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9th May – 11 May 2012 Our time in Tasmania has just about come to an end. Before heading home we wanted to see the murals that were recently painted during the April Mural Festival in Shrffield. These murals are … Continue reading
6 May – 9 May, 2012
Our final week started with a trip back down to Hobart to have our new awning fitted to the Motorhome. Rather than rush down the highway we decided to break the 200km journey up into two bits.
From Launceston it is only a short trip to the historic town of Evandale. Everywhere you look you are reminded that Evandale is the home of the annual Penny Farthing championships, held every February.
Evandale market was on when we arrived in town. This is unusual as normally we are either a week early or a week late. Wandering through the market on a sunny Sunday morning was an enjoyable break.
There is a choice of roads driving out of town. One option is to head straight to the highway, the other is down a smaller road driving past historic Clarendon homestead and through the small towns of Nile and Cleveland. Luckily it had not rained for a few days as we needed to traverse around 20 km of hard packed dirt road. Further down the Highway is the town of Ross. This town was founded as a garrison in 1812. We booked into the caravan park before going for a walk. Just outside the information office there is this arrow on the path.
Direction to the Female Factory
Before anybody makes a comment, it is not a place that makes females, although ………. It was actually the female prison. There are no building left here, but there are archaeological diggings to find out more about the site. At the top of a windswept hill is the old cemetery. Many of the stones here are illegible but one grave stood out.
Elizabeth Addison McCracken 3/6/1853 Age 9
Robert Fulton McCracken 3/6/1853 Aged 6
At some stage it would be interesting to find out what occurred on that June day that took a brother and sister.
That is a challenge for you to find out and let us know via a comment on this blog. We would investigate but internet connection is intermittent.
The following day we completed the trip to Hobart and had the new awning fitted while we had a buffet lunch at the Casino.
2nd May – 5th May 2012
After our visit to Beaconsfield we headed a little further north to the tourist town of Beauty Point. The weather was overcast but we walked into the small town and to the dock area. The main attractions here are Platypus House and Seahorse World. As the weather was looking a bit ominous we elected to visit the platypus.
We both probably knew but the platypus and the echidna are related in that both are monotremes. If you explore the term monotreme you find that they are considered to be a primitive kind of mammal. They are warm blooded, have fur and produce milk to feed their young like all mammals.
What makes them different is that they lay eggs instead of bearing live young. The platypus and echidna are the only two kinds of monotreme in the world.
From Beauty Point we decided to go to Agfest in Carrick just outside Launceston. The Agfest Field Days is gaining more strength and momentum each year and is now recognised as being one of the top three field days in Australia. It had rained heavily Wednesday night so when we arrived at the car park it was a slippery exercise to get the van parked. Once on site we needed to negotiate the slushy roads. As the day wore on, the weather improved to sunny. Unlike the RAS show in Melbourne and the Easter Show in Sydney where the emphasis seems to be on sideshows and show bags, Agfest is completely different, it is mainly directed to farmers, but there are craft sections and displays of caravans and motorhomes.
The video shows a model helicopter that can be used for spaying .
After Agfest we drove back to the caravan park at Legana, about 12km outside Launceston.
This caravan park is a short walk to Velo Winery. This winery is owned by Olympian and former professional road cyclist Micheal Wilson. Unfortunately on the day we visited Micheal was at Agfest but his wife Mary was the perfect host. Between us we tasted the full range. I was vey impressed by the Pinot and Linda was taken by the chardonnay. Needless to say we purchased a few bottles for later consumption.
During our time here we rang Kings Caravans to see how our new awning was going. Drama! The hardware had arrived, but apparently the supplier could not get the grey coloured canvas that was requested. We were not worried about the colour, our main concern was getting on the boat in a week’s time. After a bit of negotiation we had arranged to get a different colour canvas installed on Tuesday 8th May.
Next stop Hobart.
1st May 2012
On Anzac day 2006 the small town of Beaconsfield made the headlines for all the wrong reasons. On this day three miners Larry Knight (44), Brant Webb (37) and Todd Russell (34), were trapped underground when a small earthquake caused an underground rock fall. Knight had been killed in the initial rockfall, but Webb and Russell were still alive, trapped in part of the vehicle in which they had been working at the time of the collapse. . They were in a basket at the end of the telehandler’s arm, where they had been applying steel mesh to a barricade prior to backfilling a stope.
Extensive media coverage of this event was nearly immediate. Most media organisations were already in Tasmania to cover the tenth anniversary of the Port Arthur Massacre. However this was not the first time Beaconsfield had been in the news. A plaque outside the heritage centre points out that on 30th September 1953 a trace amount of fluoride was added to the water supply. Following the success of fluoridation at Beaconsfield other regions in Australia sooner followed.
We had not intended to visit the museum as we had though it may be a bit morbid. The mining rescue display was not the major focus of this centre, if anything the display was understated.
The Mine Rescue exhibition tells the incredible story of the rescue of miner’s Todd Russell and Brant Webb. The exhibition recognises the rescuers and the innovation that took place in the effort to retrieve Todd Russell and Brant Webb from the 950metre level depths of the mine. Included in the exhibition are stories of how the community united in the crisis, how the town coped with the influx of media, and Beaconsfield’s recovery after such a significant event.
The heritage centre houses over 10,000 historical artefacts many items relating too the mining history as well as items that relate to the history of the Tamar Valley area. The centre invites you to “come and play with our history”. As one example we were invited to sit at an old school desk and use a pen an ink to try to replicate handwriting. As you can see Linda’s handwriting is much better than mine.
Linda's handwriting
Hans' handwriting
Outside the main building you walk through the ruins of the old mine. On display outside Linda tried her hand at panning for gold. Despite the look on her face,no gold.
All in all an enjoyable experience.
26th April – 30th April 2012
It was interesting to note that the Tasmanian government wished to erase the stain of Port Arthur. But inspite of this the early days of the new renamed settlement drew tourists. Things really have not changed on the last hundred years or so. Tourism is a major industry.
We left Port Arthur following the road around to White Beach. Yes the beach really was white.
Next stop was the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park. The cost of entry to this park($32 each) was, in our opinion, very steep. But if know anything about Tassie devils, you will be aware of the facial cancer that is killing them, faster than humans ever could. 
You will have noticed that I do not get into many pictures. This may be one of the reasons.
The Tasmanian Devil is the world’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, the devil has a thick-set, squat build, with a relatively large, broad head and short, thick tail. The fur is mostly or wholly black, but white markings often occur on the rump and chest. Body size also varies greatly, depending on the diet and habitat. Adult males are usually larger than adult females. Large males weigh up to 12 kg, and stand about 30 cm high at the shoulder. They are also only found in Tasmania.
We watched as the keeper fed the devils. The devil is a scavenger and feeds mainly on dead animals. the devils made short work of the wallaby bits that the keeper gave them.There was absolutely nothing left of the piece of wallaby. Skin, bone and meat all gone.
The park also has Eastern Quolls, another carnivorous marsupial. The Eastern Quoll,unlike the devil is a hunter and a great climber. This species is extinct on the mainland but widespread in Tasmania. I had heard people taking about quolls, but had never seen them before.
The park also had a collection of raptors, kangaroos and wallabies.
In all a few hours learning more about some of our native fauna.
We continued our journey up the was coast stopping at Triabunna (2 days) and St Helens and then Bridport (2 days). As you drive through the small towns along the coast you can see that they are mainly holiday spots and every now and then the houses become a bit more substantial and you think retirees .
Just after St Helens there is a turn off to a location called Pyengana. Here there is a dairy that is wholly automated. Each cow has an electronic collar. As the cow comes up to be milked the gate will automatically open and the cow is milked robotically. If the cow tries to come in again the gate will stay locked. It is an interesting concept. The dairy produces its own cheese. After tasting we just need to but a beautiful aged cheddar.
23rd April – 25th April 2012
After viewing MONA it was time to move on. By the time we arrived in Richmond it was 3 pm and starting to rain. Rather than pushing on we decided to call it a day and stay the night at the Richmond Caravan Park.
Richmond claims the title to Australia’s oldest bridge and oldest Catholic Church still in use. In previous visits to Richmond we had visited the historic goal as well as the miniature Old Hobart Town and rather than get wet , we opted to go to the caravan park and settle down with a glass or two of red wine.
Next morning was a stark contrast to the previous afternoon. The sun was shining brightly and we headed down the road towards Port Arthur.
Port Arthur is situated at the bottom of the Tasman Peninsula which is joined by a narrow isthmus named Eaglehawk Neck. This acted as a barrier to escaping convicts with a dog line stretching making it impossible to pass. 
The area is also known for some spectacular geological formation including the Tessellated Pavement, Blowhole, Tasman Arch and the Devils Kitchen.
Port Arthur was not originally set up as a prison. In 1830 the was established as a timber-getting camp, using convict labour to produce sawn logs for government projects. From 1833 Port Arthur was used as a punishment station for repeat offenders from all Australian colonies. For some history the Port Arthur website is a valuable resource.
On of the tours available is a cruise of the harbour and a visit to the appropriately name Isle of the Dead. Between 1833 and 1877 around 1100 hundred people were buried at the settlement. The island contains the graves of military and civil officers, their wives and children and convicts.
One of the more interesting is the Separate Prison. In all respects this is a great example of man’s inhumanity to man. The idea of this prison was to reform prisoners through isolation and contemplation. Convicts were locked in their cell for 23 hours each day. They were allowed to exercise for one hour per day. All of this was done in complete silence. The prison was described by English prison reformer Jeremy Bentham as “a machine for grinding rogues into honest men”.
The day wound up by poking around the other ruins and buildings. After Port Arthur was closed it became the township of Carnarvon in an attempt to erase the convict stain. But the stories of the convicts became a drawcard for people to visit the town and over time the settlement became Port Arthur once again.
Monday 23rd April, 2012
Before leaving Hobart, we needed to visit MONA. People we had spoken to raised their eyebrows when we mention the word, but all agreed that it was something that needs to be seen. MONA or more precisely Museum of Old and New Art is a new addition to the tourism industry in Hobart. Unfortunately we are not Tasmanian so we had to pay to get in to the gallery.
MONA was opened on 22nd January 2011 to house the $100 million private art collection of 49 year-old David Walsh, a professional gambler and art patron. According to reports the building and associated works cost more than $80 million. Amanda Lohrey interviewed Walsh for The Monthly in an article titled High Priest: David Walsh and Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art. The article provides a good summary of MONA and I would recommend that you have a read of it.
On entering the gallery and paying the entrance fee, you are give an iPod looking device. This device is known as the O. There are no labels on the walls , so this device is your guide. It contains the names of each item, as well as further information under the title “Art Wank”. This sounds like a tilt at the art establishment. Apart from this the device will also track your visit which can be retrieved later from the MONA website.
The visit to MONA is quiet confronting. The most confronting item was the a 2010 work titled “My Beautiful Chair” by Greg Taylor and Dr Philip Nitschke.
As you sit on the sofa, you press the button on the PC and this starts the Euthanasia machine.
At regular intervals the computer gives you information about what is happening until you receive this message. As I said, very confronting.
Less confronting, but very relevant seeing that I have just completed an Internet Communication degree was a piece simply called Artifact by Gregory Barsamain.
As he has explained, ‘The world we live in is complex. Yet our minds sometimes make it all seem so simple’. We get twenty million bits of information impinging on our senses every second, yet our conscious mind only interprets fifteen to twenty bits per second. The vast majority of the processing we do is pre-conscious – pre-processing all the excess information, so the illusion of understanding can emerge.
As you peer it the skull you see a representation of this bombardment of information
Just one last one that I particularly like is this 1995 work by Roman Signer. As a cyclist , a bike is always a work of art.
But as I asked on twitter, is this or other works that are on display art? There are some works that look like your child or grandchild could produce. But overall I think that art is in the eye of the beholder.
For my friends that know my email address go to http://mona.net.au/theo/
Tuesday 17th April – Sunday 22nd April 2012
The last time Linda and I had spent time in Hobart was at least 15 years ago. We pulled up to the Hobart Showgrounds, which was to be our home for the next 6 nights. The location is perfect. It is only a short walk Main Road, where there is a regular bus service into the city.
We read a brochure for the Red Decker bus service. These services are a great idea, because you are able to get an overview of the City by completing a 90-minute circuit, or you can decide to get off to explore the various attractions. The ticket was good for three days, so it was great value. For a special treat we added the Cascade Brewery tour.
The history behind Cascade is fascinating. You can read more about it here.
Our guide explained the process of creating the beer before taking us to the fermentation tanks and the bottling plant. It seemed that the secret to Cascade beer is the water. After the tour we were able to sample the beer, unlike wine tasting we got 3 seven ounce glasses. 
I can really recommend the Stout. Unfortunately most of the beers produced at the Cascade brewery are not available on the Mainland. Looks like it is a secret that the Tasmanians do not want to share.After a great tour, we boarded the Red Decker to complete the circuit.
When we returned to the Showground, we found this:
One of the other residents explained. A Hertz rental Motorhome had backed into our awning and drove off. This vehicle had come in to the Showgrounds late in the evening, and had not checked in with the office. Unfortunately no one got the registration. Now we know that accidents happen, but what leaves a sour taste is that they just drove off.
The following day the weather was a perfect day, but Linda and I needed to wait around as we organised a quote to send off to the Insurance Company. The service from King Caravans was great; they removed the old awning and forwarded the claim. Mind you we need to wait two weeks for a complete awning to arrive. We leave in three weeks. It will be a close call.
Next day (Friday) we headed back into Hobart to get some more value from our Red Decker ticket. The driver did point out that as Hobart was Australia’s second oldest city it did contain many firsts. Apart rom the oldest church, more recently Hobart can claim Australia’s first legal Casino 
at Wrest Point Casino as well as first use of anaesthetic and the first parking meters. We disembarked at the Casino for a wander around and to play a gas or two. We reckon we had a successful time. Spent $10 on the poker machines, because the tables do not open until the afternoon and came out with $10.
Saturday, we visited Salamanca Markets. The markets stretch for over one kilometer along Salamanca Place. Local produce, hot food and entertainment are all part of the market atmosphere.
Monday 16th April 2012
After a few days on Bruny Island it was time to move on. We have so far been blessed by the weather. In the last month you could count on one hand the number of really cold and wet days. Monday was going to be fine and warm. 
First point of call was the Isthmus. Bruny Island is actually two islands separated by a narrow neck. Wooden Steps lead upto the lookout where there is a memorial to reputedly the last of the Tasmanian aboriginals Truganini.
The memorial to Truganini is placed here because she grew up on Lunnawanna-alonnah and her father was an elder of the Neunone people whose connection with the place spanned 39,000 years. Her life was shattered after European settlement. The information boards detail the violence that she witnessed and was subjected to. The history of European interaction with the aborigines is certainly not one to be proud of. Truganini died in Hobart in 1876. Two years after this new body was exhumed and put on public display by the Royal Society of Tasmania. One hundred years later her remains were returned to her people. Her remains were cremated and her ashes sprinkled over the waters of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.
Also at the Neck are rookeries where fairy penguins and short-tailed shearwaters (Mutton birds). It is unusual for these birds to share the same rookery. We did know that the shearwater migration was a 30,000km journey, but what we did not know was that the chicks remained in their burrows for several weeks after the parent birds left.
A short wait and we were on the ferry back to the mainland 
Rather then heading straight to Hobart, we made the decision to relax at the Snug caravan park. The facilities here are one of the best we have seen. Sung was devastated during Black Tuesday bushfires in 1967. A simple but poignant memorial is located just behind the caravan park.
Friday, 13th April, 2012
A good reason to visit Bruny Island is to take the 3 hour Wilderness Cruise run by Bruny Island Cruises. This eco-cruise travels down the coast into the Southern Ocean in specially designed speedboats. During the trip the captain and deck hand explain the rock cliff formations as well as spotting wildlife.
But I get ahead of myself. The day started with a pleasant 15 minute stroll from the caravan park to the Bruny Island Cruise office/cafe. We had been advised to get there before the crowds arrived at 10.30. As we entered the office to let the staff know that we were present, the smell of fresh blueberry muffins was too great to resist. The girls behind the counter were more than happy to share the recipe:
Blueberry Muffins:
This recipe makes 12
Oven Temp: 180 degrees Celsius
Cooking Temperature: 20 – 25 minutes or until cooked
Cream in Mixer
Butter 150g
Caster Sugar 1 cup
Then add
Cinnamon 1.5 Tsp
Vanilla Essence 1.5 Tsp
Eggs 3 eggs
Then Fold In
Milk 225 ml
Oat Bran 3/4 Cup
SR Flour 2 Cup
Blueberries 2 Cup
(Roll Blue-berries in Flour so they don’t sink!)
The crowds (or more accurately several mini buses from Hobart) arrived promptly at 10.30. There would be 4 boats going out this morning, 172 people in all.
A short briefing and instructions to walk to the wharf, where we would embark on to the yellow boats. These boats are described as the 4WD’s of the sea and designed to cruise in all types of weather.
The boat is a 12.5 metre Naiad, powered by three low emission, fuel efficient 300hp Mercury Verado supercharged four-story outboards. There are no windows, so we are all likely to get wet and cold if the weather gets a bit rough. But importantly we all get great views .
All set for a great ride on the ocean waves
Once on board, we were all issued with wet weather gear. As you can see not exactly a fashion statement, but would prove extremely practical.
Just after we left the jetty Hugh our deckhand spotted a school of salmon feeding on krill close to shore. You can only imagine the action under the water.
Travelling down the coast we looked up in awe at the towering cliff faces, and Andre, our skipper talked about the kelp forests and the importance of photo synthesis. I remember my HSC science and what this process involved, but could not quite hear the explanations and how it related to the kelp forests that we could see floating near the surface.
Then we saw something that we had never before encountered. The marvel of “Breathing Rock”. I did take some photos but found this YouTube video taken by taytay24 which show it much better.
From this point Andre gunned the boat through what appeared too be a small gap between the shore and The Monument. An aerial picture in the brochure shows what was done. The first time was exciting, but when he turned the boat around for a second pas, well that was exhilarating.
From this point we entered the Southern Ocean, immediately you noticed the swell get bigger and the wet weather gear came in handy as the spray came over the side.
We headed down to the Friars to view a colony of Australian Fur Seals. The first thing you notice is the smell, some of the seals put on a bit of show, but mainly they were happy in the sun.
This was the turn around point. But not before we headed a little out to sea to find the elusive Albatross wheeling close to the waves. Beautiful to watch.
We are not particularly “greenies” or environmentalists but the one thing that we remember is a comment by our skipper. ” we do not own the planet, we only borrow it from our children“. This coupled with the comments from the sculpture , and our experiences of being on a self sufficient farm certainly makes us realise that we all need to replace whatever we take from the water and earth otherwise there will be nothing left for the future.
To top off a great trip we disembarked to a pre-ordered salad and smoked salmon roll.
