Some special scenic places in Tasmania

The recent trip to Tasmania was more about socialising than touring. Catching up with friends of long standing.

But in a place like Tasmania, beauty is always close at hand. So what can you look out for if you are lucky enough to visit this small, beautiful island.

Light houses on spectacular headlands…

Shorelines dramatic in many ways…

Unique and colourful birdlife…

Fury marsupials that are found nowhere else but Australia and Tasmania…

And on Bruny Island, you may see an Albino Wallaby…

There are amazing mountains and valleys…

Architecture from times past in the cities and villages…

The Hobart Farmers Market offering beautiful foods fresh from the producer…

And of course, special for me are the forests….

So if you family or friends in Tasmania, plan a visit. If not just gofor the beauty!

Gippsland -Eastern Victoria

The major natural attraction in South Gippsland is Wilsons Promontory Naional Park (The Prom). A mountainous Promontory that juts out into Bass Strait.

But west of the Prom, between the lighthouse on Cape Liptrap and the Prom is Wararah Bay. A beautiful stretch of sandy beaches and rocky headlands.

On the western side of The Prom, there are the historic ports of Port Welshpool and Port Albert.

Port Welshpool above and Port Albert below provide access for all types of sailors to the sheltered waters of Corner Inlet at the northern end of The Prom.

I think the fish and chip restaurant on the jetty at Port Albert serves the best fish and chips in Australia!!! A big statement!

Just east of Port Albert is the western end of 90 Mile Beach. An uninterrupted sand beach that stretches 94 miles (151km) to Lakes Entrance. Its the longest beach in Australia and 3rd longest beach in the world.

The sand is beautiful yellow stretching on over the horizon.

Some local beaches are very popular with little villages and Surf Lifesaving Facilities for safe swimming on the wild coast.

Other sections are only accessible down rough, narrow tracks with the help of local knowledge..

Testament to the wild seas are skeletons of wrecks burried in the otherwise pristine beach.

Its a short distance north into the southern foothills of the Great Dividing Range and its high mountains and rivers that flow down to the Gippsland Lakes.

Near the town of Briagalong is the beautiful Blue Pool swimming hole in Freestone creek.

With a small campground, a short walk from the pool. A perfect spot for foe gazing at the moon while sitting beside the camp fire.

The Mitchel River National.Park is between the towns of Briagalong na Dargo.

The Mitchel River is the last wild river in Victoria and the national includes a beautiful river gorge and the southern moste temperate rain forest in the world.

The temperate rain forest is part of an aboriginal sacred sight- the Den of Nargun.

Its a 5km loop walk down into the Den of Nargun and to the Mitchel River and returning via the bluff lookout.

At the end of summer, the waterfall over the Nargens Den is only a trickle.

The track to the river is along the creek through the rain forest with a series of water holes.

The Mitchel Rivers flows slowly through the gorge. Beautiful for a swim!

The final stage of the walk is a steep climb out of the gorge, where there is a beautiful view over the gorge.

The Mitchel River NP, is along the road to Dargo in the Great Dividing Range. It runs along the Wonnangatta River. There are a number of places to camp along the river both south and north of Dargo.

The mornings by the river may be misty but the nights in the mountains are clear. Perfect for sitting by the camp.fore and gazing at the Milky Way through the tree canopy.

Further up into the mountains, the forest becomes thicker.

The forest provides homes for Australia’s beautiful birds.

The dirt road from Dargo to Mount Hotham crosses out of East Gippsland and into the Victorian Alps.

On the top of Mount Hotham (1860 mtrs), it’s close to the top of Victoria with amazing views over the mountains.

These are relatively remote part of Victoria but well worth visiting.

Otway Rangers Rain Forest, Victoria, Australia.

The film ‘Force of Nature‘ has recently opened in Australia. Parts of it were shot in the beautiful temperate rain forests of the Otway Ranges.

Hopetoun Falls features in the movie. Its currently approaching summer, so the waterfalls in the ranges are flowing slowly. Some, like Henderson Falls, gently cascade over the cliff face.

Henderson Falls, are near a rocky feature in the ranges named The Canyon. I think I recognised it in the movie.

Its a beautiful walk through the forest to reach the Canyon in a quiet part of eastern end of the ranges.

The western end of the ranges faces the incoming weather and is a thicker forest. With more Beech trees, ancient Beech trees.

The Otways are a mountain range that abuts the sea. The Southern Ocean, to be precise.

So after a long hike on a hot day, it’s easy to cool off with a swim in the cool ocean waters.

I camped a couple of nights at Apollo Bay, which sits on the ocean about halfway along the ranges.

It’s a beautiful town, at night as dark slowly descends over the harbour.

Or as the sun rises over the rolling surf.

Eric Bana is the star of ‘Force of Nature’

But you will have to endure having me in the starring role here.

On to Kosovo

From Ohrid, the route to Kosovo continued through the mountains of North Macedonia with Albania to the west and Kosova to the North.

The small village of Janche is nestled in the mountains of the Mavrovo National Park.

Where remnants of old Yugoslavian industry can be found.

Beside the new highway heading to Peje in NW Kosova sits the Terzi Bridge. A fine example of Ottoman architecture.

The destination, though, was the White Drin Falls in the Accursed Mountains near the border with Montenegro. A spectacular natural park. With the waterfall….

And limestone caves.

This area of Kosova and its border with Montenegro is home to significant forests of Spruce, Beech and Fir trees.

Just over the border with Montenegro is the village of Rozaje and nearby nested in the forest in the most beautiful camp ground.

These forests are the best I’ve visited in Europe, amazing old growth forests.

It was late September in the mountains so turning cold. But the welcome at Sastanci – Grahovaca was as warm as the fire and the home cooked meal fresh and delicious.

It was hard to find but worth it!

Lakes in Western Greece and North Macedonia.

Sometimes, advice comes from the strangest quarters.

I buy cheese regularly from a stall at Victoria Market in Melbourne. The cheese seller is a biker and of Greek heritage. His mum lives in Niki on the Greece/ North Macedonian border. He told me the lakes and mountains in this area we very special. They are let me show you!

Arnissa is a beautiful little village on the banks of Lake Vegoritida, nestled in the mountains on the Greek/ North Macedonia border

But the best lakes were over the border in North Macedonia.

I was guided to these lakes by a chance aquaintance at Victoria Market.

This is where I buy my cheese and the cheeseman is a biker of Greek origin whose mum lives in Niki on the Greek/ Macedonian border.

He told me the riding and the scenery around Lakes Prespa and Ohrid was magnificent. And his advice was true.

Lake Prespa and Lake Ohrid are divided by a large limestone mountain range. Lake Prespa sits in a mountain basin and is 150 metres higher elevation than Lake Ohrid. The mirky shallow water of Lake Prespa is filteres through the limestone emerging form spings into the crystal clear waters of Lake Ohrid. The Lakes are believed to be the oldest in Europe, having been in existence for more than 1 million years.

Lake Prespa is a place for birds and fishing. The shores are primarily agricultural with a few hotels.

The mountains between the two lakes form the Galicica National Park.

The trails in the forests are beautiful for walking, and the roads are magical for motorbike riding.

The spring sourced from Lake Prespa flows at the southern end of the lake is the Monastery of Saint Naum

The mountains provide beautiful views of the lakes and countryside.

The mountains also allow for paragliding over Lake Ohrid.

The water of Lake Ohrid is just beautiful. The eastern side of the lake in North Macedonia and the western side Albania. The City of Ohrid sits at the Northern end of the lake.

Small villages are dotted around the sure as well as big resorts. This is a tourist lake with some amazing history.