Ramblings through Tasmania

Introduction

My wife, Denece, and I visited in November 2002. I'd appreciate advice of any errors of fact, names of tree species, places, etc.

Sunrise at Swansea The sun had risen above the Freycinet Peninsula, but had not yet disappeared behind the clouds, so still gave reflections from the ripples on the bay. Home North West South East

Spirit of Tasmania This is how many people will get their vehicles to Tasmania: in the hold of one of the two Spirits of Tasmania.

The North

Home Top North West South East Tree ferns Apparently while there are several species of tree ferns in Tasmania the one commonly called the man fern is either the most conspicuous or the most common. These were on the Liffy falls walk, near Deloraine.

Poppies Poppies are grown commercially for medicinal use in Tasmania. Fields at various stages can be seen scattered across the island.

Pencil pines and Pine Lake board walk Pencil pines look their ages of up to 1000 years or or even more near Pine Lake at an altitude of about 1200m. (The one on the right is a pencil pine, the one on the left, me, is a bit younger.) Good use is made of board walks in many places in Tasmania to protect delicate vegetation.

Pencil pines at Pine Lake They are rare trees, but there are quite a few apparently healthy specimens here. This area shows the greenish brown of the heath or tundra country, which contrasts to the green of most of Tasmania most of the time.

Quimbey Bluff An early morning view from the beautifully located Bonney's Farm B&B looking toward Quimbey Bluff. Deloraine is in the small valley in the middle distance.

The West

Home Top North West South East Henty River The most striking feature of Tasmania to a South Australian, especially when there is drought in SA, is the water. The Henty River is a very ordinary river by Tasmanian standards; if it was in SA it would be second only to the Murray, and the Murray can't be called a South Australian river.

Heath and forest 1 The point that struck me most forcefully about the Western Explorer road was the way you could be in forest at one point, and then 100m away you could be in heath. Compare this photo with the one below.

Heath and forest 2 At this particular point, on the Long Back Walk, the transition was perhaps only 30m. This photo is taken maybe 100m into the forest behind Denece in the above photo. Totally different vegetation communities growing close together in apparently the same soil and climatic conditions. One can see how, once established, each could be stable.

The South

Home Top North West South East Tahune Air-Walk This has been in place for only a couple of years, but is very popular to tourists; deservedly so. One sees more interstate car registrations in the car part than Tasmanian. The walk is perhaps 600m long and reaches a maximum height of 48m above the ground. It literally gives a very different perspective to a small patch of Tasmania's forest.

Derwent at New Norfolk There was no breeze (and, unusually for Tasmania, no cloud) on this early morning. I have had a lady object to the above implication that Tasmanian weather is often cloudy. I should say that my wife and I live in the Mid North of South Australia. Tasmania did seem to have quite a bit of cloud cover compared to our area.

Seaview Lodge Host Farm This was our favourite of all the overnight stops that Denece and I had in Tasmania. We intended to stay one night, stayed two. This is one view from Seaview Lodge; two more photos are below. The photo immediately below is from the front door of the house. Definitely the most peaceful and beautiful spot that we had the good fortune to discover.

Waterfall Bay This is the end point on one of "Tasmania's great short walks". On the Tasman Peninsula.

Echidna We came across this echidna on the way back; he was so busy he didn't ever notice us!

Coal Creek Vineyard This photo was taken from the picturesquely placed cellar door of a winery overlooking the Coal River. This site has newly opened for wine tastings and sales and will soon operate also as a restaurant. A more perfect location is difficult to imagine, view, ambience, and only about an hour's travel from the center of the biggest city in Tasmania. (Imagine an hour's drive from the center of Melbourne or Sydney; you'd still be in the city!)

Tahune Air-Walk Stringybark The left photo was taken with a standard 50mm lens, the one on the right with a 19mm super wide angle lens. (I found the 19mm lens very useful in Tasmania.)

Coast at Remarkable Cave Tasmania's almost ubiquitous dolerite produces some spectacular coastal and mountain scenery.

The East

Home Top North West South East Binalong Point This beach is about 15km east of St Helens. The weather, while showery and blowing a bit, made for some moody photography.

Myrtle Reserve This is in a small reserve on the very scenic road from St Helens to Derby, in the northeast of Tasmania.

Home Top North West South East