March 30, 2016. Animals, dead and alive......

CAMPGROUND:  Huonville Caravan Park. Commercial park with its own farm.  Elevated kitchen area built from containers.  Very nice toilets and showers.  $25.   5 stars

LOCATION:  Huonville , near Hobart

WEATHER:  Very nice during the day. High around 70.  Cold at night

We drove through the "western wilderness".  Even though the distances are short, it takes a long time to get anywhere.  There was a real highway massacre during the night.  We counted 100+ dead animals hit by cars .....wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, and even a farmer's escaped chicken!  The Tasmanian devils come out at night and eat the carrion.  

Our destination was the Hobart area, Tasmania's largest city and capital.  We strolled around the waterfront.  

And walked down some side streets, catching the "Hope and Anchor", Australia's oldest pub.  

Since we don't like driving in big cities, we headed south to Huonville, about 30 miles away.  We are in a rich valley.

Our campground is part of an actual farm, with lots of chickens, sheep, pigs and cows.  We watched the piglets born  a few days ago, and the farmers feeding the animals.

The afternoon was sunny and warm, so we sat outside reading and basking in the welcome sun.

DINNER:  Pizza cooked in the camp kitchen's pizza oven.  We doctored it up with mushrooms and extra Parmesan.  Really good, and a nice change of pace.  

March 29, 2016. Wild West Railway

CAMPGROUND:  Derwent  Bridge Pub parking lot.  Motel/pub allows self-contained RVs to camp in their parking lot.  No facilities, but free!

LOCATION;  Between Queenstown and Hobart in southwestern Tasmania, Australia.  

WEATHER:  Partly sunny.  Cool. Highs in 50s

Another early morning, catching the train at 9:00.  We took the Wild West Railway up the mountain.  It is a steam engine from the 1800s.

We learned about the history of the railway which was built in the 1800s when copper was discovered here.  It is one of the steepest railroads in the world.  

We got off at several stops to tour a museum, walk in the rain forest, and to do gold panning.  At the top, we watched them manually turn the engine around to go back down the mountain.

We passed by the Queen River, beautiful in the gorge below. 

The train looks like it would have in the 1800s.

We drove west toward Hobart through a national park.  We drove only about 80 miles, but it took 2 hours, as the road was very winding.  Our destination was Lake St. Claire.  We stopped at the campground there, but it was full.  The information center told us about a nearby pub that allows RVs in their car park.  So, that's where we stayed.  

We had drinks in the pub in front of their fireplace.  Very cozy.  

DINNER:  We used our camper cooktop for the first time.  We warmed up kangaroo burgers.  We bought some French fries from the pub as a side.  

March 28, 2016. World Heritage Cruise

CAMPGROUND:  Queenstown Tourist Park.  Almost empty. Small outdoor barby.  TV lounge with hot plate.  $20.  3 stars

LOCATION:  Queenstown, Tasmania, Australia.

WEATHER:  Nice. Highs about 60

We got up early to make the boat's 9:00 AM departure.  

This is a world heritage all-day cruise.  The focal point Is famous /infamous due to its history as a penal colony area.  Our first sights were Hell's Gate, so called because the convicts had to pass through here to the prison island.  It is also treacherous due to its strong currents.  We are where the Pacific Ocean meets the Indian Ocean.

We slowed to watch the salmon farm-fishing area.

We stopped at Sarah Island, a large penal colony in the 1800s.  The tour guide gave us an excellent narrative.

This prison was for criminals from England who had re-offended in Australia.  The conditions were terrible.  More than 1200 prisoners passed through here.

Back on the ship, we had an excellent lunch, including delicious smoked salmon.  We stopped along the way to walk through a rain forest on the Gordon River. 

As Americans, we are a bit of a novelty.  People ask us where we are from.  Today, when I told a lady that we are from Minnesota, she lit up.  She said her brother had gone to Mayo Clinic in Rochester in the 1980s to have an unusual, successful operation.  She talked on and on about the positive experience there.

George tried his hand at piloting the boat....

When we returned to Strahan, we went to a Huan Pine woodworking shop, then headed out.  We drove about 30 miles to Queenstown, where we will take a steam engine trip tomorrow.

DINNER:  Lamb stew.  I boiled up the leftover bones from last night's dinner with carrots and potatoes.  I added some wine for additional flavor.  Turned out well!

March 27, 2016. To the Wild West

CAMPGROUND:  Strahan Holiday Park. Commercial park with lots of cabins.  Unpowered site $10.  Small indoor/outdoor kitchen.  Great bathrooms. Free wifi.  4 stars

LOCATION:  Strahan, Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Cold on mountain.  On and off rain.  Highs in 50s

During the night, the temp dropped to freezing.  We awoke to sunny skies, so we thought we would hop back on to the park shuttle, back to Dove Lake, for a brighter photo.  Unfortunately, it clouded  back up by the time we arrived.  So after a quick look-around, we returned on the shuttle back to our campground.  We packed up and headed west and south.

Our destination was Strahan that had been recommended to us. The scenery between Cradle Mountain and here was pretty rough.  They call this area The Wild West.    In Strahan,  we went to the information center and and bought activity tickets for the next two days.  Tomorrow we will go on a World Heritage cruise on the Gordon River.   

We drove around the town and out to the beach area.  Most of the shops and restaurants are closed for Easter.  

In the evening, we went to a play called "The Ship That Never Was", telling the story of how convicts on Sarah Island escaped by building a boat.  There were a lot of children in the audience, so the actors involved them a lot.  Very cute.

Back at the camper, to our delight, we found that we have TV reception and that "Call the Midwife" was on tonight.  This camper has solar panels, so we have electricity without plugging in.

We cooked our dinner in the communal kitchen, then brought it back to the camper to eat while watching my TV show.

DINNER:  Lamb and cauliflower.  The lamb was mostly bones.  We tore off some meat and will use the bony parts for a stew another night.

March 26, 2016. Hiking in the rain at Cradle Mountain

CAMPGROUND:  2nd night at Cradle Mountain Discovery Park

LOCATION: Cradle Mountain in northern Tasmania

WEATHER:  Cold and drizzle all day

We took a shuttle van to Dove Lake inside the national park and did the 3-hour circuit around the lake.

I was wearing 5 layers of clothes, topped off with a rain poncho and safari hat.  As a last minute brainstorm. I tied a kitchen towel around ny neck to keep the rain from dripping down my back.  A real fashion statement!  It rained the entire hike.  :-( 

George doesn't look too happy in the rain.

About halfway around, we stopped at a picnic table and ate our sandwiches.  The family next to us pulled out a propane heater from their backpack and all the makings of hot tea.  A lot of stuff!

Cradle Mountain got its name from its cradle shape, but it was pretty hidden in the fog and mist.  

A highlight of the hike was spotting a mother and baby wombat then later a mother and baby wallaby.  So cute! 

We stopped at the lodge to warm up after the hike.  

Back at the campsite, we gathered with others in the communal kitchen.  We hung our wet clothes out  in front of the fire to dry.

Warning signs in the kitchen...

DINNER:  Spaghetti with KANGAROO meatballs!  

March 25, 2016. Adventures at Cradle Mountain

CAMPGROUND:  Discovery Park at Cradle Mountain.  Commercial campground inside national park.  Fantastic communal kitchen with 2 roaring fireplaces.  Ok bathrooms.  4 stars.  $33/night

LOCATION:  Cradle Mountain National Park in north central Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Rain, rain, rain. High around 70 on coast, 50 at the mountain.

We hiked along the beach at Crawfish Creek, then packed up and left.  We followed the coast, stopping in one coastal town to watch people fishing and waterskiing.  Then we drove inland and upward.  We encountered rain and wind halfway up.  

We went to the information center to get ourselves organized.  George bought a rain jacket as it was raining pretty hard.  I layered up (5 layers), not caring what I looked like.

We took one of the park's hikes, then tucked into the pub at the lodge.  The fire was really toasty.

Our campsite is right next to the communal kitchen.  It was packed with campers, having a glass of wine and drying out their clothes and shoes in front of the fireplaces.  There are lots of international visitors.  We talked with a fellow from Behrain and a Yankee couple who live in Sydney.  

We fixed dinner and hung out in the kitchen/lounge area talking with people.  

DINNER:  Steak, potatoes, onions and mushrooms.  Slices of tomato with a spicy mayonnaise.  

Even though it was cold (about 40 during the night), we stayed warm and dry in the camper.

March 24, 2016. Continued

We stopped for lunch along the river

We pulled up to this dock, and after checking for snakes, the captain invited us to come ashore.  We congregated in a rustic shelter, complete with a fireplace.

We had a nice lunch, prepared by the captain's wife, with wine.  After lunch, we took a walk in the bush.  Very tropical.

We finished up the cruise about 4:00.  In our rush to board the boat in the morning, the captain said we could pay at the end.   Unfortunately, the captain's wife handles the credit card machine and she had left "for town", about 50 miles away.  We came up short on cash, so gave the captain the balance in USD.  

Near Arthur River is a place aptly called "Edge of the World".  

We headed back east, about 60 miles, to this campground, stopping in the only town for groceries.  We have been advised to stock up for Friday-Tuesday, as many shops will be closed.

We arrived at the campground about 6:00, and got  settled in before dark.  

DINNER:  Leftover fish and shrimp from our restaurant dinner in Latrobe.  Sides were potato wedges and tomato slices.  We cooked, ate and washed up in the communal kitchen, alongside a welcome fire in the fireplace.

March 24, 2016. Boat ride on the Arthur River

CAMPGROUND:  Crawfish Creek.  Commercial park along coast, in the bush.  Nice kitchen with cozy fireplace and TV lounge.  Ok bathrooms.  Pay showers.  $20 USD.  4 stars

LOCATION:  North coast of Tasmania.  

WEATHER:  Cool in the morning,  Sunny in PM, high about 70

We has breakfast in the communal kitchen.  These blokes were cooking a full English breakfast on the barby.

One couple raved about a river boat trip on the NW coast, so we rushed around and drove there.  We arrived at 10:20 just as the 10:15 boat was leaving.  They invited us to jump on, and away we went.

The town of Arthur River has 30 inhabitants year-round.  Absolutely quiet.  The captain narrated information about the vegetation, animals and birds.  There were only two other couples on the boat, and they were expert bird watchers.  We saw a beautiful kingfisher.  The captain threw out a piece of fish, and  this huge eagle swooped down to snatch it.

We cruised down the river for several hours, climbing up top to get a better view.

The boat is called Reflections.   Along several parts of the river, it was very calm, creating reflections of the trees on the water.  Like a jigsaw puzzle.

See next post for more pictures.  

March 23, 2016. On the road again!

LOCATION:  Stanley, Tasmania, Australia on northwest coast of island

The homeowners took the overnight ferry from Melbourne, and we picked them up at the dock about 6:30 AM.  

After a nice breakfast and debriefing, we hit the road  in their camper.  The highway west follows the coast and the views are beautiful.  We stopped in a town called Pebguin for the obligatory photo....

Then on to our destination, Stanley.  It was about a 80-mile drive.  Stanley is on the tip of a peninsula, surrounded by beautiful beaches.

We took a chairlift up to the top of "The Nut", a round volcanic mountain in the center of town.

Then, we hiked the top of The Nut with views from every corner.  The fishing pier was below us.  One of the boats transports stock, with gates and pens for sheep and cows.  

We spotted some baby wallabies near the path.  

Then, we walked (in my case, crawled) the path back down the mountain.  It was almost perpendicular.  Others, more wisely, took the chairlift back down,

My legs were like wet spaghetti by the time we reached the bottom.  

We recuperated in the local pub, dating back from the mid-1800s.  We took a historic building walking tour around the town.

L

The campground is very nice with a fully-stocked kitchen.  Beautiful bathrooms.  We hatted with other campers as we cooked.  Tasmania is a popular vacation spot for mainlanders.  We talked with folks from Sydney and Melbourne. They all advised us to make campground reservations throughout this busy upcoming Easter long weekend. 

DINNER:  George grilled some sausages.  Sides were rice and runner beans.  Today marks our 40th anniversary, so we paired the dinner with champagne.  

March 22, 2016. Beach time and packing up

LOCATION:  Last full day housesitting in Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Very nice.  Highs in 60s

We took the dogs on a run at the beach.  Mitzi loves to fetch sticks in the surf.

After the beach outing, they were dirty with sand and grit, so it was time for baths.  Both dogs are remarkably patient.  Following bath time is laundry, getting the dogs clean linens for the next week.

We did some grocery shopping and started packing up the camper.  The homeowners here are generously loaning us their camper for 2 weeks.

DINNER:  We walked to Latrobe's nice restaurant fir dinner.  We split the "cold and hot" seafood plate. It included scallops, shrimp, mussels, salmon and fish.  Very nice.  

March 21, 2016. Australia's weird animals

LOCATION:  Housesitting in Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Sunny. Highs in 60s

Since we only have a few days left here in Latrobe, we thought we should visit its most famous site, the Axeman.  

It commemorates the champions of tree-felling contests, a game invented here.  We had a mushroom tartlet in their cafe for lunch.

Then on to a wildlife refuge.  It is about 40 miles away, in the middle of nowhere.  Most of the animals are rescues.  

We saw our first Tasmanian devil.  Ugly!

 There were many signs warning people to stand away.  They eat EVERYTHING!  I think that is how it got its name. 

Then wombats and their koala cousins.

When I was a young Girl Scout, we sang an Australian song about a kookaburra, and here it is....

Then, when we were looking at some tropical birds, this wallaby escaped from its pen and jumped right by me!

After seeing a lot of strange Australian animals, we returned via the coast road.  So pretty.

Back home, we blew leaves to tidy up.  Since it is fall, the grape leaves are falling all over the back patio.

DINNER:  Rice with sautéed shrimp.  

March 20, 2016. Beautiful Sunday afternoon on a sunny winery deck

LOCATION:  Housesitting in Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Beautiful!  Sunny. Highs in 70s

Normally Latrobe is a quiet little town, but on Sundays it bursts with out-of-town shoppers who come for the Sunday flea market and farmers' market.  We checked it our with the dogs and bought some veg.  

After the morning dog walk and feeding, we drove to a nearby winery, about 10 miles away.  It is a tiny one, out in the middle of nowhere.  It is called Prickly Mo, named after the prickly mimosa trees next to the vineyard.

The owner/server was super friendly.  After trying the wines, we bought a bottle of Pinot Noir and settled on the deck with some Aussies.

The deck was furnished with old, comfy furniture.  Lazy day.  A pianist played and sang a few songs.

The owner's huge woolly dog that they called "barking sheep" greeted us.

Every winery seems to serve a "platter" that is a combination of meats, cheese, fruit and crackers.  It looked super delicious here, but was just too much food for our lunch, so we ordered a "cheese and biscuit" plate instead.  It came with 2 generous chunks of cheese, a truffle cheddar and a blue.

We savored the food, wine, sun and view.

We finally tore ourselves away.  We stopped at a cidery on the way home.  We tried their pear and apple varieties.  It is a nice venue, too.

Back home, we worked in the garden, trimming and weeding.

DINNER:  Lamb chops on the barby.  Sides were potatoes and beans from the garden......and the rest of the Pinot Noir!  

March 19, 2016. Viewing Tasmanian's strange animals....via the wine trail

LOCATION:  House-sitting in Latrobe, Tasmania, Australia

WEATHER:  Very nice. Sunny. Highs around 70

The dogs got a nice walk in the sunshine.  Then laundry, taking advantage of the dry weather so clothes could dry quickly on the clothesline.

Then we were off again.  This time to a platypus enclosure.  BUT, our road just happened to join a wine trail, so what could we do?  ;-)

We stopped at the first winery and had a tasting and a local platter of charcuterie.  

We enjoyed:  chicken & pork pate, smoked quail, free range park salami, venison sausage, prosciutto, and cumin relish.  Wow!  

They are starting the fall harvest this week.

On to the platypus exhibit, located in the town of Beauty Point.  On the Tamar River, it really is a beautiful place.

We saw platypuses and learned more about them on a guided tour.

We also saw the platypus's cousin (the only other egg-laying mammal on earth)) called the echidna.  Very strange!

We watched them slurp up their food with very long tongues

We drove the scenic route back home, about 30 miles, stopping at one more winery.

What a nice day!

Back home, the dogs were ecstatic to see us.  The bird, too (we think).  

DINNER:  Pasta with  shrimp with the leftover cacciatore sauce.  Greek salad with tomatoes and cucumber from the garden.

The dogs have now permanently moved into our bedroom.  The tiny chihuahua snores as loudly as George!