TASMANIA

Me and andy have explored Tasmania campervan style....we kinda left it to late to get an actual campervan so we converted a rental van into our little home for a week....blow up bed, sleeping bag and we were ready to go!

Hobart is a pretty little city built into the hill. Lots of nice colourful houses and a big bustling waterfront. didnt spend long here but was good to see where all the people in tasmania actually live! we set off down south to the Tasman Peninsula....endless sweeping beautiful stretches of deserted beaches. despite it being high season, there were never that many people around...it is very easy to find yourself being the only person around for miles. we had a good feed in a traditional english pub before parking up for our first night in the campervan. so good to have your home on wheels...completely hassle free!

we have done a lot of driving in the past week, but the great thing about tasmania is that the driving is almost the best bit! the roads wind through the mountains, round lakes and hug the coastline making it so spectacular. it meant for a lot of photo stops so took a long time to get anywhere but that is half the fun! tasmania has 17 national parks and in our week here we have managed to visit 8 of them. first stop was Freycinet National Park on the east coast, home of the famous wineglass bay lookout. the steep climb was well worth it as the views from the top back over the bay didnt disappoint. found an amazing camping spot for our second night on the banks on the river and saw an awesome sunset. so peaceful with just a few fishermen and people collecting firewood for their campfires.

we had an amazing morning exploring the national park and found possibly the best lookout point up at cape tourville lighthouse. the sky was so blue and the sea was sparkling and seemed to go on forever. we even saw a whale with her calf just off the shore playing around in the water. it was incredible. after a short drive we arrived at Douglas-Apsley national park where we walked through a forest before arriving a a massive watering hole, perfect for a quick (if a little cold!) swim.we continued on to the Bay of Fires, a beautiful bit of coastline with white sands and clear, turquoise waters. i wasnt expecting there to be beaches this beautiful in tasmania...it really does have everything! our overnight stop here was probably my favourite of the whole week. we parked right up on the beach...couldnt get any closer, and for a beach lover like me it was paradise! the stars that night were pretty amazing....no lights anywhere so everything was shining so clearly. we even made ourselves a little campfire....the nights get very cold so good for a bit of warmth!

we made our way though to launceston, the only other big city apart from hobart. didnt stop off for long...much prefer being out in the countryside! we went for a walk over to columba falls, the highest waterfall in tasmania which was pretty impressive. it only had a quarter of the amount of water it has in winter so i cant even imagine what it must look like then! spent the evening in a nice little town called deloraine where we found a spot to camp by the river and a good pub for some food and a couple of beers. the towns out away from the city are so tiny...most just have a pub and a couple of shops....really out in the middle of nowhere. a great place to enjoy the surroundings though.

we had been looking forward to visiting Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair national park since we got here. the drive through the national park was amazing....lots of really winding roads going up through the mountains opening up to reveal such spectacular lookout points at every other turn. the walk around Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain is pretty special. there were lots of low hanging clouds that day but it totally added to the mystical feel to the place. the name cradle mountain comes from the fact that there are 2 peaks, with a cradle in the middle and a baby shaped rock....if you look really hard you can kinda see it....! the east coast beaches were amazing, but there is something just as incredible about being at lakes, surrounded by towering mountains. Lake St Clair was just as impressive. it is the deepest lake in tasmania and is absolutely massive. it would take you 6 hours just to walk one half of it, so we stuck to a shorter walk, trying unsuccessfully to spot a duck-billed platypus in the shallows. we have seen our fair share of wildlife though, from kangaroos to wallabies to wombats....even a couple of squashed tasmanian devils on the road!!

mount field national park is home to russell falls, a great waterfall that cascades town in tiers to the rock face where it flows off. the walks take you through the rainforest, across streams and rivers. the scenery changes daily out here....from beaches to rolling hills and meadows to mountains and lakes. so diverse! our final national park was probably my favourite. South-West national park is 'wildnerness country'. you are totally off the beaten track, driving through snow peaked mountain ranges and lakes. and the best thing is that you are totally alone....so few people seem to go out that way - their loss! we drove all the way out to lake pedder and gordon dam. this man-made dam really is an impressive piece of architecture, 150m from top to bottom. you can even walk out into the middle of it and look over the edge....that is how to make yourself feel small!

we spent our last night at seven mile beach, not far from hobart and cooked ourselves up a big bbq. tasmania really is such a beautiful place....hard to believe you are still in australia. there honestly is so much to see and i feel like we have only just scratched the surface. doing it in a campervan has been brilliant, as it gives you so much more freedom to get away from the tourist spots and discover the best bits. a hugely diverse and incredible country...definitely somewhere i will come back to!

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