Day 9 - The Gorge & the %$#& Boat

Day 9 - Saturday 2nd April

Our last day. We checked out of Fiona's a little early and headed to Cataract Gorge - Lonny's best known attraction. This is worthy of its reputation. The South Esk river, having come through the gorge, forms a serene basin, surrounded by Tasmanian green beauty.

We came in at the wrong car park, with several hundred steps to the basin. Fine coming down, but Steve was dreading going back up :-(

There is a chairlift across the basin - with the longest single span in the word (They have been making that claim for decades now). Happy in the knowledge that risk averse Ged would never get on board, Big Brave Steve suggested a crossing.

Ged said OK.

Steve was shitting himself.

He hated these things.

Luckily, it was another perfectly calm day, so we transversed without incident (just spectacular) Needless to say, we came back via the suspension bridge.

Hello Tourists

The longest span in the world (?)

The view from the chairlift. 

A view from half way up the gorge

The suspension bridge

Another view from the chair

We took a short walk up the Gorge before crossing back. The view looking back was just as good.

We climbed UP the several hundred steps back to the carpark and got moving.

We had tasted some really nice wines at Cool Wines in Hobart and planned to stop by and buy some. First stop was Beautiful Isle wines for their 2015 Riesling, via Tony & Michelle's place in Gravelly Beach. Alas - they weren't home. We should have rung.

Google found the address to the winery and led the way. We arrived at a house on the coast (not a vine in sight) and knocked on the door. The Winemaker answered the door and explained that this address was the registered office and the winery was unattended that day.

We thanked her and headed to her Mum's (another recommendation from Cool Wines) - Marion's. This is one of the oldest wineries in Tasmania. Marion and her husband (the mad American) have been there for over 40 years. Marion was more than generous with some tastings and we left with a few bottles in hand.

It was time to head to Devonport and to our favourite boat.

Stopped for another boot picnic amongst some rolling green hills (at last!).  Not quite as plentiful as yesterday's but yummy just the same.

Some rolling green hills

Got to Devonport waaaay too early. To be honest, Devonport is a bit scary. As soon as we got into town, some guy started following/playing funny buggers our car. We turned off and lost him. We popped into the local K-Mart / Supermarket and were astounded by the number off nuff nuffs in the place. It looked like a town that's doing it tough.

With an hour or two to kill, we headed to a pub across the river from the ferry and had a couple of beers. A quirky place with old speakers and TVs lying around, a graffiti room, suitcases sticking out of the wall and a library suspended from the roof.

We headed to the boat queue. The boarding was much easier this time and we were soon settled in the lounge with yet another B.o.R. or two. Both had our last National pie (you meet the meat first bite in a National pie) and headed for the chairs about 10. Ged fell alseep quickly, but Steve gave up and tried sleeping on the floor. Nice Mr security guard moved him along around midnight, so Steve headed down to the lounge and grabbed some hours on the couch. Ged woke every hour.

Bye Tassie

We arrived in Melbourne around 5:30 in the morning and were home by 7. (well in time for Sinead's birthday). Holiday done.






Post Script

We had a great time. We loved what we saw, enjoyed everything we did and are both well rested. There's a lot more to see, so next time will be a bit different.

The trusty chariot

Day 8 - Heading North (via the mountains)

Day 8 - Friday 1st April

We had a yummy breakfast (yogurt and muesli for Ged and eggs for Steve), tidied up and packed the car for the last time in Hobart. We had loved the apartment and would head back there should we ever visit Hobart again.

We knew we had a bit of driving ahead. First stop was the Royal Botanical Gardens. We intended to stop for 20 minutes or so, but spent an hour or so, mainly looking at their Japanese Garden. We were perhaps a couple of weeks early for the full Autumn display, but what we did see was beautiful.

We left the gardens and headed up the road to Launceston. We hadn't seen much wildlife, so next stop was an animal rescue centre in Bridgewater. You wondered just how the animals felt in this place. The facilities were OK and they seemed happy enough, but there were many animals in close proximity.

The kangaroos were very domesticated and friendly and could be patted and hand fed.

Could be patted and hand fed.

And there were plenty of them

We hadn't seen any devils during our stay, but found this one awake during the day (they are nocturnal) and watched him for quite a while.

The only devil we saw

The emus were particularly engaging - and hungry!!

The koalas were all asleep at this time of day, but cute none the leass.

The echidna only had three legs (it was a rescue centre), but was busy and very cute

Most people head straight up the Midland Highway to Launceston, but we added half an hour to the drive and went via the Great Lakes region. This was well worth the extra kms. The temperature got lower and lower (from 21 down to about 5) as we climbed the mountains. The rich forests gave way to rocky outcrops and scrub-land. We stopped t the highest point and had a picnic out of the back of the car. Smokes chicken for the Gourmania tour, salad with locally bought avocado and of course, a glass of fine Tasmanian Riesling.

Back of the boot picnic

Rocky outcrops and scrub-land

We descended again and headed into Launceston. Our Lodgings were at Fiona's Bed & Breakfast. This place was lovely - well organised, big rooms and for some reason a very Eastern decor.

Very Eastern decor

Big Rooms

We headed out for a walk around Launceston, including a very old lolly shop with aniseed balls, cobbers, spearmint leaves, choo-choo bars and every other lolly from our childhoods we could remember. We spent up big and walked back to Fiona's - contemplating calories.

We booked a 7:00 table at the local pub (best food in Launceston they said), but on arrival, were told that they were flat out and, despite the booking, there was an hour's wait for a meal 

We waited.

It was well over an hour.

It was worth it.

A yummy schnitzel (parma for Steve), huge salad and yummy rough cut chips,  washed down with a couple of reds. We walked back up the hill, demolished some old fashioned lollies and crashed in the very comfy bed. It had been a long and busy day.

Day 7 - Food, Wine & Whisky

Day 7 - Thursday 31st March

Ged rose for an early morning run to Taroona and back. Steve didn't :-).

We had bought each other a Gourmania tour for Christmas. The was a 4 hour, 10 stop walking tour of Hobart, tasting the best Tasmania had to offer. We were the only two on the tour and our hostess was Mary McNeill, a sixth generationTasmanian with a background as a local and international chef and 20 years in hospitality.

We met by the brass statue shown below and then ate and drank our way through salmon, delicatessens, pastries, sushi, wine, calamari, spices, whisky, cheese and sorbet.  Mary was superb, knew the food, the history and, it seemed, the family connections for every stop. Not sure if we could name the highlight, but the owners of Cool Wine were superb. We tasted some outstanding wines (and visited the wineries later), had fabulous Calamari at the Brunswick Hotel (the oldest in Hobart) and tasted some yummy whisky at Lark.

We both loved this tour and would recommend anyone adds it to their Hobart itinerary.

This Riesling had a touch of wildflower 

The best Pinot we tasted in Tassie

Feeling very satisfied, we headed back to our Moonrise View apartment for a bit of a relax. Ged cooked up the remaining Cox's Orange Pippin apples for lunch the next day. 

Ged relaxing at Moonrise

We wanted to try a nice seafood restaurant and were tossing up between three. Mary had recommended Prossers on the Beach, the winner of many a culinary award and noted for being the best seafood restaurant in Hobart, so off we headed. To be honest, it wasn't up to expectations (you can see Steve's review here: https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUserReviews-g255097-d4743322-r361764584-Prossers_on_the_Beach-Hobart_Greater_Hobart_Tasmania.html#REVIEWS) and we were gone within the hour. We took a walk along the beach and headed back for our last sleep in Hobart.

It had been a long day and, after soaking up the ambiance of our Moonrise View apartment we slept soundly

Day 6 - Getting Shucked on Bruny

Day 6 - Wednesday 30th March

We were on the road by 8:30 and headed down to Kettering to see Steve's old next door neighbours - The Greenwoods. They live on a lovely property on a few acres. A quick bit of reminiscing including David (82) reliving how he and his son Robert were rescued when caught in vicious storm whilst canoeing across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel a year or so back. You can see the story here:

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/rescued-kayaker-david-greenwood-81-wont-let-rescue-put-him-off-his-passion/story-fnj4f7k1-1226808034403

It was a quick visit and we left after half an hour to get the 10:00 ferry to Bruny Island, touted as a real foodie haven.

First stop was Get Shucked Oysters. Neither of us seek out oysters as a rule. but these were amazing - undoubtedly the best on the face of the planet. Farmed across the road, they are shucked on the spot and serves to your liking

Ged - Natural

Steve - Kilpatrick

Oysters at Home

The aftermath

Next stop was the Bruny Island Cheese Co. Lots of cheeses, all made locally and jams, honey and other stuff in jars. Didn't stay long so headed further south to the isthmus. Lots of steps (258 - much to Steve's chagrin) but a view worth the trip.

Isthmus - Tasman Sea side

Both sides

Headed South again to Adventure Bay. A lovely sleepy town (with a very average lunch spot) staring over the Tasman Sea. We considered heading down to the lighthouse at the most southerly point of the Island, but we were sort of keen to get back to a little place we had booked for a couple of days in Sandy Bay, so we gave it a miss and headed back to the ferry.

We checked in and it was just gorgeous. Views to the bay, nice and secluded and decorated a la Ged & Steve. We stocked the fridge and pantry and headed into Salamanca place to meet Steph, a very old a Friend of Ged's daughter Sinead.  She had moved to Tassie in the past year and we spent a couple of hours chatting and having some yummy drinks at the Barcelona Bar. 

We then had a yummydinner and a good night's sleep to follow. 

Day 5 - Mt Field - Not so green any more

Day 5 - Tuesday 29th March

We had driven past St Mary's Cathedral on the Monday and headed back for a look first thing. Ged's Dad had been an alter boy here many decades ago. Alas, most of it was closed, so we couldn't light a candle for him, but got a peep and a couple of photos.

Mt Field National Park (including Russell Falls) is one of the must do day trips when staying in Hobart. Steve had spent many happy times in the lush green surrounds in the 60s and 70s.

You basically follow the Derwent from Hobart and head via New Norfolk. We stopped at a huge shed selling bric-a-brac on the way and left with a bag of cox's orange pippin ap, a local favourite apple that you don't see on the mainland.

We parked at the National Park office, paid out $24 day fee and headed up the track to the falls.

This is rainforest - green moist and beautiful, except it wasn't as green and moist as it should have been. Again, the lack of rainfall in Tasmania was taking its toll.

We made it to the lower level of the falls, took our turn for photos and pondered the beauty - even if the water flow was a bit less than once remembered.

You could once access three levels of the falls, but they have closed the middle level, so we headed up the steps to the top and the horseshoe falls. There were far too many steps for Steve's liking, but it wasn't long and we were at the top.

Bloody Steps!

View from the top

The half a horseshoe falls

7

The trek back was much more to Steve's liking and we stopped for some big tree photos and to admire the stream.

It was lunchtime, so we stopped at the Waterfalls Cafe for lunch - YUM! Ged had a Tasmanian smoked salmon focaccia and Steve the wallaby burger. Both were excellent. We took our time on the way back with a couple of stops and headed to our hotel in Sandy Bay.

The Hotel was very acceptable, right on Sandy Bay Rd near Wrest Point. We took a walk into the main strip looking for some dinner, but ended up crossing over to the cheap eats bit at the Casino. The food was fine, but the place and its patrons was depressing.

An early night - heading to Bruny Island tomorrow