Tasmania

Port Melbourne departure

We booked the Spirit of Tasmania to sail on the 9th November.
It was a beautiful spring day in Melbourne but we were worried all day with news reports of a severe storm approaching Melbourne and Bass Straight.
We loaded our travel bag with Dramamine and Travel Eazy, expecting a very rough crossing.

4.30 PM that day.

As we boarded the Spirit the dark clouds rolled in.

It took several hours to load the vessel and by the time we sailed the storm had passed over.

 Whew! Chris and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Tasmania

Map of Tasmania.

First stop, breakfast at a Devonport Beach.

Ulverstone

We stayed with "Tassie" Pete and Jen from the BOG on their front lawn at Ulverstone for 9 days.

This gave us a great opportunity to explore the surrounding areas.

Thanks for your hospitality Pete and Jen.

Ulverstone War Memorial Clock Tower.

A coastal icon.

The beach, close to Pete and Jen's.

Ah yes! Another fine piece of street wall art. The wave.

I think this one has gone un-noticed. It is in a small park, obscured from the street.

Plovers had nested near or in Pete's garden.

We were often treated by a visit from 5 chicks.

Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden

Emu Valley

The award-winning Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden is a non-profit community organisation. The garden is widely known internationally and its unique design makes it one of Australia's major rhododendron gardens. Over 20,000 rhododendrons and other select plants set among 11ha with a series of "countries" from which the wild rhododendrons originate.

Chris posing under the majestic wisteria arbour.

Note the Bumble Bee. This introduced species of bee is prolific in the gardens.

I saw some as big as 20mm long.

The beautiful Japanese Maple foliage.

Penguin

Well who would have guessed.

There's a giant penguin statue in the town square.

Apart from the penguin colonies and its imaginative name

Penguin has a unique entrance to the township.

Penguin Roadside Gardens: originally a labour of love

for 2 town residents, now a flourishing garden beside the road.

Leven Canyon

The Fern Walk.

697 hand made steps down to a lower lookout.

Preston Falls.

Woolmers Estate

Circa 1817

Woolmers Estate

Woolmers was continuously occupied by the Thomas Archer family from circa 1817 to 1994 and is acknowledged as one of the most outstanding examples of 19th century rural settlements in Australia.
The array of extant buildings on Woolmers including family houses, workers' cottages, former chapel, blacksmith's shop, stables, bakehouse, pump house, gardener's cottage etc. provides an insight into the social structure of a colonial pastoral estate. At an estate of this size, a virtual small village was formed where up to 100 people might be living and working at one time.
In addition to the architectural heritage, the site contains a wide range of collections acquired by the family over 180 years, providing a rare insight into six generations of one family.
Thomas Archer the VI bequeathed the estate to the Archer Historical Foundation and requested all the contents of the estate not to be removed.

We paid for the tour of the house. One of my pet hates, being an avid photographer, is when short sighted, penny pinching tour operators do not allow you to take photographs. Instead trying to grab a few more dollars from you selling postcards and books.
It was an interesting tour but please voice your annoyance regarding photography should you decide to do it.

The entrance to Woolmer.

The store and office.

The water supply. Note the wooden windmill. 

It is believed to be the last remaining of its type in Australia.

The Main House & Gardens

The Servants Kitchen and Quarters

Circa 1847

Kitchen.

The Cellars.

The Coach House & Stables

1913 Wolseley Vintage Car

It remains in original condition, winning many prizes at vintage car rallies.

A small one cylinder child's car to the left was built for Thomas Archer VI.

Wolseley radiator emblem.

1953 Dodge.

The iconic Dodge Ram emblem.

An interesting 3 burner liquid fuel stove.

The Grounds Keepers shed.

The grinding mill.

The Wool Shed.

Circa 1820s

National Rose Garden

This outstanding National Rose Garden displays all of the recognized rose families and represents one of the finest collections of historic roses in the southern hemisphere, ranging from the earliest European and China roses through to the roses of the twenty first century.

Chris & Jen in the arbour.



Tassie Pete & Jen.

Rosco & Chris.

Railton street art.

Deloraine.
Meander River from suspension bridge.