The apartment we're staying in in Devonport is quite nice - clean, spacious and modern. The only gripes are niggly things - like no powerpoint by the only table in the place, a compact fluorescent light bulb in the bedroom that takes forever to warm up, a shower head that sprays water everywhere you don't need it (like all over the floor) and nowhere you do need it. There's no stove/oven but there is a plugin in two pot stove top and an electric frying pan should you need it. The bed is comfortable although I am using my own pillow.
Slept ok, although there was someone in another apartment that decided to turn up their tv *very* loud around 1am.
I got up and got ready then walked up to Coles for supplies.
Paranaple Arts Centre at sunrise
Had breakfast of cereal and did GPS/photos/blogging. Then we looked at the map and list of things to see, decided on an itinerary, and were out the door at 9:40.
Our first stop, at around 10:30, after driving through mostly farmland, was Bowerbank Mill. Mum took a photo of this old flour mill in 1968 when she went to Tasmania with YHA friends. Since it was on the way it was an easy stop. It's now a B&B.
Bowerbank Mill
Then we headed up and had a very pretty drive across the mountains to find the Great Lakes Lookout, a spot my parents went to in 1971. Arrived there about 11:20, after following a motorhome for quite a long while. Guess where the motorhome stopped. And guess where everyone got out and then just wandered down into foreground for like ten minutes. You go to the middle of nowhere and still can't avoid PEOPLE. So had to wait ages for them to get out of the way so I could get some photos.
Bumblebee at Great Lakes Lookout
Great Lake from Great Lakes Lookout
Great Lake from Great Lakes Lookout
Pine Lake
Rocky escarpment off Highland Lakes Road
Next we went to Liffey Falls. When we looked at the map before we left it was going to take us in from the east. But we saw signs on the way to the Great Lakes for it, so went in from the west instead. Problem is, the western entrance is a forty minute walk to the falls. Doh. But, if you don't do the walk from the west you'd probably miss going up to see the cascades. Edit: the walk from the eastern side is actually much much longer. Of course when we got to the falls there was a group of four people just camped right there in front of the falls. They weren't moving. So I couldn't get any photos without PEOPLE in them. I fricken hate people. Still, it was a nice walk though the forest. In the end we were there from 12:00-13:10.
Forest path to Liffey Falls
Purple berries near Liffey Falls
Cascades near Liffey Falls
Stu at Liffey Falls
Liffey Falls
Fern at Liffey Falls
Big Tree - a brown top stringy bark (eucalyptus obliqua)
Then we headed for Launceston. Got to the Cataract Gorge carpark around 14:30. Of course the place was packed, being a weekend and all. Stu stayed in the cafe and I did the full loop walk - up the Zig Zag track, across the Kings Bridge, back along the west side of the gorge (it really is very pretty) and around the pools and across the suspension bridge. It took me ages because I kept stopping for photos. But I think I mostly managed to reproduce all my parents' photos, even though half of them were obscured by trees these days. Left about 16:10. Way longer there than I thought we would be.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Westbury
View of bushfires north of Launceston
Swimming pool, bridge and lake at Cataract Gorge
The inclinator at Cataract Gorge
Alexandra Suspension Bridge at Cataract Gorge
Kings Bridge and the newer West Tamar Bridge over the South Esk River
Kings Bridge Caretakers Cottage
Boat on the South Esk River
Boat in Cataract Gorge
Kings Bridge from the north
Kings Bridge from the west
Rock cliffs in Cataract Gorge
Rock cliffs in Cataract Gorge, and you can still see the metal frames for a walkway that used to go along here
Rock cliffs in Cataract Gorge
Cataract Gorge
Cataract Gorge
Alexandra Suspension Bridge at Cataract Gorge
Alexandra Suspension Bridge at Cataract Gorge
Zeolite crystals
Swimming pool at Cataract Gorge
Got some petrol then headed for Batman Bridge. Which was ruined by restoration works. Sigh.
Batman Bridge
Batman Bridge
Batman Bridge
Then headed for the coast. Ended up at First Little Beach (in a national park - take your pass!). Had a paddle in the Bass Strait but even at 17:45 there were still PEOPLE coming and going. Sigh. The soldier crabs were super cool though.
Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre
First Little Beach
Soldier crab on First Little Beach
Stu at First Little Beach
Soldier crab at First Little Beach
Then a slow trip back through the forest and back into Devonport around 20:00. I collapsed with a beer and then went downstairs for dinner to the Asian place. Even though it closes at 21:00 they don't take orders by past like 8. Sigh.
So I had a meltdown. As you do.
The sweetie took me up to Coles and I got a Mi Goreng tv dinner and some ice cream and snackages, had that then collapsed into bed.
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