Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 45

After a sleep in and late check out, we didn’t venture too far with the evening’s crossing of Bass Strait back to Victoria in our minds. So we looked at a few local delights in the Devonport area.

Devonport main street – it is the birthplace of some iconic Tasmanians.

A grand building overlooking the river – home of the Visitor Information Centre.

Our last day of “Down with the Devils”

King Neptune Statue – Spirit of the Sea at West Head. He was missing his clothes as his mer-maid left them in the wash.

Pacific gull

Looking down the Mersey River, we saw our ride for the night moored on the left.

Mersey Bluff Lighthouse

The coast west of Mersey Bluff

We drive back along the river and out towards Latrobe.

The House of Anvers makes chocolate here in Latrobe at “Wyndarra Lodge”, a stylish Californian bungalow house which was built in 1931. The company was started by a Belgian chocolatier in the 1960s.

Varieties of cacao pods are on display along with an extensive display of historical moulds.

Cacao was one of the most important products traded by Maya merchants and it was often treated as currency. Because Ek Chuah is a patron of cacao, owners of cacao groves would hold ceremonies or special festivals in his honor.

And of course, a Tassie Devil was here too (in a chocolate museum?). Probably for the endorphin and serotonin rush.

View inside the factory

Life is rosy!

Rose cultivar “Hot Chocolate”

Leptospermum in the Anvers garden

Spreyton has large apple orchards….

…and is the home of Spreyton ciders and juices.

Joining the lottery for deck allocation.

14 sniffer dogs were added to the Tasmanian Biosecurity team in 2023. They operate at airports, freight terminals and Spirit of Tasmania arrivals. These highly trained canines sniff out items that could potentially bring pests or diseases into Tasmania – from fruit and vegetables to plant materials, honeycomb, honey, eggs, meat and various seafood products. So if people don’t declare items, they will get the ruff stuff.

Loading through the bowels of the ship.

On the voyage over, we were one of the first cars off, this time one of the last. We were parked on the lowest deck in a wedge towards the front of the ship, having to wait for cars behind us to depart before doing a three point turn to drive out.