A quick trip in North West Tasmania

The reason that I was in Tasmania riding a Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 NTX is a bit too convoluted for this blog but there I was under beautiful Autumn sun.

I have been to Tasmania a number of times but a couple of places had eluded me.

The far north west coast and the Tarkine Rain Forest wilderness.

Arthur River has a lovely camp ground in the remote North West Coast.

Near the mouth of the river there is a little beach and lookout at a place called The Edge of the World. The longest uninterrupted stretch of ocean in the world bound against these shores.

Travelling west from here the next stop is Patagonia.

The drift wood on the beach dragged across the sea by the pounding waves of the great Southern Ocean.

Even when it’s a still day the waves roll in on their relentless motion.

There was time for a swim under the warm sun rays of the late afternoon sun.

Before the sun set.

South of Arthur River there is a road junction. Heading south is the Western Explorer a gravel road that runs 150km south to Zeehan. The road west is the Tarkine Drive the winds through a mixture of farmland and wilderness.

The Tarkine Wlderness is an amazing temperate rain forest.

 

The Tarkine is limestone country with a number of sinkholes some of which have been plugged by forest debris to form lakes and ponds.

Being a rainforest there is also an array of beautiful fungi

The unique Tarkine Widerness is currently a battleground between conservationists and logging and mining interests.

If you would like to support the preservation of this unique wilderness contact https://bobbrown.org.au/

It was a short trip to this beautiful place but I’m sure I will be back.

The Giants provides insight into the importance of old growth forest and the Giants in them. Trees 100 metres high and thousands of years old.

Sailing Ships upon the Sea

1988 Hobart to Sydney Tall Ship Race

There is a certain romanticism of billowing sails carrying great ships across the sea

Distant shores unexplored

Harnessing the power of the wind

The power to cross vast oceans

The clouds of billowing sails

Masts reaching for the sky.

Ships from all parts of the world

Oman and the exotic east

The new world of the Americas

The old continents of Europe and Africa

These sailing giants covered the globe

As a young man I read and read Joseph Conrad and dreamt of the sea

My mind full of imaginary adventures in distant and exotic ports

The exotic ports of the trade winds in Lord Jim

The loneliness of being at sea and the weight of command in The Secret Sharer

The power of the weather and the sea in Typhoon

To be amongst the tall ships and the sailing tales of the crew

To sail away

Tech Note

These images were captured during the 1988 Hobart to Sydney Tall Ship Race on colour transparencies. I have rephotographed these with my digital camera using an Emora slide copier extension tube attached to the my camera lens.

Boys Big Bike Bash in Tassie

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
big boys on a dirt road at Poatina

 

It was a boys big bike bash

looping Tassie like it was a race track

Roaring bikes

From the cold damp west coast

Misty wet Queenstown

settled in the heart of the wild west coast

windy roads in the mountains

constant dam filling drizzle and rain

looping across to the east coast

 

The beautiful fishing harbour of St Helens at dawn

Fresh fish washed down by local beer and wine

The mountains

Elephant Pass and St Mary’s Pass clinging to the side of the mountains range.

P2231167P2231168

From the coast climbing the past Poatina

Up onto the high plains

Winding through Bothwell

The home of the worlds best merino wool

and the high plains lakes

P2261180
Great Lake at Miena

The nature was not the only thing of beauty

In Hobart there we visited a magnificent collection of classic bikes

Perfect for a Boys big bike bash

 

Tassie (Tasmania)

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Looking past Wineglass Bay to Schouten Passage in the Freycinet Peninsula

 

I’ve looked at Tassie from both sides now

from in and out

and still somehow

Its Tassie’s illusion I recall

I really don’t know Tassie at all

(will apologies to Joni Mitchell)

 

I’m going to Tassie again

I place I can always go back to

find something new and beautiful

In Australian smallest State

An island State, part of an island nation.

 

p2041116e
Looking out to sea over the remains of the old jetty in Bridport NE Tasmania

Looking out across the blue clear waters that surround Tassie.

Looking in from coastal anchorages at

 

hobart116
Storm over Maria Island from Chinamans Bay,

 

At storms rolling past

hobart118

At the play of the light on the rocky shoreline

 

hobart188
Sleepy Cove, Freycinet Peninsula

hobart187

 

Looking in to tight harbour entrances

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Hells Gates the entrance to Macquarie Harbour in perfect conditions

 

Sitting safe in historic ports

 

summer-2006-7-067e
Futura in Constitution Dock, Hobart

 

copy-of-summer-2006-7-038
Looking down on the Stanley Fishing Harbour from the Nut

Travelling through beautiful wilderness

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Gordon River Wilderness

 

 

 

 

p2091182e
Looking towards Frenchmans Cap in the South West Wilderness

 

And a quirkiness that is only Tassie

 

p2041095e1
Ship’s dog watching passers by

 

p2071166e
Blue Man in Salamanca Place Hobart

Next month I’m going back to Tassie again

Taking the mighty Breva down for her second trip

I hope the sun never sets on my Tasmania adventures.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Sunset over Coles Bay TasmaniaSouth East Tasmania