Tasmania's Deep South

  Cockle Creek, Tasmania, Australia
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

We left the tranquillity of Bruny Island to head for yet more tranquillity in the deep south of Tasmania.
Having crossed back on  the ferry we had 2 nights in Snug (so aptly named) and drove to Hobart for a day to restock and also went to the cinema. The State Theatre in North Hobart has been converted into a small cinema and we decided to see "Slum Dog Millionaire" as there has been so much hype surrounding it; we both enjoyed it very much.

That was our day in the 'big city' and next morning we drove to Tahune to do the famous 'air-walk'. We had heard that, if self-sufficient, one could stay overnight in the area so decided to do that and tow the caravan up; it was rather nerve-racking as it is a long, steep, windy ascent and the last time we attempted such a drive was when we had the breakdown. As it turned out we had no problems and, as the main school holidays had finished, it was quiet and  there was lots of space even for our 'big rig'.

Huon River Tahune

It is a beautiful area in a National Park and to be able to stay there after other tourists had left at 5pm was amazing; there were only 3 other vehicles staying overnight.

We walked down to the river in the early evening light so that David could fish and I sat reading on the opposite bank. I was reading "Hell's Gates"; a story about Alexander Pearce, an infamous convict escapee turned cannibal. It is a fascinating and thought-provoking tale made even more vivid by being read  in a thickly forested area such as he would have had to try to penetrate.

Fishing Huon river Tahune

There was not another person in sight only the sound of the birds and fish rising (always just out of David's reach). So, yet again, no fish for dinner but a beautiful clear starlit night made up for it. While there we did the 'air walk' and also a beautiful walk along the river banks crossing both the Huon and Picton rivers on swing bridges and they certainly did swing.

Tahune swing bridge

From Tahune we headed further south to a place called Southport near Cockle Creek which is the most southerly settlement in Australia.

Southport Beach view

There is a national park here and it is one end of the 'South Coast Walk' which takes several days.

Cockle Creek whale sculpture

As we have decided that our tent camping days are over, and certainly in the sort of night-time temperatures reached down here, we walked just one end of it. It was about a 5 hours round trip and we took a picnic lunch to eat looking at the southernmost point of Australia, South East Cape. The views were spectacular and it was well worth the effort. Apparently we were closer to Antarctica than Cairns; no wonder the winds are cold down here. I since read that Macquarie Island is technically the southernmost part of Australia but for some reason that doesn't seem to count.

South East Cape

To finish off our visits to 'most southerlies' we went to Ida Bay which boasts the most southerly railway in Australia. Very quaint and runs for tourists several times a day through beautiful scenery.

Ida Bay Railway

It was originally built to transport limestone from the coast for use inland.

As we could go no further south we headed back north.

View from lunch at Dover hotel

On the way we stopped at Dover and had lunch at the Dover Hotel; great views and delicious local fresh seafood and local Huon Valley Honeybrown mushrooms(giant and great for stuffing).

Dover seagulls waiting

Well fed we travelled on to Franklin on the Huon River where the locals are RV friendly and allow campers and caravanners to set up and stay along the river bank in town for up to 4 nights for a nominal fee which goes to a fund to restore the old Palais building in the town.

Black swans on the Franklin River

What a great idea as it also brings business to the local shops and cafes. We stayed for one night and ate a seafood dinner at a cafe looking over the river just a short distance from the camping area.

David was itching to try his newly-acquired fly-fishing skills so we decided to head back to the Highland Lakes district.

Just a footnote about Snug in light of the recent terrible Victorian bush fires. While there we saw a beautiful memorial walk/garden in memory of the  people of Snug who died in the Tasmanian bushfires exactly 42 years ago to the day of the recent ones in Victoria. The 1967 Tasmanian fires  became known as the Black Tuesday bushfires. They were the most deadly bushfires that Tasmania has ever experienced, leaving 62 people dead, 900 injured and over seven thousand homeless.The fires destroyed 80 bridges, 4800 sections of power lines, 1500 motor vehicles and over 100 other structures. It was estimated that at least 62,000 livestock were destroyed. The total damage amounted to $45,000,000 in 1967 Australian dollar values.
These fires wreaked havoc on Snug and 11 people died while 80 of 120 homes were destroyed and the 2 churches and local school.

What a fragile country we live in.