After the heat of the West Coast we find ourselves having to quickly become accustomed to the coolness of the South-east corner of Tasmania. Thankfully it was only for a few days and then the mild temperatures returned. But during the cold spell we saw temperatures at night drop to low single figures including a morning where it was 5 degrees Celsius inside the van.
The first stop over was Tarraleah which is up in the highlands between Queenstown and Hobart and one of the original towns constructed for the hydro-electric project in the area. It’s basically deserted except for staff and acts as a stop over point for tourists like us but it does give you access to the stunning Lake St Clair area and Derwent Bridge where a local wood carver has created a place named “The Wall”. Both are well worth the time to visit, one being a natural beauty and the other an amazing example of carving talent using the magnificent timbers in the area. Unfortunately no photos of The Wall are allowed so you’ll need to be content with Lake St Clair and the Pumphouse on a somewhat cloudy day.
From Tarraleah we head through Hobart and make camp in Huonville which is about 50 Kms south-west of the Tasmanian capital. We chose this spot so that we could venture down to the bottom of Tassie easily but also be within a reasonable drive of Hobart.
Our first afternoon even had us enjoying a snow flurry at the top of Mount Wellington. We decided to take a drive up the mountain in light rain with the temperature falling as we headed upwards. Just as we made our way to the top car park the rain changed to snow flakes and the temperature fell to 1 degree with a wind chill rating of about -2 degrees. It didn’t matter though for us Queenslanders who are not familiar with snow. We jumped out of the car and played like kids in a candy store. Finally snow, albeit just a quick flurry but I’ve been waiting 50+ years to experience it and I’m a happy Dave now.
Our time in Huonville saw us exploring the South-East as far down as Southport and across the various peninsulas in the area. We also managed a visit to the Salamanca Markets and some time catching up with friends who have just relocated from Canberra.
The coastline in this part of Tassie is rugged and scenic with bays giving way to rocky outcrops and a smattering of beaches. We take quite a few drives down the various waterways to simply explore the beauty of the area. After a few days we move camp to the North of Hobart into the town of Sorell so that the area of Port Arthur becomes an easy drive. Again this area is littered with great walks and scenery.
From blowholes to convict ruins, from Chocolate shops to wineries it has the lot. We even found an alternative to Port Arthur in a heritage listed area named the Coal Mines. Its on the same peninsula and away from the holiday crowds.
No visit to this are would be complete without a trip to the township of Richmond. With its old bridge and yesteryear character it is truly charming.
So we have covered a fair bit of the island and are now starting to head up the east coast towards Bicheno via Freycinet National Park. We still have a few weeks here so there is a lot more territory to cover.
Stoneworx Photography 