Bill & Will's Awesome Van Dieman's Land Road Trip, pt-1

Tasmanian Trip 12/03/16 to 22/03/16 by Will.

PART ONE.

12/03/16, Saturday, travel time 12pm to 9pm

The day started early as Jenny & I had to catch up with Mick & Kane, of Estuary Bobcats, at the Mandurah reno house. We arrived at 7.30am, and they were already into it. Busy clearing the yard and waking up the neighbours.

Photo by Jenny of Mandurah Reno House, taken today (14/03/16) clean slate... Cool !

Then over to Pinjarra to pick up Jenny's Mum, Lorraine, who had to come with us so she could collect her car from her sister Karen, at the airport. Karen was flying home to Queensland at approximately the same time as our departure to Tasmania.

Bill & I flew Virgin Australia. Apart from a 30 min delay on the tarmac in Perth, there were no other problems with the flights to Hobart, Tasmania.

Dad ready for his Tassie Adventure......

A fair bit of walking around the Terminals in Perth & Melbourne, combined with longish periods of sitting on the plane, had Bill, my father, struggling. His hips are pretty well knackered these days so he can't walk very far.

Once into Hobart, we were met at the Airport by Neil (Jenny's step brother) & his wife Tracey. The pick up was a last minute arrangement but extremely welcomed. Tomorrow we'll head for their place to have a BBQ.

Neil & Tracey dropped us off at the budget priced ($108p/d) Hobart Tower Motel in New Town, about 3.5kms from Hobart's CBD. 

13/03/16 Sight Seeing Around Hobart.

Both Bill & I had a sleep in, though I got moving a little earlier than "The Old Man". I was up at 9am (which is 6am by my West Australian body clock) & walked the 3.5kms into town to pick up our hire car from Avis.

Looking towards Hobart CBD from the top of Argyle Street.

Nicely restored Hobart Houses on Argyle Street.

It was a cool cloudy morning, but I was still comfortable walking into the Hobart City Centre, dressed in t-shirt, shorts & shoes. During the walk I came across a cyclist, Graham, taking photos of the city from the vantage point of a foot bridge that crosses over Argyle Street. He mentioned that he had moved from Perth WA to Hobart Tas. 4 years ago and was loving it. I took a few photos as well, then continued on my way.

There were lots of people out walking their dogs, and some interesting old cars out for a Sunday drive. Before I knew it, I had arrived at Avis.  The office was busy with lots of people picking up vehicles so they could commence their "Apple Isle" adventure.

Old 50's Cadillac out on a Sunday drive in Hobart.

It didn't take too long to get sorted out by Max, the Avis bloke, & before I knew it, I was driving back to the Motel in a newish, shiney, blue Holden Commodore SV6 Sports Wagon.....cool ! 

After a leisurely 40 minute walk I arrive at a busy Avis car rental place.

That's our ride....Uh oh I can see some previous damage, photo time.

Back at the Motel, Bill was still sleeping. Once he was up, we headed back into town for an early lunch, then went for a drive to the summit of Mt Wellington (1270mtrs) . Finished off with dinner at Neil, Tracey & their two daughters house, that has a nice outlook of the Derwent River & City Centre.

We had fish and chips for lunch on the Food Barge in the background.

It was a misty drive up the mountain in the Sports Wagon.

Hobart briefly appears through the cloud.

Checking out the view, about 2/3rd the way up Mount Wellington.

The Pinnacle at the top of Mount Wellington, yes I did climb up to the datum point.

First two nights in Hobart were spent at the Hobart Tower Motel.

Neil, Bill & Tracey out on the "deck".

View from Neil & Tracey's Hobart Home....nice, thanks for your help guys.

14/03/16 Monday (Public Holiday in Tas.) Hobart to Port Arthur.

After breakfast at the Motel, we got moving at 9.30 am. We headed for the infamous colonial penal colony of Port Arthur. 

Along the way we stopped at Tasman Bridge & Devil's Kitchen. We even found  "Pirate Bay" which faces north and looks very nice. Small houses nestled along the base of the heavily treed mountain side with sandy beaches.

Food Van, with some Hippies near the Pirate Bay Lookout.

Pirate Bay, sounds illegal to me. 

Tasman Bridge, not too bad but lots of visitors enjoying the view.

Trying to teach Bill how to do a phone selfie, more training required.

I snuck into the bush for a quick toilet break & look what I found.!

One for Jenny, Minion hanging around near Devil's Kitchen.

Next stop was the heritage area of Port Arthur. The rain had started, so I dropped Bill at the entrance, and then found somewhere to park the car. Being a public holiday it was quite busy, or maybe it's always like that.

Bill heads out on his own Port Arthur tour.

I sent Bill off on the electric golf buggy & went over to the Memorial near the remains of the Broad Arrow Cafe, to pay my respects to the 35 people murdered in the 1996 mass shooting by a crazed gunman. In particular, Katie Scott, who I once worked with, out at Gidgee Goldmine. She would have only been about 22yo, at the time, and was on her first big trip out of Western Australia. 

 Looking back across the reflection pool to the BroadArrow Cafe, where the crazed gunman caused the most carnage.

Katie's name is the forth last one on the memorial. "Forever Young" so sad for everyone on this plaque!

So it's a reminder, you do not know what's going to happen next. So please live your life to the fullest. A fellow miner workmate once gave me the best advise & saying, "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time" !

The ferry is a lot bigger then the last time Jenny, the kids & I were here,14 years ago.

After our boat trip out to the Island of the Dead, Bill was a bit over it. I went and checked out the main Penitentiary building & timed it to catch a Play, which I enjoyed. It was about Limus Miller who later wrote a book called "Notes of an Exile to Van Dieman's Land" . Sounds like a great story, I'll probably download it.

It's a wet day at Port Arthur, for Bill & Will's Awesome Tassie Tour.

On the boat cruise around Port Arthur with Dad.

Ruined by fire years ago, but lots of work to save what remains.

Port Arthur Penitentiary in the rain.

Limus Miller Play at Port Arthur.

I discover a prisoner !

Not prisoners, just Archeologists at work.

The rain was coming down, Bill had had enough, so we took the scenic route via the Pub at Nubeena, and finally parked up for the day at Mason's Cottages, near Eagle Neck (at $110p/n). Tomorrow Bill can drive and navigate, should be fun...fun...fun !

Our Garmin GPS "Destiny" is on duty, the Holden one is difficult to use !

Nubeena Taven, unusual & no food on a holiday Monday.

Cooking dinner at Mason's Cottages.