South Sister

During our Blogging break we headed up the East coast, again, but this time decided to get to the top of South Sister. If I'm honest its less of a walk and more of a drive, as despite it looking very tall, there is vehicular access to all but the last section of South Sister. It can be accessed from the main road in St Mary's and is signposted from there.

The road is mostly unsealed and winds up through the gum forests. Eventually there is a narrow access off this road, which is signposted although the sign itself is a little off the road so the turn is easy to miss, like we did. With a quick u turn and this time taking the exit, you climb fairly quickly up a mostly dry rocky, track, in places it has been eroded and a 4x4 is advisable, although I think a normal car with enough clearance would do fine. Fallen rocks and trees litter the edges of the path and in places have been cut away to allow access up the track.

Continuing up the track eventually leads to a radio tower and parking spaces for a few vehicles. Get out here, you'll need decent shoes as from here it is a boulder scramble up to the top. 

The walking part of this trip takes 10-15 minutes each way. There are hand rails in all the right places although the ground itself can be a little unstable. Boulder to the top and there appears to be a route to the right and one to the left. The one too the left, on the level, goes around to a lower point than the one we took. We took the route to the right that climbs up maybe ten wooden steps towards a large radio mast. N.b. you can go right up to the mast/control building, there is a sturdy panoramic lookout wrapped around it and the sights in all directions are excellent. From here you can see the coast and the valleys below, across to Ben Lomond and beyond. It is a very high point and on a clear day the views are incredible. If its the right season, there will be many, many Skinks along the way, bathing on the hot rocks up the track and at the top.

Nice and easy, you can get the views without a 6 hour hike!

Red Bridge Cafe

The Red Bridge Cafe in Campbell Town, can be found on the main road (Midlands Highway). It is one of the first of the shops/cafes that you come to as you enter Campbell Town on your way from Hobart. There is parking right outside, but at busier times, you may need to turn in to the car park behind. FYI if you park behind, you have to do a quick lap around the block in order to re-join the main road as it is a one way access from the main road.

Whilst looking rather unassuming on the outside, the Red Bridge Cafe and Providore is much more than it seems. When you enter you have a huge coffee bar to your left, and an extensive providore to your right. Straight ahead, looking over the pies, cakes and the counter, you will see a large area where you can site to eat or drink.

This place has character, lots of it and signs and pictures that adorn the walls of the seating area make it clear that this place has been used in lots of guises. An information board details the history of the building and its uses, some of which include being a brewery (several times), a scout hut, a boxing club, a masonic hall and war office. There is lots of charm to take in from the old building and I for one take delight in having a wander around while I'm sipping on my coffee. The building's history is very interesting.

The coffee tastes excellent and by the size of the bar and the equipment behind it, it should (although I like mine a little hotter). There is quite a selection of Tasmanian red and white wine available from here and advice can be sought on this if you are inclined to ask.

The provedore essentially stocks mainly 'sweet treats', yogurt coated this and that, dried fruits and nuts, chips etc. There are a range of cheeses, crackers, small savories such as pickles, oils and marinades too. Overall the selection is good but a lot of it is the sort of thing that I'd feel guilty about buying as it might have too many calories for a casual purchase. Then again, being in Campbell Town, for most people means a trip to somewhere, therefore these might just be the 'holiday' type of treats you are looking for.


If you are heading through Campbell Town, its definitely worth a quick coffee/tea refuel as well as grabbing some delicious snacks to take with you. It's probably the best coffee in Campbell Town, although Zeps is good too.

Back into Blogging

After a brief break from Blogging, I'm back online! In the weeks that follow I will update the blog with some of the places we've been since I've been away.


Thanks again for reading!

Douglas Apsley - Waterhole and Gorge

This walk heads out from the main carpark area of the southern end of Douglas Apsley National Park, not too far from Bicheno on the East Coast. National Park fees apply as mentioned in other National Park blogs. Again, it is one of Tasmania's 60 Great Short Walks. The time required said 2-3 hours but we did the return in 2 hours walking time.

From the carpark, you head past a drop-loo, its the last one for two plus hours so use wisely! Walk pretty much straight and you head past a campsite and on down to the Apsley river. We were a bit unsure where to head when we got to the river, then worked out that we actually needed to cross it. The rock hop here can be tricky if you want to stay dry, there are a couple of places where it looks like it might be possible but there are no completely dry routes. We nearly turned back at this point as we weren't sure what to do. In the end, we grabbed a few rocks to add to what were there to make stepping stones to cross. It looks like plenty of people do this, except that the water has washed previous routes away.


After crossing (carefully) you rise up a long, steep and slippery route. This is not an easy part of the track, take lots of breaks and watch your footing. There are many areas where the track is covered with slippery roots and smooth/sloping sheets of rock that can be easy to slip on. Take a wider track and go slow.

When at the top there are lots of gums and from here the route is much easier, mostly flat before a rock-step descent to the Apsley Gorge. This part is much easier than it looks although, again going down the man-placed steps can be a long drop, so watch where you put your feet.


Down at the gorge there is the potential for a rock hop over the river and along the gorge but we didnt do that in winter, the waters were reasonably high. There is advice near the carpark on how to go about taking this option to basically return a different route down the gorge. Either way, its a scenic place to hang out and have lunch. Very picturesque and peaceful.


Returning is MUCH easier. The steps up make this a breeze, actually a nice ascent as you can look back to the gorge as you rise up. The flat along the top, again is easy and a nice place to just look around you. The descent back to the river is a lot easier but in places the route is less obvious that on the ascent. Again, those flat sheets of rock can be slippy, take your time. It isn't strenuous, like the original ascent might be considered. Cross back over the stepping stones that you made or used earlier in order to return to the car park.

The Iron House

On our relatively frequent travels up the east coast we often head to the Iron House at the White Sands Estate. Its after Bicheno, on the way to Scamander, and not too far from Four Mile Creek. The hillsides here are becoming evermore dominated by the vines of the Iron House winery and will someday be a huge player in Tasmanian wines as their fields of vines literally grow each time we go by and there seems to be no sign of stopping! The Iron House itself is on the old Cray Drop Inn site and is now White Sands Estates where there are accommodation and restaurant facilities available. We haven't stayed there but from all accounts its somewhat modernised from the days of the Cray Drop Inn, there is a nice looking pool, games room, movie room and sporting opportunities as well as the main restaurant too.

If you are lucky, when you head towards the main Iron House building, you might smell the brew that they are making as is has its own beer microbrewery, with beers that can be drank, taken away or often bought in bottle shops in Hobart. As mentioned with their winery, it wont be too long until their vines are mature enough to yield a good size harvest. As it is, there is a small amount of sparkling wine available from their early or first harvest. One that we might well sample at Christmas.

The building is modern and wide open glass fronted in order to take in the view of the beach. One thing to note, on a sunny day, sunglasses inside are a must, the walls are white, glass expansive and shade, very little. This said, i have no issues with doing this as the view is stunning. On a sunny day, in any season, this is a great place to look out from and enjoy the view whilst eating or drinking.

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The menu is aimed at full meals although many options can be scaled up or down to suit being an appetizer or main. The beef burgers are huge and juicy, with a good amount of fries. They are very tasty if you're feeling hungry, and the price is excellent for the meal. The 'fish and chips' are light yet crunchy and again are sold with a good amount of fries, plus a pot of tartare sauce. The last time we went to The Iron House, we had chili muscles as a starter, and salmon and baby BBQ ribs. The salmon came as a huge, just on the edge of cooked (just the way I like it) on a bed of grilled vegetables. The ribs came as a sticky stack of 12 or 13 with standard fries and coleslaw. Whilst the fries were normal fayre, the ribs were delicious and were clearly in a homemade BBQ sauce. Very tasty indeed. We don't normally go the whole hog, but we actually had a desert to share as well. This was a chocolate cheesecake, with macaroons and a porter toffee ice-cream. This was a big desert, one that we had to share. I'm not normally a huge desert person, but this one was excellent. I did, however, have a beer tasting paddle to finish, this used to be free but is now $5, unless you buy a 2L growler re-fill (which we did).

As the Iron House is part of White Sands Estate accommodation, you can head down onto the beach right here so its a nice place to walk off your big meal. If you do this, do note that there is a bit of a rock scramble, if you want to walk the whole length of the beach, unless the tide is out.

Jackman & McRoss

Jackman & McRoss is a bakery and café in Newtown. It primarily serves baked pastries, cakes and drinks as well as selling more substantial meals. In on word, it is fair to say that this place is ‘popular’! It always seems busy and as it is visible from (though not quite on) the main road, when you drive by and see the window full of customers it is clear that there must be a reason that people come back.

The range of produce sold is wide including, in my opinion, some of the best pies in Hobart. I’m pretty discerning when it comes to eating, so a simple pie has to be pretty good in order to impress. The pies are sold with an option to add relish, that I’d take every time. My favourite of the range of pies is the lamb and potato pie which has huge chunks of ‘fall apart’ lamb. This pie is stuffed to the brim, so you definitely get your value. The chicken pie is a close second! Sold out every time by lunchtime is the beef pie which we are, sadly, yet to try. One of the pies even has a lamb shank sticking up out of  the crust! The breads on sale look good but seem a little expensive for my  tastes, then again boutique style breads will always command a solid price.

The cakes and pastries range is good, we have sampled several of them and we have always been pleased with our choice. One of the standout cakes is the sweet muffin. You’ll have to ask which one is available on the day. Ours was triple chocolate and despite it being warm, gooey and massive (easily enough for two) it is served with a pot of butter on the side. Its clear that this is pretty decadent, yet delicious. This said, if I ate one on my own (which I could totally do) I’d feel guilty for a week. I wonder how many calories/joules are in this muffin, it’s likely to be a lot.

The range of beverages is fairly standard, you can get the usual, yet excellent, range of coffee and teas that you would expect from a quality establishment. One thing to note is that there are a variety of Cascade and other fruit soft drinks available which are nice, luxurious feeling alternative to ‘Coke’ and other super brands.

There is also a Jackman & McRoss in Battery Point and on Victoria St, Hobart.

Springs Track

The Springs loop starts from Fern Tree on the Pipeline Track, as previously blogged. Walk the route to Silver Falls and when reaching the waterfall, take the tight right hand turn up some steps, onto Silver Falls Track. The route from here, whilst flagged as easy-moderate in a few books we have, might be considered tricky for those with short legs, or those who tire easily. It gets narrow, slippery when wet and steep in considerable sections.

(Please note this isn't my map, click for further, more detailed Mount Wellington maps)

Shortly after taking the turn up the steps the ground is relatively stable and the walking is pretty easy going. You have to take a left turn off this route onto Reid's Track which is a much steeper section, that looks like it regularly gets flushed with water and it essentially looks like a waterlogged rainwater gully. It is steep here and in places needs a bit of a heave to get up to the next part. In my experience, it is worth taking a few breathers as you go, maybe stop for a drink because its tiring work. This may have all seemed much harder on the day we walked as it was very wet out and we were getting pummeled by the rain, so much so that even my water-proof became less water proof. When you have reached the top of this section, you then take a left turn onto a much bigger looking track, Radford's Track that leads ever upwards towards the springs.

When we arrived at the springs, cold and wet, we saw the carpark, and information stand and smoke in the air. We looked across and saw a hut, and sought refuge from the rain. We went in to get dry and lo and behold, there was a raging fire! We stopped to warm up and have something to eat. We don’t know who had lit the fire as there was no one around when we got there but to say that it was a relief to have a fire, is an understatement. It instantly lifed our spirits and made having an Easter Egg even more enjoyable. So to whoever lit the fire for our arrival that day, thanks again. Of course we stoked the fire a little before heading off, so that the next half drowned adventurer might benefit too.

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When we’d had a break, we went off from the Springs, back onto Radford's Track that we’d come up, except rather than fully retracing our steps back down Reid's Track, we remained this time on the wider Radford's track that headed down the hill. At this point there is a small sign that prompted the way to Fern Glade. When we headed down further, there was a small monument on the left that signaled that Radford, a young man, had died there during a hill run many years ago. It was at this point that we took a right turn off this track down into Fern Glade.

From this point to the bottom of Fern Glade is a short but excellent walk, even with little kids. Don’t miss this one! See the Fern Glade Blog for further detail. (Point to note, this track comes out on the main road just along from Fern Tree where you might have parked). Walk along the road to the right for approximately 5 minutes as you come down the steps in order to get to Fern Tree.

Fern Glade Track

Fern Glade Track is located on Mt Wellington, and can be taken either from a drive up to the Springs and walking down for 10-15 minutes until you see Radfords Monument and turning right onto Fern Glade Track, shown in PINK below, or start from Huon Road at the bottom, just before Fern Tree, and walk up towards the springs. There is parking in both of these spots but needless to say, if you have the ability, a quick car shuffle, would be ideal so that you can drive to the top, walk down and still have your 2^nd car available at the bottom to ferry you back to the top to pick up car number 1. 

Fern Glade Track is part of the larger Fern Glade Circuit and is relatively easy if you want to do a circuit, it is shown in GREEN below. This loop leaves Fern Tree on the Pipeline track (as blogged here), head up to Silver Falls then onto the Silver Falls Track, then take a right onto Fern Glade Track, this then loops back down, eventually to the Fern Glade access on Huon Road at the bottom, or a minor detour will return you to Fern Tree (GREEN LOOP).

(I take no ownership of this map, it's just really good, find all of the Mount Wellington tracks map here, this one is the 'Eastern Face Map')

Either way, main Fern Glade section is short but magical. When starting the Fern Glade section you enter a dense fern forest. It looms over the track with banked sides in many places. You are essentially walking along a rivulet and as such are close to the water for the most part. There are lots of mini bridges that cross and re-cross the river, with many places inspiring talk of faries, pixies and trolls that live under bridges. Now I have to qualify that, whilst we walked on a rainy day, when we got to this point, there were golden shafts of light beaming down through the trees, lighting up fungi and ferns, glinting off the water and showing the way down. It really was fantastic.

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(It was so wet out that our camera gave up on us, these are all we have...until next time!)

Taking this down hill route would be an excellent idea if you have younger kids as they could easily do it, but might also enjoy the things to be seen on the walk down. The bridges and windy path are sure to inspire some adventurous stories and conversations.

When you come out at the bottom, you come down some stone steps below a large sign signally the entry to Fern glade, it’s a cool place to have a photo of the family if your inclined to. You come out at a car park on the main road, where you might have parked, but if not, follow the road to the right and you’ll end up in Fern Tree in 5 minutes, back to the car.

Lake St Clair - Shadow Lake Circuit

When we decided to go to Lake St Clair, we knew that we'd be walking, we intended to do the Shadow Lake Return walk, by heading out directly to Shadow Lake, have lunch and return the same way. 3-4 hours, 13km return. Accidentally, we set off in the wrong direction, so technically away from Shadow Lake, more towards Mount Rufus. As it turned out, this was part of the Shadow Lake Circuit, not the return walk. The Shadow Lake Circuit is one of the 60 Great Short Walks.

Either way, we set off from the visitors centre and the walk begins relatively tamely, wandering through a wide open forest track. The route then becomes a lot narrower and meanders through tight turns but the track is well beaten and is easy to follow. In many places, the track was muddy, very muddy and in some places totally waterlogged. This added to the adventure as there were several places where rocks, logs or branches had been dropped across the track to provide 'stepping stones'.

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(Click the pictures to enlarge)

After about 20 minutes there was an open swamp area that had a sturdy boardwalk as it would have been near impossible to pass without it. The ground was rough, winding and the bush is quite dense. You can't really lose your way for the main part, but where you aren't sure, there are pointer arrows guiding the way. You are generally surrounded by tall gums for the first part of the route but after about an hour or so the trail then begins to rise through the forests and the air becomes much more moist and there are loads of different kinds of fungi and mushrooms. I'm no 'mycologist' (fungus academic) but it was really interesting to see the vast variety up there. At one point, the route crossed a narrow river by taking stepping stones and having a short leap to the far bank. The route in the forested, marshy banks is easy to lose, look around for markers! After about two hours, where we were sure that Shadow Lake must be extremely near, we paused for thought and double checked our route using Google maps. Lo and behold, we are nowhere near our lunch destination, we realise whats happened (us accidentally doing the circuit not the return), and then have lunch sitting on out on the boardwalk. Most of the track is not boarded out but this part drops down across a clearing, through marsh and back up into the forest. If you take this route, pause here, it's a pretty spectacular place.

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(Click the pictures to enlarge)

An hour on and we finally reach Shadow Lake. There didnt seem to be anywhere to sit/rest so we scrambled throug the bush a little bit to sit on a fallen tree near the lake and again take it easy. When we headed off on the return side of the circuit, we actually found several much more appropriate places to stop and sit, so if we were to go again, we'd continue on a little bit as the views from these other spots are just as good and way less fuss as they are almost on the track.

As we were leaving,  we met a lady coming the other way who was woefully ill-prepared as she was planning to do the full circuit in pumps, continuing in the opposite direction to us (another 3+ hours for her). She had no kit, drink, bag or even raincoat. Let's be sensible here, if you're off on this walk, take some kind of provisions, as all signs at the start centre suggest (quite rightly) that the weather can change pretty quickly.

We got back to the centre about and hour and a half to two hours later, finally crossing over a large river, walking along a boardwalk and then a short forest walk back to the visitors centre. In total about 5 hours and 15-16km.

Additional day walk information

60 Great Short Walks

The advert that inspired us to move to Australia!

I have to say we were already thinking about it, clearly no advert will convince you of such a monumental life change, but it is definitely a factor that helped things to gain momentum, even if in our heads. We ended up singing this song all of the time, dreaming of the life on the beach, the barbecues and the exploration to come.



This ad was on in the UK during 2010-2012, possibly longer, I found it floating around on an old tourism website that is no longer maintained. As they have now replaced the advert with a newer 'cleaner looking' version, I don't think Australia would mind me uploading it!

The new 'There's Nothing Like Australia' advert was released in September 2013, so we actually missed it as we were already here!




More specifically, the new Tasmanian 'episode'/'version' of this advert!


 

Lake St Clair

In April we went to Lake St Clair as part of a longer trip to Strahan. It's about half way between Hobart and Strahan on the west coast and we thought that it would be a good stop off for a few nights to explore and do a walk or two. Lake St Clair is within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, so to actually enter the park you'll need a parks pass which can be purchased when you enter and head to the main visitors centre and they'll sort you out. Otherwise, you can have an all year, all parks pass as mentioned earlier in my blog (Cradle Mountain). Here is the official National Parks info for Lake St Clair.

The trip up there by car is pretty interesting, scenic and all the rest. We stopped off at Tarraleah on the way which is the old Hydro town. The hydro complex itself and the engineering involved, I found was very interesting, yet surreal that in an incredibly scenic valley there was the blatant scar of pipelines, man-made canals, wires and pump houses. Its an incredible sight to behold and an engineering undertaking on a massive scale. The history of Tarraleah and the Hydro can be found here or here.

When you are nearing Lake St Clair, you approach Derwent Bridge, where we stayed. Its the closest conurbation to the national park, lake, walks etc. There isn't an awful lot here except a couple of lodges/hotels, a fuel stop (which I'd advise you to use, there isn't fuel for ages!) and a cafe, The Hungry Wombat. This said, an evening walk with a torch found quite a bit of wildlife, especially if you walk down to the river or the open land area just off the road. Although if you see a Tassie Tiger, it's likely to be the model one at the Derwent Bridge Chalets and Studios, we made this mistake!

When you head to Lake St Clair itself there is a road that leads you into the NP. They recommend you be extra vigilant after dusk as there is a lot of wildlife here and not very many cars brave the road much after dark as there isn't a lot to go to in there after dark. There is a visitors centre which has advice, books and trail information, as well as a hotel/hostel and restaurant. Most walks at Lake St Clair start from here and there are walk registration books here that you'll need to sign, just in case of emergency. 

There is a small foreshore and beach, with a jetty for the 'water taxi' that returns tired walkers from the end of the Overland Track. Apparently you can take a ride around the lake for a better view, you'd have to ask in the visitors centre. 

See Shadow Lake Circuit blog for walk information.

Tinderbox Hills Trail

The Tinderbox Hills trail is a route approximately 3.5 km return on a rather inclined slope. It's not a difficult walk but some sections get your heart pumping and even require a quick breather stop as you go. It heads off from the end of Estuary Drive (off Brightwater Road, Tinderbox) and starts off as a flat walk along a fairly wide path.

As the route elevates you become surrounded by Blue Gums, yet the path remains fairly well trodden. Where the trees thin out towards the ridge there are some excellent views to be had across The Derwent River and Storm Bay, its an ideal place to take some scenic snaps from the top. Some of the steeper sections the ground can get a little rocky and there are some areas where both soil and stones are loose so watch your step.

When you get to the end of the track, at the top there is a sign then saying "No Entry, Private Land". Whilst I'd never encourage anyone to trespass onto privately owned land, its pretty clear that the trail continues to the peak, or at least that's what the very well worn path leading straight past the sign would suggest. Near the sign there is a good flat area to have a picnic or just sit and look out at the view. I think, although I'd need to check, it is possible to see the Iron Pot from here also.

You have to return the way you came. More information on this route can be found here. In all the walk took us around 1 hour, so its a nice short walk for an afternoon, with some nice views and more interesting terrain to negotiate.

Huggables

Huggables are a stall on Salamanca on Saturdays that sells soft toys and gifts for kids, or adults alike! We love this stall and my wife would have one of everything there if she had the chance. We first met Rhonda Fibbens at the Autumn festival at New Norfolk, she was selling a few toys that she'd made herself at home in Geeveston. We got chatting and we let her know that we thought they were cute, awesome and all of the other superlatives that we could think of. As a matter of fact we didn't buy anything this time, but we did take a card. When we next had an occasion we were going to get one!

It wasn't too long until there was a baby in the family, in fact three at the same time! We immediately got in touch with Rhonda and went to her home where we could see a hive of sewing activity. She had all sorts of amazing designs and ideas that were yet to come out, needless to say we bought 4 Huggables there and then. She invited us to join her for a cup of coffee around her kitchen table and we enjoyed chatting about the business and where she wanted it to go.

A little later on we were at Salamanca and there she was, this time with even more amazing toys, designs and ideas. She was inundated with customers and was doing very well indeed. The items Rhonda makes are generally suitable for babies and are cut from a massive range of patterns and fabrics. They are hand stitched, stuffed and made with love. The stall is colourful and cheerful and Rhonda is really happy to talk about what is best suited/popular for different kids.

Its an amazing small Tasmanian business that is full of hard work, love and enterprise. Support local businesses - Huggables!

Fish 349

Fish 349 is a modern styled seafood restaurant in North Hobart. It is on Elizabeth St in the thick of the eateries and cafes in the area. It has a modern but casual atmosphere. It is counter-order, so there is no waitress taking orders. Check out the menu and decide from a good selection of food, ranging from mixed platters and burgers to starters and good old fish and chips. It's the kind of menu that you might find at many similar places, that's not to say it wasn't a good menu, it's just part of the amazing local fayre of Tasmania.

You get to choose how you want your fish, i.e. breaded, battered, crumbed etc and it has the usual range of fish that you might find anywhere in Tasmania. My wife would have like half of her scallops breaded and half battered but unfortunately they couldn't accommodate this. 

Service was quick and the staff were friendly. The food was good but a little pricey for what you might find in comparable places. Therefore, as usual, we were carrying our Entertainment book so got 25% off the bill so we cant complain too much.

Fish 349 Website

Henty Dunes

Just a quick one, Henty Dunes are a series of 30m sand dunes that are easily accissible just off Zeehan-Strahan Rd, about 12-15km north of Strahan. This stretch of road is surrounded by managed Pine forests and there is a left turn onto a short dirt track that takes you to a small turning and parking area. From here you can see a samll hut that has some information about the dunes and local area.

There is a 5km (approx 2 hour walk) across the dunes to the beach and back but a lot of fun can be found much closer, for those seeking a free adrenaline high. Whilst the sandboarding areas might be tricky to access for very small children, it would be possible for 5-6 year olds to access the main slopes with some help. We found that there were lots of old 'for sale' signs left in the information hut for use when sandboarding, otherwise the real thing can be purchased or hired from a few convenience shops Strahan.

From the hut, basically any of the routes takes you to the dunes, at which point you'll have to slog up a steep hill (where the small kids might find it tricky), but after that you should be okay. At the top you reach a plateau which is a nice open area of flat sand to have a picnic. Winds can whip up, so I'd advise putting your backs to the beach if it gets windy. The scenery from here is excellent and there is a lot of exploring to be done.

Point to note: There are no signs or designated tracks in the dunes and it would be easy to lose yourself if you're not concentrating. If you take a left turn just after arriving up onto the plateau, there is 'the main slope'. But other more 'infant friendly' slopes can be found nearby if they want to have a quick go.

The slope is long, seems high and adults do pick up speed, but bear in mind that the sand is soft and you can 'bail out' at any time. This said, you will sacrifice your comfort as you're likely to get a face, and butt full of sand if you have a big spill. Basically, put your board down, stand with legs either side, sit down, legs up onto the board and hold onto the sides. You should rocket down the slope, lean to 'steer' although steering is very arbitrary! At the bottom, climb diagonally up the hill for a longer but shallower climb back up, or just go for it and climb up a steeper, shorter section in order to reset and go again. It is tiring work!

At the very end, when you are worn out, the 'main slope' has a quick exit that can help to avoid having to climb up the slope again. If you look immediately to the left hand side at the bottom of the slope, there is a mildly beaten track that routes you through the bush (on the relative flat) and circles back around to the car park. Do leave the signs for someone else!

Pipeline Track

The Pipeline Track heads out from Fern Tree, Hobart. If you're looking for an indicator, a good place to park up is at the Fern Tree Tavern (or nearby). It's quite useful to be near a pub for when you arrive back thirsty. The track heads up past the small park area and is extremely well managed, you can't get lost! The track is shaded almost the entire way, so you won't likely get overly hot on sunnier days.

There are a lot of users of this track including cyclists, walkers and joggers too. Be respectful of all other users and watch out for pedestrians or cyclists as your heading along the track in whatever method you prefer. It's generally pretty flat and is an easy walk or cycle for the most part. The route follows a steel pipe that in many places you can see underfoot. The pipe goes all the way along to Wellington Falls but many places and routes can be accessed from this track, the Springs, Fern Glade to name a few (I will review these soon).

As you head out from Fern Tree you soon come to the Gasworks where there are a few signs explaining the Pipeline and its link to Old Hobart. You can take a 5 minute detour to Silver Falls if you continue upwards from here, it would be a tricky uphill cycle, especially for kids but many tend to leave bikes at the side of the path for a 5 minute walk up to the falls and then continue along the path after their detour. The falls are pretty and whilst I wouldn't want to publicly recommend drinking this water, I did and there were no adverse side effects, so far!

After visiting the falls you come back down the decent and can then continue along on the flat (back from where you began your detour) or head back to Fern Tree for a 45 minute return. Generally the track is flat and maintained although thin in places if there are lots of walkers. There are many scenic views to be had along the track.

Point to note: Every so often the track comes out across a road (just house accesses normally) but the tracks can be picked up on the other side if you scan down the road a few meters. We had a shock when we couldn't find the rest of the track with the first 'crossing' but we soon noticed a track like entry a little further along the road. Generally, in hindsight, it's easy.

We haven't cycled any of the track, but will do when it warms up a bit. It would be okay for kids, pushchairs and the like for most of the route, except the detour to Silver Falls which would be more challenging. 

Bivouac Bay

Bivouac Bay  is situated in the Tasman National Park and the trail begins at the Eastern end of Fortescue Bay. Fortescue Bay has a camp ground, toilets, walk station and easy beach access. Taking the A9 (Arthur Highway) south takes you through Tarana, where there is a Tasmanian Devil park. As you continue south for a couple of minutes, on your left will soon be a turn off for Fortescue Road, which quickly becomes a dirt road which is easily passable in any vehicle. Boats use this route too, so watch out for big oncoming boats.


When you reach the end of the road you arrive past the walk station and head onwards until you can see the beach. There are benches down there which are a nice scenic place to picnic. The walk begins from the beach just here. You can read the sign for a bit of extra information, I always take a snap of the sign just so I know where I'm going! As you can see it is one of the 60 Great Short Walks.


Walk along the beach to the far end, about three-quarters of the way along there is a river outlet into the sea which requires a run and jump or otherwise a ankle-deep wade. If you're lucky there should be a few handy rocks to hop across without too much fuss. The track continues on until the end of the beach where you head up a bank onto the bush track. You can't get lost! Its a well trodden and managed track (where needed).

(Fortescue Bay from the beginning of the bush track)

Point to note: Trees often fall across the track and can take time to be cut back and cleared. When we went along the route, there was a huge tree down which required some scrambling down the bank, past the now grounded treetops and back up onto the track. Going 'through' or over the tree was impossible. We actually saw wallaby in daylight here too.

(View shortly after the bridge at Canoe Bay)

Continue on for 30 minutes and you come to Canoe bay where an old ship was sunk to create a breakwater for the fishing boats that frequent the bay. Become Indiana Jones on the wire bridge that crosses the small rivulet that feeds into Canoe bay. Upto now it's been easy and flat. From here it gets a little less beaten and steeper. You'll probably remove a layer of clothing or two while you ascend through the fern forests and then descend over the next 35-45 minutes until you round a corner to Bivouac bay.

Its nice to sit out on the rocks and explore a bit while you have a snack. You'll cool off pretty quickly here as the wind fetch is on-shore. This is where you put your jacket back on (in winter). Return the way you came, just be sure to check the track you get back onto from Bivouac bay as the route continues on further.

A relatively easy walk with a few steeper sections that most could do (at the right pace). Walk takes approx 3 hours return at a reasonable pace.

Dark Mofo - Winter Feast

The Dark MoFo Winter Feast is a food (and light) festival hosted by MONA, down at the wharf near Salamanca, Hobart. This year it is on from Thursday 19th June - Saturday 21st June, with the official Dark MoFo events being on in the weeks that lead up to this. The Winter Feast plays host to a surreal and eclectic mix of food stands in Princes Wharf No 1 and has a mix of smaller 'attractions' interspersed within this zone.

When I say smaller attractions, I mean smaller light installations, people in bizarre costumes and a morbidly decked out Ferris Wheel of Death scattered around amongst the food stalls, inside and out. If I'm honest, I don't understand some of the 'art' or even the 'artistic styling' of the performers. 2013 saw a haggedly dressed 1800's, Downton-like woman, lying in the walkway cursing people. Pretty odd. The cost this year is $10, despite it being a free event in 2013. We haven't been down the event yet this year but are heading down there on Saturday for our fill of delicious, often local cuisine.

Speaking from experience last year, Princes Wharf No 1 is lined with food stalls and the central areas of the space are taken up with impossibly long tables and chairs in order to seat the eating hoards. There WILL be lots of people down there and the queues tend to get pretty long, if you are really after something in particular then you will likely have to wait in line a long time, otherwise you could do as I do and take the opportunity to try foods from the less popular stalls. 

There is a good selection of beverages also available and outside areas make the most of the event by having heaters and seating areas for you to socialise and keep warm on the winters eve. The Ferris Wheel of Death is a new addition this year that will host 30 singers, twice nightly singing a commissioned piece of music to fit the occasion.

Its a good night of eating, and despite it being cold out, if you are prepared for that, a great chance to savour the winter season whilst having some Glu-wein (Mulled Wine) by a roaring firepit and friends.

Please note, pictures below here are from Dark MoFo 2013.

Sapa Rose

We decided to head out to Sapa Rose a Vietnamese restaurant this weekend (located here). I’ve never had Vietnamese cuisine before, or at least never when eating out, and it was a great experience. The ambiance was relaxed and modern, it wasn't overly busy on the day we went but i believe that we went mid week and I imagine that peak time, peak season it would be humming nicely.

The menu at Sapa Rose is extensive, seemingly massive and we had real trouble choosing as there were loads of things that we liked the sound of. We did as I believe all first timers should and looked straight at the buffet menu. The prices were very reasonable seeing as you always get more than you need in these kinds of multi-course meals and the prices were about the same as a starter and main per person, except that we got a much larger variety of food and a good range of it too. We began with a kind of meatball wrapped in leaves that were to be dipped in a sauce. Second, we had the pancakes shown below.

The pre-main course was the pork in a fantastic sauce which was to be included with other things and wrapped in a lettuce leaf and eaten. 

Finally, we had a seafood combo (shown) and another beef dish. These were served with both rice and Vietnamese noodles.

As you can see the food was based around wraps and leaves. Vietnamese mint and regular mint being the particular stars. The helpful staff asked us if we’d had these kinds of dishes before and explained how to best incorporate all of the elements to make the perfect authentic Vietnamese mouthful. Generally speaking, we wrapped a bit of everything together in a lettuce leaf, but the pancake was delicious to finish off just on its own. By the end of the giant pancake and pork course we didn't want to fill up on mint leaves and waste all the delicious food to come.

We ended up with more food than we could eat but as they do a lot of take-aways, they were more than happy to box up our leftovers so we could take it home. We, again, used an Entertainment book voucher, saving 25% in total and feeling pretty good about the meal and the deal. I think we'd like to come back with a bigger group and have one of the even bigger banquets so that we get to try even more different dishes as part of the experience.

Sapa Rose Website