night of freedom camping was in John Edmondson VC rest area about 15km north of Lake George. We were treated to a brilliant sunset and kangaroos at the campsite.



Our first tourist destination was Canberra where we spent a full day at Questacon igniting Jaydens' passion for all things scientific. Leigh and Janine kindly allowed me to park on their front lawn overnight so we could continue our exploration of Canberra the next day. After touring The Mint, Parliament House and The War Memorial we spent another (very cold) night in Canberra before heading to the warmer climes of the NSW South Coast.
I wish I'd had more time to explore the many little towns dotted along the coastline. Bermagui was especially beautiful and I hope I can return some time and discover all the special places we had to drive past.
I've met some lovely people along the way already. Tonight as we freedom camp at Yellow Pinch Dam we share the site with 3 grey nomad couples and a family in a huge coach with four children from 6 to 12 years who are also being homeschooled. Jay very boldly introduced himself when we first arrived and has spent the evening playing in the coach with the two younger girls. Everyone has been tremendously friendly and helpful with lots of useful tips to make our traveling more pleasant.


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Location:Yellow Pinch Dam 22km south of Bega

Welcoming 2011!

What better way to kick off our year of touring Australia than with New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour. After gathering our picnic blankets, gathering our gastronomic delights and gathering out wits we braved the crowds swarming onto the Harbour foreshore. Nestled under the sprawling branches of a Morton Bay fig which probably welcomed the First Fleet into the cove, we made camp, erected our defences and prepared to battle for our piece of turf as the growing crowds invaded this otherwise peaceful vista. Lazily the long, long hours passed, reading, tag-team exploring, puzzling and simply observing the passing parade.


Eventually night fell. Beguiling in her evening attire Sydney prepared for the big event. And she didn't disappoint. As an appetizer the 9:00pm display whetted our appetites for what was to come. Finally midnight was upon us. Five million dollars worth of explosives makes one awesome extravaganza. Jayden especially, who had never experienced New Year's Eve on the Harbour before, was blown away by the experience. His enthusiastic comments during the spectacle were a delight and made the whole ordeal well worthwhile.


Even the long trip home with all the other revelers wasn't enough to spoil the experience. Carrying a sleepy Jay from the train was like wrestling with a ginormous stick insect, all long uncooperative limbs moving in different directions. By 3:15am I finally settled him into bed. Will I brave NYE 2012? Only time will tell!
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Location:Blues Point Reserve Sydney Harbour

Get ready.

I still don't know where the idea came from. It's something I've had in the back of my mind for years and then suddenly the time seemed right and the window of opportunity was opened. So after trawling through all the motorhome websites we created a short list and set off to find our dream machine. After searching for a couple of months we finally found a vehicle which had all the features we wanted.We christened him Frankie, named after Frankenstein's monster, because of all the odd bits and pieces (Toyota Coaster body, Ford Cleveland engine and other bits from a VN Commodore, Ford Telstar, GMH Jackaroo and Landcruiser Troopy) which make him up. The dream was starting to come to life.