While it was nice to have power on hand and hot showers, it's nicer to be back on the road and sight seeing. Not long to go now before we are back on the mainland. Geoff has managed to get a job as a crane operator near Orange so we are shooting straight up there as soon as we hit the mainland. We tried to get on an earlier ferry as they wanted him to start straight away but there is a long waiting list to get on before our departure date. Oh well, still more to see here anyway.
After we left Cambridge, we paid yet another visit to Campania for Erin to catch up with her friends before we left the area. Even though she had seen them every weekend while we were at Cambridge, we couldn't deny her another night at the youth group and time with friends.
From Campania we went to Dunalley and camped behind the hotel there for a few nights, to daytrip and watch the bridge swing open and close (boats use the Denison canal as a short cut to avoid going all the way around the Tasman Peninsula). We spent the first day making our way down through the Tessellated Pavement, blowholes, arch and historic sites at Eaglehawk Neck. There's a town called Penzance at Pirates Bay which elicited a chuckle and we expected a bit more of a play on words when we drove through it, but it was just a sleepy seaside town, no Pirates of Penzance.
We found Doo Town funny with most houses having a name to do with Doo. Gunna doo, Doo mee, Doo nix, Doodle doo, Make doo, Doo drop inn, Doo us, Love me doo, Just doo it, Much to doo, Wee doo, the list goes on. Nice little coastal town too.
The following day, we went to the Coal Mines Historic site and walked all over. That was interesting – the buildings were all in ruins but the solitary cells were intact, very dark and eerie, I'd hate to be in there with the doors closed. The views were pretty spectacular too, lovely bay views and everything lush and green.
We headed up to Lime Bay Nature Reserve for a look as we'd been told that was a great camp spot but we were not really impressed. It was a long weekend, the camp ground was very full with tents so close together their ropes were almost crossing and they wanted around $15 a night for rutted roads and toilets, I'm glad we didn't take the van there.
We drove the loop road down to Port Arthur and had a look from the lookout in the carpark. It looked impressive but as it was already 2.30 and a bit late for a look around, not to mention we'd been walking around historic sites all morning as it was, we saved ourselves the $75 and returned to camp, still satisfied with our day.
As school work is becoming more and more involved we are restricted to going only where there is internet as Erin has 11 one hour sessions a week where she has to attend class. I'm glad, in a way, that we will be stopping in Orange for work as it has become too hard to travel and do Year 10.
We have been gradually making our way up the east coast and have been amazed again by the views and landscape. We camped at Triabunna behind the hotel for a few nights, then one night at Lagoons Beach before finding a nice spot at St Marys. It's a free camp, as all of them have been since Cambridge, with hot showers, fresh water, short walk into town and plenty of internet signal. We've been here for 3 nights already and using it as a base for day tripping further north. Yesterday we went to Bay of Fires, St Helens and St Columba Falls. Geoff enjoyed a cheese tasting at Pyengana while Erin and I sat in a comfy couch and enjoyed the view.
The camp sites at Bay of Fires are popular with magnificent views but I'm glad we stayed at St Marys instead, much more room to move, flushing toilets, hot showers, no salt and no sand, what more could you want?
We are heading west again to see around Launceston in a few days and make the most of our last 3 weeks in Tasmania.
Big Happy Birthday to my grandmother for her 87th, hope you have a great year.
Shelley
