Day 72 – Time to return our trusty car and head to our 6th Australian state. It was a short flight (under 2 hours) from Sydney to Launceston. In Launceston skies were clear (no smoke) and it was under 30C – both good signs! Our AirBnB came with 2 dogs (hurray!) and a bag of treats to encourage them to be our buddies (their names were Buddy and Lulu).
Day 73 – During our Tasmania ‘stuff to see’ research there were just SO many amazing spots on the list and certainly not enough time to see them all. We picked Wine Glass Bay in Freycinet National Park for the first day. It was about a 2 hour drive, but it was a gorgeous winding drive through farm land and forests. A well placed winery was a perfect stop to break up the journey.
To be honest we had a bit of a disappointing time once we got there, but it was our own faults. We should have gotten an early start but we’d taken our time in the morning and didn’t get going until after 9am, along with eleventy million other tourists. It was SO busy. We tried to do the lighthouse loop walk – no parking. At the Wine Glass Bay parking lot we circled FOUR times before snagging a spot, and that was just sheer stubbornness. The trail up was largely an exposed dirt track (albeit with great views). Then, the lookout was so full of people all trying to get the best selfie it was simply not enjoyable. While trying to actually enjoy the view, with our EYES, we got asked to move several times by people not looking at the view but having their perfect pictures taken. It was frustrating. We didn’t spend long at the lookout.
Remember when it used to cost money to take a picture? You might fuss to get a good snapshot and move on. You certainly would not take 15-20 minutes worth of glamour shots of each individual family member in front of the World’s Largest Ball of Twine, and again and again… These folks appear to be doing noting but focusing on their technology and not enjoying their travels. \End rant\
Headed down to the beach we were bitching about the tourists and karma struck. Bron literally fell off the trail (a broken corner of a step, with some loose grit, combined with inattention) and twisted her ankle. As expected, she refused to abort the hike and we kept going to the beach.
Look, the beach was nice (most tourists only seemed to go as far as the lookout and back, not down and then up the 1000 steps to the beach). We sat and enjoyed the waves for an hour. But – the pall of the crowds still gave the whole day a bit of a bitter taste.
Back in Launceston – Brent’s foot had been sore for a couple days after getting a blister in Sydney. Upon removing his boot it swelled way up and there were red streaks up his leg almost to his knee. Luckily, he could identify he needed help (not always so easy) and we went to the hospital. The staff were fantastic (and said ‘yes’, this certainly needed medical intervention right away). After a reasonable wait (under 2 hours) Brent got IV antibiotics and a prescription for a week of pills. *Warning – Graphic image below*
Day 74 – So with an infected swollen foot and a minor twisted ankle we had no choice but to lay low and keep our feet up. We streamed our current favorite show “Travel Guides” from Channel 9 Australia. It is a travel show, but the real gem is the characters. Six groups (families, couples, friends) all go on the same holiday (each episode is a location, domestic or international). We’re seen and done many of the things on the show, especially in Australia. Our favorites characters are the Fren’s family from Newcastle – They are German restauranteurs. They are hilariously ridiculous and constantly rib each other, and love a buffet.
Day 75 – Brent’s foot was starting to improve so we headed to Hobart for the day. To limit walking we decided to go on a boat tour of the harbor. It was quite good, and very reasonable priced ($38 each WITH lunch).
Upon the conclusion of the boat trip it started to pour (which everyone is grateful for) so we aborted our plans to go up Mount Wellington lookout. Instead we drove through Richmond – home of the ‘oldest bridge in Australia’. Along with the bridge there were many old interesting buildings.
Day 76 – After a couple of easier days, it was time to get mobile again. Our day started off with a visit to the Launceston Farmer’s Market. Weekly on Saturdays there is a market showcasing local foods set up in the square. It was nice to look around and see if there were items we wanted for lunch on our day in the country.
Cataract Gorge, right in Launceston was our next stop. There is a large public park and gardens with a pool in the bottom of the gorge. Only a short walk from town on some elevated walkways, the gorge showcases the South Esk River, the source of drinking water for Launceston, before it joins the estuary. There is a chair lift ride across the gorge, to a bandstand and a little cafe and a 100-year old suspension bridge. We enjoyed this urban park and all of the trees on display – including some impressive Sequoia.
Continuing to explore the North Eastern corner of Tasmania, we headed off to Bridestowe Lavender Estate. The farm has been around since 1922, and is reportedly the largest lavender farm in the world. It was impressive, and a nice back drop for a few pictures, a cup of lemon-lavender sorbet, and a quick pit-stop to stretch our legs.
Before circling back to Launceston we explored the coast. We drove to Bridport, Low Head, and then Saint George. At the entrance to Port Dalrymple, there is a large lighthouse and a Little Penguin rookery. We stopped to look for Little Penguins, but the timing was not right. The penguins usually come ashore to den up under the junipers and shrubs at sunset.
The drive was nice, and the activity wasn’t too much for Brent’s foot, so an early day was planned for Sunday.
Day 77 – We headed west to Cradle Mountain National Park to do some hiking. Arriving much earlier than the day we attempted Wine Glass Bay, we had far fewer tourists blocking up the scenery. (The Conga Line also had not yet formed on the hiking track.) Bron circled Dove Lake, while Brent explored other shorter tracks in the park’s interior after a quick walk on the shoreline at Dove Lake.
The trail was gorgeous. Mostly boardwalk through several settings including rainforest and ‘attached to the cliff-side’.
The day was full of surprises, including 4 wombat sightings for Brent, 2 echidnas and a Tiger snake seen crossing the highway.
The drive to and from the park was no less a part of the adventure. The roads in Tasmania are winding and narrow and steep but the speed limits is 100km/h almost everywhere. This means, effectively, there is no speed limit as it would be impossible to go 100km/h. We had great fun sans speed limit, safely going as fast as we comfortable could (probably averaging 60km/h).
Day 78 – We said goodbye not our hosts, and headed for the airport early.
The flights were running on time, and we made our way back to Sydney with no issues.. We overnighted nearby the airport in preparation for our departure to New Zealand.
Brent And Bron Abroad 