Tassie 2024

[nev]

We went back again at 9pm that night for a Ghost Tour. It's interesting and you get a completely different perspective on places when you do a night time tour. ( On our last trip to Tassie we took night time walking tours of both Launceston and Hobart, which were very interesting, and the guides usually have access to some places not normally accessible to the public. )

 

[glitch]

The following morning there were a few showers around the place, so we had a delayed start, but eventually it cleared and we took the short walk back over to the old Penal Colony where we spent another 4-5 hours having a closer look around the place.

This was in the Colony's Governors residence. An intricate system of pulley operated bells, each bell a differnet size/note to enable the staff to identify which room they were being called to.

The stories and quirks in every nook and cranny of this place....
Makes me wish sometimes one could slip into an hour or 2 of a normal day back then to experience how it all functioned in everyday life.
Wouldn't want to hang around for too long, though

 

[nev]

The stories and quirks in every nook and cranny of this place....
Makes me wish sometimes one could slip into an hour or 2 of a normal day back then to experience how it all functioned in everyday life.
Wouldn't want to hang around for too long, though

That's for sure. would have been a very tough place. It wasn't where they sent the convicts, it was where they sent the convicts who were the worst behaved, or escaped from other colonies. For a while, when they first arrived, they were placed into a silent building, were not allowed to talk, and were addressed by a name not a number, in order to break their 'spirit'. Those who complied were released after a few weeks into the general population of the colony, those who didn't (most probably people with mental health issues) were kept there until they did.

 

[nev]

Next morning we headed to Hobart. It was only an 80 minute ride in the most direct path, but we took a big loop, out to the north, met the Midland Hwy, north to Bothwell, where we stopped for a short break.

Then south to New Norfolk where we had lunch. After lunch we had a wander through town, and a poke around an antiques shop. This shop was full of all sorts of interesting things. All jammed in. No real order. So much stuff, and a lot of crap. I enjoyed how they labelled their collection of souvenir tea spoons.

I wish I still had my coca cola yoyos from the late 70s. They were about $3 new and selling now for up to $95. Also at the back was possibly the worlds largest collection of pianola music rolls. There were hundreds and hundreds.

After we arrived in Hobart we went for a walk around town. A cruise ship in town really dwarfed all of it's surroundings.

Friday night in Hobart is Franko Street Eats. A free live performance in the Franklin St park, as well as about a dozen or more food trucks. The weather was perfect, the atmosphere was great, families, tourists and office workers all winding down and enjoying the band who were really great.

 

[nev]

Saturday morning was the Salamanca Markets. We arrived early and slowly made our way through the throngs of people. Yesterday's cruise ship had departed in the evening, but another had arrived overnight, and 5000 cruisers were trying to jam themselves in to Salamanca Street by the time we left.

After that, a visit to the Maritime Museum around the corner and get a bit more history of the place.

For lunch we met up with a former colleague of mine who had moved to Hobart about 12 months ago. Fish and chips and a good catch up. Then back to our hotel, and to the Irish pub across the road for a bit of a chill. There was a folk group playing traditional gaelic music. It was the Day before St Patricks day so the place was getting ready for a big one on Sunday.

 

[Zuckerbaron]

Next morning we headed a few km north to the Low Head lighthouse, which sits at the mouth of the Tamar River.

there were more metal sculptures

and an obligatory painted silo/tank

We headed east around the North coast. The roads here were quite straight and the landscape quite dry. It didn't feel much like tasmania to be honest.
Our next stop was lunch at the Pyangala Pub. the Pub in the Paddock. There was quite a big crowd here. A few motorcycles, lots of cars, a few campers who had set up camp in the pub yard.

and of course the pig who drinks beer. I wonder how many pissed pigs they've had in this pen over the years...

They had a good vegie garden going. Nice views for the vegies

We stopped for the night at Beaumaris, which is a dot on the map about 4km north of Scamander and 12km south of St Helens. the only shop there is the Surfside Beaumaris. Their slogan and the sign out the front says "Burgers, Beer, Beds". The holy trinity of our current needs. The room was basic, but it was a family room, the last room they had left, so it was more than twice the size of their other motel units.

The nearest shop was about 5km away in Scamander and we went for a walk there to stock up on snacks. the whole vibe of the place was a bit weird.

but the beach opposite our accommodations was quite nice.

The last shot of the beach carries a nice mood! Thank you for taking us along!

 

[Williamson]

That pub looks nice!

...and the 2 beach-shots are gorgeous!

Have stayed in the motel style rooms at the Comfort Inn a coupla times now, modern, clean, comfortable and well priced for a twin or double, 50m walk to the pub, the hot 'n' spicy pizza is HOT 'N' SPICY.

 

[nev]

Hobart

Interesting that just a few days after I took this photo of the Tasman Bridge, across the River Derwent in Hobart, a cargo ship hit the bridge in Baltimore causing it to collapse into the river. In 1975, a similar incident occurred at this bridge, when a bulk carrier lost it's steering, crashed into the piers supporting the bridge and caused parts of the bridge to collapse into the river. The ship also sank, killing 7 crew members, in addition to the 5 car occupants whose cars crashed off the bridge into the river. The ship remains in the river where it sank, submerged in 35 metres of water, below the bridge.

THere was a zoo close to the city centre which is now vacant unused land. Some of the animal enclosures remain.

The next 7 pictures are all taken in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

This is a pic of a big tree for Glitch. I can barely remember the backstory, or those involved, however there was a detour, a promise of a big tree, disappointment, and years of heckling to follow. This counts as that heckling continuing

Not sure if "Conditions Apply" is the name of the road, a suburb, or some other unmentioned restriction.

The old site of Joe's Garage.

 

[glitch]

Those who complied were released after a few weeks into the general population of the colony, those who didn't (most probably people with mental health issues) were kept there until they did.

Placing the "mental health issues" into quotations....maybe the basic idea had enough merit to be tried again nowadays.
Plenty of real nutcases out there.
Back to Tassie though...

 

[glitch]

The old site of Joe's Garage.

Oh no...that is sad