We are off on our adventure into Outback NSW, and the weather if freezing (for a Qld’er) compared to the coast. But teaching the Grandson to light a camp fire was a lot of fun… and he has proven proficient at toasting marshmallow’s which is always a plus as we head into camp at the Pilliga Hot Bore.
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Two hundred years ago this year, a branch of my family arrived into Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). It was a penal outpost then, one envisioned by those in authority of the day, to take in the tens of thousands of convicts over the next seventy years.
These were people expelled from the British Isles as the “Upper Crust” attempted to deal with those living in poverty, the destitute. Those often starving lower class and the disenfranchised. People who were mostly a product of the industrial revolution of the day, that was being experienced in their own country that of the British Isles.
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We’re on an adventure at the moment, crossing the continent on Australia’s longest shortcut travelling some 4,600klm. Strictly speaking this is a outback route, largely a dirt road, one that stretches from Perth on the sunset side, through the centre of Aus’ and onto Cairns, this on sunrise side or vs vs. This route across Aus’ is also known to take in the remote stretch of track known as the Outback Way, which is nearly 2800klm travelling from Laverton WA to Winton Qld, and is presently from Laverton to Kata Tjuta (The Olga’s) a notorious 1000klm strip of dirt track that is subject to some extreme weather conditions and which is currently still rough and ready. Though they are threatening to tar this route over the next decade or so, at the moment it is very much an adventurous run.
At the moment I am thick into another trip plan… one coming up soon, and as usual I have two or three of these trip plans sitting on my desktop as I develop them as the mood takes me. A number of travellers like to just go with the flow, and there are certainly times when this is the fun way to go, but then at other times planning is a part of the enjoyment of discovery and I wouldn’t even consider not building up a plan for any given tour… Even the roughest of rudimentary plans is a good option.
Traveling as we do as a lifestyle choice, as opposed to a 2-4 week or month stint across the country, we do have a broad based guide that gets us to where we want to go and then there are times where we just head off in a general direction… or in pursuit of a general goal or season respite… or even in pursuit of an interest, but the trip plan is an essential part of our future plans and I wouldn’t be without it. Mind you these trip plans are very malleable … such as this years primary plan which was to have seen us up in the Kimberley, but instead saw us spending 6 months in and around Perth… exploring, instead. Plans change as does your focus, and often. It is best to roll with the waves and enjoy the ride. Continue reading
Visiting Tasmania offers some unique experiences, from wild west coast shorelines to the wonderful charm of colonial heritage preserved across an entire state. The tales of bushrangers, convicts, survival and peril… they are all there. One of the things I most enjoy though is the wilderness and wildlife and Tassie offers a sate of these. We enjoyed exploring Fern Glade, and the wonderful wild populations of Platypus, we loved the penguins colonies, so active over the breeding season, but most of all it was the mystique of the Tasmanian devil. Each time we visit the Apple Isle, we make a plan to call into one of the Tasmanian Arks, those wonderful places, where the Tasmanian Devil is being nurtured, cared for and given the tools of survival.
Following is a video clip of our most recent visit to Trowunna Wildlife Park near Launceston and what a delight it was!
We’ve been stepping through the ancient Tarkine forests these last weeks, discovering the places reminiscent of Gondwana Land. Tasmania has some of the few remaining forests on Earth which breath quietly and tell the tale of this ancient continent. One split apart giving birth to the ark that is Australia. It is relatively easy to find a true wilderness here in the wild Tarkine, in the remote NW of Tasmania. It is a place where ancient trees loom over you, one where you can see strange water falls that appear to have been built by a childish hand, a playful spirit stacking building block upon building block in columns, to create something that is natures own version of lego-land. Continue reading
Tasmania is proving to be something of a discovery and delight even though we have visited this wild island before. Becoming accustomed to the nightly song of the penguins has been an adventure but we have also been told that the platypus are quite prolific as well and are much treasured amongst the islands wildlife.
Freecamping is really about Community and I have long held the opinion that any and all towns worthy of their name should have a rest area, or freecamp, freely available to travellers, as they once historically did in Australia. The history of the evolution of the provision of camps for the traveller goes right back to the very first days of the colony when Governor Phillip set up camp on the shores of Botany Bay… then found a better spot and moved to Sydney Cove. Free camping is not only about the travelling community, but also about the communities the travellers move into. Even Governor Phillip recognised this in his endeavour to build a relationship with the locals. But it is something that today has been lost to the demons of commerce.
Camped-up along the Peel River near Nundle, tucked into the hills, is a special delight. For The Man it is the pull of gold, that of wresting the golden flecks and the lucky occasional nugget from the earth. Most people think that this is it… in its entirety; and they couldn’t be more wrong. You aren’t going to get me down there in that cold water puddling. Me… I would rather sit in the sun and entertain myself in other ways.
The best of travelling when your retired is time, the time you can take to do the things you love. For me this is watching… noting the world around me, and exploring the places we go and meeting the people from different worlds as we share our experiences. These are the things that stay with you the most.
Jan Hawkins Author 