Back on the Mainland

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15th Jan
Great day in Launceston - lovely place. Old Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Super parks and the Cataract gorge. We walked up the easy side then struggled back along the zigzag walk which was more designed for mountain goats. At the top of the gorge is a lovely swimming pool - completely free. England please note! If I was going to emigrate, I think I have found the place to go to. Everything about it was lovely.
16 Jan
Stopped at a National Park known for its wombats, but did we see one? What we did see though was a real live Tasmanian Devil, and you can’t have everything. It just wandered past our camp, stopped and gave us a good look, then carried on. Of course we didn’t have a camera with us, and we were too scared to move in case we frightened it -but we both saw it, so it counts as a spot.
17 Jan
Back to the mainland on the ferry. Spent the entire journey having a great laugh with two other couples who both gave us their addresses, so we have more Aussies to visit now. Spent the night in Deb and Ian’s garden! They are away for the weekend, but left us some more eggs from their chooks and our nice new debit cards and pins. We left their table and chairs behind as we are worried about damaging them, we’ll get some more tomorrow
18 Jan
Stayed at Bear Gully Creek, not far from Melbourne as we spent so long messing about in camping shops. Bought some Mossie proof trousers, but I don’t hold out much hope for their effectiveness. Sitting on a bench by the sea doing a crossword, and what came wandering across the grass? A wombat! They do exist after all. Discovered that the new camera is very poor at taking close up shots of wombats
19 Jan
Stayed at Wilson’s Promontory - a fabulous national park that is the most southerly point of mainland Australia. Wonderful beaches and great walks. The place is booked up for months in advance, but they keep a few pitches free for foreigners and ‘out of staters’ . It costs $12 a day to get in, but if you camp, which we did, you get the day you arrive and the next day included in the campsite fee, which was $22.50, so in effect, they paid us to go there! And they had HOT Showers - arrhh! We spent the afternoon dodging the waves, the sea was so clear and warm. Lost my sunglasses on he beach somehow - the tide came in so I expect they are heading for Tasmania.
In the evening we went to an outdoor cinema (mossie proof trousers don’t work!). Throughout the film we had wombats wandering between the seats and between our legs! It has been about 32 degrees today and we are melting.
20 Jan
Went for a walk at midday in the scorching heat. Got a phone call from the Visitor Centre, someone had found my glasses and handed them in. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!
Lovely pitch at 90 mile beach, but no facilities at all. First experience of having to use a ‘camp toilet’ -digging our own hole etc - the mosquitoes had a field day with my bum! I HATE THIS COUNTRY!!

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Photos

Launceston
Great buildings

Yarram
Great buildings I thought

Comments

[Garry / Jean UK]

Good Photo's
Hi Barry / Margaret, following your journey with interest, good photo's hope the van does not give you too much trouble. catch you later, take care.