West Coast Wilderness

·      Left Corinna and the Pieman river behind us and headed off on more unsealed road although the road was in better condition than to Corinna – thank goodness as Arvi has developed some new rattles which is annoying unless our music is turned up really loud and I’m singing along – which seems to hurt Mark’s ears!

·      Stopped at Zeehan an old silver and lead mining town that has seen better days. There was one   good looking coffee shop, but as we thought about it a busload of old people turned up and took over the whole shop! Looked at some minerals and gems in a shop – saw beautiful Lapis Lazuli which I haven’t seen since Afghanistan in the late 70’s!!

·      There was also an old theatre the Gaiety which was apparently one of the biggest and most modern when it opened in 1898- Dame Nellie Melba even performed there!

·      From Zeehan we went onto Strahan, located between the waters of the Macquarie Harbour (which is far bigger than Sydney Harbour) and the rainforest and is a cutsie pie town with its old buildings all restored. 

·      We tried out our electric bikes for the first time riding alongside the Harbour and then up a big hill to the supermarket!! The cool bag was in the basket on the back of my bike which was very handy for the shopping! For those of you who are worried about our exercise regimen we only add the electric for the big hills! But probably shouldn’t considering the food and wine we are consuming!

·      The next morning, we went on a boat ride in the Harbour and the Gordon River. We went as far as Hell’s Gate the small channel where the harbour meets the ocean. Waves in the ocean can reach 20 metres and even in the harbour can be 4 metres!!! Thanks to a lovely day with calm seas we were able to pass through Hell’s Gate which is a are even according to the Captain.

·      Speaking of the Captain we up graded to seats in the Captains Deck which included all beverages, snacks, morning tea and a gourmet lunch. Champagne for breakfast anyone!! More importantly we had a private deck and access to the Captain for questions. Despite being warned, I managed to sit myself on the deck right in front of the Captain obscuring his view which prompted a lot of laughs from you know who?!

·      We went past the light houses which the convicts must have seen as they passed through Hell’s gate into the harbour- the name says it all for them! They were all repeat offenders on their way to Sarah Island, a very tough penal colony.

·      Then down the Gordon River- some of you may remember the protest about the proposed dam on the Gordon-Franklin rivers. The dam was eventually overturned by the High Court. We got off the boat and walked through the lushest very dense rainforest with moss all over the ground and on fallen trees. Not much sunlight coming through, lots of trees including a 2500yr old Huon pine whose curved trunk saved it from being felled due to is unstraigthness! Huon pines live for 3000 years. They are very slow growing and it can take 2000 years to grow 30 metres. The golden wood is not affected by water so it can be salvaged from rivers and still be useable. It is prized by shipwrights and thus the shipbuilding era of Sarah Island with the convict labour. 

·      Next stop was Sarah Island and a very interesting and entertaining tour around the sites including ruins of buildings and the timber slipways. However, it could not have been entertaining at all for the convicts who endured floggings, solitary confinement, and hangings for very minor transgressions. Then home to Strahan Harbour after a very enjoyable time!  Rode our electric bikes along an unsealed road to the ocean which was bone jarring! Sally was not a happy camper! Dinner was small bowel of minestrone soup (made in the thermomix) in an effort to counteract the days eating!

·      Next day a trip in an old steam train along the railway tracks built in 1896 to transport copper from Queenstown to a port on the King river and eventually Strahan. It was literally built through the dense myrtle rainforest and very inhospitable country with picks and axes! Now a tourist railway, we sat in a first class wooden carriage with brass trimmings and velvet curtains and had more champagne for breakfast! And morning tea of scones jam and cream and a 3 course lunch!!

·      Small exercise time before going to see play about a real story of an escape by convicts from Sarah Island by stealing a boat. Lots of audience participation and quite clever including the building of a “ship- very corny but fun!

·      Drove from Strahan to Lake St Clair the southern end of the Cradle Mountain –Lake St Clair National Park. Stopped in Queenstown and visited the museum which is packed with information, old photos, furniture and paraphernalia about the old mining times.

·      Had time at Lake St Clair to have an hours walk on the platypus track reaching a part of the lake where you can be lucky and see these elusive creatures but it was not to be on this occasion. We did come across a cheeky echidna crossing our path! Walked back along the foreshore of the lake-no one else about, nearly a full moon and quiet peaceful views!

·      In the morning we were greeted with the most amazing sight – a dense mist hung low over the lake and looked like surf rolling in. Cleaners, kitchen staff and guests of the lodge and campground including were all snapping away as it is not a usual sight apparently. Left for Cradle Mountain feeling very happy!