Thursday - Beauty Point

Once again overcast and about 20, perfect for exploring.  Had a few showers of rain in the afternoon but not until we were back at the van.  First stop this morning was Yorktown.  This was the first settlement in Tasmania and would have been the capital but was on a tidal river which made bringing supplies in difficult so they moved to Launceston.  There is a 15 minute walk around the area with signposts up stating what had been there.  There is only one building there which is a replica of the first houses built so you can get an idea of the size.  Archeologists had dug in the area and found pots and household items which have been placed in the Beaconsfield Museum.  They hope to raise money so there can be some more work done to find the actual building ruins.  It is quite strange walking around reading signs with nothing to see.   Next stop Badger Head which adjoins the National Park.   There are only a few houses there.   There is a car park (which is in the National Park so $24) with walks leaving from there.  Both were more than 2 hours one way so we did not do them.  There is also a beach there. 

Badger Head

When we were driving in we had seen a wombat.  Neither of us where sure if it was alive as it wasn't moving but it did appear to be standing on its legs.  Driving out we looked for it again as I was going to take a photo but when we came back upon it noticed all the flies so elected not to put a deceased wombat in the blog.  Lunched back at the van before heading down to the township of Beauty Point.  There is a coffee/takeaway shop, restaurant/pub, Platypus House and Seahorse World.  As we have seen seahorses in a couple of different aquariums and have also seen platypus at Wilpena Pound (South Australia) and hope to see more here in the wild we didn't go to these attractions.  We walked along the foreshore where The Australian National Underwater Training Centre is one end and Australian Maritime College is the other.  The Yacht Club and mooring pontoons are also there.

 

Beauty Point