View of Tidal River Campgrounds on to Norman Beach (Squeaky Beach in the distance)
With heavy heart we left Phillip Island but have been blown away by Wilsons Promontory (still east of Melbourne and the southernmost point of mainland Australia). We arrived on Sunday 23/02/2020 to be amazed by the number of people staying here but managed to squeeze in. I can totally understand the number of visitors, it is beautiful here. And on Monday, lovely and quiet.
We have stayed 3 nights walking a couple of tracks, paddling in the southern ocean (Paul swam, too cold for me!), celebrating Paul’s birthday and admiring the wildlife.
Little Blue Penguin (also known as Little Penguin and Fairy Penguin)
Arrived a day later than planned at San Remo (for Phillip Island) on 21/02/2020 as our caravan manufacture let us down (again 🙁 ) but did not let that spoil our (too short) time on Phillip Island. We love Phillip Island and could easily live in Cowes on the north of the island.
The day started by watching surfers catch a wave as we waited for the Phillip Island MotorGP track to open (Paul’s choice!). The photos don’t really show the track but you can see the fantastic location. A good time was had walking through the museum and standing on the viewing platform.
We then drove to the Nobbies on the south western edge of the island. Amazing coastline with penguin burrows dotted along the walking tracks),
After Nobbies we drove to Cowes on the north of the island. The town seemed to have everything: beautiful beach, shops and restaurants; although I did not see a Bunnings!
In the evening we drove back towards Nobbies to watch the penguin parade. Wow what an experience. We paid for the Underground Viewing which allowed us to see the penguins at eye level only inches away. It was amazing. They waddled past talking to each other oblivious of us gawking at them, occasionally they would just plonk themselves down for a few minutes. Loved every minute. No photos allowed even without a flash.
We were sorry to leave San Remo and Phillip Island but have to keep on moving! Next stop Tidal River (Wilsons Promontory NP) after which we start heading west towards Adelaide.
One of the many surfing beaches Phillip Island MotorGP Track Bass Strait Straight The GP Circuit map from 1990 It was also the first F1 circuit in OZ from 1929 won by a factory Austin 7 Nobbies from the walking trackNobbies from the information centre Perfect place for lunch (Cowes beach) Cowes main street Waiting for the penguins to arriveOur caravan site at San Remo
On 10/02/2020 we travelled on winding roads uphill out of Queenstown towards Derwent Bridge for a one night pub stay (hooray, no cooking or washing up! And the best curry we’ve had in Australia).
On 08/02/2020 we left Waratah for Queenstown for 2 nights as a base for both the West Coast Wilderness Railway and for Strahan. Have not done either Queenstown or Strahan justice but our time in Tasmania is coming to an end so trying to pack in as much as we can!
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!
Enjoying a cuppa after a long day overlooking the Arthur River at CorrinaBarge crossing the Arthur RiverSunset over the Arthur River
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.
In beanies with Cradle Mountain shrouded in mistThe mist burning off Cradle MountainYou can just make out the waterfall near Cradle MountainAnother view of Cradle MountainLast one of Cradle Mountain!
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!
Woodland on way to Philosophers FallsThe steps down to Philosophers Falls…..Philosophers Falls plus us!Philosophers FallsWaratah Falls with working water wheel at the top
Tomorrow (08/02) we head off to Queenstown for 2 nights to visit Strahan and a ride on the West Coast Wilderness Railway.
It was cold going up The Nut, Stanley, chair lift!
Lovely road from Launceston to the North West for a one night (01/02) free camp at the Yolla Tavern to explore Stanley. The weather was not so great when driving (high winds and driving rain) but again Paul drove brilliantly to the conditions.
Amazingly the weather has not stopped us exploring as we are rugged up and seem to dodge the heavy showers. The scenery in the north west is breathtaking and very green (I guess that’s the rain!).
We parked up at Yolla Tavern just before opening time but decided to get off to Stanley rather than check-in. Stanley is the other side of an isthmus this is our third Tasmanian isthmus we have visited (I have used the term more times in the last 2 weeks than in my entire life!). Stanley is famous for the Nut (a sheer sided bluff, the remainder of an ancient volcanic plug) which you can walk up but I bravely agreed to the chairlift (anything to get out of walking up hill!). At the top there is a circular track allowing amazing views from all directions with surprising fauna and a very steep track down.
We got back to the Yolla Tavern, which wikicamps had promised has a fabulous welcome and dinner 7 days a week. We found to the doors firmly locked. Paul knocked loudly on the door which eventually elicited a response from a kid saying they were closed. It was a bit worrying, we were wondering if anything was wrong. For the next few hours other vans arrived (some stayed, some left) along with locals. The next day there was a post on wiki camps saying the landlord was ill. Very odd not to put a note on the door. I was very disappointed as it meant I had to cook (and wash-up…. I’ve decided a dishwasher is the thing I miss most in the van!).
The Nut, StanleySurprising fauna at the top of the NutOne of the many views from the top of the NutView on the downward track (notice the cemetery at the bottom!)
We then travelled onto Manuka Campground at Arthur River for two nights (03/02 & 04/02) to drive the Tarkine Way.
On arrival at Arthur River we went for a drive along the coast visiting the Edge of the World (a lookout with Tarkine Coast views), Sundown Point (ancient aboriginal rock carvings), Nelson Bay (beautiful beach) and Sarah Anne Rocks (another beautiful beach).
End of the WorldAboriginal CavingsSarah Anne Rocks
Today (03/02) we drove the Tarkine Way, a circular drive with lots of stops of which we picked: Sumac Lookout (view over the Arthur River), Lake Chisholm (flooded limestone sinkhole) and Trowutta Arch (geological feature).
Sumac Lookout (the picture does not do the view justice – it was amazing)Lake ChisholmTrowutta Arch: looking inTrowutta Arch: looking outInside Trowutta Arch
Next stop is a one night stay at Corrina on the Arthur River banks and then onto Waratah for access to Cradle Mountain.
On 27/01/20, we left St Helens and took to the easy route to Launceston. Well if that was the easy route, I can’t imagine what the Elephant Pass was like. As always Paul’s driving was brilliant, and we arrived at Old Macs Farmstay safely for 5 nights to visit Launceston (Tasmania’s second largest city situated in the north of the island) and surrounding areas.
We love Launceston. This seems to be a recurring theme in the Tassie blogs and with good reason. Each place we go to we love. It’s a toss-up between Hobart and Launceston as the place we’d like to live in. The scenery up here is breathtaking, roads to get here, not so much!
A short drive north from Bicheno to St Helens to provide access to the Bay of Fires. As its Australia Day weekend we decided not to risk finding a free camp on the beach. Instead we are staying in a quiet low cost site in St Helens, a lovely town situated on the banks of Georges Bay.
