Weather

When we set off on our third week here in Tasmania in our hired car we thought we would be sunning ourselves in the south of the island. Unfortunately our travel week coincided with the big weather fronts in the Big Island. Luckily we had a window of opportunity each day which enabled us to make the most of it.



After leaving Hobart we set off for the airwalk at Tahune, a long drive in after a very interesting visit to the apple growing town of Geeveston. Among many other characters we learned about there was a lady who was a stalwart in her community. She had very poor eyesight all her life and only learned to drive when she was in her 60's. She kept a bale of hay at the end of her garage to aid with parking! She was renowned locally for her driving, believing that it was not necessary to use more than the first two gears. We all know folk like that. Tahune is a forest site where you can walk on an aerial walkway at treetop level as well as cross two rivers on swinging bridges.

Southport was our base for two days, a basic cabin with no T.V., no mobile reception and a car with no radio. It rained and rained that first morning. After a revision of plans and a break in the rain we decided to risk it and set off on unsealed roads to reach Cockle Creek, the furthest point south in mainland Tasmania. Luck was with us and we walked to the sculpture which commemorates the whalers (or the whales caught here in the 1800's). Yes Richard, William is with us and enjoying his holiday. Another beach walk took us to one of the whaling stations, later a pub and a connection to another Thomas Smith. They are everywhere.





The next day was a bit misty but not a problem as the itinerary started with a visit to the hot springs and thermal pool at Hastings, last visited with Mhairi and Rona about 26 years ago. Our next camping hut was a bit more sophisticated with T.V. and mobile reception and we began to realise what was going on in Queensland. In fact the TV had 24 hour coverage of events there. We planned to visit Bruny Island the next day and luckily it stayed reasonably dry. After a short ferry crossing we drove to Adventure Bay where many early explorers landed, Matthew Flinders, Captain Cook, D'Entrecasteaux, and Captain Bligh of "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame. A walk to the point of the island followed but much more of this in the next blog.



While we were away in the south of Tasmania, Scamander had had its own flood with lots of water pouring into several of the local townships and many roads closed. On Friday it was the north west which was most affected. We had made a good choice for our few days away.