4 replies to this topic

[cathypault]

Day 3 Tasmania Trip

Friday 25/04/2008

Up early and got a couple of nice shots of the sunrise over the beach. We left the Lufra Hotel at 8.15 with thanks to our host for a very welcoming and comfortable stay. The weather is fine at the moment but very threatening. We are on our way to Richmond. Now don?t be silly the shots of the sunrise were out of the bedroom window, not from the beach.

We took a photo of the Dunalley Hotel (just looked good at the time) on our way through and took the route through Dodges Ferry where we encountered very scenic country side with peaceful waters and beautiful black swans. Gravel roads along this section.

At Sorell we filled our car and payed $1.35 a litre for fuel (cheaper than Brisbane). As we passed Sorell we checked out the Blue Bell Inn. We arrived at Richmond at 10 am and had a thorough look through the town and what it had to offer. We toured the Richmond Gaol and had a good look at the Richmond Bridge. The historic sites (old churches and heritage buildings).We toured the miniature old Hobart site. At 1pm we left Richmond and headed for Deloraine. We stopped at Bothwell at 2.15pm car mileage 18152km. Bothwell is a beautiful historical town full of beauty and heritage and it is really worth seeing.

It is 3pm and we are passing the turn off to Arthur?s Lake .Km are 18198. I have looked down to check out the map and I can?t believe the change in the landscape. I have looked up to find a land of wide brown country side. Wow!

We are heading to see the Power Station at Poatina. The last 10 km into Poatina is very steep, windy and smoky. When we finally reached the Poatina power station it was closed and we couldn?t get in. They don?t do tours anymore. Our mileage was now reading 18237k

We continued back to see Arthur?s Lake. The lake was very low and it was cold and windy and so we continued on toward Deloraine. It started raining just as we got to the south end of Great Lake. Heavy enough that you wouldn?t get out in it but we could still see the expanse of water, low as the level may be. Would no doubt be a great site when full.

Had planned to do Liffey Falls about now, but getting too late and too wet.

As we drove through about Golden Valley and started to climb we actually had almost no vision at all as we had reached the peak of the mountains and we were buried in cloud and fog. This was very trying at the end of the day as there wasn?t any visibility and we didn?t know the road at all. 6pm we arrived at Deloraine and after blowing in the bag, found really nice accommodation in a Motel that had a restaurant next door. Went down the local and purchased some pre dinner Boags, blew in the bag again, glad it was him out there in the rain, then back to the Motel. We had to wait quite a while, but eventually had a wonderful meal. We laughed to one another as we watched the proprietor become progressively intoxicated as he got stuck into the red wine.

We have written up the diary and off to bed ready to face day 4 tomorrow. Tasmania is still a very beautiful place although it has started to rain. Forecast not looking good for Cradle Mountain in the morning. 18385km.

[Mystic]

Great read, thanks. $1.35 for fuel??? makes me very envious. Right now, in the west, we are paying about $1.70, and around 10 cents cheaper in the north.

Bothwell is definitely an interesting place, and the home of golf in Australia. The first golf course ever constructed in Australia remains open for play there, with curious greens protected by fences to keep the sheep off them. This is also the oldest golf course anywhere in the world outside of Scotland.

Pity the weather turned bad for you as you made the trip from Great Lake up to Deloraine, it is one of my favourite sections to drive through with gorgeous scenery.

[Shane V]

I am so there!!! Well written.

I have looked down to check out the map and I can?t believe the change in the landscape. I have looked up to find a land of wide brown country side. Wow!

I know what you mean. When we go for drives, even if it is along the same road, the changes in the landscape always seem different. Tassie is an amazing place. You can turn a corner down here and the scenery is totally different to what you have been seeing.

Great to see you have had a good time so far.

[cathypault]

Yes $1.35 a litre. I bet it isn't that now though. Amazing what a difference a few weeks can make. It seemed very dry around the lakes so I am sure the locals wouldn't have liked it if we turned the rain off so we could get a better view

[Mystic]

Been a while since we went to Great Lake, though the lakes we saw on the weekend were very low. The shot below is a panorama stitching two images together from a trip we did through that area in 2006. It was taken from the lookout, just north of the lake. I imagine there was much more water around back then, even though we could see at the time the level was rather low.