Cradle Mountain 22/5/12 to 25/5/12

Cradle Mountain was our last stop in Tassie.  We had to climb a fair way to get there, from sea level up to around 800 metres. Road was a bit windy and hilly. It was drizzling rain on our arrival and, as per usual, Doug set up the outside while I did the inside.  We did a small walk on our first day through an area known as The Enchanted Forest. This was like walking through a story book.  Lots of mossy trees with fungi everywhere.  A bit creepy sometimes when you looked through the trees.

The next day we set off for Dove Lake at the base of Cradle Mountain.  It was raining but as this was our only full day we donned our rain jackets and off we went. Boy did we get wet. I think the boys had only walked a couple of hundred metres before their shoes were soaked to their socks. We pushed on as we had made the commitment to walk around the lake.  We were well rewarded as we actually got a view of the top of the mountain, although only for a brief moment as the clouds moved back. There was snow around some of the mountain which also made it pretty special.  Lucky the camp kitchen was well equipped with two big fire places. These came in very handy drying out all of our gear when we got back to camp.

On our last day, our departure day, the weather was absolutely beautiful, so we decided we needed to get back to the mountain to see it in all its glory.  And from the photo's you can see we did.  I would still love to have seen it covered with snow.  I guess we will have to come back again some day.  Doug and I do actually want to come back to see some more of Tassie, just not sure whether to come in the winter or summer.

Boys making a model car in the camp kitchen at Cradle Mountain while raining outside

Completed and in working order

Enchanted Forest (it's actual name) at Cradle Mountain

Who doesn't look cool in a raincoat

Enchanted Forest (cool fungi)

Dove Lake, with Cradle Mountain hidden in the background. This is what we saw first day.

Foolishly setting off for a lap of Dove Lake

This is what we were walking into.

The camera is starting to play up here. To cold and wet for it. 

That's Cradle Mountain up there 

We may be smiling but we are actually very wet and very cold

Drying out our shoes in front of camp kitchen fire

And this is the actual thing seen very next day once rain had gone and cloud had lifted.

On our drive back to Devonport to catch the boat we stopped in at Tazmazia (8 different mazes) which we had promised Nate we would do for his birthday. I think he just mainly wanted the pancakes and ice cream that they advertised. He knew we would be in Tassie for his birthday and this is where he wanted to go. His second choice mind you. His first choice was another adventure park that had rope swinging from the trees (dare devil that he is) but he wasn't quite old enough.

Cousin Annie also joined us for Nate's birthday lunch, then guided us into Devonport. We had a last stop at Anvers Chocolate to taste the yummy chocolate, before boarding the boat.

Tasmazia. Hedge maze place we stopped at on the road from Cradle Mountain back to Devonport

Looks easy from up here.

Village of Lower Crackpot

Pancakes and ice cream for lunch. We are such good parents.

Town of Sheffield (on the way to Devonport) which has some incredible murals on buildings in main street

One last hot chocolate with cousin Annie at Anvers Chocolate, Devonport

Once again expertly manoeuvred the rig onto the Spirit of Tasmania.

Strahan 20/5/12 to 22/5/12

We set our alarm and packed up in Hobart in the dark for our long trip to Strahan. Although it's only 300km we have been advised that it a very hilly and windy drive and will take most of the day to get there. We set off at 7.00am and arrived in Strahan at 2.30pm - 7 and a half hours later.  We had to make a small stop to do a favour for a friend and put some flowers on her Grandparents grave in a little town called Ouse. We then stopped in Derwent Bridge along the way to check out "The Wall in the Wilderness". This is a wall carving that a local carver commenced in 2005 and will be around 100 metres long in 2015 when he finishes. It depicts different eras from Tasmania's past. Very spectacular a very talented man.

Further along on this trip we drove through the town of Queenstown. This is something else, with the area around the town completely devoid of any vegetation due to the mining practices of past years. The area looks like some sort on moonscape and nothing like anything I have ever seen before. My feeling was to keep driving and under no circumstances get out of the car.

On arriving in Strahan, after we had set up, we went for a wander through town. Very quaint little town and obviously very tourist orientated with lots of accommodation and shops with local product. However, very quiet for this time of year. The boys found a wood shop selling Huon Pine (native to Tassie - some of the Huon Pine trees can be over 35 thousand years old). They decided to get some pieces to take home for Grandpa to carve something special for them.

Next day we did the boat trip out into the Macquarie Harbour and up the Gordon River. We ventured out through "Hells Gate" which is the passage out to the Atlantic Ocean. We just went to the opening for a look and I am quite happy we went no further. Even on a moderate weather day it looks fairly scary out in the open water. We did a tour of Sarah Island which was once a convict settlement before heading up the Gordon for a brief look at this mighty river. We again got off the boat, this time to do a rain forest walk and, among other things, check out the trees and were shown Huon Pines said to be over 3,000 years old. On our trip back down the Gordon we had a very tasty lunch, which included smoked salmon.

"The Wall in the Wilderness" the wall of wood carvings is inside this building. Note the snow up close to the building. You were allow to take photo's inside.

The sculptor and part of his work. (mural)

The quaint cottages in Strahan

On board the boat to tour Macquarie Harbour and the Gordon River

Cold, windy and wild, but a lot of fun

Hells Gate - that's the Atlantic Ocean out there. Next stop Antarctica

Sister Mary Margaret and Jacob

Boys up on the top deck

Calmer conditions as we enter the Gordon River

Rainforest walk

And lunch is served

Coming back into port

We came across a local whittler who was a bit of a character and a talker.  He has an amazing imagination with great wit. With the fire wood that he collects he then makes them come to life with minimal whittling.

Work of the local Strahan whittler - has to be seen to be believed

Crazy Boys