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Today is Friday 3 Feb 2006
Friday is the day we do some visiting to the Central North Region of Tasmania to places like Elizabeth Town, Deloraine, Chudleigh, Mole Creek,Trowunna Wildlife Park, Western Tiers N.P,Walls of Jerusalem then finally out to see King Solomon and Marapooka Caves. Having seen other caves like Jenolan Caves in Blue Mountains and Yarrangabilly Caves Iam looking forward to see these two lots to see how they compare.
Our host at Rannoch House gave us a lovely breakfast this morning then out we went on another day of exploring the area.Heading out of Devonport south towards Hobart travelling about 40kms we came to Elizabeth Town which is a small farming,dairy community located in the Mersey Valley. The area is a good stop for traveller's to take a break when heading to the N.W. Area of the state and has several industries like Ashgrove Cheese Factory and Christmas Hills Rasberry & Strawberry Farm and Restaurant.
The Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm was established in 1984 when they planted twelve
acres of raspberry canes on a north facing hill on our property, just off the Bass Highway between Elizabethtown and Deloraine. In 1995 we built a café featuring stone and timber and large windows overlooking lush green lawns running down to a lake filled with water lilies. The garden features native trees and a herb garden overlooking the raspberry canes in the distance. In summer you can bask in the sun on our deck and picnic tables. In winter sit in
front of our open log fire and be tempted by something on the menu or on our
daily specials board.
Ashgrove Farm Cheese at Elizabeth Town make superb traditional English country cheese, such as Cheddar and Lancashire. Cheesemaker Jane Bennett honed her skills in England before putting them to good use in the family business in northern Tasmania, set within the lush green pastures that sustain the 700-strong herd.Cheesemaker Jane Bennett honed her skills in England before putting them to good use in the family business in northern Tasmania, set within the lush green pastures that sustain the 700-strong herd. You can view the cheese making and maturing area from the shop, where you can taste Ashgrove cheeses before buying. Other
quality Tasmanian cheeses are for sale, as well as chutneys and relishes to eat with them, and a selection of Tasmanian wines.
Turning of the highway at Deloraine we headed inland to Chudleigh which is a pretty little village located 7 km east of Mole Creek.You will pass through its main street as you drive between Mole Creek and Deloraine and immediately get a sense of the community pride of Chudleigh
residents from the immaculate rose gardens which extend along its length.
Driving into the village from Deloraine, extensive hawthorn hedges and massive, old oak trees dominate the roadside, and, along with the old, restored two storey brick building at the entrance to the village visible ahead, give it a very English landscape. To your left you
will see the historic Bentley estate. Chudleigh is home to Melita Honey Farm, where you will find honey, honey bee products like propolis and royal jelly, and a large selection of lovely gift
items and books, as well displays including a showcase of old beekeeping implements, an interactive beehive and a live bee exhibition hive.
After the little stop at Chudleigh we moved on to Mole Creek that offers some of the richest and most diverse natural wonders of the Great Western Tiers region. The world-class King Solomons and Marakoopa Caves are a major attraction to the area, but there is plenty to explore above ground as well - from the mountains, highland plateau and rain forest country of the World Heritage Area, to the abundance of native wildlife on display at Trowunna Wildlife Park.
The Great Western Tiers are a collection of small mountain bluffs in the northern part of Tasmania's central highlands region.They stretch from Western Blufff near Mole Creek running eastwards towards Meander and ending at Miller's Bluff 25 kms west of Campbell Town .
The Tiers form the border between the fertile valleys of eastern Tasmania, and the high, rocky, sparsely inhabited and infertile Central Plateau.. There are many spectacular views to be had at various place along the walking trails found in The Tiers
Next it was on to King Solomon's Caves situated in Mole Creek Karst National Park,it is a richly decorated and compact limestone cave system with elaborate geological formations, including stunning calcite crystals known as King Solomon’s Diamonds. You can view King
Solomon’s Cave, and nearby Marakoopa Cave, on guided tours which depart several times each day, or as part of a specialist guided adventure-caving experience. The guided tours take about 45 minutes and are suitable for all fitness levels and ages
The day was going great so we drove on to the Trowunna Wildlife Park which is a family wildlife park at Mole Creek not far from Cradle Mountain. At Trowunna you can see more than 35 species of birds and animals, situated on more than 15 hectares of natural bushland.
You can get up close and hand-feed the free-ranging kangaroos and wallabies. Or you can take an interactive guided tour and see Tasmanian Devils being hand-fed, pat a koala and wombat, and learn from informed guides about these unique marsupials.
Instead of me rambling on I will insert a web page address for the Trowunna Wildlife Park http://www.trowunna.com.au/Sanctuary.html so you the reader can see for yourself.
Finally for to day it was a journey to see the Walls of Jerusalem N.P. which is regarded by many visitors to the wilderness areas as the jewel in the crown of Tasmania's national parks. Although relatively small the park is exceptionally beautiful, particularly during summer
with a mass of wildflowers in full bloom. The most popular walk is the one to the "Central Walls" from next to the Fish River by Lake Rowallan.
After a rather full day crammed with unforgettable sites and places we headed back on the drive to Devonport ... all I can say is wow!! wow!! the Central Highlands is a unreal place and a MUST on any travel itinerary to Tasmania for sure.
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