Woolmers Estate

Warm sunshine and blue skies encouraged us to venture out for yet more exploring! We ended up at the Woolmers Estate, a property along the banks of the majestic Macquarie River. Settled in 1817 by Thomas Archer and continuously occupied by the Archer family until 1994 - it is one of the most outstanding examples of 19th century rural and colonial settlements in Australia.

The original homestead was built in c. 1819 with an Italianate front added in the early 1840s.

Woolmers Estate is entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register and is of outstanding cultural and historical significance.

The Woolmers grounds include a National Rose Garden and Traditional Kitchen Garden.

The combination of the collections, artefacts, antiques, machinery, outbuildings, main house, gardens and property and its ideal setting made for one of our most enjoyable heritage attraction visits.

Campbell Town & Ross

The Midland Highway between Hobart and Launceston more or less follows the old coaching road and we took this route to Ross, stopping briefly at Campbell Town to admire the convict-built road bridge. We drove south through sheep grazing countryside (merino sheep are farmed here), eventually turning off the highway to Ross, like Campbell Town originally settled by the Scots.

Ross has a very secluded, rural feel; elm trees line the main Church Street, creating a beautiful avenue, while paddocks with grazing sheep stretch alongside. Old stone buildings along the idyllic street are well preserved. From the grounds of St Johns Church of England, one of the town's three pretty churches, there are views of the Macquarie River, spanned by the sandstone Ross Bridge.

We explored the town and walked from the church down to the original Ross burial ground and past the site of the Female Factory, actually a prison, where women convicts were held before being sent to properties as assigned servants.

Ben Lomond National Park

The plateau of the Ben Lomond Range, over 1300m high and 84 square kms in area, lies entirely within Ben Lomond National Park and can be seen from where we are housesitting!

The drive out to the National Park took about an hour and then we had to drive over gravel roads to reach the lookout - however, the view, the scenery and the alpine vegetation are magnificent and well worth the effort.

Tamar Island Wetlands

The Tamar Island Wetlands Centre is just outside of Launceston and we visited on a very windy Sunday afternoon! The Tamar Island and the amazing wetland habitat that surrounds it were well worth the visit although we didn't see as many birds as we had hoped.

At just over 70km the Tamar is the longest estuary in Australia. It is tidal throughout its length and has a range of three metres. We followed the 1.5km boardwalk to Tamar Island and whilst there was limited birdlife the views of the Tamar Valley were spectacular.

When we reached the island we found remnants of European settlement, including exotic trees such as oaks, firs and spruce.

The walk we followed took us through a waving, rustling sea of reeds and rushes - we saw plenty of black swans but no fish, skinks or snakes! We could hear the many frogs that inhabit the fresh water lagoon in the wetlands but did not see any of the several species that live there.

At the shallower lagoons we saw some white-faced heron and great egrets togethe with the remnants of the convict-built levee banks and the original fence posts.

The trees that we saw were the swamp paper-bark and they are the only native trees remaining in the reserve. Paperback forest is an endangered community in Tasmania, as most of it has been cleared over the past 200 years. The Tamar Island Wetlands has one of the best intact paperbark forest areas in the Tamar Estuary.

At the third bridge crossing we could see the remains of the metal steam dredger which is now a favourite resting place for cormorants and egrets. On the bridge itself we could see lots of regurgitated objects as many birds use the bridge as a night-time roost. Pacific gulls especially leave behind bits of glass, sweet wrappers and string - we also saw other pellets containing the bones of fish, small animals and carapaces of crabs.

Cataract Gorge Reserve

Our day out to the Cataract Gorge was another treat for the senses! A beautiful and sunny spring day made our enjoyment of this magnificent area of bushland complete!

The Gorge, formed through a series of large scale geological dramas over many millions of years, is quite remarkable. The Reserve's 192 hectares include grasslands, woodlands, dry forests, wet forests and wet gullies. The Gorge was once roamed by the Tasmanian tiger and continues to be a sanctuary for native wildlife.

The first Europeans were amazed by the Gorge's natural beauty. In 1804, aboard the Lady Nelson, explorer William Collins described it as the most beautiful scene in the world and by the 1890s, it was developed as a resort for the citizens of Launceston, in true Victorian style.

There are numerous walking trails and we enjoyed several, with lookouts, the world's longest single span chairlift, suspension bridge, an open air swimming pool, free BBQs and picnic lawns, a restaurant serving the finest Tasmanian produce, and a cafe with magnificent views.

In the Cliff Grounds there is a band rotunda where we watched peacocks strutting about the graceful Victorian gardens among towering conifers, exotic deciduous trees, azaleas and rhododendrons.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate

Bridestowe Estate is one of Tasmania's icons. Rich in history, and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Bridestowe we had been told was a "must see". Sure enough the surrounding countryside en route to Bridestowe is beautiful and reminiscent of Devon in many ways, green rolling hills, sheep and horses grazing, winding country roads - the journey was lovely however, it wasn't until we arrived at the Estate that we found out that lavender blooms in December and this was the 17th November!! So whilst we got to see row upon row of lovely compact lavender it wasn't in bloom which was a real shame because pictures and photos in the Gift shop show how beautiful the place is when the vast, vibrant purple flowers are in full bloom.

We could not be disappointed though as the views were still worth the trip and the shortbread and cakes (made using lavender oil!), were delicious!!!!

Sunday Market at Evandale

Evandale is 20km southeast of Launceston and it is a National-Trust classified town from the 1830s - the Sunday market is a long-running event. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours browsing the stalls and even managed to bag a few bargains (3kg Sundowner apples for 3 bucks!!). There were over 100 stalls and this included some selling local organic produce.

After our stroll around the market we explored the local town which is very pretty. Most of the old buildings bear descriptive plaques but we also picked up a free Heritage Walk brochure from the local Information Centre which was very useful. Evandale we discovered is also famous for the three-day long National Penny Farthing Championships as part of its Village Fair.

The Tamar Valley

To the north of Launceston is the beautiful Tamar Valley, where for 64km, the tidal waters wind through orchards, vineyards, strawberry farms, lavender plantations, forested hills and grazing land. We took a drive out to Beauty Point in the far northwest corner along the East Tamar Highway marvelling at the spectacular scenery and peaceful surroundings - we stopped at various points along the way simply to take in the fabulous views of th Tamar River, the view back towards Launceston and Batman Bridge. We are running out of suprlatives to describe the sights we have the pleasure to enjoy here in Australia, and especially here in Tasmania, idyllic comes close!

Heritage Walks continued..

Subsequent historical walks around the town centre of Launceston took us through the shady, grassy Civic Square, closed to traffic and very peaceful. Cameron Street was one of the first streets laid out after the city's settlement in 1806 and from here is an almost perfectly preserved 19th century street-scape which includes the Supreme Court building.

South of the Civic Square is the main shopping thoroughfare, the pedestrianised Brisbane Street Mall - we also found the National Trust information centre here at The Old Umbrella Shop housed in an 1860s Tasmanian blackwood-lined shop.

We spent some time in Royal Park which has extensive formal parklands running down to the Tamar River. From here we wandered to Ritchies Mill Arts Centre which is on the Tamar River and has been converted from a 19th century flour mill and millers' cottages and now contains two galleries and an alfresco cafe.

We also discovered the wealthy suburb of Trevallyn, filled with classic Victorian mansions strung along the tree-covered hillside. Lovely.

Heritage Walks

We have found that the best way to explore a city and get a real feel for the historic character of a place is to pick up some local walking leaflets and follow the suggested trails that invariably take you past many living architectural examples and other important points of interest.

We spent several days during our first week here doing just that. There are 3 main walks that take in the city and provide an insight into its history - by the time we had completed all 3 we had a real understanding of the city's past and had the opportunity to enjoy some beautiful buildings and parks and gardens.

Our first walk took in City Park which is a real gem! Established in the 1820s, the impression of a formally organised, very English park is reinforced by the John Hart Conservatory full of flowers and ferns, and by wrought-iron drinking fountain erected here for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Huge rhodedendron and azalea bushes fillthe park along with wisteria over 150 years old.

Launceston and beyond!

Our first few days here in Launceston were spent familiarising ourselves with the local area and of course, settling in to our new place and getting to know our new family of pets! Here we are looking after 3 Schipperkes; Ebony (4) and mum to Max and Evie (2), then there is a chihuaha-X called Threepence who is 17 years old and a delightful little girl and finally, a lovely cat, Buddha!

Almost 2 weeks here and we are getting along famously - they have us right where they want us!!

Launceston is dominated by the Tamar River and the countryside is not dissimilar to Devon back in the UK, with haystacks and grand Victorian houses nestling on hills above the riverbanks. Launceston is the third-oldest city in Australia (first settled in 1804), and whilst little of its elegant colonial Georgian architecture remains, the city does have in abundance many fine examples of colonial Victorian architecture. The real attractions though are its natural assets. It is situated at the confluence of the narrow North Esk and South Esk rivers with the breathtaking Cataract Gorge only minutes from the town centre.

The surrounding countryside, reminiscent of home, with rolling green hills and strawberry farms but also, wineries and lavendar plantations. It is idyllic.

Our "home" for the month is in the eastern suburbs and from where we have a spectacular view of the bush-covered hills which fold back in to the distance to Ben Lomond, a popular winter skiing destination.

The gardens are chock full with the most fragrant flowers and roses - jasmine trails over the fence and as quickly as we cut the roses there are more blooms - everything really is rosy in this garden! Hayfever has really taken hold but 'tis well worth the sneezing and runny eyes to see nature at its best - one of the many feathered visitors to the garden is the blackbird whose sweet shrill we have missed since being away from Europe - it's nice to hear the birdsong as opposed to the birds squawking!!!!

Journey to Launceston

The journey to our "home" for the next 3 weeks took us through mostly dairy country, although there was the odd patch of surviving rainforest and the remnants of the tin-mining industry.

The most beautiful part of the drive, with views across the valleys to the sea, was the Weldborough Pass, predominantly myrtle forest with manferns and occasional tall blackwoods.

We passed through Derby on the Ringarooma River which was made famous by the profitable Briseis Tin Mine between 1876 and 1952. Scottsdale was where we stopped to stretch our legs but everything was closed (saturday afternoon situation normal!). Scottsdale is a large town which services the agricultural and forestry industries of the northeast.

As we progressed through the north of Tasmania we drove through rich and settled agricultural country and arrived at the Tamar Valley whose fertile soil made this area prosperous during the early colonial period. Approximately 30kms inland at the meeting of the Tamar and the North and South Esk rivers we were in Launceston.

We made our way to the local airport where we dropped of the hire car and where we met the homeowners of our next "sit". We spent a very pleasant evening getting to know our new "family" of pets and enjoyed supper and conversation until it was time for bed.

The Bay of Fires, Binalong Bay and on to Launceston....

THE BAY OF FIRES is on the North East Coast of Tasmania and stretches 29km from Binalong Bay in the South to Eddystone Point in the North. It is an area of remote sun drenched white sandy beaches broken up with headlands of the famous orange lichen covered granite boulders. It was named by Capt. Tobias Furneaux of the HMS Adventure on the 17th March 1773. It was named thus because of the number of fires the local aborigines had alight inland of the coast. The Aboriginal name for the Bay of Fires is Larapuna.

BINALONG BAY is the only town on the Bay of Fires and is a holiday village with a permanent population of around 200.

Despite the miserable weather yesterday, today (Saturday 8th November), we were able to venture down to the beach at Binalong Bay which is a popular surf spot - it is at the southern end of the mesmerisingly beautiful Bay of Fires and although the weather was very windy the sky was blue and the sea a bright turquoise blue albeit a very rough sea! The beach itself, a white quartz sand, with blue-green she-oaks and emerald boobyalla fringing the beach - quite stunning.

We took the partly sealed coastal drive to the scenic spot known as The Gardens before retracing our tracks and picking up the Tasman Highway cutting across the northeast highlands towards Launceston where we will be house and pet sitting for the next 3 weeks.

Majestic mountains, spectacular sunrise and wonderful wallabies!!

At around 4.30am this morning I thought the loud whirring noise was the ocean - we stayed the night in a suite right on the edge of the bay (hence the name of the resort!), and before nodding off I could hear the waves gently lapping the shoreline however, the loud whirring sound that woke me was not a tsunami(!) but the air con kicking in!! Once awake I noticed that it was just starting to get light outside (it’s lighter earlier in the morning and later in the evenings here compared with the mainland), so I took a peek and could see that the sun was just starting to rise - I got dressed and headed out camera in hand - there had been a heavy dew and the air was full of eucalypt and pine fragrance - I was delighted to discover a lovely little cove just a few steps from our accommodation and it was here that I was overwhelmed with the natural beauty of this magical place.

The sun rose slowly turning the early morning sky from a deep red, to pale pink and then the sky was a clear blue with the full sun making its appearance at the dawning of yet another new day. I was reminded of Della’s favourite hymn “Morning has broken”.

The 3 peaks of the mountains known as the Hazards provided a spectacular backdrop for the rising sun and the heat from the early morning sunshine in the sheltered cove provided not only a physical warmth but warmed my soul - it was a truly spiritual moment for me.

Della and I have been incredibly lucky to experience a number of awesome sights since our arrival here in Australia, all of them very special in their own unique way - it is difficult to find the words to describe not only what we are seeing and doing but the impact each experience is having on us as human beings. Our travels have taken on a whole new dimension influenced by the people we are meeting, the natural beauty of the places we are visiting and everything we are learning during our trip, not only about the new cities and cultures but also about ourselves. Our horizons are truly being broadened!!

If that wasn’t enough joy for one morning (and it wasn’t even 9am yet!) when we were having breakfast we were joined by several Bennett’s wallabies, a female with a joey and a couple of smaller lads, all of them very interested in our raisin toast!!!!

After brekkie we had a very pleasant stroll along the foreshore passing yet more pale granite boulders daubed with orange lichen and wandering along sand unmarked by footprints, marvelling at the coloured pebbles and iridescent mareener shells that Aboriginal women still string into necklaces.

We (reluctantly!) left the beautiful Freycinet Peninsula behind to make our way further north as the last night of our week off from house and pet sitting was to be spent at Binalong Bay. The journey was pleasant and easy, we saw lots of black swans en route and arrived in St Helens (the largest town on the east coast), around lunchtime. We had a wander and popped in to the local Visitors Information Centre (as has become our habit!) and having armed ourselves with a myriad of leaflets and info regarding the local area made our way to our digs for the night - (http://www.bedinthetreetops.com.au/), a fabulous log cabin, one of only two, set high in the hills overlooking Moulting Bay, an upmarket B & B with every comfort we could imagine and apero and nibbles included!! We are living the high life, figuratively and literally!!

Unfortunately, the weather changed for the worst and winds and rain descended on Binalong Bay making any decent photos impossible still, a lovely hot coffee and some very friendly staff at the local restaurant/cafe (http://www.angasi.com.au/) proved to be just what we needed. After making a reservation for our evening meal we went back to our accommodation to freshen up and enjoy those pre-dinner snacks!

Despite the foul weather nothing could spoil our enjoyment our evening at Angasi was splendid and we enjoyed one of the best vegetarian meals yet!

The east coast: the Tasman Highway

After collecting our hire car, we left Hobart headed for the glorious Freycinet National Park.

For most of the way the highway passed through grazing land and bush-covered hills. The only blight on the landscape is the huge and controversial export woodchip mill near Triabunna. We made a coffee stop at Triabunna and saw Maria Island from the ferry point where you can cross to Maria Island if you wish. We continued on with our farily uneventful journey stopping for lunch at the oldest town on the east coast; Swansea.

Swansea, lies sheltered in Great Oyster Bay, facing the Freycinet Peninsula. One of Tasmania's oldest settlements, Swansea is an administrative centre, fishing port and seaside resort with well preserved architecture dating from the 1830s to the 1880s. After our picnic lunch overlooking the bay we strolled around town, stopping at the main focal point of Morris's General Store which has been run by generations of the family since 1868.