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January 25 Tasmania 2008-2009I was not as well prepared as the Australia trip 07. I did not have the more permanent computer uptime, and now I am a million entries behind. So this is a catch up and a summary of the trip we just did to Tasmania and Victoria. Also see the attached albums, there will be a few, divided into groups of 6 to 9, for ease of viewing.
So, up to the last entry, we had arrived at Penny and Dales after a good trip to Tas. We stayed for another 10 days at the shop generally getting under toes and doing stuff. Penny and Dale had the chance to get away for day trips and also stayed in Launceston for a ghost tour and other touristy things. We enjoyed looking after the shop and this was a good relaxing time.
Following the shop we moved off to the town of Stanley (NW Tas) and had another good time, there is so much to see and do in so many Tassie towns. We stopped off in Ulverstone to look at our house there, then stopped again at Bernie and made some paper at the Creative Paper Factory. Good fun activities that saw us arrive in Stanley still in holiday mode.
Stanley was fun, a volcanic plug to tramp around and brilliant seafood and good things to do. We stayed three days and then moved on to Beauty Point (a bit north of Launceston). We camped right by the Tamar River and enjoyed the Platypus and Seahorse Breeding sheds, and had a great visit to the Beaconsfield Gold and Heritage Centre, one of those 'interactive' museums that are so much fun for all kids of all ages.
We then went back to visit Penny and Dale for the day (and went to an estate auction that was a lot of fun, and we won on one lot that included a typewriter for Anita) and then had an easy and relaxed trip of the Spirit of Tasmania back to the main land.
We saw Angie and James in Melbourne and went for a couple of tram rides and dinner right by the water at St. Kilda, vv trendy and more great seafood.
We stayed in Coburg overnight (because we could) and then the next day we did the big one and after a stop in Albury for a swim, we did the whole Melbourne to Sydney trip in the one day (about 870 kms), but nice to get home.
SO that was it, another 3500km and another 10 nights of camping in the trailer, so we are up to 102 nights now. Still dividing down that cost !!
Next trip? Who knows - - - not us, yet.
Love from all the Chattertons. January 02 At Penny and Dale's, Barrington, TasmaniaWe are in Tassie, and loving it, even the four seasons in one forenoon! Bendigo was great, we had pottery lessons from a master potter, saw the Dragon Meuseum, (which houses the largest festival dragon in the world) and had a general great time. We easily could have stayed quite a few more days - nice town, with a good feel to it. We had an easy trip to Melbourne and visited the Williamsontown relatives and had an afternoon tea which was good. A quick re-pack by the park and then we only had to wait a short time to board to the ferry. The trip south was easy, dinner on board and a good nights sleep. It was not too rough and we woke to the sight of Tasmania from the porthole, so a quick pack and into the car, we were off very quickly and on the way by 6:30am. We met Penny on the road and then started to relearn the shop lessons. So not many entries on this website, but we are glad to be here and travelling again. I shall add a couple of albums of pictures, they tell a lot more than I do! December 29 At BendigoStart of our 2008/9 trip to Tasmania.
We have had a good start to our trip so far. We got out of the house in good time and did some big mileage to make Albury in one day. 590km (and two DVDs) and it went really well. The advantage of that was the next morning we spend some hours at the Albury Swim Centre - which is really excellent, the water was the best temperature and there is a fun water slide that we all enjoyed. We met a very pleasant couple from Canberra at the camp site and spent a little time chatting to them so it was a quick, but pleasant stay in Albury. After the waterslide we had an easy 4 hour trip to Bendigo. We stopped for a short visit in Muchison Victoria and had a look around and then arrived here about 5:30. Enjoying the trip so far, I find it really great to be out and about again. Plan is to have a day here in Bendigo (Tue 30) and then onto the boat to Tasmania on Wednesday - yah !! December 19 Getting Ready for TasmaniaThis is more of a test entry than anything else, about to get ready for our trip south to Tasmania. Visiting Penny and Dale, looking after the shop for a bit while they have a break, and generally relaxing. I will be keeping this basic log going, and keep counting the nights. We have now camped 92 nights - 80 on the main round Australia trip, 4 nights at Merry Beach (Easter 08) - 5 nights during school holidays, April 08 and 3 nights at Hill End. This upcoming trip may break the hundred!! April 25 April 2008 - School Holiday Camping TripThis will be the last use of the Camper until the end of the year - next stop Tasmania. This school holdiay trip was going to be about 8 or so days but was cut back to five after we got tired of the rain and everything being wet. From Sydney we went to Tamworth via a night at the Towarri National Park. We had the camp site to ourselves and that is where I had my 50th Birthday with some lovely cakes and an open fire. Very me. A side trip to the 'Buring Mountain' was good, about a two hour walk to see where the buring bit was, it has been going for about 5000 years, and has a few more millions of tons of coal to go before it is finished. Tamworth for two nights followed and we really liked the place. Very friendly. Camped next to the Peel River, again mostly on our own. Visited the excellent Power House Museum and had a personal guided tour. Great things to see and touch. A trip to the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park had us camped next to the massive gorge - and again, the camp ground was basically empty - and another opportunity for an open fire and a BBQ - nice (but still wet!). after this we got as far as Forster/Tuncurry and stayed an unplanned night at the local council campground - ok, but more touristy. That was where we called it a day and went back home - and as of writing this on 25 April it is only just getting dry after 9 days. |
Thanks for visiting!
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(wettest summer in history!) 
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