ROSS

MONDAY 26 - TUESDAY 27.12.2011: Went on our historic walk through Ross and thoroughly enjoyed it.

THE ROSS BRIDGE (1836)
TO HOBART TOWN LXIX MILES



UNITING CHURCH
(CIRCA 1885)

  

ORIGINAL STABLES FOR MILITARY
GARRISON HORSES

ROSS FEMALE FACTORY

Visited Ross Female Factory. In 1833 a handful of thatched huts accommodated convict stonemasons building the Ross Bridge. By the early 1840s a large punishment station had sprouted with sufficient space for some 300 chained road gang convicts and the male probation prisoners that followed them. Between 1847-48 the buildings were adapted especially for use at the Ross Female Factory, which operated as a convict hiring depot, nursery, probation and punishment station. Over the next seven years hundreds of female felons served time behind the conspicuous high security fence until the establishment's closure in 1855.

TOWN HALL 1891

POST OFFICE 1889



 





TWAS QUITE A WALK TO
THE ORIGINAL BURIAL GROUND!



LUNCH AT THE MAN OF ROSS HOTEL



ROSS

SUNDAY 25.12.2011: The Peel/Turner Motorhome approached Christmas with the usual fervour, but it was noted that we appeared to be the only soldiers celebrating the festive season! Very quiet on the Ross Caravan Park home front. During lunch we were fortunate enough to have background music provided by a female cellist staying at the park - excellent!

CHRISTMAS PHOTO 2011



MINE - A-L-L M-I-N-E!



ROSS - POPULATION: 272

SATURDAY 24.12.2011: We travelled toward our chosen Christmas venue and were continually asked our plans. We advised that our destination was Ross and hoped for a quiet time - repeatedly we received quizzical looks, comments that we would surely have a peaceful time and finally "yes, I once drove through Ross". As it turned out Ross and the stay at Ross Caravan Park for us, was perfect. Founded as a garrison in 1812, Ross is a picturesque Georgian village with a wealth of convict associations and a rich pastoral and military history.

 

 

CAMPBELL TOWN - POPULATION: 772

FRIDAY 23.12.2011: Spent last night at Conara Roadside Park - have been fortunate this week that all our stays were in Freedom Camps. Onward to Campell Town which was originally one of the four garrison towns linking Hobart and Launceston. One of Campbell Town's famous attractions is the convict-built Red Bridge (1838), the oldest bridge on the National Highway. It was named by Governor Macquarie after his wife, Elizabeth Campbell, as was the river passing through the town, the Elizabeth River. Campbell Town is also home to The Foxhunters Return, a colonial Georgian coaching inn built by convicts around 1833.  

COURT HOUSE - OPERATIONAL UP
UNTIL 4 YEARS AGO



DELORAINE - POPULATION: 2,243

THURSDAY 22.12.2011: Spent last night at Deloraine East Overnight Park and the following day concentrated on the important issues - Christmas shopping, hair cuts and exercising in an effort to eliminate the stiffness acquired over the past two days!

GOWRIE PARK

WEDNESDAY 21.12.2011: Ventured out to Mole Creek Caves and the Great Cathedral and Glow-Worms Tour. What a stunning experience, although it has to be noted that "medium fitness levels are required for this tour to ascend the stairway to the Great Cathedral" was a slight understatement. The Leyland Sisters were certainly taxed by the climb and at times found our breathing exceded the volume of the tour guide's presentation! The 'Gardens' feature delicate formations and beautiful colours. 

    

   

 

 

MASSIVE LIMESTONE FOSSIL





GOWRIE PARK

SUNDAY 18 - TUESDAY 20.12.2011: We made our way to a three night stay Freedom Camp at Gowrie Park. At our last two Freedom Camps we had marvelled at the "mountain" and made comment on our fortune at having such a backdrop. We set off to view "T-H-E" mountain (Cradle that is), and soon realised that the 300 photographs taken over the past days were of Mount Roland - nothing like informed tourists!

MOUNT ROLAND - RISES 1,234 METRES
ABOVE SEA LEVEL

The Cradle Mountain National Park of 161,000 hectares is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Its varied landscapes include rugged mountains, tall forests, windswept moors and glacial lakes.

CRADLE MOUNTAIN & DOVE LAKE

We managed three walks - Lake Lilla (posted as a 30 minute walk, but no mention of the steep descent and many, many, many steps). Thank goodness you were requested to sign in and out on your walks, there was reassurance in the fact that someone at some point would come looking for you!

  

LAKE LILLA



The Pencil Pine Falls and Rainforest Walk, plus the Enchanted Walk (a magical old growth rainforest) followed. The temperate rainforests were stunning. On the return shuttle trip we were fortunate enough to see both wombats and an echidna in their natural habitat.

PENCIL PINE FALLS

RAINFOREST WALK

 

ENCHANTED WALK

ENCHANTED WALK



Would love to report that we intentionally visited Wilmot. Alas, we missed a turn off and our 44 klms return to Gowrie Park became a 100 klms of  winding road! Wilmot is a small town with a village atmosphere and a rural pioneering background. The General Store at Wilmot has a link with the beginnings of the Coles family empire. Wilmot residents have created an attraction with a trail of ingenious letter boxes all along the C132 road beginning at Forth.


HOME TO THE FIRST COLES FAMILY
GENERAL STORE

SHEFFIELD - POPULATION: 1,397

FRIDAY 16 - SATURDAY 17.12.2011: Onward to Sheffield and the Sheffield Football and Cricket Club Freedom Camp (yes we watched a game of cricket). Sheffield has become a major tourist attraction due to  its' promotion as the "Town of Murals". The first town mural was painted in Sheffield in December 1986. Since then over 60 murals depicting the area's rich history and beautiful natural scenery are painted on walls scattered throughout the town and buildings along the roadside. The murals attract an estimated 120,000 people to the town annually. We visited the Emporium and purchased yet another Chess Set, the 'World of Marbles' (glass art) and the renowned Cherry Shop.

Called into Tasmazia and the Village of Lower Crackpot (very appropriate!). The world of Tasmazia is a crazy complex located in the wonderfully named town of Promised Land in the heart of Tasmania's beautiful Cradle Mountain and Lakes District. Tasmazia includes 8 mazes, featuring The Great Maze, reputedly the world's largest, as well as The Village of Lower Crackpot, a whimsical model village built to 1/5th scale. Needless to say we ended up terribly lost in the mazes and expended a considerable amount of energy trying to find our way "out"! 

Finished with a trip to Lake Barrington International Rowing Centre. Lake Barrington is 20 kilometers long and provides an international standard course for rowing, skiing and canoeing competitions. We report with pride that the Leyland Sisters have FINALLY fired the generator albeit if only to recharge our camera battery - have to start somewhere!

RAILTON - POPULATION: 900

WEDNESDAY 14 - THURSDAY 15.12.2011: Had to stop at the House of Anvers at Latrobe. Anvers Confectionary registered as a company and after 12 months of convincing the relevant authorities that a "full chocolate experience" on the Bass Highway was a good idea, the "House of Anvers" was opened by celebrity chef "Stephano De Pieri". Beautiful chocolate that warrants a return visit!

"BEST HOT CHOCOLATE
IN THE WORLD"

The next stop was at the village of Railton. It was first surveyed in 1853 and soon had a hotel, 3 churches, a school, telegraph station and a local turf club. Early settlers lived in slab huts and were mainly occupied in farming or timber cutting. The main street  used to accommodate the bullock teams making their way to the Railton Railway Station to load produce at the only railway in the Kentish district at the time.

By the 1900s Railton was a flourishing timber trade centre and had 2 sawmills. The railway line to Railton was completed in 1885. In early 1999, local business owners Stephen Rand (Bluey) and Neil Hurley were chatting about how to bring tourism to Railton. They decided on the "Town of Topiary" and planned and planted their own topiary - Neil planted Railton's first character topiary at his shop "Looking Glass Cottage" in October 1999 - A horse and farmer working an old plough - a living monument to the pioneering farmers of the district. There are now more than 130 topiaries with even more in the development stage.

Spent two nights at the Railton Motorhome Freedom stop and had a lovely time - beautiful scenery.

PORT SORELL - POPULATION: 2,211

TUESDAY 13.12.2011: Visited Port Sorell - the town was originally a fishing and sealing port named Burgess, however the name was officially changed to Port Sorell (after Governor Sorell) in 1822. The town could have been a lot larger than it is now, had it not been for bushfires, after which nearby Devonport grew to become a major port. Today Port Sorell is one of many popular holiday spots along the north coast of Tasmania.

We followed this by a drive through Latrobe. (Population: 2,843). It is one of Australia's finest heritage towns with 75 heritage listed buildings.

DEVONPORT (TASMANIA)

SUNDAY 11 - MONDAY 12.12 2011: Staying at the Abel Tasman Caravan Park which is close to all that we want to do in the area, but more importantly only 800 metres from the Spirit of Tasmania! First outing was to the Mersey Bluff Area. A headland of dolerite volcanic rock of Jurassic Age (185 million years). The rock was formed as a sill intrusion, faulted down to Bass Strait. The rock cooled giving joints and fractures. Some joints are "like packs of cards" and when eroded, give flat surfaces for seating and Tasmanian aboriginals to carve inscriptions on.

Onward to the Don River Railway. The railway was established in 1973, with trains running by 1976. Volunteer members of the Van Diemen Light Railway Society actually relaid the original track, restored the trains, signal box and 55' Turntable, plus built the railway station. The train experience is for a half hour return trip with beautiful countryside to be seen. The ongoing locomotive and rolling stock restoration is carried out by the members at the on site workshop.

  





 

SAWDUST BRIDGE



BARBECUE IN THE PARK!