4th Week - Wednesday - Burnie

Moving day and first stop was Deloraine.  We walked the main street where they have sculptures on both sides of the street.  There are 13 aluminium sculptures and they were quite interesting to look at while breaking up the trip.  We drove through Railton which is the town of topiary.  It has over 150 character topiary around the town including a train, lion, horse, alpaca, tassie devil.  We didn't actually stop but saw all of the ones in the main street.  The train looked really good.  Next stop was Sheffield which is famous for its murals.  Some of the shops and buildings in the main street have murals painted on.  Each year they have a mural painting competition where the entrants have to paint their interpretation of something, this year being a poem called Reflections of Time.  We were lucky enough to arrive while the artist were painting.  They have until next Saturday lunch time to finish and then they are judged with the winner announced.   This occurs in Mural Park.  There are 9 contestants in the park, so there are their murals together with all of last years entries and the winning mural for each year since the competition began in 2005.  It was amazing (and also amazing that nothing had been vandalised over the years!).   Lunched sitting in a park in Sheffield looking at Mt. Roland in the distance.  Back in the car and drove to Burnie which is so much larger than we expected.  Here for a couple of nights so will explore tomorrow.

Deloraine street sculpture

Sheffield Mural Festival

4th Week - Tuesday - Launceston

Set off this morning in search of the free Tiger Bus that does tours of the city.  We found a car park near the home of the Tassie Hawks as there is a bus stop there.  Managed to catch the bus but the sound system wasn't loud enough so you couldn't hear the information and the bus driver thought he was in the Grand Prix so everything rushed by.  Very disappointing.  Back where we started we came across the Queen Victoria Museum so went in and spent just over an hour there.  At least the museum made the trip into Launceston worthwhile.  

4th Week - Sunday / Monday - Longford

We just sat around the van and tried to relax but there was kids and balls everywhere.  The group next to us had 6 vans, 7 cars, a marquee and 5 kids on 5 sites so there was nowhere for the kids to play but on our site.  Ian ended up parking the car outside the park away from the football, tennis ball and bikes.    Thankfully about half went home on Monday including the group next to us so much quieter now.

I am going to start charging for information about the kayak.  I will be a millionaire by the time we get home.  We both took the kayak out with 2 groups watching us set off.  We hadn't gone far when there was a malfunction with the rudder so back we go, get out (with a different 4 watching us).  Ian fixed the rudder and we set off again with a few people watching on the riverbank.  We rounded a bend to find a fishing boat (not tinnie, one with a cabin) in the middle of the river.  Should we go to the left or right of it.  The boat ramp was to the left and there was a car and trailer there but we didn't know if they had just put it in or were taking it out.  As we got closer the guy on the bank yelled out asking if we could get the boat.  There was a rope tied to the front of it.  So we paddled by it, Ian grabbed the rope and handed it to me.  Unfortunately the rope was caught on the side so instead of towing it behind us we had to pull it next to us and I had to keep pushing the boat away from us and towards the boat ramp while Ian paddled.   Threw the rope to the guy who thanked us and said he hadn't felt like going for a swim to retrieve it.  His son had been holding the boat while he got the car and trailer but accidentally let go.    Good deed for the day over we continued on with an uneventful paddle.  Back on shore the people in the vans opposite us moved their chairs so they had a good view of the kayak going back on the car.

Kayaking at Longford

3rd Week - Saturday - Launceston

As everything was closed yesterday we headed back to Launceston this morning.  Walked around the main CBD and into a few shops.  Saw signs for the free Tiger Tourist Bus.  This does a loop around the city and also along the river.  Found a sign pointing to the Tiger Bus - 2 minutes, headed in the direction the sign pointed until came to another sign Tiger Bus - 2 minutes which pointed up the connecting street, headed up the next street until we came to another sign Tiger  Bus - 2 minutes up the connecting street finding us back in the mall where we had started from, be it one block away.  We had nearly done a complete block.  Ian said the bus was the same as the Tasmanian Tiger.  No longer existing.  Gave up on the bus and headed for the car.  2 blocks away, while now not looking for it, we found the bus stop for the Tiger Bus.  Doesn't run on weekends!  May come back on Tuesday to do it.  Think we have now covered all we wanted to see here so will just sit around until Easter is over.

3rd Week - Friday - Cataract Gorge Reserve

Even though it is Good Friday and we knew Launceston would be closed we decided to go to Cataract Gorge Reserve which is walking distance from the CBD of Launceston.  Being a public holiday we didn't have to pay for parking so that was a bonus.  We elected to do the basin walk first which involves going over the Alexandra suspension bridge and then up steps to the Alexandra lookout which looks back over the suspension bridge, gorge, picnic area, swimming pool and chair lift.  We passed the restaurant and headed to the band rotunda and then on to the Cataract walk.    You walk along side the river entering the gorge so have the huge cliff face to distract you as you walk along.  After about 1km you come to Kings Bridge which leads you then into Launceston or to another walk called zig zag track.  This is again about 1 km in length and takes you back to the reserve but you go up, up and still up and over the top of the mountain ending back at the chairlift.  We set off on this one.  I got halfway up and decided that was far enough so Ian continued climbing up.  I meanwhile went back down crossed Kings Bridge again and back along the Cataract walk.  (so technically I walked further than Ian this time). We met back at the start of the chairlift and travelled over the gorge and then back again taking the view in from a different angle of high above the gorge.  Very tiring time but a must see if in the area.  We had thought about doing the Gorge Cruise but am glad we didn't as it only travelled up a third of the way towards the gorge before having to turn around as the water is too shallow and very rocky.   We drove into Launceston and strolled around the main block and down the mall.  Managed to see a few old buildings before grabbing a late lunch and heading back to the van via a different route passing through the towns of Carrick and Hadspen.   While on the zig zag walk we got talking to a couple who were flying to Melbourne that night and was then catching a train to Bendigo to go to the model trains.  Small world isn't it.

Cataract Gorge views

Cataract Gorge views

Cataract Gorge views

Cataract Gorge views

Cataract Gorge views from chairlift

 

Cataract Gorge views from chairlift

 

That's Ian in the circle (top of the photo)

3rd Week - Thursday - Longford

Packed up and as we only had a short distance to travel didn't get away until 10.  Someone had already arrived and was starting to set up as we left.    Arrived at Longford and walked the main street before having a coffee.  Killed enough time so went to the park and set up.  The park is packed.  Dogs, kids, bikes everywhere.  We are once again next to a river so Ian went for a paddle.

3rd Week - Wednesday - Ross

Packed up this morning.  First stop Campbell Town.  Walked up and down the main street for a look.  The information brochures say there is a convict walk here.  We were looking for a sign pointing out the walk.  Turns out it is a row of bricks along the main street.  Each brick has the name of a convict, their age, their offence and how long they were sentenced.  Not exactly what I was expecting but quite interesting.   Back in the car and off to Ross to set up and have lunch.  Our American friends had told us to have a scallop pie from the bakery here so Ian did.  Mine was a boring meat pie.  Both were nice.  After lunch we set off and walked to the convict female factory site.  There is one original building still standing and information boards where other buildings were.  We picked up a historic walk brochure and wound our way around the town.  We visited the original burial ground, 3 churches, town hall, original stables for military garrison horses and the barracks.  We ended at the Ross Bridge which was built by convict labour.  The buildings were well kept and very impressive.  Back to the van and as we are next to a river Ian went for a paddle.

Old Garrison stable