Author: kbosh40 at hotmail dot com

Derwent Bridge is located half way between Hobart & Strahan on the Lyell Highway at the southern end of the Cradle Mt -Lake Clair National Park in the Tasmanian Highlands. There is an RV camp within the grounds of the Hotel which was well patronised, we found a little corner to park in that was just a little too rough for the caravans & whizz bangers – great for us. We dined at the pub for dinner, very nice & the fireplaces were awesome & off course they had fantastic toilets & information stands across the road.

1o minutes up the road from the hotel, we stopped in to look at the ‘The Wall’ – WOW! – it is truly amazing; its inside a very large shed looking building, no photographs are allowed to be taken inside but if you google the site you will see a few of the sculptures. It is one mans vision (Greg Duncan) – over a decade to create the most ambitious & unique artwork open to the public in Australia today, the wall is funded by the artist & is nearing competition, it consists of 100 hand sculpted timber panels each being 1m wide & 3m tall. The scale of the work is staggering &must be seen to be believed. It is history in the making. Most of the wooden sculptures are made out of Huon Pine. Also in the coffee shop they make the bestest ever fresh scones, straight out of the oven served with berry jam & cream…mmmmm

Highland Cattle – cuties.

One of the many lookouts along the road.

It was interesting with the vapour trial.

The Great Lakes – stretches for miles.

Damage from the recent fires – left the countryside very desolate.

Our camp spot not far from the Derwent Bridge Hotel.

These items for well utilised, the mossies were rather large.

I thought this particular story was impressive, I liked it & wanted to share this with you.

We stopped in Deloraine to do some washing & ended up staying 3 days, we had alternator issues with the ute & things only get done in ‘Tassie Time’ which was fine, we camped at the caravan park on the Meander river, a beautiful little spot. Did quite a bit of walking & checking out the town, along the main street there are hundreds of statuettes of people, animals, actions etc – they are amazing, so this blog is full of them but there was more I didn’t get to photograph, under each of these figures there was a plaque naming the statue.

The camp spot was full of ducks & turbo chooks & a few people. Our 1^st morning there was a frost – WOW! (12,13 & 14^th March) – its been quite a while since we have seen one of these & felt one of these, beanies, hot water bottle, big coat & trackies, but the days were lovely.

Turbo chooks galore.

Our camp.

Looking at our camp from across the river.

Ducks everywhere.

Frost this morning, 1st time we have experienced frost in a long time.

Even the ducks were cold……

Shearer

Fabulous furred & feathered friends.

Meditation stance.

Champion axeman.

Guitarman

‘I got one’

Exploring the Western Tiers.

Serving the community.

Peace Man.

Postie.

Deloraine Belle

Tree protector..

Growing children.

Suit of Honor.

Mountain Cattlemen

Place your bets.

Balance

Caver

Time for a coffee.

 What a beautiful spot.

We spent 4 nights here, Narawntapu NP was formerly known as Asbestos Range NP but due to a lack of asbestos an aboriginal name change happened & is a place of peace for people & wildlife. Dubbed the ‘Serengeti of Tasmania’ it is one of the best places in Tassie to view wildlife, the park is located between Port Sorell & Greens Beach.

We had an amazing campsite looking out into the water, there were 2m tides but at low tide there was a large amount of exposed sand which was readily enjoyed by birdlife & humans & was great to put our little boat in & leave it anchored overnight.

We went out fishing everyday, caught enough for a feed everyday except the last day (the only real sunny day), it was windy & cold even with the sun so after Peter caught one ‘keeper’ flathead we headed back to camp. The fish we caught were flathead, salmon, wrasse & golden eye mullet – they were all very yummy. We actually caught mega amounts of fish but they weren’t all keepers, but it was wonderful to be out in the boat again – so much fun.

Quite a lot of wildlife, didn’t see any devils or wombats but lotz of birdlife. They have organised horse riding treks from here & you can also bring your own ponies, everything is set up – its quite wonderful.

What a great sign, you don’t see many of these anywhere.

The view from our campsite, the tide has just started to go down.

Our campsite.

Our campsite from the water.

Peter setting up our fishing gear.

Our ‘happy” little boat.

Woo ho – here we go.

The professor is on the job……

 

Well maybe not this one but there will be more (keepers).

This fellow was stalking Peter every time he caught a fish.

So many swans.

Yea, got to see one pelican.

 

Just love it out on the boat, even better when you are catching fish.

So very beautiful

So many critters..

Unfortunately, the weather was not always kind, but it was still great fun except the last day although the sun was shining it was TOOOOO cold to stay our very long.

 

 

 

It was an interesting visit, we went on a 45 minute guided tour the presenter was very good.

You could purchase lotz of items if you wished but also you can purchase the real thing as a juvenile but there is a fair amount of paperwork etc involved.

They are amazing camouflage’s & meld into any background.

These fellows are a day old.

A week old.

Juveniles.

Teenagers.

Adults. The males have large bellies & they carry the babies & give birth.

He was cute.

Juvenile ‘spotted handfish’

The adult ‘spotted handfish’.

WOW! He was enormous.

Sea Dragons – quite peculiar creatures but very striking.

Giant cuttlefish.

Clarence Point is situated on Garden Island(not really an island, don’t know why its called that)……north of Beaconsfield & at the mouth of the Tamar River.(northern Tasmania)

We spent 3 nights here, 2 of those nights with great mates Jenelle & Darren, it was lovely, very windy & probably a place we won’t bother to re-visit, but we had a fantastic time with those 2 crazy folk.

Peter & I went for a stroll before Jenelle & Darren arrive, it was a little on the COOL side.

Our campsite.

Our camp.

You always need at least one scary pic – not you Jenelle……hahaha

Jenelle & I went shucking & came back with a great feast.

Yummo – oysters were good too.

As the sun is rising you can see George Town in the background, no driving there from here but you could boat across the Tamar river to get there.

You can see the oysters just waiting to be appreciated.

Is quite a lovely place, but the wind is a little crazy.

Darren preparing his secret family recipe for hash browns – they were yummo.

Lotz of time indulging in card games – especially a-soles & presidents……..

WOW! Peter & I arrived in Tassie on the 27^th October 2018 & drove to the Pondering Frog 10klms south of Bicheno, we left on 5^th March 2019.

We worked lotz of hours, got to visit a few places, made some lifelong friends & had created some awesome memories. Now we are just driving around checking out a few places before we board the Spirit of Tasmania at the end of the month.

Peter & some of his new friends.

The range of flowers have been beautiful & plentiful.

 

 

 

 

The Apsley river.

Inside the café there were lotz of frogs for sale.

Also lotz of jams,chutneys & sauces – quite a few made on premises & of course some liqueurs & cherry ports.

 

 

 

Seating inside & outside.

 

Junior (Darren) – one of the workers

Miss BB (Jenelle) & Princess (Keryn)

 

Pa & Ma (Jack & Wendy)

Pakki

So many fun times & ‘happy hours’ – it was awsome.

 

 

 

 

2 hippo’s in front of their dwelling……

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lotz of wildlife roam around the camp grounds at Fortescue Bay, we saw wallaby’s, paddy melons & possums, no doubt there are wombats & maybe a few devils around but they did not come into sight.

Tasmania has a large amount of road kill happening especially in the possum family, the only wombats & devils I have seen so far have been leg up also. But Tasmania does have lotz of public toilets & they are well maintained – its really quite surprising but in a good way.

So many critters.

This fellow was a constant visitor & liked to check out the majority of the camp sites.

This paddy melon liked to munch on banana skins.

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We dined here for late lunch/early dinner – lightly bread crumbed atlantic salmon, chips & salad – delicious.

The view was easy on the eye while we enjoyed our food.

Saw these steel cutouts during our drive.

Flowering T-Tree

It was a beautiful view.

The legs are feeling these steps, luckily there wasn’t as many as yesterday.

WOW!

It is quite ‘remarkable’.

Yep, he loves the steps.

Toilets everywhere.

Awesome colours these berries.

Passed this bay on the way back from Remarkable Caves.

Don’t see many of these swings around anymore.