Tasmania 5 

The east coast is so incredibly beautiful  and accessible that we had no choice but to visit many of the turn-offs that lead to one WOW photo or moment after another.  Seeing two right whales was one such moment that we couldn’t record on camera.

Our stop at the fruit farm with (good) WiFi made us both very happy as the only charge for the internet was whatever we would buy anyway. That meant, in our case, 2 "long black" coffees, "a slice" (a new expression we’ve learned here that seems to mean something to eat with your coffee) and 2 containers of just-picked raspberries and strawberries. Good deal, even at Aussie prices.

This post will have mostly photos from previous stops on the Tassie journey because I simply don’t have enough time to get to all of them unless we have a very good connection, which is quite rare.

As I write this on Saturday, in preparation for our next blog opportunity, we’re beside the crashing turquoise waves of Stumpy’s Bay in Mt William NP. We have lovely neighbours, Forster’s Kangaroos as they’re known in Tassie (Eastern Greys elsewhere) and the sweetest wallabies. Apparently the rest of this state is having a 35-37 degree today but it is more like a perfect summer day where we are.

I absolutely LOVE wallabies! If I could have one as a pet, I'm sure I would! This one seems to be singing to herself, "I'm so pretty, oh so pretty..." and she definitely is!

This one is chowing down on these beautiful trigger plant flowers.

And this one must have a full tummy and be ready for a nap.

Note this echidna's sandy nose, feet going in all directions and ... 

spiny tail to go with the rest of him!

This pied oyster catcher chick, almost as big as the parent, was trying to act convincingly "starving".

 

wattled lapwing, a very common but surprising skittish bird

 

Australian swans, handsome with their bright red bills and white wings in flight.

 

Cape Barren geese

 

one of our favourite sights, pelicans soaring overhead

 

On our way to Mt William NP in the northeast corner of Tassie, we explored the coast wherever possible. The white sand spit (all the sand seems to be pure white) is about 6 KM long and projects parallel to the coast creating a sheltered lagoon that all sorts of birds appreciate. These crested terns were having a good rest until a sea eagle startled all but one of them into flight.

 

This sleepy lizard was basking on the road side and simply wouldn't move.They often lose their tails so are also called stumpy lizards.

 

 

On our way to our camping site in Deep Creek, we encountered this sign. It made me glad I wasn't in a tent!

 

This was the view from our campervan: a lagoon with orange rocks and crashing turquoise sea behind. And not another living being was there with us, except the roos and wallabies.

At sunset, the orange lichen on the rocks comes aglow. It's truly breathtaking. 

 

And it's not too bad in the morning light either.

 

 

 

The Eddystone Light House (in the background), built in 1899, is surrounded by masses of these golden composite flowers, probably not indigenous to here but still very beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

Tasmania 4

On our second awakening in Freycinet, the wind was still howling so we decided to explore the leeward side of the peninsula. Good decision. We had a great day exploring one amazing beach, viewpoint or seaside trail after another – in relative warmth and calm. Words can’t do justice to the beauty of this Australian Island state so the pictures will have to suffice.

The wattle trees are in glorious full bloom, masses of tiny yellow balls.

Sleepy Bay

Sleepy Bay

Cape Tourville Lighthouse

Patersonia

a heath flower, maybe an erica?

 

Tasmania 3

The ever-changing weather left us in no doubt as to our next move: MOVE! We awoke on our first 2 mornings to temperatures as low as at home, or so it felt, with rain squalls that left us permanently uncertain as to whether we’d be able to run to the loo and back without getting soaked on either the to or the fro journey. Definitely time to move on.


We spent a few hours in a reserve that's trying to raise, protect and save from possible extinction the Tasmanian Devil. It's a sad story of a facial cancer that is 100% fatal to the devils and 95% of all the devils in Tasmania (which is only where they occur) have died. Not sure at all what their future may be.

Tasmanian devils before eating ...

... and after eating

Certainly doesn't look like a devil to me ....

 

Cape Barren goose

 

Eastern spotted quolls, relatives of devils. They spent a good deal of time riding around on the back of another (the mother?)

 

 

Eastern rosella, the Tasmanian version. Too bad we only got to see them well in a cage.

 

 

The coastal scenery is often jaw-dropping, and never the same from minute to minute because of the ever-changing clouds, light and so on.

 

Our destination, the Freycinet NP on the peninsula across the bay.

 

 

 

 

 

As we came into Freycinet NP, our first Wow moment was seeing The Hazards. Low afternoon sun makes them spectacular!

 

 

The moored boats in Coles Bay from "our" beach behind our van in Freycinet NP.

 

The Hazards again the next morning from right behind our camp site.

 

 We were delighted to have reserved our campsite many months ago as we got the best one in the grounds, right beside the beach, the waves and the path to both which ends in this spectacular view of The Hazards.  Unfortunately, it’s very windy  but we hope to see it in a calmer state as our visit unfolds.

 

Tasmania – First Full Day 

Changeable weather reigns in Tassie! The sky has darkened, clouds have delivered their rainy cargo, including ice pellets at one point, and we have dodged the showers admirably (or maybe just luckily). 

We began with rainbows ending atop the fishermen on the dock at our campsite by Fortescue Bay. Look closely at the photo and you’ll almost see the gold!

By morning, cold and almost frosty, the sun had warmth in it for our spectacular beach walk along the bay. We were so glad we had emerged from the gas-burner-heat of our campervan to go for a walk, take in the beauty of naturally vegetated sand dunes (some of the only ones in Tassie), incoming tide on almost-white beach, oyster catchers with baby, and Bennett’s wallabies on the beach. Except for the early morning cold, it has been a wonderful first day in Tassie!

 

 

Tasmania 1 – on the road again 

Our time with our dear friends in Adelaide went all too fast. We were determined to leave before we wore out our welcome – and we did – but it was very tempting to linger a little longer to enjoy more of their delightful company, amazing generosity and exquisite new home. As a planning exercise in where and where-in to retire, they seem to me to have done it all right!

 

Our flights from Adelaide to Melbourne and then on to Hobart went perfectly. Here are a few photos from the flights.

leaving South Australia, just east of Adelaide

 

the city in the heart of Melbourne

 

Tasmania has SO much water compared to the rest of the country ...

 

......but also dry, rolling hills 

We arrived on a Dash 8 around 7.30 PM in Hobart.

We stayed in an airport hotel and had our evening meal there – everything wonderful, including the sunset!

 

Tassie, as it is affectionately known here, has some of the oldest human-created sites in Australia. The homes often demonstrate that beautifully. This one is right across from the supermarket where we stocked up.

 

As we carried on toward the east from Hobart, we found so many spectacular sea-views that we found it hard to keep driving: photo-ops kept up a demanding pace.

 

The Tessellated Pavement intrigued us:

 

Then came the Tasman Blowhole, Tasman Arch and the Devil’s Kitchen. Between those highlights were heaths in bloom that had us in awe once more of Australia’s blooms.