Author: australianhorizonsblog

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 38 – The East Coast

November 13, 2024

Mayfield Bay Conservation Park protects threatened coastal white gum and blue gum forest that fringe the coastline and supports critically endangered swift parrots foraging during the spring and summer months.  It is estimated there are only 750 swift parrots left in the wild with conservationists working hard to stop the logging of their remaining habitat in Tasmania … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 38 – The East Coast

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 37 – Maria Island

November 12, 2024

Encounter Maria Island ferry for the crossing to Maria Island. Maria is not pronounced mah-ree-uh but Mar-rye-uh. It rhymes with pariah and as a former convict settlement was home to outcasts who were despised or rejected. The island was named in 1642 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman after Maria van Diemen, wife of the Governor-General of the Dutch East … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 37 – Maria Island

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 36 – Port Arthur

November 11, 2024

Government Cottage (1854) was built next-door to the Church. Its sole purpose was to accommodate government officials and other important people when they visited Port Arthur. The Church was constructed by convicts in 1836. Inside the ruins The Travelling Bells, including the oldest cast bells in Australia have been sited in a number of churches in … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 36 – Port Arthur

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 35 – Remarkable Cave

November 10, 2024

The head of Maingon Bay at the southern end of Tasman Peninsula. Remarkable Cave An elevated walkway gives a good view of the cave but now stops access to the cave. It is very dangerous at high tide but a sandy track at low tide. Pimelea on the headland Cape Raoul from Remarkable Cave walkway … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 35 – Remarkable Cave

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 34 – Abel Tasman National Park

November 9, 2024

We started our day at the Salamanca markets which are open every Saturday morning. We visited the woodworkers stall with handcrafts made by the stall owners. The pipers were warming up. Warning: Don’t run with bagpipes. Your could put an aye out or worse yet, get kilt. Today we visited more of the spectacular coastline … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 34 – Abel Tasman National Park

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 33 – South Arm

November 8, 2024

After a sleep in and morning of washing we ventured over the Tasman Bridge for a highlight of our time in Hobart – catching up with and having lunch with an actual Hobartian. But not any Hobartian but the Wise Oracle that I described on Day 1, The Seer of Seers, Duchess of the Derwent. … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 33 – South Arm

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 32 – Southern drive

November 7, 2024

Battery Point in Hobart – another visit to Jackman McRoss bakery to fuel up for the day. Sculpture “Rockpools” at Sandy Bay beach – Sandy Bay is the starting point for the annual nude swim on the Winter Solstice as part of the Dark Mofo Festival. The Big Slide Rule at University of Tasmania Mathematics … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 32 – Southern drive

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 31 – Tahune

November 6, 2024

On the drive from Geeveston to Tahune, the forest had a lot of tree fall with some overhanging the road. We wouldn’t want to travel here in high winds. The manager of Tahune Airwalk carries a chain saw with him on his daily commute. The road to Tahune Tahune Airwalk is beside the Huon River … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 31 – Tahune

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 30 – Hartz Mountains National Park

November 5, 2024

Arve River at the base of the range and start of the mountain drive to Hartz Mountains NP. The road up the mountain… Hartz Mountains National Park has been shaped by ancient glaciers and is on the edge of Tasmania’s remote and rugged south-west wilderness. The park has a high backbone of dolerite and small … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 30 – Hartz Mountains National Park

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 29 – Bruny Island

November 4, 2024

Ferry at Kettering across to Bruny Island. Crossing the  D’Entrecasteaux Channel passing the sister ferry. Bruny was named after the French explorer Bruni d’Entrecasteaux, who explored the Channel region and discovered it to be an island in 1792. Our first stop is at The Neck. Bruny Island Neck Lookout looking south. The Neck is an isthmus of … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 29 – Bruny Island

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 28 – On the Waterfront

November 3, 2024

The historic waterfront at Hobart is a nice way to spend an afternoon with lots of history, a pleasant stroll and many cafes and restaurants. Hope and Anchor Pub (1807) – the oldest licenced hotel in Australia. Mawson’s Hut Replica Museum is an exact replica of the huts used by Douglas Mawson in the 1911-1914 … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 28 – On the Waterfront

Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 27 – Hydro in the wilderness

November 2, 2024

Today we travel into the heart of the wilderness to Gordon Dam, reason and cataylst for many environmental actions and initiatives in protest to environmental destruction. Great view of Mount Field with residual snow from near Maydena. Another view north to Mount Field NP The road from here to Gordon Dam is over 80km passing … More Down with the Devils – Tasmania 2024 – Day 27 – Hydro in the wilderness