Tasmania Mania! The East Coast

Devonport
After leaving Ballarat we traveled to Melbourne to catch the overnight ferry to Devonport to begin 14 days of fun exploring beautiful Tasmania!

There are four separate car decks on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry in which you can drive your car onto. Luckily we were on the last deck to load (first deck to unload!)

'Ahoy there mateys!' Cooper and Blaire inspecting the cabin before the overnight ferry voyage across the Bass Strait. The distance is 460kms from Melbourne to Devonport in Tasmania - at Melbourne Ferry Terminal, VIC

East Coast
Launceston - 2 nights

Just 5 kilometres from the heart of Launceston is Cataract Gorge, you would think you are miles out into the Tasmanian wilderness. Also home to the world's longest single span chair lift.

Damien and Cooper on one of the many walks to take a look around the Gorge - Cataract Gorge, Launceston, TAS 

We took a look around the waterfront restaurants and cafes at Invermay - Launceston Waterfront, TAS

From Launceston we took a day trip through the Tamar Valley to 
 visit the Beaconsfield Mine & Heritage Centre. There were lots of interactive displays for the kids to play with including trying to turn this wheel that was part a huge steam engine - Beaconsfield, TAS

Beaconsfield is most recently known for the underground mine collapse which occurred in 2006 that trapped three mine workers. Two of those men survived and the community spirit that was shown was recognised in 2007 with an award for the whole community in the Australian of the Year Awards for Local Heros - Beaconsfield, TAS

This is the mine shaft where Brant Webb and Todd Russell emerged after 14 days trapped underground. The mine actually reopened for a period after this collapse but closed in late 2012 as it was no longer financially viable. - Beaconsfield, TAS

One of the interactive displays,. Damien called Cooper from an old fashioned telephone box (out of the picture) and then Cooper answered the phone he was so delighted to hear dad on the other end.

Well wishes board for the trapped miners in the Heritage Centre - Beaconsfield, TAS

We stopped in at Evandale on our trip through the Tamar Valley as it is one of the older heritage villages on the drive northwest (became a gazetted town around 1845). This was an old fashioned general store with the original fit out still present - Evandale, TAS

As with most older towns the post office is generally a beautiful old building - Evandale, TAS

Genius idea - cafe aimed specifically for families with loads of healthy food choices for kids, reasonably priced, in a huge park, with vinyl beanbags on the lawn so you can spread out in the shade and enjoy a relaxed lunch - City Park, Launceston, TAS

Awesome weekend Harvest farmers market in the heart of the city - Launceston, TAS

The kids enjoying homemade double choc lamingtons and raspberry lemonade at the farmers market - Launceston, TAS

Harvest Farmers Market - Launceston, TAS

Coles Bay - 3 nights

On the way from Launceston we crossed through Mount Elephant Pass and stopped in at the famous Mount Elephant Pancake Barn - Mount Elephant, TAS

Damien and Blaire sharing lemon and honey pancakes, Yummm!!! - Mount Elephant, TAS

Elephants, elephants everywhere - Mount Elephant Pancake Barn, Mount Elephant, TAS

On the way travelling south to Launceston we stayed for a few nights in the beautiful Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula. Launching point to beautiful bays and mountain walks, and spectacular sunsets - Coles Bay, Freycinet Penisula, TAS

Exploring the beach at Coles Bay -Coles Bay, Freycinet Penisula, TAS

Beautiful Coles Bay with clouds over the mountains in the background - Coles Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, TAS

We decided to tackle the walk up to the lookout over Wineglass Bay (3kms return trip) with the kids. It was a fantastic walk (and workout carrying the kids) and were glad we made the effort - Coles Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, TAS

The lookout over Wineglass Bay after 1.5km trek up the mountain - Freycinet Peninsula, TAS 

Rest stop and snack time at the top  of the lookout for Wineglass Bay - Freycinet Peninsula, TAS

Blaire trying an oyster at the Freycinet Marine Farm - Coles Bay, Freycinet Peninsula, TAS

Hobart - 4 nights

Arriving in Launceston we stopped for a quick visit to the Pressing Matters winery to meet their incredibly talented winemaker - Paul Smart. Paul also happens to be my cousin and we and a great four days hanging out together.

Bumble Bee - all fuzzy and cute - Tea Tree, Tasmania

Hanging out with cousin Paul at there Tahune Forest Airwalk - Huon Valley, TAS

The last viewing platform (left) is suspended above the treetops - Tahune Forest Airwalk, Huon Valley, TAS

Swaying side to side on the viewing platform - Tahune Forest Airwalk, Huon Valley, TAS

New best friends - Paul and Blaire - Tahune Forest Airwalk, Huon Valley, TAS

The boys on the very top of Mount Wellington - Hobart, TAS

Views of Hobart from Mount Wellington - Hobart, TAS

Picking strawberries in Paul and Greer's veg garden & fruit orchard. Getting inspiration to do something with our garden when we get back to Perth! - Hobart, TAS

Tasman Arch on the way to Port Arthur - Tasman Peninsula, TAS

A full day was needed to visit and explore the Port Arthur Australian Convict Site. There is so much to see here, with a renowned history for being a harsh penal settlement that housed repeat offenders and more hardened criminals between 1833 and 1877. More recently Port Arthur is known as the site of the 35 murders by Martin Bryant in 1996, this is acknowledged at the site, but to their credit it is teated respectfully and does not form part of the tourism - Port Arthur, TAS

Port Arthur historic site - Port Arthur, TAS

Foreground is the 'Isle of the dead', where the convicts and officers were buried during the time the prison was operating. Background is the old site and ruins of the boys prison, where boys as young as 8 were sent for punishment for repeat offences - Port Arthur, TAS

Dinner at the Drunken Admiral - and pirate and nautical themed restaurant - Hobart, TAS

Cooper doing a pirate face with a fork(?) - Drunken Admiral Restaurant, Hobart, TAS 

A real tassie devil at Bonorong Wildlife Park - Brighton, TAS

Paul and super cutey Flynn at Bonorong Wildlife Park - Brighton, TAS

Totally flukes a chance to meet the koalas as the keeper was finishing up a talk to a tourist group - Cooper and Blaire loved it! - Bonorong Wildlife Park, Brighton, TAS

Blaire posing with a koala - Bonorong Wildlife Park, Brighton, TAS 

Friday night saw us head into the city for fish sand chips at  Fish Frenzy (yumm) and watch the sun set over the city - Hobart, TAS

After dinner we mosied on over to Salamanca square. to the pop-up bar and Rektango. For two hours each Friday night (5-7pm) a band and a pop up bar is set up, and families are welcome to bring kids a long for a boogie and enjoy a family friendly atmosphere and beverage. Kids were having a great time dancing - Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS

Flynn and Cooper having a boogie at Rektango. I wish Perth would do something cool like this!! - Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS

Last day in Hobart we got to help celebrate the kids second cousin Flynn's 2nd birthday. He is such a sweet little kid, and had so much fun actually using the diggers on this cake to break it up into pieces - Hobart, TAS

Happy 2nd Birthday Flynn!! Hobart, TAS

West Coast update to follow soon...!!!!

The Great Ocean Road, VIC

The last day of February saw us leaving Mount Gambier in SA, and travel to the coast to cross over the border into Victoria and travel the Great Ocean Road. 

The first day of the Great Ocean Road took us through rolling hills, farmland, eucalyptus forests and glimpses of the coast, and then over a last rise the road met the ocean at the Bay of Islands, the start of the beautiful limestone stacks jutting out of the ocean beside the sheer cliffs along the VIC coastline. A few kilometres west are the more famous 12 Apostles (named for tourism but of which there have only ever been 9, in 2005 one of the stacks collapsed, so there are now 8 to see)  Such beautiful scenery, and I had the amazing opportunity for me to take my first helicopter flight, from the 12 Apostles all the way west along the coast to the Bay of Islands and back. 

Damien had really been looking to driving this 243kms stretch of road, and I really wanted to take some dawn photos of the 12 Apostles so we planned an overnight stay at Princetown at the town recreation reserve (just 4kms east of the 12 Apostles Marine National Park). 

So up at pre-dawn it was freezing at 10'c for a pilbara girl, I put on all the layers I had. After a short but hairy 4km drive from the caravan to the 12 Apostles visitor centre (narrowly missing a few roos on the way even though I was travelling at a very conservative 40kms an hr), I trekked my way with camera, lenses and tripod from the visitor's centre a few hundred metres on the special walkway built under the great ocean road to the coastal lookout. Thinking briefly of the family still snuggled up in bed was soon put aside at the first breathtaking view of the 12 Apostles up close. Their sheer size and majesty is inspiring and somewhat spiritual. I hope you enjoy the photos :)

The second day saw us travel the second leg with even more spectacular scenery. From the 12 Apostles you travel through the majestic forest on steep and windy roads and hairpin turns often with recommended speed of only 15kms an hour to allow for the very narrow roads and sheer drop offs. Then suddenly, the coast would appear throughout he tress and the road would hug the cliff face with forrest on one side and ocean on the other, only to find around the corner a steep descent to water level and then back up and into the forest again. As much as I would have loved to take some photos here, it was  just not possible to find anywhere safe to stop the car where the scenery was spectacular.  Eventually we found our way to Anglesea where we stopped in for an overnight stay with friends from Hedland, then completed the last part of the drive to Torquay famous for its surf beaches (Bells Beach appears in the movie Point Break).

Border security crossing from SA to VIC... not a quarantine officer in sight! 

Lots and lots of .... wind turbines (not all pictured) - Codrington Wind Farm, VIC

From the Air - London Bridge (bottom left) and looking east toward the sensational coastline approaching the 12 Apostles - Port Campbell National Park, VIC

Dawn looking out over the 12 Apostles - 12 Apostles Marine National Park, VIC

Dawn at the 12 Apostles looking east with the sun breaking through the clouds - 12 Apostles Marine National Park, VIC

This is London bridge which once had another arch that met the mainland on the left of the stack. It collapsed in 1990 and left two people stranded on the outer stack until they were rescued by helicopter. It was later revealed that they were a married couple - just not married to each other! London Bridge, Port Campbell National Park, VIC

It's so fun driving!

This is the recreation reserve we stayed at near the 12 Apostles. Princetown recreation park - Princetown, VIC

One of the only photos we could stop for on the second day of travelling the Great Ocean Road, as the road was so twisty and narrow it was too difficult to stop with the caravan in tow.

Little known fact, the Great Ocean Road was built to commemorate those who served in World War One. At 234km long it is the world's largest war memorial.

Damien looking out over the Great Ocean Road, VIC

Catching up with friends from Hedland - from left, Cooper, Alison (me), Blaire, Tilly and Kat - Anglesea, VIC

Cooper having fun with the the girls from Kat's group of family and friends - Anglesea, VIC

Paragliders (in the distance over the head) at Bells Beach - Bells Beach, Torquay, VIC

Damien attempting to look like a character from Point Break - Bells Beach, Torquay, VIC

Paraglider coming in to land at - Bells Beach, Torquay, VIC

Stopped in for lunch in Geelong and the kids to have some fun on the foreshore - Geelong waterfront, VIC

Cooper having a great time on the bungee tramp

After the Great Ocean road we headed north to the historic gold rush town on Ballarat to visit the iconic living museum of Sovereign Hill. There was so much to see we sent two days making sure we visited everything we wanted to see. This kids had a great time and Damien and I both loved it.

Main Street - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Ladies from the era relaxing at the Apothecaries Hall - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Hanging out with the kids waiting for the trooper to demonstrate how to fire a musket - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Cooper posing with the local law enforcement - Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

The underground mine - Soverign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Panning for gold - Soverign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Blaire and Damien striking it rich.... well trying at least - Soverign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

The kids got to choose one thing to buy in the old fashioned shop and they both chose harmonicas. Without any prompting they both wandered over to the musicians and joined in. The musicians were amused and welcomed the kids to join them, it was very sweet.

Kids paying twinkle twinkle little star with the musicians.

Taking the coach around town - Soverign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Taking the coach around town - Soverign Hill, Ballarat, VIC

Before leaving we visited the site of the Eureka stockade. They have created a playground next to the memorial in the image of the troopers storming the stockade. It was sweet to see Cooper and Blaire holding hands and walking together to go and investigate.