Thread: Notes from My Tasmanian Experience

Well back to snivilisation and the most offensive four letter word . . .

MBGitW & I flew to Tassie for 11 days, with only a few items planned (Bruny Island Eco Tour and certain mills).

The Launceston Lakes & Wildlife Park is good, especially when you can feed those Tassie Devils On to Beauty Point via backroads, had to stop for an Echidna crossing the road, to see Seahorse World and Platypus House.

Off then to Freycinet, via Derby to visit Shedhand. It is always a pleasure to meet a fellow formite and peruse their tools and wood. A nice bit of Huon followed me home, but I could not talk Mike into letting go of the quilted Huon blank. On the way we stopped and admired the Carvings in the Park opposite the Scottsdale RSL by Eddie Freeman.

The penguins at Bicheno were good and the dodge the wildlife trip at dusk was interesting. Freycinet was relaxing. Neither of us wanted to do any long walks, buy there are enough short walks to give you that "Freycinet Experience".

Hobart was next, neither of us really wanting to deal with the traffic, but we did and was rewarded for it. Salamanca Markets are just Huge. Plenty of Timber products and even some raw from Island Specialty Timbers . . . I went to their mill at Geeveston instead of buying at the market. We left Hobart a trifle late, so by the time we got to "The Wall in the Wilderness" I wanted to keep going to Strahan to avoid the Possum Bingo road trip. It is definitely on our list to see for next time.

Strahan, very tourist orientated but worthwhile. The cruise on the Gordon was good, but I got to see the old mill in action on the waterfront (and some Huon), called in on Strahan Woodworks and met Roger Browne after I noticed that he had a Woodfast Lathe and it turned into an hour long tutorial on turning, sharpening, machinery (That Bowl lathe is a monster, capable up to 2m diameter). I did visit the Morrison's Shop at Strahan as well, leaving big puddles of Drool and a damaged credit card.

Last and not least Cradle Mountain for another relax.

We flew home from Launceston after a leisurely drive back, via Liffey Falls. By the time we got to the car park we did not have time to walk to the falls

We did catch the Gorge in flood though

Will we return? Most definitely yes. Will we book our accommodation prior? Up for debate. Did we enjoy ourselves and manage not to kill each other? YES

I'll post some pics of the wood I managed to snavel, when they turn up. I couldn't carry the 100 odd Kilo of shorts and blanks in my luggage, so had to post it.

PS I think Mr Squiggle designed the road system is Tassie, Up, Down turnaround

PSS, the last photo is of the ugliest wood faerie in the world