Hobart & Taste of Tasmania (M&D: Day 43)

We finally got into Hobart and saw my colleague Ross and his wife Hannah and daughter Jessica who were also driving around Tasmania sightseeing. We missed each other by minutes on Xmas at Cradle Mountain.


We went to Vanessa's parents - Lorraine & Tony's place on the water where you could see the yachts come in from the Sydney to Hobart race.


Lorraine & Vanessa


Mom & Dad with Tony


Watching the boats come in.


Arriving at the Taste of Tasmania



You go around to all the stalls and taste the goodness of Tasmania! The tempura mushrooms were the crowd favorite this year.


Vanessa knew the owner of Goaty Hill Winery so we got deals!



We hung out with this great German couple



Vanessa Launceston friends were all at the Taste.



Mike's favorite Hobart bar - Welcome Back Stranger -- and weirdly the couple in front of us was the couple that camped next to us in Lake St Clair National Park where the tiger snake slithered between the two of our camps!


Back in Sydney on Dec 30th...

Mt Field National Park (M&D: Day 43)

On the way back to Hobart, we stopped at Mt Field National Park. Its known for its tall trees and Russell Falls. And I even chased an echidna into a log!













I saw an echidna on a log but by the time we stopped the campervan and I tried to remember where it was I had scared it into a log. But I still found it!

Lake St Clair (M&D: Day 42)

Driving from Strahan back towards Hobart, we drove through the mining town of Queenstown.


And through the lake country


And stopped to walk to Franklin Falls near the Franklin River.




The top of the pass before coming down into Lake St Clair National Park (the south part of Cradle Mountain and the second half of the Overland Track)


We stopped in Derwent Bridge to view the Wall in the Wilderness - Greg Duncan’s commemoration of those who helped shape the past and present of Tasmania’s central highlands.



Lake St Clair National Park -- walking around the lake circuit.






Tiger Snakes are the 4th most poisonous snake in Australia and they are curled up near our campsite. We saw one go across the ground later behind Mom & Dad...


Mom & I watched a pademelon and its joey for ages... so cute!


The pademelons were all around us... you can see them in the backgrounds of our campsite






We saw a pademelon grazing and then the little joey started eating from inside the pouch!