Wild west Tasmania

[Treepol]

This year I took an extended Easter break with my partner to visit the far northwest of Tasmania. It had been about 20 years since we last travelled this way and we were keen to see wild scenery, the wind farm at Woolnorth, birds and animals and to drive the Western Explorer Road to Corinna.

 

Easter began at Strahan where the juvenile Superb Fairy Wrens were intrigued by the lemon tree in the front garden and a flock of raucous Yellow-tailed black cockatoos flew overhead.

 

 

 

We drove to Queenstown where copper has been mined for over 100 years. The town is known for its bare hills and isolation.

 

 

 

 

The Lake Margaret Power Station was built in 1914 by the Mt Lyell Mining and Railway Company to supply power to the mine. This photo shows the rainforest encroaching on the site of the station and the former town of Lake Margaret.

 

 

We drove to Lake Burbury, stopping to visit the site of the old Mt Jukes Proprietary Mine, almost overgrown by now and its whereabouts known to a dwindling number of locals.

 

 

Here's a photo from an earlier trip of Lilly scrambling up one of the steep cuttings on the road to the lake, which is criss-crossed by a myriad of mountain streams stained brown by the button grass.

 

 

 

This photo was taken looking down the Linda Valley from the site of the Iron Blow where the ore body was first discovered over a century ago.

 

 

Back in town, the Mallard and Pacific Black Ducks contrast sharply with the Queen River.

 

 

 

We drove north from Strahan to the coast and found these Australian pelicans on the mudflats of the Inglis River at Wynyard.

 

 

Travelling westward, at Table Cape we took photos looking east and west.

 

 

 

before a short seaside lunch stop at Boat Harbour.

 

 

We were staying three nights at Stanley which is a small town in an area known as Circuar Head that is dominated by a well known Tasmanian landmark known as the Nut. The Nut is a volcanic plug that rises 150m from the sea.

 

 

Our 3 days passed very quickly. We explored around Smithton where this grey fantail was perched on a fence wire

 

 

and at Irishtown found a large flock of Masked Lapwings,

 

 

and were very lucky to find a feeding flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos late one afternoon,

 

 

 

 

Driving towards the wind farm at Woolnorth I saw these watchful Pacific Gulls on the shore at Montague.

 

 

Woolnorth is one of Australia's oldest companies as it was established by Royal Charter in 1825.

 

 

Dairying is the main activity at Woolnorth today together with a wind farm and an important weather station managed by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Some claim that Woolnorth has the cleanest air in the world.

 

 

Cape Grim is at the northwest tip of Tasmania with the next landfall being southern Argentina. The Doughboys lie close to the Cape Grim coastline.

 

 

At the end of each day we were treated to a memorable sunset.

 

 

We enjoyed our time in the far northwest - fine local produce at Xanders restaurant in Stanley and our accommodation in the converted loft of the old post office now known as Stamps of Stanley. We attended a very moving Anzac Day service at Stanley where the quiet town, the cenotaph and the shadow of the Nut underscored the true meaning of this day when Australians remember those lost in battle.

 

[PCNW]

Thank you @@Treepol there are all kinds of birds here that I haven't seen before.

[Treepol]

Moving on from Stanley we headed south through the Tarkine wilderness to Corinna, an old gold mining town on the banks of the Pieman River. The Tarkine is thought by some to be a significant wilderness area as it contains the largest area of Gondwanan cool temperate rainforest in Australia. This photo gives some idea of the space in the tarkine.

 

 

Our accommodation at Corinna was in a recently built rainforest cabin

 

 

where cheeky brushtail possums visited at night

 

 

and Rufous wallabies were around at all hours

 

 

The Arcadia is an historic boat that makes a daily cruise to the Pieman Heads where passengers can spend the day on the beach, enjoying the Pieman rflections along the way.

 

 

 

This barge ferries cars across the river to resume onward journeys to Strahan, Lake St Cair and Hobart. The smaller white boat is used for the afternoon Sweetwater cruise that travels closer to the river bank and explore tributaries of the Pieman such as the Donaldson and Savage Rivers.

 

 

 

Donaldson River

 

 

Savage River

 

 

and some last reflections

 

 

Corinna is a place that I will return to for the peace and quiet, natural beauty and isolation.

[graceland]

Looks beautiful; would love to go one day! Thanks for sharing this special spot.@@Treepol, and I'd love to have that cabin!

[Atravelynn]

What a lovely 3 days!

[RichB]

Tree pol glad you enjoyed Tasmania...I live about 10 minutes from Table Cape, in one of your photos..It is a really beautiful peaceful place to live, Tasmania...with lots of interesting wildlife..

[Treepol]

@@RichB I live in Hobart, if you're ever down this way we could meet for a coffee.

 

Beautiful Table Cape, it must be a picture when the tulips are in flower.

[RichB]

Hi Treepol definately will next time we are down that way...Love living in Tasmania, such a beautiful place. Have you been on many safaris..Iam looking into going to Zimbabwe in 2015, it will be my first of many I hope.

[twaffle]

Lovely look into a beautiful part of the world. Tasmania is one of my favourite places. Thanks Treepol.

[Treepol]

@@RichB and @@twaffle Sorry for the slow reply - I left for Africa on 10 August and have just seen your reply this afternoon.

 

Look forward to a safari discussion when you are next in Hobart. I have just returned from my 6th safari and will probably begin the trip report tonight. I look forward to hearing about your Zim planning as I am thinking about Zim and Zam for my next trip.