Richmond to Cygnet

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After our pandemic pause we are getting back into the swing of travelling again now. Sourced provisions for self-catered breakfasts - no longer paying $50 a day for continental breakfasts. Although, we didn’t actually pay for our Eaglehawke Neck breakfasts. An oversight on my part. Yoghurt, muesli, fruit and nutri-grain in the girls room and we’re checking out. Not before the cleaners are knocking on our door.

The Tasman Peninsula farms are dotted with small homes and barns. The older barns have caught Deaks eye and he is attempting to snap them as we cruise by at 90km per hour. They are eye catching, isolated on green hills adjacent to the blue green ocean. Before we know it we’ve hit Orford and the suburban housing feels dense after a couple of days in national parks. A short highway drive and we’re back among the farms around Richmond. Wineries, apricot and berry farms occupy the hills driving into Richmond. An historic town with the oldest bridge in Australia. Like the historic buildings in town, it’s built by convicts (1823) using locally quarried stone.

We walk around Richmond after a stop for drinks and croissants. The old buildings are strikingly beautiful and the blossoming gardens of flowers and deciduous trees are remarkable. After inspecting an AWOL rooster by the side of the road, Deaks almost leaps to certain injury on the 200 year old bridge as he averts a car trying to catch-up. Millsy takes photos of the local flora and we buy some local raspberry candy. Lunch at the renowned Richmond Bakery highlights our lack of healthy eating has all of us clamor for some of Julie’s chicken and salad roll. Give me salad!

Siobhan’s Killara gin distillery is sadly closed on Mondays so we check out a Tastes of Tassie shopfront. I inquire to see if they stock this local gin and the lovely woman at the counter turns out to be Liv. She works at the Tastes of Tassie when Killara is closed. She knows Bonnie and will be sharing a house with her! What are the chances??? Apparently, pretty high in Tassie. 😉

A longer drive from Richmond to Port Huon. The main highway from east to west on this route curiously takes you right through the centre of Hobart. One minute your winding through farms and the next you’re passing between the harbour, the Grand Chancellor Hotel and Salamanca Bay. Soon after Hobart and we hit the hills of Huon Valley. While not particularly long drives, the winding roads are tiring to drive. We open the raspberry boiled lollies and the orchestra of slurps and sucks has us in stitches. Jules is laughing so much she is drooling- Drooly Julie?

The Kermandie Hotel in Port Huon is a cool place to stay. A pub of another era. Poorly lit, dark carpeted rooms with a view of the Huon River. We drive through Geeveston without leaving the car. Not much happening in the film site for Rosehaven on a public holiday. A quick stop at Huonville Woolies and Celebrations and we’re off for dinner with Steve, Rosey and Samara.

With google and apple maps arguing over the best route, we listen to the Irish lass from apple maps and fortuitously take the river road. Hugging the river, less than a metre above water level, this is another stunning drive. Steep green hills on the left and a calm Huon River on the immediate right. Silver Hill road rises quickly up to number 466.

We haven’t seen Steve and Rosey for many years and probably haven’t seen Samara for 6 years but you wouldn’t know it. So welcoming and so hospitable. This old farm house has such a warm vibe. Steve’s labour of love is an old dilapidated apple shed that will soon be a subtly luxurious Airbnb. It was all but collapsing and he has rebuilt it from recycled timber, built a door from discarded apple crates and leveraged Rosey's style to create what is going to be stunning on the inside and out. I don’t have words for how awesome it and his skills are.

Rosey cooked up a Filipino feast and we had a wonderful dinner and chat with Steve, Rosey, Samara and some other visiting Queenslanders. The house feels like it is accustomed to welcoming visitors. A delightful after dinner stroll takes us up Silver Hill Rd past the old school, ancient gumtrees, cattle farms and the old general store. All the while being awestruck by the remarkable views they consume daily.

A 9.30 Monday night drive through Cygnet probably doesn’t do it justice, but there is no doubt we’ll be back. Hopefully to sleep in the completed Airbnb! A winding dusk drive home illustrates why there is so much roadkill. The little dark brown wallabies emerge from every directions along Silver Hill Rd. Cygnet has everything you need and perhaps a surplus of butchers. Our chat with Steve and Rosey and the Cygnet vibe gives the impression of a tight knit local community. Our friends seem truly settled and happy here.

A couple of episodes of Seinfeld and a we’re off to bed.

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