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Today is Wednesday 25 Jan 2006
Good morning world, we awoke to a morning that was a little grey and overcast but not looking like rain, so hoping it will clear later to be a good day like those we have had so far. At start we were a bit dubious as we heard that because of the island's position it was always windy, wet and cold but for us so far so good.
Well friends whats the agenda for today, well we are heading down to Pt Arthur today for the next stop but along the way we are going to call in and look at sights like Freycinet Peninsula, Cape Tourville, Wineglass Bay, Coles Bay. Today and Thursday are to us the first of three main parts of the whole trip down here, the others are Strahan and through Southwest wilderness area like Gordon River and the north west area.
We are up and off on the first leg for today after a nice night stay and good breakfast, leaving Bicheno and heading further south along the highway we noticed that the countryside had changed so much from what we had seen over the first couple of days. It has now become similar to back home in that it was coastal low wooded, even the temperature and weather had changed but was still pleasant to enjoy.
After a short way we turned of the main highway and headed towards the Freycinet Peninsula with its heavy timbered National Park, giant granite boulders , rugged sea cliffs, and long wind blown sandy beaches that are reached by drivable sandy tracks to advantage look out points.
The first and only town on the peninsula is Coles Bay nestled on the shore inlet of the same name that is part of Oyster Bay. Coles Bay is another of the great east coast holiday places noted for its fishing, scuba diving, boating etc, a little further down the track a worthwhile trip is to go and look at the world recognised Wineglass Bay with its deep blue waters and pristine white saucer shaped white sandy beach. One can not actually drive down to it in vehicles but can be reached by a very accessible walking track from a good level car park at the lookout point. To me it was and is a good little side trip for visitors.
Leaving here we stopped of to look at Cape Tourville Light in an area with rugged cliffs then back up on to the highway and on to the town of Swansea which is on the opposite side of Oyster Bay from Coles Bay. At Swansea we visited the Bark Mill and Museum which depicts the early timber industry and hard times that the pioneers had to put up with.We found it very interesting indeed, then a little further on from there we found the "Spiky Bridge". The bridge built by convicts from Pt Arthur and Richmond convict settlements who were brought here to build it from stone that was mined and seasoned from the area. The Bridge is located on a piece of dirt road that was part of the only original dirt road to north Tasmania back in the settlement days and it is still in its original condition seeing what tools the convicts had to work with were primitive to say the least.
After a brief photo stop we pushed on through small towns of Triabunna, Orford, Sorell to the town of Dunalley which lies at the very narrow strip of land that connects Tasman Peninsula to the mainland Tasmania and noted for its seafood industry, then a further 30 kms down the road you come upon an even more narrow isthmus of land called Eaglehawk Neck. The isthmus of land only a few hundred metres wide at Eaglehawk Neck is the reason Port Arthur was chosen as the site for a prison -- the tiny strip of land was easily patrolled, and in those times few were able to swim and make a break for it that way.A line of dogs, tethered at short intervals, roused the soldiers if anyone tried to get by.The Officers Quarters has been restored as a museum.
Now only a short distance from our destination at Port Arthur we kept on driving knowing we are going to spend a day and a half in the area so we went to our motel for the next two nights called the"Comfort Inn Port Arthur" located in the grounds of the Penal Settlement grounds.
This area of Tasmania is absolutely littered with tourist attractions and scenes that will live long in one's memory for many years. Being too many to say here , a few are things like Port Arthur Convict Settlement, Tasman Blowhole, Tasman Arch& Devils Kitchen and Tessellated Pavement. Also you will find places Like Cape Huay, Cape Raoul after following reasonable walking trails for first class views. Finally worth a visit is the Tasmanian Devil Park at Taranna.
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