Corinna and Cradle Mountain (Wk 13)

We left Arthur River and bitumen behind on our way to Corrina on 04/02.

The road to Corrina was well graded so with the tyre pressures down it was a comfortable ride. Only 100km but took 2 hours of careful driving and fingers crossed hoping we would not meet anyone. As always Paul drove to the conditions, we never had anyone following us, passed one parked camper van and one car at a passing place.

Corrina is a campground on the Arthur River banks where there is a barge for small vehicles to cross (we do not qualify!). There is also a very welcoming warm pub which we visited after a walk that was not quite as expected. We had planned to walk along the banks of the river. However, the walk took us up hill, after an hour of going uphill we decided to give up!

The next day (05/02) we drove to Waratah. We have a lovely powered site (4 nights without water or power, we are very pleased with the caravan) and the weather has allowed us to put out the awning, yippee no wind and 21c.

On our second day we got up early to drive to Cradle Mountain National Park. We were surprised how commercialised it seemed to us but as so many people want to visit they had to stop cars going up to the area and provide shuttle buses. As we were early everyone thinned out so we enjoyed the 6 km walk around the lake (and a further 2.5km which we were persuaded to do along the banks of river…). Despite the number of visitors the scenery is breathtaking.

On our last day in the area we’ve stayed locally. Firstly to the Philosophers Falls. The walk was through beautiful myrtle woodland with 200 steps to get to the viewing platform; not the best view but the walk made up for it (except when walking up the 200 steps!). Then to a viewing platform over the Tarkine area. Lastly, we stopped at the falls in the centre of Waratah but being lazy we decided not to walk to the bottom!

Tomorrow (08/02) we head off to Queenstown for 2 nights to visit Strahan and a ride on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.