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Published: July 31st 2014
After some rain overnight, this morning was fine and sunny albeit with a bit more cloud cover than we had yesterday. Since the weather was holding we decided to complete a couple more short walks on the Freycinet Peninsula. First we took a short stroll out to the Cape Toureville Lighthouse. From the tip of the cape we had a fantastic view back towards Wineglass Bay with Mount Graham and Mount Freycinet behind. And finally, before leaving the magnificent Freycinet National Park behind us, we walked in to Sleepy Bay which was looking very beautiful this morning with a couple of gulls bobbing around on its calm, turquoise waters.
We drove back out to the Tasman Highway and turned north for Bicheno. Although the weather was deteriorating we had to stop at Bicheno to check out the blowhole! Of course we had to stand around for ages with our fingers on our shutter buttons waiting for a really spectacular spout of water to shoot up through the blowhole. As an added bonus we were treated to a spectacular rainbow just to the south of Bicheno.
We continued on up the coast looking for the White Sands Estate which incorporates
the IronHouse microbrewery and Brewhaus Cafe that had been recommended to us as a good stop for lunch. We thought it was supposed to be closer to Bicheno than Scamander so the further north we drove the more we thought that we must have missed it. Just as we were thinking that we would have to stop in Scamander for lunch we arrived at a nice big sign announcing the White Sands Estate.
Situated right on Ironhouse Point we had to dash from the car park to the building in a gale force wind - our run of exceptional weather has come to an end this afternoon! With the wind howling around the cafe and waves crashing onto the nearby shore we enjoyed bowls of seafood chowder. Bernie managed to sample an IronHouse Pale Ale and a Porter with lunch!
With the weather unsuitable for sightseeing we decided that we wouldn't try to fit in the Bay of Fires this afternoon, but continue straight to the Bed in the Treetops B&B and stay warm and dry for the afternoon! All checked in with Bruce we settled in on the couch in our toasty warm room with a lovely
view down over Georges Bay and the Tasman Sea beyond. With the worst of this afternoon's storm over we actually had a pretty good view through the Eucalypts down to the water.
As the afternoon drew to a close so too did by employment with the ATO. Although I am on annual leave, today marked the date of effect of my voluntary redundancy (VR). I lodged an expression of interest (EOI) in a VR at the end of May and knew that if my EOI was successful, I would leave the office some time between the end of July and the end of October.
Obviously my EOI has been successful and my separation from the ATO has been a bit of a whirlwind. I was telephoned on the 9th of July and asked if I wanted to proceed with a VR with an allocated exit date of the 31st of July. I said yes and received my official payout and superannuation estimates the very next day on the 10th of July. I was also advised that as I would be on leave on the 31st of July that I could complete my separation paperwork before I left the
office on Friday the 18th of July so that I didn't need to come back to the office after my holiday.
So, after 33 1/2 years as a public servant I went from employed to as good as retired in just nine days although, officially, the process has taken three weeks. My Notice of Termination was emailed to me this morning and I was officially terminated, with effect from close of business today 31-Jul-2014, on the grounds that I am excess to the requirements of the ATO.
At the moment though, it just seems like I am on holidays. I think the reality will set in on Monday when Bernie has to get up to go to work and I have to decide what I am going to do with myself. Seriously though, I have already made enquiries about volunteering at Museum Victoria and with the Melbourne Ambassador program. And, once I pick up my NEW CAR on Tuesday, there'll be no stopping me!!
This evening we have been down the road to Moresco's in Binalong Bay for dinner and now I am going to climb into the spa bath in our room at Bed in the
Treetops and enjoy a couple of glasses of Tasmanian sparkling wine to celebrate my retirement!
Steps for the day 7,456 (5.08km)
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wendy
non-member comment
Cheers to you Tracey ! :)