You may recall that in my last I included a photo of a pretty basic campsite near us where a family with two quite young children were living in a tent sheltered by a tarp. You may also remember that I had mentioned that I had felt sorry for them.
And this is why. After the beautiful weather we had enjoyed during our one day here at Myrtle Bank, the skies opened overnight. It absolutely poured. All around us was sodden. How the folk nearby could have possibly stayed dry was beyond me.
Fortunately we were already hitched, so were able to be on our way with a minimum of sloshing about, although by the time I was ensconced in the comfort of the Cruiser's cabin I was not exactly bone dry!
Things did not improve for some time. As we again took to the A3
there was no doubt that summer had fled Tasmania and the damp and chill of early autumn was well and truly upon us. The time to leave the Apple Isle was fast approaching.
But we still had lots to see and do. We were off to Deloraine, a trip which would take us back through Launceston and on about 50 kms to the west of it.
Fortunately we were able to skirt past the end of this town on the Tamar, not that we were able to see much of the homes on the hills which were shrouded in the mist and gloom.
In this weather I was pretty happy that we did not have to tussle with the traffic of Lonnie for too long.
I was also happy about the fact that we had only 80 kms to travel this morning with not a mountain in sight!
By the time we had reached Westbury, some 20 kms east of Deloraine, the rain was easing,
but the clouds ahead were still low, thick and threatening. We would return to Westbury within a couple of days (fine and sunny) to discover one of the most charming towns on the island.
As this junction sign indicates, Deloraine is within striking distance of both Cradle Mountain and the Highland lakes. We were back in Great Western Tiers country, and in fact would be only about 25 kms east of Mole Creek. But then, as you all now know as well as we do, nothing in Tassie is really too far from anything else!
Obviously we arrived in Deloraine and took up our spot in the Apex Caravan Park in the lifting drizzle, conditions which were anything but conducive for photos. So let's do a fast forward to the next day when again all was meteorological sweetness and light.
The first thing which has to be said about this park is that it sits in very close company with one of Tasmania's main railway lines. Very close company indeed. So, after paying our dues at the park office which is actually not on site, but across the road,
we drove across the tracks and into the park.
We did pause just long enough to read the very prominently displayed notice at the park entry.
Hardly encouraging we thought! This disclaimer certainly confirmed that our new home was Council owned and that the local authority risk manager had some clout, as did the financial officer!
On entry this road took us past the park BBQ shelter and down towards our site.
And here we were to learn the second feature of this park.....in this section of it where the vans all line up between the roadway and the river, the sites could be best described as tight,
as this shot so clearly shows. We were not able to extend our awning at all, a situation which was made worse on this particular day by our newly arrived neighbour who did not have the brains or the courtesy (I'm not sure which) to have placed his van within the marked space to which he was directed. This dill encroached on our already limited area by a good metre.
Fortunately he and his particularly sour wife (she had the temerity to accuse me of being rude when I quite politely...true!.....pointed out his error) were only here for the one night. He flatly refused to shift and then parked his truck so close to ours that Liz could not open her door. Needless to say there was later retribution, but I'll retain the 'how and when' card close to my chest thank you!
Despite the squeeze, these sites did have a real bonus, but I'll come to that shortly. Firstly, a quick look around the rest of the camp.
The nearby camp kitchen was oddly fortified with rather intimidating mesh screens (a sight which did put us on full alert) but was more than functional internally,
and the amenities, a short distance further down the park roadway, were not the Ritz, but were perfectly adequate.
This end of the park was also home to the camping area
and the caravan sites which were not serviced by either power or water. At least those who chose to live off the grid could do so with plenty of room. And as this shot shows, despite the odd drawback, this was just the most delightful park as far as scenic surrounds went.
So what was in it for those of us so cosily tucked in together in the powered section (apart from the obvious that is...power). The answer to that is simple, and to demonstrate what I mean I wandered down to the picturesque arched bridge which crossed the river a short distance from our site.
From there I can bring you the back view of the row (that's us arrowed) which shows that behind us we had a beautiful riverside seat looking out over the delightful Meander River which flows through Deloraine.
We took full advantage each evening, thanking the weather gods for smiling on us for the remainder of our stay.
And of course there is no show without Punch. Max actually gets quite grumpy if he is not included in happy hour, and even more so if we do not have one at all for whatever reason. Then he will prowl around the van grizzling and griping as though his world is about to come to and end. We can almost set our watches by him at 1630 hours. Needless to say he was more than happy here in Deloraine.
Mind you Max was not our only animal company. Happy hour coincided daily with duck dinner time. As this lot were scouring the mud of the river floor for a tasty morsel or two the origin of the phrase 'head down and bum up' was not hard to determine.
With open views down to the bridge one way
and over the calm and reflective waters of The Meander the other, how could these happy hours be anything but enjoyable, even if the afternoon temperatures were tending a tad chill
We had heard that there could be platypus in this wide, gently flowing stream. 'The Platypus Whisperer' was soon on the job.
She stood transfixed at the centre of the span of the bridge until, after some minutes, a frantic waving brought me to her side. "Look", was her whispered command. Sure enough there was the tell tale swirl that could mean only one thing (when you know what you are looking for, that is....and after Geeveston, Huonville and Mole Creek I knew I was in the presence of an expert !).
Sure enough, like a surfacing submarine minus a conning tower, this fine fellow was soon on full display, paddling along, utterly unconcerned, in the full view of those smart enough to be in position to watch this wonderful sight.
Liz was understandably chuffed.....bragging rights were yet again hers. I knew dammed well that this was just the beginning. It was.
It is a rare event indeed when my beloved travelling companion beats yours truly out of the cot in the mornings. But today the sun had barely banished the gloom of the night and cast a wan glow over the rising river mists when the van door clipped shut, and she was off.
I have to concede that my obligatory morning coffee was a higher priority for me, and I noted with satisfaction that the camera was missing from its normal spot on the shelf above the door. Ah, but would she remember to snap the shutter in the excitement which inevitably follows a sighting.
She did, bless her, and our platypus photo portfolio continues to grow.
As she later explained (or was she bragging...I remain unsure) she had had to be quick. If this was the same little monotreme which had performed for us yesterday afternoon, today it was far less engaging. Liz had barely focused when, with another characteristic swirl, it was gone, undoubtedly sweeping the river bed with its ultra sensitive bill for any electronic signs of breakfast.
The park here at Deloraine presented us with two experiences which could not have been more different...the serene and silent movements of the platypus, and, at the completely opposite end of the sensory spectrum, the roar and rattle of large freight trains.
You will recall that the line ran parallel to, and but metres away from, our row of sites. By now, after our experiences at Penguin and Railton, we thought we would be pretty used to all this.
Not so. The warning rumble had me out of the van in a flash.
Unlike Penguin in particular, where the passage of these thumping diesel engines and the subsequent clatter and hiss of the carriages over the tracks was done at very slow speed, here in Deloraine the trains thundered through. I had to scurry to grab this shot showing just how closely they pass by.
Unsurprisingly I was not the only one stirred into action by this event. I have to admit that on our arrival, when we saw just how close the tracks were, we did wonder about disrupted sleep, but fortunately the schedules here were such that we weren't shaken out of our slumbers with the waking fear that a freight train was about to upend our van and take us down the track with it.
So as you can see, The Deloraine Apex Caravan Park was one with varied appeal, but as I shall share with you in my next offering, the plus sign was far larger than the minus.
and over the calm and reflective waters of The Meander the other, how could these happy hours be anything but enjoyable, even if the afternoon temperatures were tending a tad chill
We had heard that there could be platypus in this wide, gently flowing stream. 'The Platypus Whisperer' was soon on the job.
She stood transfixed at the centre of the span of the bridge until, after some minutes, a frantic waving brought me to her side. "Look", was her whispered command. Sure enough there was the tell tale swirl that could mean only one thing (when you know what you are looking for, that is....and after Geeveston, Huonville and Mole Creek I knew I was in the presence of an expert !).
Sure enough, like a surfacing submarine minus a conning tower, this fine fellow was soon on full display, paddling along, utterly unconcerned, in the full view of those smart enough to be in position to watch this wonderful sight.
Liz was understandably chuffed.....bragging rights were yet again hers. I knew dammed well that this was just the beginning. It was.
It is a rare event indeed when my beloved travelling companion beats yours truly out of the cot in the mornings. But today the sun had barely banished the gloom of the night and cast a wan glow over the rising river mists when the van door clipped shut, and she was off.
I have to concede that my obligatory morning coffee was a higher priority for me, and I noted with satisfaction that the camera was missing from its normal spot on the shelf above the door. Ah, but would she remember to snap the shutter in the excitement which inevitably follows a sighting.
She did, bless her, and our platypus photo portfolio continues to grow.
As she later explained (or was she bragging...I remain unsure) she had had to be quick. If this was the same little monotreme which had performed for us yesterday afternoon, today it was far less engaging. Liz had barely focused when, with another characteristic swirl, it was gone, undoubtedly sweeping the river bed with its ultra sensitive bill for any electronic signs of breakfast.
The park here at Deloraine presented us with two experiences which could not have been more different...the serene and silent movements of the platypus, and, at the completely opposite end of the sensory spectrum, the roar and rattle of large freight trains.
You will recall that the line ran parallel to, and but metres away from, our row of sites. By now, after our experiences at Penguin and Railton, we thought we would be pretty used to all this.
Not so. The warning rumble had me out of the van in a flash.
Unlike Penguin in particular, where the passage of these thumping diesel engines and the subsequent clatter and hiss of the carriages over the tracks was done at very slow speed, here in Deloraine the trains thundered through. I had to scurry to grab this shot showing just how closely they pass by.
Unsurprisingly I was not the only one stirred into action by this event. I have to admit that on our arrival, when we saw just how close the tracks were, we did wonder about disrupted sleep, but fortunately the schedules here were such that we weren't shaken out of our slumbers with the waking fear that a freight train was about to upend our van and take us down the track with it.
So as you can see, The Deloraine Apex Caravan Park was one with varied appeal, but as I shall share with you in my next offering, the plus sign was far larger than the minus.
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