Back to Victoria

After 4 fun weeks in Tasmania we arrived back to Victoria on a long weekend (Labour Day) so the search for cheap accommodation was difficult. We wanted to head to the Mornington Peninsula but every campground we contacted was fully booked. So, after one night in the Yarra Valley we went to Phillip Island for a few days. The weather was terrible but thankfully the devastating storms that tore through Melbourne did not make it here. On Phillip Island we explored the coast, saw some great surf and met a few of the penguins that live here. Our next stop was the national park at Wilson's Promotory, the southernmost point of the Australian mainland. There was still plenty of rain about but we managed to do some bushwalks, a bit of fishing and some wildlife spotting (wombats, possums, rosellas and Kangaroos) at this stunning location. On one of our walks along a track next to Tidal River, Hannah showed us how she uses pieces of bark as "levellers" for her dolly's stroller. When we stop somewhere for the night we usually use plastic ramps to level out Daisy and she has obviously picked up on this. Ashleigh's casting skills are improving as you can hopefully see on this video below.

Strahan, Cradle Mountain and farewell Tassie

It has been a while between BLOG updates so I'd better wind up the Tasmania chapter. After hugging the big trees we took the road via Lake St Claire and through spectacular mountains to the rugged west coast. We stopped briefly in Queenstown for coffee and pies then made our way down the steep slopes to the village of Strahan on Macquarie Harbour. The dense forest surrounding Strahan is part of Tasmania's World Heritage Area that extends deeper to the South and was amazing to see on a half day cruise up the Gordon River. We also cruised out to the entrance to the harbour through Hell's Gates and had a tour on Sarah Island which used to be a brutal penal colony for re-offenders (like Port Arthur). From Strahan we travelled to Cradle Mountain and were completely blown away by the beauty of this national park. The nights were absolutely FREEZING but the days were clear and perfect for walking around Dove Lake and other small trails. We were very excited to see our first wombats in the wild! On our first day we spotted one poking his head out of his burrow and then the next day we saw a mum and bub wandering along beside a section of the boardwalk we were on. It was very exciting. After Cradle Mountain we stayed further north at Mount Roland then headed up to catch the ferry back to Melbourne. We managed to find one more "big thing" in Tasmania and that was the Big Trout at a trout farm near Deloraine. A couple of furry friends also joined our touring party - wombat and tassie devil. We finished off our Tasmanian experience eating swirly cherry ice creams at a cherry farm in LaTrobe. They were delicious, and so was Tasmania. We have loved every bit.

Mount Field National Park

On 26th Feb, with Christian, we visited an old-growth forest just north of Hobart in the Mt Field National Park (everything is so close here). We walked through rainforest with swamp gums up to 87 metres high and about 500 years old - it was amazing. That night we camped at Wayatinah next to some lagoons flowing downstream from a hydro-power station. The trout and salmon were leaping out of the water but they weren't biting I'm afraid. Not to worry, we had yummy sausage (boerewors) and steak on the wood-fire bbq.

Is that the Easter Bunny??

No, it's a White Wallaby on South Bruny Island! Our caravan park was visited by many wobblies (says Hannah), ducks, and native Tasmanian hens. On Bruny Island we enjoyed exploring the beautiful beaches, fishing (squid and flathead for dinner) and picking strawberries at the Berry Farm.

Daisy climbs Mt Wellington

We arrived in Hobart Town on 18th February and made our way up Mount Wellington. At 1270 metres above sea level you have an amazing 360 degree view and it was a lovely clear day. We stayed in a caravan park at Snug (20 mins SW) for a couple of days then bunked in with Christian in North Hobart for a few more. On Friday we endured a trip to the Cadbury factory (yummo!!) and hit the Salamanca Markets on Saturday. Bryan and Julie shouted us out to lunch at a very nice restaurant near Constitution Dock before flying home to their comfy bed and private bathroom (major luxuries that we crave). Next to us at the restaurant was a yacht called "MADHANNAH". With Christian we visited Bonorong Wildlife park where we saw our first Tassie Devils and fed lots of wallabies. In one of these photos Ashleigh is patting the Joey in its mum's pouch.

Tasman Peninsula

After leaving Coles Bay we stopped off at the Spring Vale winery for some tastings and a few bottles of Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. We drove around the Great Oyster Bay stopping at Swansea for lunch then a big drive to Dunalley for the night. There is nothing much at Dunalley except the hotel lets you stay overnight in their paddock for free. After spending more money on dinner at the hotel than we would have on a campground, we continued on to Port Arthur in the morning and booked into a campground in a lovely natural setting by the water. Over the next 3 days we explored the beautiful Tasman Peninsula with it's rugged coastline near Remarkable Cave, pristine beaches like White Beach and the eerie Port Arthur Historic Site. We also met some wildlife that we had never seen before including Pademelons, Potoroos and Bettongs. Around the campfire there was some stiff competition between Simon and Julie over fire-building techniques and the perfect fire for successful marshmellow toasting. We christened the cast iron camp oven with a delicious madras curry.

Freycinet Peninsula

Our next stop was further down the East Coast at the popular holiday destination of Bicheno, but it was pouring with rain so we didn't stay long. After one night in an overpriced but very tidy caravan park, we drove South to the Freycinet National Park. This park is a peninsula of mountains called The Hazards that are surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches and steep granite cliffs. We had a couple of great days here and particularly enjoyed a half-day boat cruise around to Wineglass Bay. The skipper was extremely knowledgable about the local landscape and wildlife and showed us a Sea Eagle and it's nest, Albatross, dolphins and seals.