Daily Archives: May 18, 2016

Australia, Bruny Island, Hobart, Seven Mile Beach, Tasmania

Bruny Island and surrounds.

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We left home nice and early today to get to the 10 o’clock ferry to Bruny Island.  It took almost an hour to drive there but the journey was not difficult. We drove through beautiful country and enjoyed every minute of it.  We got to Kettering about 15 minutes early , so bought a coffee each and a tea for me from the cafe at the ferry entry.  Waiting in line we did get to see Norman Coburn – “Donald Fisher” from Home and Away fame, who currently lives on Bruny Island with his wife Tina.

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‘Donald Fisher’
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Waiting for the ferry

Once we had arrived on Bruny Island we went on a lovely drive along the main route around Bruny Island and we made our way to Adventure Bay on the south west  coast and we stopped at Penguin Cafe which faced the coast. It was here that we had morning tea, in a very cosy and comfortable coffee shop.

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Path to the beach at Adventure Bay
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Adventure Bay
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Adventure Bay
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Beautiful sand at Adventure Bay

After our morning tea and a decent wander on the beach, the sand is pristine and it is hard and wet underfoot.  Birds’ footprints, shells and wave prints covered the surface of the sand.  We walked for some time with me taking photos of water, birds and landscapes. It was then time to return to the car parked at the #Penguin_Cafe to drive through the Mt Mangana Forest Reserve. The road was designated 4WD but it looked OK and we decided we could turn back if it got’ iffy’. It was 9 kms at about 40kms an hour or less, through magnificent forest. It was just beautiful, fresh and tropical in parts with tree ferns along the edge of the road.  The straight eucalypts towered above us as we drove. Sun was filtered onto the road and flashed in our eyes as we rounded the corners. The clay under the tyres crunched but was moist and sticky. It was sheer good fortune that there were no cars coming the other way.  It was a tense drive with all six eyes on the road for the entire drive.  When we finally popped out at the other end we were just a few minutes from our lunch venue.

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The road through Mt Mangana Forest Reserve
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The road through Mt Mangana Forest Reserve
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The road through Mt Mangana Forest Reserve

Next stop was the winery for lunch and our waitress recommended the day’s special, braised lamb leg with Polenta with cauliflower, beans, cherry tomatoes, with a red wine jus.  It really was beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

Australia, Old Hobart Town, Oldest bridge, Richmond, Tasmania

Tasmania, wineries, scenery.

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Today was great fun. It started early, by western time standards, we left around 7:00wst/9:00. Headed straight to Richmond.  We had been there before and it was again, lovely.  The weather was crisp but not unpleasant. I have better and warmer clothes and so was able to meander around without worrying about finding somewhere warm to hide.  First stop was the wonderful bridge. imageThe oldest in Australia.

Bakery – Richmond
Outside the Bakery, Richmond

We wandered around the main street and found our way to the The Bakery, Bridge Street, Richmond. There was a beautiful tree in the courtyard and we decided to sit in the sun out the front, to have our vanilla slice, and date scone with jam and cream. After that we separated and I wandered off to take photos around the town.

Smoke from a very old chimney
Beautiful stonework
An Stone on the footpath
Original stone building
Store with modern addition of alarm light
Bridge Street, Richmond
Bridge St, Richmond

As I perambulated along Bridge Street, I happened upon a place where a model of Old Hobart Town, depicting life in  Hobart in the 1820’s, is situated. It was fantastic to see. I have always enjoyed model anythings, really, and this one has running water and bonsai trees growing next to realistic model buildings. Very cool.

The next stop was lunch just down the road at the Frogmore Winery. Indoors was warm and interesting. Lots of kitchen knick knacks and produce in jars. The restaurant sat beside a bocce pitch with vines behind, and in the background, hills and fluffy clouds.

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Lunch was lovely, with pulled pork slider, Cappaccio beef with aioli and salt and flowers,     A Tempura squid with honey and a garlic aioli.

Lunch as Frogmore Wines
Lunch as Frogmore Wines
After lunch we went hunting for a cheese factory we had seen on the way past called the Wicked Cheese Factory. Saw some of the workers in the maturing room and the packing room.

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After the cheese, we went for a drive around the Derwent River, to Glenorchy and found a shopping centre.  Bought some pyjama pants because I forgot to pack any!!!

New Jarmies!!
New Jarmies!!