Gordon Dam

FRANKLIN-GORDON NATIONAL PARK

We had a lovely few days camped at Mount Field National Park which we used as a base to visit the Gordon dam and Strathgordon located in the Franklin-Gordon National Park.


It was a full day trip to visit Gordon dam, driving through what looked like alpine country. Beautiful.




Sentinel Range

We passed the Sentinel Range and Lake Pedder.



l
Lake Pedder





We stopped in Strathgordon to see the 2200 year old tree. Unfortunately, it was not alive. It was huge though and had markers showing events through history...



















Gordon dam was amazing. We walked down all of the stairs - so many stairs! The stairs were kind of suspended as well so you were walking on a steel grate - bit scary.  We walked along the top of the dam wall and were able to look over the edge...a long way down!

So many stairs.

On the dam wall

RUSSELL FALLS

Russell Falls was about a ten minute walk from camp through some beautiful rainforest. We saw some huge trees on the way to the falls.

Russell Falls




Bruny Islands

In the queue at Kettering

BRUNY ISLANDS

Our next stop was the Bruny Islands, we travelled from Franklin to Kettering to take the car ferry to North Bruny Island. There was a huge queue for the ferry but thankfully the ferry ran hourly so we didn't have to wait too long.

Kettering Marina

View from camp

The ferry drops everybody on North Bruny Island, we drove south crossed Neck Beach to get to South Bruny Island where we camped in the National Park for a couple of nights.



We explored the islands visiting Cape Bruny Historic Lighthouse and also Neck Beach where the two islands are connected.

Neck Beach

the long climb

 

Cadbury Factory and South Tasmania

Cadbury Factory

We went back to Hobart the next day to visit the Cadbury Factory.

They no longer have tours of the factory but they do have a visitor’s centre where you can watch a video and a short presentation on how Cadbury Chocolate is made. It was interesting.

The boys loved the chocolate shop where everything was quite cheap (compared to supermarkets anyway). There was also a café where the hot chocolate was too die for!! Yummy!!

PS We met up with Pete and Deb at the Cadbury Factory, friends of ours from Caloundra who were also in Tasmania – small world! It was great to catch up over a hot chocolate.

Franklin & South Tassie

We left Richmond and travelled to Franklin, a small town on the Huon River to set up camp. There was a lovely little council camp ground right on the river (toilets only) for $10 bucks a night. Bargain! We used this as a base to explore the south of Tassie.

We visited the Tahune Air Walk (Feb12) which is situated in the Southwest National Park and is a steel walkway suspended high above the ground amongst the tops of the trees. Truly amazing.

 

One part of the air walk had no ground support but was cantilevered, so it moved with the wind and also with the people walking out to the end – a bit scary!!

 

 

 

 

There were also some huge trees in the park – we had been waiting/(hoping) to see some big trees and were rewarded with some beautiful old huge trees!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cockle Creek

Road south

From Franklin we decided to spend the next day on a drive down to Cockle Creek which is apparently the southernmost part of Tasmania and thus the southernmost tip of Australia (that you can drive to).  Cockle Creek used to be a whaling station and they have a whale sculpture on the point it was so windy and thus freezing!!!!!!!!

 

Being blown away in front of the whale sculpture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back from Cockle Creek we visited the thermal springs at Hastings. We were expecting a warm ‘natural’ spring...turned out to be an actual swimming pool and probably only 28 degrees, not nearly hot enough for me!! However, we did all go in for a dip then we had a nice hot shower after… which was planned as their were no showers at camp :oP

Whilst we were in Franklin the town had a ‘wooden boat’ Regatta on during the weekend, with entertainment on Saturday night. We walked down for a look and saw a couple of Reserve Light Horsemen on their horses dancing to music. That was a sight… full uniform and all!!

 

 

Port Arthur (Feb 10)

Next we visited the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur. We left early from Richmond with our first stop being Eaglehawk Neck, the small strip of land connecting the peninsula to the main land. We visited three natural sites close by:

·         The Tasman Blowhole – not nearly as impressive as the Bicheno blowhole!;

Tasman Arch

·         The Tasman Arch – very impressive and

·         Devil’s Kitchen.

Coastline next to Devils Kitchen

After these stops we made it to Port Arthur before lunch. We all found Port Arthur very interesting and enjoyed the tour and short cruise. Max couldn’t believe boys were sent to prison at Port Puer some as young as 9 years old.

View to Penitentiary

We spent all afternoon walking the precinct and visiting all of the various buildings, including the main penitentiary, guard tower, commandant's house, church and separate prison.

We were given a convict ‘playing card’ each which represented a particular convict and we could follow their story. Max had a 10 year old boy who had been sent to Port Puer Boys' Prison.



Max in shackles in the museum

At the back of the Penitentiary

The Separate Prison was also really interesting. It was there for those prisoners that did not follow the rules in the main prison. Additional punishments were dished out here - solitary confinement and black room. Apparently any prisoner who was in the separate prison never saw another prisoner, anytime they were moved they wore bags over their heads so as not to come in contact with another prisoner.



Outside cell #14

Inside the exercise yard



Each prisoner had their own cell. The four exercise yards were separate and only held one prisoner at a time. The Separate Prison also had a church, where each prisoner was locked into a small "cupboard" with only as view of the priest conducting the church service. Ensuring no contact with each other.  Pretty full on!!



Church inside the Separate Prison

We also went into one of the dark rooms where prisoners could be held for further punishment for extended periods of time. Crazy scary - pitch black when the door was closed. All four of us were in the room together and we could not see a thing!

Guard Tower

Port Arthur Church remains

On the way back to camp we also stopped at the tessellated pavement at Eaglehawk Neck, rock formations that look like pavers.



Tessellated Pavement