Tassie.
WOW WOW WOW
Amazing country !!
This is one part of the blog that has been difficult to keep up with - so many experiences so much to see and do !!
Thus, I am keeping brief as I sit typing watching the sunrise at Recherche Bay.
This follows the general direction we travelled (and I will fill in the gaps when I get a chance) -
We were first stunned camping in the Walls of Jerusalem area, stunned by the awe of it all and that we had only booked a short two months of time here - what had we done? .... As one local said "oh two months - you won't be seeing too much then"
Cradle Mountain was next. We had a perfect two days of sun and about 27 degree heat. This was not what we expected in this part of Tassie. One the first day we walked around Dove Lake. The following day we walked a little further, from Ronny Creek to Marion's lookout. Kaiden hiked all the way in barefeet !! It was a moderate hiking track with some steep chained section near the top. The lookout had perfect vistas all around and the clarity added to the exhilaration of being in this wild place.
Hellyer Gorge and Dip Falls were the next couple of camps, and we were thrown into the results of clear felling The Tarkine - either as regrowth, plantation or recent levelling of the forest floor it was disappointing to see. What ever happened to the old ways of selective logging, and why old growth chip for paper?.
We climbed 'the nut" at Stanely before making our way back into the Tarkine at south Arthur's loop. Marrawah, Tassies premier surf spot was next, we arrived on the last day of the Rip Curl Classic surf competition. While the coastline was impressive the surf was dead flat. Not a wave to be had anywhere.
We moved on south of Arthurs River and saw numerous Aboriginal middens and even some rock carvings at Sundown Point. It was a sad reminder of what had happen to the Aboriginal people of Tasmania.
By the time we crossed the Pieman River at Corrina and nearing the next surfing location - Trial Harbour, I heard the weather report saying there was a 9 metre swell !!!! .... From flat to humongous !! Still no surfable waves - well for me anyway !!
We decided to try and head for Montezuma Falls from the west side. Apparently it was a 14km medium graded 4WD track. shortly after heading into the forest, we meet a fork in the road. The right looked easier going, so there we went. Before long with no other way around I eased the car into a large waterhole. I just couldn't get the car up and out on the other side. The exit was steep slippery clay with large polished tree roots on odd angles bumping the car around everywhere in all directions. Disappointing I put the car in reverse and tried the other track a steep rutted clay hill. Nicole was not so confident, halfway up Nicole suggested she would not like to continue. Hmmmm part way up a rutted slippery hill - no easy task to reverse !!...We decided the best way back down was to drop into the ruts and to do some road building in the deep sections before proceeding. It was a cinch. disappointed by our failed attempts we headed back to camp at Lake Burbury. The next day we did some short walks around Strahan that were far more successful and enjoyable !!
We camped near Lake St Clair during Nicole's nicole's 40th birthday. What a place to celebrate and in perfect sunny weather too !!.
Lake Pedar and the Styx
Support to the protesters holding the old growth ground !
Mt Field
Tahune state forest propaganda and Mt Hartz NP
The Tasmanian State Forest has littered the Tahune forest areas with some unusual propaganda. One interpretive sign suggested environmentalist protesters deserve the violence against them in their attempts to protect old growth forests !!
Mt Hartz National Park was a welcomed scene.
Cockle Creek (population 3)
wild windy and wet weather in paradise
Hobart
"When they walked peaceably into Hobart town in January 1832, all that was left of the Big River Nation, which had once numbered 400 to 500 people, were 16 men, 9 women, .... and one child"
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
SW - Vic
We crossed the border to Victoria the second time after crossing it accidentially the day before when I missed the turn off to our camp at Picaninie Ponds. These ponds were spectacularly clear, and unfortunately we did not meet the requirements for a snorkelling permit - primarily that we needed to snorkel together, rather than take turns, and Nicole did not have a full length wetsuit. After crossing the border we explored Glenlg River and set-up camp at Mt Eccles - another recent volcano crater (about 20,000 years old with the last volcanic activity some 7000 years ago). It was fasinating to read the local myths of the area, imagining what a different landscape it was when Aboriginal people lived around volcanic activity.
The coastal parks are impressive from the border onwards, although we missed the opportunity for bush camping as in other areas around the country as there are no camping areas. I guess it is because it is closer to populated areas again. Port Cambell National Park was amazing, the dramatic coastline promoted by Victoria's tourism, is certainly that. It was a sensory indulgence, no escape from it's wild-ness, the arches and rock stacks, including the infamous London Bridge and Twelve Aposles were inspiring.
If this was not enough, we were soon in the Otways - wow... rainforests, waterfalls, Mountain Ash, Myrtle Beeches and beaches. We camped at the peaceful Johanna. In my Austrlian Surf Atlas, it described Johanna as Victoria's answer to Byron Bay??? .... This was certainly far from the images of Byron Bay. There are still a lot of intact forest (outstanding Mountain Ash and Myrtle Beech forests), there are no shops, and only a handful of farm houses. There is peace and quiet, and the ecology is ever present in the senses and safe from development - for now. The bush camping here is still unbelievably free. Perhaps it is the rainfall here in Johanna that the author of the surf guide made connections to Byron Bay because all else seems like a stark contrast to what Byron Bay is, and even what Byron was many decades ago. Sadly, there are people keen on developing this spot as a caravan park, this no doubt would create an opening toward an uninspiring 'resort' styled town as are found elsewhere on the coastline in the region.
From Joanna, We camped in the bush up the hill from Lorne, where we found one of the dirtiest beaches we have experienced so far. In such a beautiful part of the world, it was dissapointing to go down to the beach for a play in the sand with Kaiden. We dived into an area to build sand castles, and immediately noticed we were surrounded by ciggarette butts and bandaids... urrrgghhh, we ran further along the beach dived into the sand again, it was no different, cigerette butts and a huge bandaid stuck out the of sand..... we move along again to an area with a little less cigerette butts and no bandaids. Lorne is a very popular resort town and not what I imagined it to be - I guess we are approaching the large city of Melbourne. In repulsion, We were very temped to go back to Joanna. The waterfalls however are a saving grace for the Lorne area - away from the busy-ness and rubbish.
Next we camp out the back of Anglesea, and went to a local playgroup. We loved it and connected easily with the families, a few who are very keen on unschooling - hoooray ! The towns Airey's Inlet through to south of Torquay were fairly low key and in parts seemed in tune with the environment, I am sure this has contributed to a relaxed atmosphere. Even in the surf at Winkipop, I was welcomed in the line up by the locals and enabled me to be surfing way on the inside, no-one was hassling or snaking for waves.
Winkipop was fantasic to surf, I managed to catch it breaking 4-5 foot with 6ft+ sneaker sets. I was puffed at the end of each wave, so many turns off the lip and sooo much fun. I looked at Bells bowl it was breaking ok, but did seem to have a few slow sections, unlike Winkipop which raced faster and faster down the line...waaahhoooooo !!! I think perhaps Bells only really turns on during huge swells and a bit of a mal wave otherwise? I would love to have a Winkipop break on my doorstep, and jump on a long righthand reef everyday. This area certainly has many drawcards as a potential place for us to live !
From here we catch a ferry to Tassmania from Port Melbourne on the 28th.
The coastal parks are impressive from the border onwards, although we missed the opportunity for bush camping as in other areas around the country as there are no camping areas. I guess it is because it is closer to populated areas again. Port Cambell National Park was amazing, the dramatic coastline promoted by Victoria's tourism, is certainly that. It was a sensory indulgence, no escape from it's wild-ness, the arches and rock stacks, including the infamous London Bridge and Twelve Aposles were inspiring.
If this was not enough, we were soon in the Otways - wow... rainforests, waterfalls, Mountain Ash, Myrtle Beeches and beaches. We camped at the peaceful Johanna. In my Austrlian Surf Atlas, it described Johanna as Victoria's answer to Byron Bay??? .... This was certainly far from the images of Byron Bay. There are still a lot of intact forest (outstanding Mountain Ash and Myrtle Beech forests), there are no shops, and only a handful of farm houses. There is peace and quiet, and the ecology is ever present in the senses and safe from development - for now. The bush camping here is still unbelievably free. Perhaps it is the rainfall here in Johanna that the author of the surf guide made connections to Byron Bay because all else seems like a stark contrast to what Byron Bay is, and even what Byron was many decades ago. Sadly, there are people keen on developing this spot as a caravan park, this no doubt would create an opening toward an uninspiring 'resort' styled town as are found elsewhere on the coastline in the region.
From Joanna, We camped in the bush up the hill from Lorne, where we found one of the dirtiest beaches we have experienced so far. In such a beautiful part of the world, it was dissapointing to go down to the beach for a play in the sand with Kaiden. We dived into an area to build sand castles, and immediately noticed we were surrounded by ciggarette butts and bandaids... urrrgghhh, we ran further along the beach dived into the sand again, it was no different, cigerette butts and a huge bandaid stuck out the of sand..... we move along again to an area with a little less cigerette butts and no bandaids. Lorne is a very popular resort town and not what I imagined it to be - I guess we are approaching the large city of Melbourne. In repulsion, We were very temped to go back to Joanna. The waterfalls however are a saving grace for the Lorne area - away from the busy-ness and rubbish.
Next we camp out the back of Anglesea, and went to a local playgroup. We loved it and connected easily with the families, a few who are very keen on unschooling - hoooray ! The towns Airey's Inlet through to south of Torquay were fairly low key and in parts seemed in tune with the environment, I am sure this has contributed to a relaxed atmosphere. Even in the surf at Winkipop, I was welcomed in the line up by the locals and enabled me to be surfing way on the inside, no-one was hassling or snaking for waves.
Winkipop was fantasic to surf, I managed to catch it breaking 4-5 foot with 6ft+ sneaker sets. I was puffed at the end of each wave, so many turns off the lip and sooo much fun. I looked at Bells bowl it was breaking ok, but did seem to have a few slow sections, unlike Winkipop which raced faster and faster down the line...waaahhoooooo !!! I think perhaps Bells only really turns on during huge swells and a bit of a mal wave otherwise? I would love to have a Winkipop break on my doorstep, and jump on a long righthand reef everyday. This area certainly has many drawcards as a potential place for us to live !
From here we catch a ferry to Tassmania from Port Melbourne on the 28th.
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