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.