TASMANIA THROUGH THE EYES OF A BACKPACKER.

I have been travelling in Australia now for the last for months, so have now decided to head to Tasmania. I flew from Melbourne to Hobart which took a little over one hour. I spent the first few days in Hobart city. It is Australia’s second oldest city and southernmost capital. It looked down at by the beautiful Mt Wellington, and leads down to the Dewwent River. I took a cruise down the river stopping off at Moorilla estate winery. Had a taste of some very nice tassy wines and enjoyed a selection of fish for lunch.

My real trip started the next day with “Adventure tours”, a six day round trip of Tasmania. Up and away early our firt stop was to Mt Field national park. 80km northwest of Hobart. Famed for its mountain scenery, alpine moorlands, lakes, rainforest, waterfalls and abundant wildlife. We took a walk up to the Russell Falls followed by a stroll through a forest full of very tall Eucalyptus trees. After lunch a visit to lake Saint clair Australia’s deepest lake with maximum depth of 215m. We finished our first day with a short hike in the Franklin gordon national park on our way to Strahan. The Franklin Gordon lies between the central highlands and the west cost range of Tasmania. Strahan is nestled between the waters of Macquarie harbour and the rain forest very picturesque indeed. After our first day we all eat and slept well in our hostel style accommodation for the next few days.

Day two took us about 14k down the road to Zeehan to see the spectacular Henty sand dunes a series of 30m high sugary fine sand dunes backing ocean beach, a bit like walking over the sahara. Some of our group tries quad biking I settled for a bit of chilling out!

Still on the west coast day three took us to cradle mountain. It’s perhaps the best known feature of the island. On a good day you can see a great mirror image of this mountain overlooking Dove lake. Unfortunately we were met by a very thick cloud sitting on top. The weather on the west cost reminds me a lot of home .. Ireland that is much cooler than the rest of Australia in general. Some of our group chalanged the climb but I settled with a walk of 10k around the lake itself. I heard after that it was rather challaging but very rewarding.

Day four took us from the west to east , different climate and wormer. We stopped at the bay of fires. Great coast line with huge boulders covered in red moss which gives then a very unusual colour it was nice to have a walk along the beach. We stayed in at the town of bicheno for the night. Had the privilege here of visiting the penguin rookery. Hundreds of these little guys everywhere. They appear out at dusk and as they do not have any eye lids flash photography is out of the question. It was also their moulting season so they tend to stay in the same area until their moulting is complete.

From Bicheno to Pt Arthur. Chosen as the site for a prison settlement in 1830 as a place of secondary punishment for convicts who had committed serious crimes in New South Wales or Van Diemen’s Land itself now known as Tasmania. They worked like slaves to establish a timber industry in the wooded surroundings of the natural Penitentiary of the Tasman Peninsula guarded by gruesome dogs. The governor George Arthur was responsible for all the convicts and believed that their whole fate should be the very last degree of misery consistent with humanity.

Our trip finished up in Hobart where to me it certainly gave me a much better in sight into the climate , the countryside and the life of the Tasmanian people . To make my story complete… Tasmania has a population of less than 500,000. Employment mostly in forestry mining and Agriculture. Of all the tourists that visit Australia only 2% actually go to Tasmania. I was very proud to be one of this 2%!