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Day 34: 6/10/12 Day 6 Tasmania
The first stop today was Bicheno Blowhole. There were lots of rocks near the water an when the waves came in they went up through some of the rocks and water blew up through a hole- it looked cool! In the distance there were rocks in the bay and you could see a sea-lion on top of it.
We had only a short drive then to Freycinet national park which had lots of rocks and scenery. There were mountains there called the hazard mts after some whaling captain. In the past whaling was a big industry here! The mountains were covered in pink granite which have them a lovely colour.
We climbed up to a lookout. First we got to Coles bay lookout which was nice. There were trees al below us and the bay in the distance. We had to walk up further then and we got to Wineglass bay lookout. There were about 300 steps up! The lookout was worth it though. You could see wineglass bay- there were mountains on the far side, a piece of land connecting it which was covered on really white sand and lovely turquoise water coming in to the beach in front of the mountains! As you can guess I took lots of photos! It's called wineglass bay as it's supposed to be in the shape of a wineglass, but I couldnt see it! In the past they used to kill whales there too so the water would be wine coloured. You could go down to the beach but you had to climb a long way back up and I didnt think I'd do it in time so most of us didn't go. I also thought ye beach wouldn't look as good as it did from the lookout.
Anyway I walked back with the Americans. They were talking about school over here and they aren't as impressed with the school here as they were with other international schools. They get the impression that schools aren't great which I got from the two days I was in too so it will be interesting to see! The girl said two girls in her class were asked not to take a test so that the class scores would stay high!!
When we got down to the bus there was a wallaby there. I saw two in the car park in the morning too but this one was eating an apple from one of the girls on the tour and later a carrot and a kiwi! So he provided great entertainment for us while we waited for some others to get back to the bus!
We drove down the road a little then to Cape Tourville which was another lookout. We could see Wineglass bag from another angle. There was also a lighthouse there and views right onto the ocean.
Whatever village we were supposed to go to next we couldn't as there was a triathlon on! So we went to Ross instead, which is a 19th century village. On the way we passed some walnut trees which apparently truffles grow under and they are worth $2500 per kilo. Across from that we had one last lookout over Freycenet.
Ross anyway is an historic village. He said they have the first something in the southern hemisphere but i couldnt hear him right! I thought he said pub, but that couldnt be right! Some Japanese tourist set a story about a young pretty witch there- it's a Japanese cartoon. We had lunch in the cafe that the witch lives in, in the story! There's also a bridge here built by convicts that we drove over. The while town looks quite British and old fashioned!
We passed through Cumbridge which has the oldest footbridge in Australia. Around here is the driest part of Australia. The road through here was built so that food could be brought to the north. It's called the Heritage highway as there are various statues along it. We saw emu statues an another one with people and a cart. Although there are railway lines everywhere there is only a freight train service now. Tasmania grows about 50% of the worlds legal opium.
There were aborigines here when the first Europeans came. When the British came there were about 4-6000 aborigines divided into nine tribes. They were nomadic as they needed to get food. It was also unsanitary to stay in the one place too long. They knew before Europeans that human waste needs to be gotten rid of properly. Aborigines started to die off as the Europeans brought diseases. There were wars also when settlers encroached on aborigine land. Settlers had to worry about aborigines, escaped convicts and bush rangers/outlaws. By 1830 there were only about 300 aborigines left. There was a law against killing aborigines but people in Hobart wouldn't know what was going in the north. The tried to round up the Aborigines then. They made a line of people to try to trap them- the black line- and only got an old man and about. A pastor tried to keep aborigines safe on an island between here and Victoria. They are given houses now big people think they don't look after it. However in their religion they believe in paths of the spirit and they need to knock down walls of the houses to let the spirit through.
We passed through Oatlands which had a nice windmill. The driver goes too fast for photos though!
On the way there were towns called Jerusalem, Jericho, Bagdad (with no h) and the Jordan river. A soldier went out hunting kangaroos and named some places as he went. He was reading the Arabian nights!
Then we got to Brighton- a small town that was going to be the capital city. There were military and a quarry but not anymore. We were also told here that New South Wales governed Tasmania before it got to be its own state.
Next stop was Bonorong wildlife sanctuary. Here they look after animals that have been rescued. They often rescue babies after their mothers have been killed by a car. First we saw a wombat. He was only one young so way smaller than the one we saw the other day. She said they are born the size of a jelly bean and grow to about a metre long. They are marsupials so aw kept in the pouch for a while! They have a hard bone in their backside so they won't feel it if they get bitten. Next we saw Tasmanian devils. They are marsupials too but look like a cross between a dog and a rat! They were called devils because of the noise they made and it is quite a racket! They started fighting over food while we were there! Their jaws are four times stronger than an American pitbull. The worker held up some meat and they clung onto it with their mouths, dangling in the air! Very strong jaws!! When they are born they are the size of a grain of rice! She said also that since the mouth disease was discovered in 1996 they have lost 80% of the devil population so they are very concerned about their future!
Then we saw a koala. It was soooo cute! They sleep for 20 hours a day and I think the guide woke him up to show him to us so it was very dopey! They are not native to Tasmania but these ones were rescued from kangaroo island. They only eat eucalyptus leaves. There are 700 types of eucalyptus and they only eat 11 so they are quite fussy!! We got to pay them and they are really fluffy- like cotton wool.
Finally we were given kangaroo feed and let loose in a field of kangaroos. They came skipping over to us and ate straight out of our hands, which was very thickly! They were really cute. There were some big guys and little guys. A few looked like toddlers. I also saw a mother with a Joey in its pouch! I had to take a video of them just to show how much they hop around!
All around the sanctuary there were parrots and cockatoos flying and squawking which added to the colour and the noise!
Then we went back to Hobart, in along by the Derwent river again, with Mount Welligton In the distance covered in clouds!!
Tasmania only has 1% of the industry in Australia and it depends a lot on the other states. Even though, with the mining in the past, Tasmania used to support them!
Got to the hostel anyway and the rest of the tour that were continuing on further were staying there too. I was on the third floor and had to go up an down a few times as the key didn't work! Anyway got it sorted and I have another top bunk! I've to leave very early anyway so its grand!
I went for fish and chips then with the English girl Sarah. We had good Craic chatting about the tour and travelling and things.
When we got back to the hostel there was a sign up saying daylight savings time so I lose an extra hour tonight!!
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