4 Mar 10 – Port Arthur

By Craig: Seen one prison, seen 'em all. Mind you, as an old screw I don't know I would have liked to have worked in the days of the Port Arthur era. However, I took 3 opportunities to imprison Sam: first I had him in leg irons, then I had him behind bars and finally I attempted to lock him in solitary confinement. However, given today's current parenting laws I thought it best to keep him.



Understanding the prison went through an extreme fire, the current ruins are testament to the skills used in the original construction; they built them to last. Although the tour guide was a little over the top, the information provided about the prison itself, the numbers of convicts it held within its walls and the types of incarceration undertaken at Port Arthur made me think how lucky the inmates have it today.

While touring the prison grounds, we came across the old Governer's quarters which in itself was a snapshot of how the governing body of the prison lived in the 1800s.


Lou was quite taken by both the simplicity, intimacy and solitude of the study. I think the campervan's getting to her.

By Lou: Camped at the very pretty Fortescue Bay in Tasman National Park not far from Port Arthur. Our neighbours (Charmain, Matt, Zoe and Benjamin) were from Townsville and Sam didn’t waste a second introducing himself and playing at every opportunity with the 2 kids. The family had also been on the road since Christmas and we both observed our children, out of loneliness, had learned the ability to make friends immediately knowing time was counting down from the minute they met. We shared a camp fire and chatted easily with many things in common. I was delighted to find out we weren’t the only ones behind with schooling, and that the mum hadn’t had any time to read novels as she had envisaged. Mind you, she had also thought she’d get her psychology doctorate underway in her spare time, a confession which prompted wine spitting and hysterical laughter.




I recall being impressed with Port Arthur 20-odd years ago and I enjoyed it again this time. So discrete is the memorial to the victims of the massacre that we set out to look for it but got swept up in a sea of passengers from a P&O Cruise ship and got waylaid. There were so many people it was impossible to see all the exhibits because to stand still was to block traffic so it was a bit rushed and hectic in parts for my liking. Normally I love stopping to read every single information board but Craig and Sam were delighted that we flitted past. However the grounds tour and boat ride were great and once we were free to wander through the ruins on our own there was ample room and ironically it’s actually a very peaceful place now.
Have discovered that Sam is a tour guide groupie and loves being at the front right under their nose just waiting for an opportunity to ask a question. We usually hold our breath and think, “Oh no, what’s this one?” but he actually asked pertinent questions and provided decent answers. A bit of a laugh from the crowd and he’s happy as Larry.

3 Mar 10 - Bruny Island, Tasmania

By Craig: We had decided that a stay on Bruny Island would eat into our time on the North East coast so we opted for a quick whiz around tour. The tour had a slow cruise out of Hobart down the Derwent River,
a bus ride across the island, a Wild! boat ride. The ride continued down to the bottom end of the island around some smaller islands in the Southern Ocean to see seals and then on the return bus trip a visit to a private property for lunch with local wine and cheese tasting. OK you got me!

Well the day didn’t start that well as finding an all-day car park in Hobart near the wharf is near on impossible but we finally found out that a parking voucher was available and once parked the day just got better. The cruise was very relaxing and lots to see, you never seem to travel far in Tassie and there’s something new to look at. We arrived at Bruny Island and tracked across and down the island by bus finally arriving at Adventure Bay for our wild ride into the Southern Ocean.


As we stepped on this slick looking craft, long and narrow, we were told of the 3 x 300 HP engines at the rear and that this vessel was built as a troop carrier for ship-to-shore fast transport. ‘You’re safe on this vessel’ the captain said as he commenced handing out beanies and advising our wet weather gear to be on and our seat belts should be fastened at all times. Now we look good as well.
As we left the pier a quick jolt on the power and the vessel sat up and launched into action, to the sound of a few Yoo-hoo's. The cruise down the island was fascinating as you don’t often get to see sheer cliffs from the water.
Before too long we were at the end of the Tasman Sea and were about to head into the Southern Ocean. One noticeable change as we rounded the bottom of Bruny Island was the sea swell increased to around 3 meters.
A quick look at Sam who was sitting in the outside seat and it was thumbs up, a big smile and even a bigger one when the first wave came crashing over the boat.
We toured around a couple of smaller islands and observing seals at close range (bow of boat only feet from the rocks) was extremely entertaining. The weather was not at its best and I understand why we were issued with all the gear; it was blowing a gale, raining and very cold but smiles all round.
We headed back and on the way we were treated to a very fast pass-through between two rock pylons, the idea being that in time with the swell you passed through at full throttle, very exciting stuff. Too fast and wet for photo opportunity but the WOW factor was 10++. Lunch, well what can I say, beautiful local oysters, wines, cheeses and fudge, says it all really & all in a day.

2 Mar 10 – Hobart and surrounds

By Craig: Rain in the distance as we set up, we picked a place called Treasure Island Holiday Park, not a lot to say about that however our first night had us up and about at midnight with a burst water main at the front of our camper. I wasn’t sure if Hobart was the place to be however day trips to Richmond, Bruny Island, Tinderbox and Mt Wellington proved to be well worth our while.



I had a great day visiting the zoo (Zoo Doo in Richmond) with Sam but I’ll let Sam say more about that. What I will say is cheers to the bus driver tour guide as I haven’t laughed so much on a tour. We had tears coming out of our eyes as the one-liners came thick and fast (but you had to be there). This chap should do stand up at a comedy show.


When we arrived in Richmond, Louise and Sam were still completing school subjects in the car so I had the opportunity to walk around town. While doing so, I came across a lot of old architecture and an information centre. What intrigued me about the info centre was that it had an 1800s reconstruction of Old Hobart Town. After speaking to the gentleman, I planned to run a small school excursion for Sam. Later that day we returned to the centre and Sam completed a questionnaire about the display, along the lines of "Where's Wally?" we had to look for certain features either on display or written on texts. Not a bad way to incorporate fun and school.








Richmond provided an opportunity for me to explore some old architecture. My love for old buildings, in particular churches, takes me back to my geometrical drawing days at high school.












By Lou: We arrived in Hobart about an hour before the Saturday Salamanca Markets were due to finish so headed straight there. We were kidding ourselves that we’d find a park big enough for the trailer so we gave a wave and set about finding somewhere to stay the night. The days were cold and wet but we had lots of lovely day drives.


Late one afternoon we drove to Mt Wellington which looms over Hobart. We’d received a couple of phone calls from family and friends to check if we’d heard the Tsunami alert predicting the east coast of Australia may experience in the next 2 hours the effects of the Tsunami that hit Chile. We had heard, but tucked away in Hobart we knew we were safe and in any case could just run up Mt Wellington if need be (does it matter the last time I ran was for the 1998 Mildura Summer Comp Netball Semi Final?). In actual fact it’s quite the drive to get to the top but what an awesome view once you get there! Apparently very controversial at the time of construction for the eyesore the roads were expected to make, but it employed lots of men during the depression and of course there were lots of 'good news' photos showing people donning skis at the grand opening. Yes, very cold indeed and windy (hello Tasmania) but worth the view.




Geeveston was a very quaint town with a beautiful Forest and Heritage Centre showcasing local artists and a display of timber history, for which I have a great affection given my dad’s side of the family’s association with timber. Nearby was the Tahune Air walk, a walk in the tree canopies, and despite the weather looking dubious we decided to go for it. I found the tourist operators in Tasmania to be very positive and they seemed slightly startled if you mentioned the weather. “Cold? Do you think so? I’m sure the clouds will blow away once you’re up there.” Just like the Whitsunday tourism operators don’t mention stingers or cyclones. “Windy? Do you think so?” Anyways, it was great to see (yes, we could) the different species up close and up high, and look down on the Huon River.

Also in the area was the "Big Tree". Not necessarily the tallest or oldest but DEFINITELY the biggest tree in Australia.











By Sam: Dad and I went to ZooDoo (out of Richmond) and we saw this white tiger
and it was so cool to see a white tiger and it just blew my mind to see all the amazing animals. There were amazing monkeys, some were so tiny, like the size of an apple. When we were driving on the bus the driver gave us food to feed the animals. There were lots of people on the bus and it had no windows so you could feed the animals like emus, ostriches and camels. The man said “who wants to kiss the camel goodbye?” and I did and I kissed it 3 times and the last time on the lips! When we were trying to drive out this little chicken ran after us with little floppy legs and it was so funny.

26 Feb 10 - Wayatinah and Lake St Clair

By Craig: As we left Macquarie Heads we knew our place of choice was booked out. Pity, as we wanted to see a couple of attractions and complete a walk at Lake St Clair. While cutting up through the mountains after a brief stop at Queenstown I had three things in mind: a fire, a Bourbon and fishing. As time drew on we visited a place called Bronte Park, most likely a top spot but as we passed by the park we saw first looked like a workers' camp so we gave it a miss. We most likely should have checked it out better but being in a hurry and first impressions not being what we wanted, we moved on. We visited a little free camp area called Bronte’s Lagoon and selected a spot and backed the trailer into position thinking at least for an overnight stay. However prior to setting up we walked a little ways down to the waters edge and said Hi to the neighbours. All good we thought just as the dogs chained to another van started barking. As we pulled out of the lagoon we checked the map thinking another 30k’s or so wouldn’t hurt.
Lou scanned the Camps 5 book and spotted Wayatinah camping area. My request to Louise was simple: it must have a lake, we must be able to run a generator and we must be able to have a fire. Well one phone call, three ticks and we were pulling into Wayatinah, a little late but within heaps of time to set up prior to dark, get a fire started and sit down to a Bourbon. Ah! Camping. Why would you have it any other way? & we got some fishing in to boot!












We took a trip back to Derwent Bridge to see ‘The Wall’ a sculpture hand carved of timber depicting the rigour of old times in the Hydro power and timber industries. No photos are allowed to be taken as this is a private gallery however keeping all opinions aside The Wall is worth taking time out to see. As I walked in to my left I sighted a hat and cowhide coat hanging on the wall. I took my coat off and looked for a hook realising that the hat & coat was a handcrafted timber sculpture made from Huon Pine, Wow! I thought this is going to be great. A walk along the Wall leaves you speechless and at times expecting one of the figures to smile and reach out to shake your hand. The level of detail is extraordinary you simply have to sit for a while to admire the artist’s work.

On our track about we visited Lake St Clair and did a short walk and some sight seeing.

By Lou: Expect it when you least expect it. Wayatinah Lakeside Caravan Park was our 4th preference (sight unseen) but turned out to be a pearler. Very low key but friendly and helpful owners, camp spot right on the lake, firepot plonked in front of us and a free load of firewood provided. We met Olivier from Quebec who was cycling on his own around Tassie and had a great chat. At least I think he was interesting, I can really only remember the French accent.

23 Feb 10 - Macquarie Heads, Strahan and the West Coast

By Craig: Hills, hills and more bloody hills, how I long for a straight flat stretch of road. Bring on the Nullarbor I say. Getting to Macquarie Heads (just south of Strahan) across mountainous narrow roads tested both the vehicle and the driver and with no alternative route it was slow as you go and get there safe. It was raining upon arrival, very cold and the moisture in the air made using paper to start a fire very difficult. Ah! A packet of fire starters did the job. No go acting like a boy scout when the family and not to mention my fingers are bloody frozen. The first night was spent under a tarp in front of a fire with a bottle of old heart warmer (red wine). The sun did eventually come out through a storm and we explored the region. The trip up the western coast was wet and wild. The long windy and windy road to Arthur River was enjoyable with a river crossing at Corinna (The Fatman Barge) and a visit to Couta Rocks being the highlights. As we sat and had lunch at Couta Rocks (in the Cruiser), with the wind blowing 40Knots+ and the rain pelting in horizontal we looked into the small bay at a fishing boat struggling at it’s mooring and wondered about how tough this area would be for the occupants. My disappointment in the west was not being able to tackle the Balfour track. The track in it’s time at best difficult was very wet and local knowledge and track updates told us that taking this track on alone was not recommended. I’ll do it in company next time. In all, the west was conquered and I was looking forward to seeing Strahan.



Strahan, a nice little town come port etc had a good feel to it and in particular a visit to the local theatre saw us involved in a play called ‘The Ship That Never Was’. Now I won’t spoil it for those who may venture to Strahan one day but suffice to say this play had us all laughing at and with the two main characters and audience roped into different roles. One such member of the audience was Sam and he played the role of Billy. Billy was the hero, a good pirate you might say. Billy saved the day and Sam just loved jumping about (acting seems to come naturally) as Billy took on pirates and steered the ship out of trouble.
Well a very funny time had for all with Sam playing it up as good as any 7 year old and the crowd egging him on, a great night!

By Lou: Before we headed over to Tassie mum offered me dad’s diary from their last trip to Tassie in 2007 to see if it offered any hints for what we might want to do. His diary entries were all pretty much based on the weather or mileage accrued so when I came across an entry that actually reflected what he felt my interest was piqued and my page turning finger paused mid air. He was quite tickled by the performance of Tasmania’s longest running play in Strahan called ‘The Ship that Never Was’ and this was endorsed in person by a good family friend. So we braved the chill straight off the Arctic and attended the outdoor theatrette for the nightly performance. It was a pantomime style re-enactment of convict escape and while there were two formal actors on stage there were at least a dozen audience members roped in, costumes and all. Sam got picked to be young ‘Billy’ and enthusiastically carried out all instructions from the director much to the delight of the audience. He improvised beautifully and in two subsequent towns strangers called out “Hey, there’s Billy!” From day dot he’s had dance in his pants and if he’s not in Sydney’s 2017 production of Billy Elliot, I’ll go He. No pressure,son. When I was 13 years old I came on a family holiday to Strahan and we went on a cruise along the Gordon River. I remember being bitterly disappointed as I’d expected a Disneyland scene, along the lines of hippopotamus’ gently opening their jaws and butterflies flitting out, as you sailed past in your 4 seater boat, fairies sliding down rainbow waterfalls etc etc. So when in 2010 the weather was miserable I wasn’t so disappointed that we decided not to do the Gordon River cruise. Mum’s recollection is that is was “so boring” so all’s well that ends well. When you don’t want to sit around your campsite in the rain, you go for a drive. I was keen to do the drive up the western coast in order to experience the reportedly stunning Tarkine wilderness and expected dense, lush rainforest but the landscape was quite diverse including expanses of plains and low lying bush. Beautiful but not at all what I was expecting. Apparently the real treasure is only accessible by foot. Would be so much better if they put in a 2 lane highway through the guts, with a Maccas for the hungry traveller. We really didn’t do a lot else in Strahan. Despite the fact that we were camped on the doorstep of a natural salmon farm Craig didn’t have the time, opportunity or tools to throw in a line. Couldn’t find a shop to repair his surf fishing rod (we learned not to assume that any waterside town in Tassie would have a fishing store – they are actually heading for the same fate as the Tassie Tiger).

By Sam: It was really hilarious because I got picked in the play and everyone laughed when I did something funny. I did things really silly, like when the man said ‘Trip over the cat” I tripped over the cat and everyone laughed.