BreadnJamRndTassie 17/12/17 Week 11

Life's just a bowl of Cherries in Tasmania

We left Bridport on Sunday morning on the 10th Dec. bound for St. Helens via Scotsdale.

A quicker route, but very hilly with a lot of climbing & hairpin bends, with a severe 

drop off on the passenger side. it took us 2hrs 10mins to do 120kms.

We had lunch at St. Helens, a scenic town overlooking Georges Bay.

Just North of St. Helens, there are a number of free camps right next to the beach.

They all get a good wrap in Wikicamps from travellers who have stayed, 

or are staying there. The first one we picked was Swimcart Beach.

We were lucky, there was one spot left, they are all starting to fill up 

for the summer season.  We were happy with our spot, overlooking the beach.

Looking from our Van when we first arrived.

Late afternoon, same place, Jan fishing

Looking back at our Van from the beach

After we set up camp, we took a drive back to St. Helens point,

to look for potential surf breaks. One we saw was Beer Barrel beach.

Will have a look tomorrow morning.

On the way back home, we stopped off at a farm selling cherries & peaches,

& bought a kilo of each. Delicious!

We also called in to Binalong Bay to have a look. Another beautiful place, 

with crystal clear ocean water, & white sand.

Plus, home to a few statues, & coloured rocks.

Some of the painted rocks in the Bay of Fires

Last day here at Swimcart Beach, which is the very South of the Bay of Fires,
so we decided to travel up to the Northern tip of the Bay of Fires.
Heading first to The Gardens.


Protected cove at the Gardens

Another protected bay on the other side of the Gardens.

The tip is called Eddystone Pt., & then you have Anson Bay South of it.
We called in to have a look at the other free camps in Bay of Fires,
Policemans Pt. Cosy Corner Nth, Cosy Corner Sth.
All great places to stay, near or on the beach, but we like Swimcart the best


Eddystone Lighthouse

Rock formations offshore from Eddystone.


Just a glimpse of Eddystone Beach

After leaving Swimcart Beach, we moved down the coast & camped at Lagoon Beach.
We stayed there for 2 days, exploring north & south of there, going to Binalong Bay,
St. Helens, Scamander, Falmouth, and Bicheno, all the while looking for a wave,
never finding any. The wind was onshore, & the swell was tiny.
I was told i'd just missed the swell, which was last week.
Never mind, the sightseeing was great.
After leaving Lagoon Beach, we again moved down the coast, & stayed at
Triabunna. We booked a boat circumnavigation round Maria Island.
It was a 7 hr day, with lunch onboard, & 2 hrs on the Island,
which was a penal colony in the 19th century.
The cruise around the island was spectacular.
Huge, vertical, fossil cliffs, large caves, waterfalls, orange lichen covering the rocks,
the isolated, clear water bays with white sand, dolphins surfing the boat wake,
flying fish, & wombats on the island, made for an enjoyable day.
The knowledgeable Skipper Mike, with his interesting & informative description of the history
of the Island, & Jaz , his offsider who prepared a delicious lunch, & was also
very informed on the history of the island, made it even better.



One of the many caves at water level



Another cave


Rocks covered with orange lichen



More lichen


Different rock formations

















Some of the locals on Maria Island.





A couple of Jan pics.

BreadnJamRndTassie 10/12/17 Week 10

Our camp at Launceston

This is a pic of Old Mac's Farm where we stayed  while in Launceston.

$10 a night with access to water & toilets. A picturesque stay for 5 nights.

Although we were rained in for a day & a night. In fact we were on flood watch

for a couple of days. Luckily, our van, which is far left was high enough 

not to have be moved, but other vans on a lower level had to be moved to higher ground.

Anyway, it was a good base to range around & see the countryside.

Our first day took us to Beaconsfield, scene of the gold mining cave-in in 2006,

where 2 miners were trapped underground for 2 weeks, fortunately they were rescued,

but 1 miner was killed.

It was a minor earthquake that caused the rockfall that trapped the miners 1km underground.

14 were lucky to get out, but 2 were trapped in a small cage, which saved their lives, 

while the miner who was out of the cage on a machine, was crushed.

The site is now a museum.

A waterwheel driving stampers that crushed the ore, although steam was the usual 

form of propulsion in the early days of the mine which dates back to 1877

At its peak, employing over 700 men,  & recovering over  26 ton of  gold.

Jan tickling the museum's ivories

After leaving Beaconsfield, we travelled north to Beauty Point,

and had lunch overlooking the Tamar River.

Then it was on to Greens Beach to see some chainsaw sculptures in a  yard.

Next day, we took a trip up to Georgetown, on the East side of the Tamar River, 

with Beauty Point being on the West side.

We found more Chainsaw sculptures there.

Went on to the Leaning Church Winery hoping for some lunch. 

Missed out there, but Jan took an outside & inside pic of the church.

Me feeling very pious in my yellow Billabong Tshirt, & studded Harley Davidson Belt.

Came back home via  Lilleydale Falls, a nice walk up to the falls, 

through luscious ferns & tropical plants.

Had a dance at Launceston Country Club on Sunday & Wednesday night, 

& had the pleasure of catching up with Wilma Carson who lives in Launceston & publishes 

Wilma's Gigs & Events in Tasmania, a reliable source of

music & dance events, Festivals,  & Dances in Tasmania.

A go-to entertainment  guide when in Tassie.

Father & Son Duo, Rino & Jade Morea, playing both nights while we were there

Very entertaining, & very danceable music.

On the last day in Launceston, we went on the Chairlift at the Cataract Gorge,

 wandered round the gardens, walked the old suspension bridge,

had a look at the old tearooms & Rotunda. All the while, there were peacocks

wandering throughout.

We left Launceston on Thursday, & headed for Bridport, which is on the North Coast,

overlooking Bass Strait, where the Bridport to Flinders Island Ferry leaves from.

We're staying at the Bridport Tourist Park, right on the Beachfront.

The Van park is about 2kms long, & terraced, with most sites giving an ocean view.

Looking out from our caravan at Bass Strait.

only the bird's got a better view!

We're only here for 3 days, so we took off on the 1st day to have a look  at

Lulworth, Weymouth & Bellingham.

No waves here like that!

Deserted beach at Lulworth

Looking over the Pipers river at low tide from Bellingham to Weymouth

big tide differences here. This area is full at high tide.

Moving on tomorrow for St. Helens on the East Coast.