I definitely enjoyed my visit in Tasmania, Australia. And if I will have another opportunity to visit the country, I will visit again the island for the other parts that I haven’t seen yet.
Since I finished featuring Tasmania, here’s my top list itinerary that I had when I traveled the island.
TOP 1 – CRADLE MOUNTAIN
For me, it was the best in all itinerary that we had in Tasmania because we had a trek and a 360-degree view experience in the national park, for me it was like hiking a mountain summit in a much easier way. And the best of it at the top in Marions Lookout is seeing the places around it like you are witnessing a paradise in front of your eyes.
TOP 2 – DONAGHYS HILL
We had a bit of hiking here as well so we can reach the Donaghys Lookout where I had a 360-degree scenery of Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park.
TOP 3 – MONTEZUMA FALLS
I really enjoyed visiting Montezuma Falls as we had to trekked or hiked the rain-forest before we reach the highest waterfalls in the island.
TOP 4 – MOUNT FIELD
I enjoyed a lot in Mount Field National Park, such as Russell Falls, Pademelon Tasmania and Eucalyptus Regnans.
TOP 5 – LAKE ST CLAIR
The calmness of the lake is one of the reason I fall in love with this lake and this is the Australia’s deepest fresh water lake.
TOP 6 – HENTY (SAND) DUNES
Sand dunes has an appeal to me because it made me feel a different outlook when it comes to nature and it showcase a unique beauty of the land.
TOP 7 – STRAHAN
One of the Loneliest Places On Earth and the Most Isolated Outpost in Australia with beautiful harbour at end of the world.
TOP 8 – SHEFFIELD
Sheffield has titled as Town of Murals where it boast its beautiful murals all visible around the town.
TOP 9 – DELORAINE / RED HILLS
A place where we enjoyed Salmon for free. A salmon farm that you can enjoy and nature that surrounds it.
TOP 10 – TARRALEAH
The lookout is overlooking of Tarraleah Power Station including the huge pipes (penstocks) down to it.
TOP 11 – QUEENSTOWN
A quick visit to one of the remote town exist in Tasmania which developed during the mining glory days in the island.
TOP 12 – LAKE ROSEBERY
A misty lake that I enjoyed during the quick stop we had near Murchison Bridge.
I flew to Hobart from Melbourne at Sunday evening, June 16, 2013. I booked 3-Days tour from 17 to 19 and will return to Melbourne at 20th of the same month. I was booked for overnight stay at Edinburgh Gallery Bed & Breakfast for the next day’s start of adventure.
Monday, I woke-up early and had a quick breakfast in my accommodation which was a self-service at that time. Then, I checked-out by just dropping my room key into the drop box. I left the hotel early in the morning to go to the Pickled Frog hostel where the tour will pick-up the rest that will join the tour.
I was glad that my accommodation that I stayed in the city was not far from the pick-up point and just 5 minutes walk. When I arrived at the front of the hostel, there were few people earlier than myself and already waiting. We waited in few more minutes until the vehicle for the tour arrived. The tour guide named Greg Price starts asking us for the tours and checks the names in his list, then we hopped on to the van.
Though it was drizzling cold Monday morning in Hobart, I was hoping to have a nice weather as I wanted to enjoy the few days adventure that I planned in Tasmania. From Hobart we drove to the north and as we were getting far from the city the weather was clearing which was a good sign.
Our first stop was Mount Field National Park. The tour that I signed up were more into nature adventure, therefore walking and trekking were not a surprising activity to do.
We walked into the forest and Greg started discussing tidbits about national park and the giant or tallest trees. Then along the way we found a Tasmanian Pademelon. Though we were not so close to it, I had a chance to observed the cute nocturnal animal even from a distance, I even got a bonus since I was able to capture a snapshot of it (though photos are not so clear). It was one of the animals that I found in the notification board that we passed when we started the walk in the woods.
Tasmanian Pademelon
After watching Tasmanian Pademelon for a couple of minutes, walks continued and we stopped a bit when we reach the Tallest Trees or Giant Trees (Eucalyptus Regnans) remains in the ground. What we saw were parts of the trees remains for years, one part still standing on the ground and one was fallen to the ground. Both remnants shows the hollow portion of the trees.
Tallest Trees (Eucalyptus Regnans) at the ground
When we were done with Tallest Trees, we walk towards Russell Falls. At that time of our visit, there at least portion of the water flows in the falls. It was one of the scenic falls that I discovered in my travel because it has layers, like stairs of falls that makes the water flows amazingly beautiful.
Russell Falls
Along the walks, we found swamp, Tallest Tress and scarlet robin bird. Below were snapshots that I had:
Swamp
Swamp Gum (Eucalyptus Regnans)
Scarlet Robin
Tasmanian Pademelon wood carved
Before we head for our lunch, we had a quick visit at Tarraleah Penstocks Lookout. The lookout is overlooking of Tarraleah Power Station including the huge pipes (penstocks) down to it. Looking at the photos of Hydro Tasmania, it reminded me the largest environmental movement occurred in Australia. As I see it, the company still somewhat able to push the project in another way.
Tarraleah Penstock Lookout
Next thing happened, we went for the lunch, a restaurant near Lake St Clair. After lunch we went to the lake side. And there, I witnessed how the lake was so calm at that time, a very serene scenery.
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At Lake St Clair Lodge Restaurant
Lake St Clair
After enjoying the lake, our last stop was a trek to Donaghys Hill Lookout. After a while of walking and trekking we reached the lookout. We climbed the stairs to reached its viewing platform and the next thing happened was enjoying a 360 degrees view of wonderful wilderness. I was thrilled of what I had seen at the lookout, a scenery worth to see.
Tasmania (Day 1) : From Mount Field to Lake St Clair to Donaghys Hill
Scenery at Donaghys Hill Lookout
Franklin River
After the first and jam-pack itinerary tour, we drove to Tullah where our dormitory accommodation is located.
Before we reached our designated accommodation, the group did some groceries in a small town called Queenstown. A historic town rose during the mining glory days in the island.
The first night that we stayed in our accommodation, we just chilled out to the pool bar restaurant nearby and had fun, since I don’t drink, juice and water were already enough for me during the dinner. Since I don’t play the pool games, I just watched my group playing it until the group decided it to call it a day. That’s how we ended the first day adventure in Tasmania.
Precious Moment In The Mountain (Post#26) : Donaghys Hill
Second best thing that I experienced during the tour in Tasmania was the time that we went to Donaghys Hill Lookout. We did a trek to reached the lookout and we had a 360 degrees views of amazing wilderness in the area. The lookout is almost at the center between Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park. The scenery were breathtaking. It was one of the moment that reminds me that the world is wonderful. Another picturesque that are hidden that can only be seen from the top with an effort. These photos are part of Tasmania Adventure Photo Collection June 2013.
In the 1980s, the Franklin River become synonymous with Australia’s largest conservation movement of the time, the movement battled to block Hydro Tasmania’s proposed hydro-electric power plan, from building on the Franklin.
Source: Wikipedia
The campaign to save the Franklin River, clearly lost on political grounds, shifted emphasis, with the organisation of what was to be one of the largest acts of mass civil disobedience seen in Australia. Protesters chained themselves to gates at the HEC compound in Strahan and formed blockades in rubber duckies at Warners Landing. As boat load after boat load were arrested, new waves of protesters came to take their place. The campaign continued throughout the summer of 1982-3 and resulted in the arrest of 1272 persons.
The name of the river itself represents the environment movement that was historic in Australia.
Franklin River is one of the wild river to be found in the Wild Rivers National Park in Tasmania that can be enjoyed at Donaghys Hill. These photos are part of Tasmania Adventure Photo Collection June 2013.
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