TASMANIA - NARAWNTAPU NP TO DEVONPORT - 13 TO 15 APRIL 2022

 13 APRIL

NARAWNTAPU NATIONAL PARK

We left Ranson Beach and stopped at Bridport for water for the van and coffee.

Drove to Narawntapu National Park. We settled into a powered site near the ranger station.

We were going for an afternoon beach cycle when we noticed that Jacinta’s bike had a wheel nut missing. Jacinta had a walk and I cycled along Baker Beach.

14 APRIL

NARAWNTAPU NATIONAL PARK

We drove to Latrobe to get a wheel net for Jacinta’s bike. We also  got food supplies and had a great coffee in a café/art shop. Very cool.

Back at camp we had an afternoon hike to Archers Knob. It was a bit further than we thought but it had great views over the park and along the coast.

15 APRIL

Narawntapu NP to Devonport

Our last day in Tasmania.

We woke to light rain.

After breakfast, we drove to Latrobe and walked around Pig Island. A nice pretty walk though a little damp at times.

After a break at a café in Latrobe, we drove to the waterfront on west side of Devonport. The rain was off and on. When it was off, we had a wandered around.

Late in the afternoon, we visited Annie, who we met at Ranson Beach. We had a nice afternoon and dinner.

Time to bid our farewells and board ‘The Spirit of Tasmania’ for the mainland.

TASMANIA - SPIRIT OF TASMANIA / ULVERSTONE - 13 TO 15 FEBRUARY 2022

 

13 FEBRUARY

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA

I had a pretty restless sleep. I dreamt I was on the high seas and rescuing people from my distant travelling past. A bit bizarre.

Not long after waking, we were back down to the van and disembarking onto Tasmania.

DEVONPORT, TASMANIA

Our first stop was groceries as you couldn’t bring fruit and vegetables into Tasmania.

After stocking up, we drove to a café for breakfast.

We decided to gradually head in the direction of the camp area as it was still early in the day.

Our first taste of Tasmania was MERSEY BLUFF. We walked around the basalt headland and down to the beach. The views were nice and I was pretty thrilled at doing some activity.

Next was COVES BEACH. The surf was about 1 foot in a strong onshore wind. Still, a nice beach.

ULVERSTONE

We drove to West Ulverston and our camp area – Blue Wren. A simple campground with very good showers. In front of the camp was a railway line and then a large rocky bay.

We organised the van and then I had a walk out to GOAT ISLAND as the tide was low. A train passed along the railway line as I was walking down. It was a very rocky walk to the island. The island consisted of two peaks. I walked around part of the island and through its interior. I found a small cave on the other side of the island that smelt of bat. I walked back through the interior and climbed one of the peaks. Such a good view. I rested there and thought about king of the mountain.

After a shower and dinner, Jacinta and I had a late afternoon walk along the rocky shore of the bay and its small intermittent beaches. The wind had dropped to nil.

14 FEBRUARY

ULVERSTONE

After breakfast, we drove to the PENGUIN MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK. I rode the green level with a little bit of a blue run. The ride started off uphill and into a long slightly downhill transverse and then a heap of fun downhill with nice berms. It ended with a leg aching uphill and down to the carpark. I did the circuit twice. The second run was better for me and I rode the berms the best I ever have - look where you want to go, follow the line and be confident.

At the promenade at PENGUIN, we had coffee and watched the small waves breaking. I wandered along the beach and Jacinta did some food shopping.

On the way back to camp we stopped to admire the view of the THREE SISTERS RESERVE (3 islands) which was very pretty.

The wind had dropped off today and was blowing lightly from the west. The waves had become very small. The coastline looked so pretty with farmhouses on one side of the road and a railway line on the other followed by the mainly rocky coastline.

Later, in the night, we stargazed.

15 FEBRUARY

An excellent day. no clouds and warm. Time to move on towards the mountains.

PHILLIP ISLAND, VICTORIA - 9 TO 12 FEBRUARY 2022

 9 FEBRUARY

PHILLIP ISLAND

It was a bit of a drive – 4 hours but the roads were good and the scenery variable.

We stopped at Bairnsdale to get a component for the GPS – successful. We passed through some pretty towns and decided that we will do a dedicated Victoria trip on another road trip.

We arrived at Phillip Island settles into our camp area and wandered down to the beach for afternoon wine in the closing rays of the sun.

10 FEBRUARY

PHILLIP ISLAND

After breakfast, we had a short sit on the camp beach to decide today’s activities.

We drove to Smiths Beach firstly to check the surf. It was about ½ foot and onshore.

Next stop was Pyramid Rock. The road in was very corrugated but it was worth it. A boardwalk leading out the point with sweeping coastal views to the south and north of the island. The immediate coastline was rugged and looked difficult to access but the clear water looked inviting for a snorkel.

Bumpty bump and back to the main road and on to Kitty Miller Bay. The tide was low and the bay was lined with a sandy beach on the immediate foreshore then a vast low lying rock platform dotted with rocks. The two points of the bay were small cliffs. It was very pretty. Endangered birds nest in the area. Tread carefully.

Next were The Nobbies. There were board walks at various levels with nesting boxes scattered everywhere in the sloping hillside for penguins. The views of the coastline were magnificent with rocky inlets, rock pools, deep water, a large rounded headland and a small offshore island. There were large birds fossicking and we even saw a copperhead snake (venomous).

Two short stops to look at the coast and surf at Cowrie and Shelly Beach which are on the inland side of the island. Very pretty with very small waves.

Our last stop was Swan Lake for some bird watching. There was a boardwalk that led to two bird hides for viewing. A great idea! We saw cormorants, black swans, swallows, ducks, swamp hens and many other birds, as well as, a large kangaroo with a white stripe on either face cheek and a blue tongue lizard.

What a great day! Back to camp for resting.

11 FEBRUARY

PHILLIP ISLAND

We drove to Wallamai Bay to check the surf. The wind was strong and onshore but the wave size had increased. There was a major surfing contest.

We decided on a cycle at Owens Reserve.

The tracks were easy and groomed with a bit of uphill and downhill. We saw a couple of swamp wallabies and an echidna along the way. The scenery was scrubby.

12 FEBRUARY

PHILLIP ISLAND – SPIRIT OF TASMANIA

We packed and left for our rendezvous with the ferry to Tasmania.

Along the way, we stopped at the Chocolate Factory for coffee. The coffee was delivered by tray carrying robots. Unique!

Our next stop was CRANEBOURNE to buy a dongle. It was no problem but not cheap.

We drove to MORNINGTON PIER for lunch in the park. The views were great but the place was very crowded … Saturday. I had a walk around the headland, along the pier and the beach. On the pier there were kids jumping into the water and along the beach I saw a couple of large mantra rays in the shallows.

We had dinner in a nice park at ST KILDA We drove a little further to get ourselves ready for the ferry. Outside the beach toilets was a reasonably young girl sleeping on a mattress. She was friendly and we chatted a bit. A different life!

SPIRIT OF TASMANIA

We drove a short distance for the line up to board the ferry. It all went quite smoothly and before long we were parked on the boat, settled into our cabin and having a few drinks in the bar.