BEER and WINE

 

27th February, 2014

We’ve had a restful time over the last week.  After leaving Beaconsfield we headed west to Wynyard and checked into the Beach Retreat Caravan Park where we stayed for five nights while Wayne stored his car and van at the airport and flew to King Island and visited some friends.  While he was away we drove to a Swap Meet at Ulverstone

Swap Meet at Ulverstone

where we met up with John and Shar.  John and Wok are old workmates from Skyfox days and after wandering around the swap meet they took us to Pedro’s Restaurant on the waterfront where we had a wonderful ‘fish and chips’ lunch.

John and Shar at Pedro's in Ulverstone

We will definitely have to make a detour back to Pedro’s before we leave Tasmania.  When Wayne rejoined us we drove to Longford and checked into the Riverside Caravan Park.  We were going to use Longford as a base to visit all the touristy stuff in and around Launceston.  The boys were eager to get going the next morning as we had booked a tour of the Boags Brewery in Launceston.

A tour group at Boags Brewery

The brewery takes up a whole block not far from the city centre and is very distinctive with its old brewing tower clearly visible. 

Boags Brewery

We are booked on the 11am tour and follow our guide ‘Don’ through the factory following the process of turning barley into beer.

Wok and Wayne on tour at Boags Brewery

In the packaging area thousands of bottles whizzed around on the carousels as they were washed, filled, sealed and labelled. 

Wok watches the bottles whizz past

The boys were understandably in awe of so much beer swirling around in front of their eyes … ‘so much beer’ … ‘so little time’ … !   They did however do their best to consume as much as they could in the tasting room and even though one or two varieties of beer were not to their liking they never let a drop go to waste.

By their expressions Wok and Wayne may not have liked this variety of beer

Out in the parking area was an oversized beer can. 

Wayne was impressed with this beer can ...!

Many cunning plans were proposed by Wayne and Wok to get the beer can into the back of the Prado but luckily common sense prevailed and they decided to adjourn to the pub around the corner for some more beer followed by a lunch ‘chaser’.  Needless to say the boys were in no condition to go sight-seeing after that so the designated driver escorted them back to the car and drove them back to camp for a late afternoon nap.  By the next morning they were ‘good to go’ again and we headed into Launceston again for a look see at Cataract Gorge.  Cataract Gorge is a favourite picnic area for the people of Launceston and can be easily accessed by foot from the main city area.  We parked at the First Basin and made our way into the reserve.  The picnic area in the main part of the reserve boasts two large swimming pools

Swimming pool at Cataract Gorge

and across the top of the first basin a swinging bridge gives access to the other side of the gorge.

Swinging Bridge at Cataract Gorge

We follow the walking trail across the bridge

Wok and Wayne on the swinging bridge

and get a great view up the gorge.

Gorge leading to the second basin

The trail continues down the gorge and as we make our way down we get a great view back to the first basin and the swinging bridge.

Cataract Gorge

We reach the bottom of the gorge where the water flows into the Tamar River before retracing our steps back to the first basin where we stop for a Devonshire Tea at the quaint heritage restaurant.

Yummmm!   Scones, strawberry jam and lots of cream ...  Yummmmm!

A couple of peacocks with their chicks wander around us as we eat and are also not too worried when we overtake them on the pathway to the chairlift.

Wayne and Wok share the path with a mother peacock and chick

The chairlift has been operating across the first basin for a long time and we figure the chances of a catastrophe occurring just when we happen to be taking a ride would be pretty rare.  We try not to think about how old and hazardous it appears to be and just enjoy the view.

That's us - way out there over the water in the chairlift

We get a good look at the swinging bridge across the gorge

View of the swinging bridge from the chairlift

and Wayne bravely follows in the seat behind us on the chairlift.

That's Wayne way back there in the chairlift ... you may need a microscope to see him

We make it to the other side and not long after Wayne makes a touchdown.

Wayne touches down

We make our way back to Mitzi and are surprised to see that we have spent two hours wandering around in the gorge.  We head up the West Tamar highway intent on dropping into a few wineries for some taste testing.  Our first stop is at Velo Vineyard where the ‘boys’ settle into the intricacies of wine tasting.

The 'boys' at Velo Vineyard

After a surfeit of different varieties of wine the ‘boys’ have a nice glow underway and we continue further up the road to the next vineyard.  At Tamar Ridge besides enjoying some more wine we also enjoy a great view over the Tamar River.

Robyn and Wok at Tamar Ridge

The ‘boys’ are suitably ebullient so it is on to the ‘Ninth Island’ vineyard

Ninth Island Vineyard

 where more fermented grapes are consumed.

Wok and Wayne at Ninth Island cellar door

The ‘boys’ are now floating along quite nicely and they have bought a reasonable supply of wine at this stage.  Another vineyard was visited but it was a small cellar door and we could find no-one in attendance so we continued on to the next vineyard but could not find it.  It was marked on our map but where it actually was in real life is anybody’s guess!  It was getting a bit late so the designated driver turned Mitzi around and headed back to camp.  A stop was made at a shopping mall so that some nourishment in the form of food could be consumed.  After all – one needs to have something in one’s tummy to sop up the alcohol doesn’t one?   Another early night to bed for the ‘boys’ was definitely on the cards!

Now this photo has nothing to do with the blog and we have no idea what the dog’s name is or who he belongs to but we thought he deserved to have his photo taken.  He was sitting in the back of this red ute parked at the Swap Meet we went to at Ulverstone waiting for his owner to come back. 

Now who could resist a face like that ….!

SCOTTSDALE to BEACONSFIELD

15^th February, 2014

We’re following the Trail of the Tin Dragon – a tourist route that winds through small towns that were originally built to service the growing tin mines of the late 1800’s.

Following Wayne on the Trail of the Tin Dragon

We wind up and down hills and valleys until finally arriving at Scottsdale where we stop at a free camp just outside of town.

Our camp at Scottsdale

We no sooner set up camp than a welcome party arrives at our door.  This welcome party doesn’t come with gifts though – they are just looking for a free handout and Wayne is more than happy to oblige.

Wayne making friends

We go for a drive around town and in a park opposite the RSL come across a wooden sculpture of Simpson and his Donkey.

Simpson and his Donkey

We take a walk through the park and find a larger wooden sculpture made from an old tree trunk commemorating all the armed services that took part in World War II.

World War II wooden sculpture in Scottsdale

A lot of effort and hard work has gone into this piece and is a marvelous memorial.  We stop at a sign that directs us to the rear of a cottage where Rhubarb Tastings can be undertaken.  There is a quaint little garden shed at the rear of the garden

Cute garden shed

and in a room under the rear of the cottage all manner of things have been done with rhubarb.  The rhubarb and apple cider was a winner but the rhubarb and lavender cider had a rather weird taste.

Going by the expressions think Wok and Wayne are tasting the rhubarb and lavender

The rhubarb jam was pretty good but we came away with a jar of rhubarb relish which goes very nicely with ham.  We were on the road again the following morning – taking a circuitous route – heading north to Bridport and then west to Georgetown and Low Head on the eastern side of the Tamar River before crossing over the Batman Bridge to a free camp at Paper Beach beside the river. 

Our camp at Paper Beach

Ohh … along the way a cluster of blackberry bushes was spotted beside the road and a berry picking frenzy ensued.

Wayne in the thick of it ...

After setting up camp the blackberries were suitably prepared for consumption.  That night we had some of the blackberries with ice cream … yummmmmmm !

Wayne really enjoyed his blackberries and ice cream - finger lickin' good !

We had planned on moving on the following morning but we had enjoyed this free camp – lovely and quiet with only a couple of other vans for company.  Plus Wayne had been in touch with his Bank and some Solicitors in Brisbane that needed to email him some documents for signing and scanning to get the sale of his unit underway.  So we all agreed that it made sense to spend another night here at Paper Beach and get everything organized before we moved on.

How many computers and smart phones does one need!
Well it appears that one needs three computers and an assistant to hold the phone !

Of course blackberries and ice cream were on the dessert menu again that night.  In the morning we drove to Beaconsfield Mine Heritage Museum

Beaconsfield Mine Heritage Museum

where we took a self guided tour.  Beaconsfield was built beside the small gold mines that dotted the area until most of the small mines combined into one large mine.  The museum was very good with lots of equipment and information on the mine and the history of the town.

Water Wheel in museum that drove the stamper battery

There is also a section of the museum devoted to the rescue of two miners after a cave in had them trapped for two weeks in 2006.  This rescue gained worldwide media coverage and many of you will remember it.  After wandering around the museum we took a walk down the main street and stopped for a bite to eat at the Exchange Hotel.

Exchange Hotel in Beaconsfield

After lunch we head for a free camp at the Beaconsfield Recreation Grounds and drop the vans off before hopping into Mitzi and taking a drive up the western side of the Tamar River to Greens Beach before making our way back to camp.  In the morning the horizon starts to turn pink as the sun slowly rises in the east

Sunrise at the free camp at Beaconsfield

and a lone trotter takes to the race track beside our camp for its early morning training session.

Who is watching who?  Wok watching the trotter?  The trotter watching Wok?

It’s always fun to wake up in different locations – you never know what you may see !

BICHENO to ST HELENS

11^th February, 2014

On the move again – not far today.  The small coastal village of Bicheno is only 30 klms up the road but if we keep running into these pesky bike riders it will take us all day.

Wayne tries to negotiate his way around some bike riders as we leave the campground

We are following Wayne today and not far along the road a kamikaze wallaby bounds across the road in front of us leaving no time to brake.  We can’t believe it!  This is the second kangaroo/wallaby that we have hit in two years.  Luckily for us there was no damage to Mitzi this time.  Unfortunately the wallaby was not quite so lucky.  We book into a caravan park in Bicheno and Wayne catches up on all his emails at the free wifi hot spot at the roundabout in the middle of town.  Bicheno is a cute seaside village with a unique rocky coastline.

Rocky cove at Bicheno

The huge boulders along the shore are covered in an orange algae which really makes for stunning scenery.

Orange coloured algae at Bicheno

The water is crystal clear and beds of kelp grow close to shore.

Kelp growing along the rocks

In some places along the Tasmanian coast the kelp is harvested and dried on racks for commercial use.

Mmmmmm ..... yum......... kelp ..... !!!

We continue north along the coast through pine forests growing down to the water’s edge in some places and check into the Big 4 Caravan Park at St Helens for a couple of nights.  Wayne’s Real Estate Agent has express posted the Contract of Sale to the Post Office in St Helens for him to sign and return so we set up the vans and head into town to pick it up.  We check out the dragon (which commemorates the involvement of the Chinese tin miners in the area) outside the Information Centre and get some tourist info while we are there.

Wayne is more interested in getting those Contract of Sale documents
out of the Xpress Post package than posing with this dragon

The following day we take a drive north of St Helens and check out the free camp spots along the Bay of Fires before heading inland to see St Columba Falls.  It was lunchtime when we spotted the Pub in the Paddock sign

Wayne looks for that perfect photo at the Pub in the Paddock

and couldn’t resist the opportunity to see a genuine beer drinking pig and have a home cooked meal.  The pub was a wonderful heritage building

The Pub in the Paddock

with the dining room and bar set around a large fireplace.  It would be really cozy having a meal there in the middle of winter.  We have a lovely meal of pie, chips and gravy before venturing out to the nearby paddock where Pinky the Pig - was fast asleep in her box (probably flaked out from over indulging last night). 

Pinky is asleep in the shed behind the fence

Pinky follows on in the grand old tradition of beer drinking set down by her predecessor Priscilla who has sadly passed on to that lovely green meadow in the sky.  We hop in the Prado and not far down the road Wayne stops to let a wandering echidna cross the road.

Mr or Mrs Echidna - just out for an afternoon stroll

Now it’s not often one sees an echidna when driving along but this little guy was quite happy to amble along on the grass beside the road while we happily clicked away taking photos.  A few kilometres further on we arrived at the parking area for St Columba Falls and walk down the track and through a grove of Tree Ferns (Man Ferns are what they are called in Tasmania)

Wayne and Wok walk through the Tree Ferns

until we come to a lookout area at the base of the falls.

Wayne and Wok at the base of St Columba Falls

The water was running fairly strongly over the falls in two places but judging by the logs scattered across the rocks it must have a pretty impressive run of water during the late winter and early spring.

St Columba Falls

We slowly make our tortoise like way back up the track while Wayne (the hare) bounds to the top and waits patiently.  At least we made it under our own steam and didn’t need a rescue party.  On the way back to St Helens we stop at the Holy Cow Cafe

Holy Cow Cafe

for some cheese tasting.  There were only a few cheeses on offer and while Wayne and Robyn did the tasting Wok took it easy on the verandah.

Wayne churns butter while Wok takes it easy

It looked like Wok had settled in for the duration so Wayne tried his hand at churning butter.  We’d had a full day touring around the St Helens area and were pretty tired when we got back to camp.  Tomorrow we will be heading inland and saying goodbye to the east coast … we’ve enjoyed the journey!