Scottsdale and NE Rail Trail - November 2014

We decided to pop up to Scottsdale and test out our lovely new (non-assisted, yes we want to put more effort into our recreational riding now!) bikes on the new North East Rail Trail.  It was a lovely weekend and we had quite a busy morning.  Di helped to set up the bike valet parking at the Sustainable Living Festival and then we took a tour around the stalls before starting to pack Wanda for our trip.

We finally left Hobart about 1pm.  The day was hot and blustery, with a total fire ban in the south.  We headed straight up to Launceston, wanting to get there as quickly as possible.  Our first stop was beside quiet Lake Dulverton in Oatlands, where we enjoyed watching the birdlife as well as eating our gourmet picnic lunch.  It was surprising to find that most of the shops in Oatlands were closed on a Saturday.

Some last minute shopping for charcoal beads in Perth was unsuccessful, but the giant Bunnings at Kingsmeadows had them. 

The drive along the A3 (the Tasman Highway) from Launceston to Scottsdale was winding and pretty.  This was the view from The Sideling, looking down towards Scottsdale:

Our low cost camping guide suggested a peaceful picnic area as a (no facilities) overnight campsite in the forest just south of Springfield, and we found it quite easily.  Yes, it was secluded and private, a large lush meadow hidden in a pine plantation, with solid picnic tables and one remaining functional bbq.  We were the only visitors there and loved it.  

The picnic area was well sheltered from winds by the surrounding forest, and in the quiet evening we could indulge in some bird watching.  I counted:  Yellow throated honeyeater; Black cockatoos;  Forest raven;   Falcon;  Black headed honeyeaters, but there were heaps more.

Robert tried out our excellent camping barbecue, and produced a very tasty bbq chicken w potatoes and salad.

After dinner, the coals came in useful to create a toasty campfire:

Timing it well, a light rain started just as we were starting to think about bed, and it was lovely lying in bed listening to the rain on the roof.  Handily, there was a little shelter just the right size to keep our bikes dry too :).

Sunday morning was cool and overcast.  We hit the town of Scottsdale, hoping to find a good cafe. The town was looking well maintained, with the newsagent, Woollies and a couple of cafes open.  I counted three ATMs.  Sadly the bakery that had been recommended to us was closed, and we didn't spot the boutique brewery or the bike shop.  

At the Information Centre we enquired about how to find the Rail Trail.  We were provided with directions, a detailed map and a NE MTB newsletter, a good start.  Coffee at the Scottsdale Steak Out was OK.

4km to the east, the Rail Trail is well signposted off the highway at Tonganah, onto Tonganah Rd:

Unfortunately the signage is less helpful at the actual start of the trail.  An arrow towards the trail would have been useful, as you could be forgiven for thinking that the ploughed up remains of the old railway line is meant to be the trail.  You wouldn't ride a bike along that!  The rail trail sign has been vandalised, with the "Motor" part of the "Motorbikes Prohibited" sign peeled off.  Clearly there is a bit of competition around here from the trail bikers.

But there is a gravel road departing from the left of the carpark so we decided to see if that would lead us to the rail trail, and it did.

The first section of the trail was fairly smooth, on service roads alongside the old track, and very pleasant riding.  There was a sign missing where we should have turned right to cross the old line, and we soon found ourselves back at the highway!  Backtracking, we found where we should have turned, and just beyond that we found (at last) a couple of useful signs.  Here the track inclines up a small hill and then maintains a very slight incline for several kilometres.  

 There are some very pretty patches, such as this fern-lined cutting:

Unfortunately, we found the track heavy going, as the gravel was a very coarse size, in patches often 2-3cm.

This made picking our way a bit of a chore, and particularly didn't suit Robert's commuter bike.  My hybrid could make it, but it wasn't exactly a relaxing ride.  So we turned around after about 3 km and enjoyed the downhill run back to the beginning. MTBs are the best bike for this ride, until the surface is covered with a finer gravel.

Back on the road and heading toward Derby, we saw where the current rail trail ends back at the highway at Billycock Hill.  Riders then have to manage on the highway for a short stretch before the trail resumes in the direction of Legerwood.  Apparently there are no cafes for end of trip refreshments at Legerwood (take your own coffee!). 

In Derby the locals are eagerly awaiting the new world class MTB trails currently under construction there (Cascade Forest Trails), which are due to be launched in mid December.   At Hobbyts Dragon Art Co-op, local craftswoman Carla is making bike jewellery - pendants, earrings and keyrings made from wire and buttons.  Also chain link bracelets, pendants and earrings.  I couldn't resist!

We found the evocative Chinese memorial at Moorina, where the early Chinese miners were cremated or buried.  The traditional burial involved the bones being dug up several years later and shipped back to the family home in China.  Moorina used to be the main tin mining town in the area - all gone now! 

Devonport Jazz and coastride - July 2014

Barb, Di and Robert had tickets for the Devonport Jazz Festival.  Barb was travelling separately, and we set off with Wanda on Friday afternoon.  It was a pleasant drive up north, with the only fly in the ointment being the predicted northern rains that started falling onto our bikes on the back.  Just before 5pm closing time we found the hardware shop in Longford and purchased a small tarpaulin which we could use to protect the bikes both from the weather and from unwanted local interest when Wanda was parked in the city of Devonport.

We arrived in Devonport at about 5.30pm and parked in an almost empty council carpark just around the corner from the Devonport Entertainment Centre.  A great location.  We wrapped the tarp around the bikes, and got changed for the theatre.  Next we needed dinner, and we found a new Asian restaurant (well, new to us) right next door to the theatre.  Barb located us and shared a wine.  We told the manager that we needed to be out of there within the hour, but somehow that message didn't get through to the chef, and we had to leave most of our main course on the plate when we left for the start of the show at 7pm.

First up was Vince Jones and his excellent band.  This was a fantastic performance from a great talent who also shared his concerns about the planet.    After the show we had wine and cheese with Barb in Wanda.

On Saturday morning we rode our bikes out to the Devonport Bluff to the Drift Cafe.

We had a table booked for a gourmet breakfast and to enjoy a jazz duo.  Barb walked back into town and Robert and I rode to the Saturday market at the Showground.  This was a fairly small affair, with only one organic producer that we could see.  This lovely art and craft building hinted at past glories:

On the other side of the showground we were delighted to find a chook show.

Next up was lunch at the Tapas Cafe, where we heard the Pete Cornelius' band, King Cake.  Unfortunately the sound was too loud and the food nothing to write home about.

Barb drove us out to the Ghost Rock Winery but we found that it was booked out.  Back at the DECC we caught the Adelaide band tribute to John Coltrane, which was excellent, and probably more enjoyable than what we had missed out on at Ghost Rock.

Next on our program was Melissa Oliveira and her band from Amsterdam, with Portuguese influences.

Back to Drift Cafe with Barb for dinner.  If there was somewhere else worth eating out at in Devonport, we hadn't found it yet.  And next morning, Robert and I had breakfast there again, after stopping to check out the view from the bluff.

While Barb headed back south, we drove to Shearwater for a bike ride organised by the Bicycle Tasmania NW group. It was great to put faces to some familiar names and to get to know Keith, Richard, Roger and Graham a bit better.  Richard took us on a 25km circuit of Shearwater. It was a very enjoyable ride, the first section on offroad coastal trail, and the middle section on fairly quiet country roads.

Farewelling our new friends, we headed Wanda towards Launceston, stopping for a picnic lunch at the Batman Hill Lookout.  The last stop was for fuel in Campbelltown.

Mountain River - July 2014

Di and Robert had plans for a wassailing weekend in the Huon Valley.  On the Saturday we had a date with Kat, Philip, Austin and Sophie at the Huon Mid Winter Feast at Willie Smith's cider shed.  It would be good to ride our bikes there, as there was no parking at the site.  

It was a lovely sunny day when we arrived at Misty Hill Rd.  Sophie was still suffering severe jet lag from her flight from Europe the day before and her riding legs were quite out of condition.  But she was up for a ride, so we jumped on our bikes and enjoyed the mostly downhill ride along Mountain River Rd and the short stretch of highway to the cider barn.  

The place was buzzing, with people in pagan mid winter kit all over the place, kids dancing around the maypole, music, an Argentian bbq and lots of food and drink stalls.  The MONA event organisers were doing a great job.

Kat and Philip had got a head start on us and could recommend some good first choices.  The food and mulled wine were great. We enjoyed the best mid winter costume competition, and then watched the huge bonfire being lit.

While there was still good light on the road, we rode back to Mountain River, this time the ride was mostly slightly uphill (!).  After a lovely dinner and more wine, we fell into bed in Wanda.

The morning news was full of the airline disaster in the Ukraine, but the crisp winter morning was beautiful.

All too soon we were heading home again, to get some Sunday tasks done.

Lake Catagunya - April 2014

Anzac Day was on a Friday, and another long weekend beckoned.  The grand plan was to take Wanda away for a couple of nights and then rendezvous on the Sunday morning with our walking group for the Mt Field East walk.
First problem, we found the engine battery was so flat that we couldn't open the electric doors.  We got a nice man from RACT roadside assistance to visit, check it out and charge it up for us. Lucky we'd upgraded our roadside cover to include Wanda! All this took some time, so we ate the lunch we'd prepared to have on the road on the kitchen table while all this was taking place.  We didn't get underway until 2pm.

After the obligatory stop for fuel and tyre checks, we hit the Lyell Highway (A1) and headed towards the west coast.  At 3pm, we toyed with the idea of camping at Hamilton, on the camping ground down by the river, but decided to keep going.  Our "Free Camping in Australia" book showed a couple of opportunities up towards the old Hydro town of Wayatinah.  About 21 km past Ouse, we found the turnoff (C604) to Lake Catagunya.  This road was unsealed but pretty sound  and we followed the directions towards the boat ramp. We found a quiet camping area (no facilities) right on the edge of the placid little lake.  No-one else was around and it was already 3.45pm, so we placed Wanda in the best position, right on the lakeside, and set up our chairs to enjoy the view.

Of course, ten minutes later another motorhome (quite like Wanda) appeared.  They had a little dog and a dinghy and seemed to be quite familiar with the place.  They set out fishing, no doubt to get trout for dinner.

 Robert made a yummy chicken curry for our dinner, and we enjoyed some old movies on TV.  There was no ABC TV reception here!  Sacre bleu.  Later Robert watched the footie and Di finished 'The Maneaters of Tsavo', stirring tales of dangerous maneating lions which attacked the workers building the rail line from Mobasa to Nairobi. There was light rain overnight, and more in the morning.

Next morning another mob turned up with a tinnie and tried some fishing.  We set off, planning to camp at Mt Field, but we took a short diversion first to have a look at Wayatinah. The camping ground there is quite large and busy, and the old town very quiet. Soon we noticed that the house battery was making odd clicking noises and was not recharging as it should from the car battery. After watching it for a while, we decided it would be foolhardy to try camping overnight again, as the battery would not support our heater, and it was going to snow.  Best to go home instead.

On the way, we diverted onto C608 to look at Meadowbank Lake and check out the camping facilities there.  The lake is pretty, but 1km past the lake the campground next to the toilets at the top of the rise is pretty stark.  The road from there down to the campground at lake level looked a bit too rough for Wanda, although the camping area itself looked reasonably quiet and attractive.

We continued on towards Ellendale which looked pretty and quiet, this would be a good spot for tourists to stay before enjoying Mt Field and, possibly in the future, the Derwent Valley Rail Trail.  We tried out a little road up to the right, looking for a spot to see platypus in the creek.  No luck.  Ellendale is just under Mt Field East, where we would be walking the very next day.

The weather was still low and drizzly when we arrived in New Norfolk, good weather for visiting antique shops.  So we discovered the Drill Hall and a couple of its lesser neighbours.  Di was looking out for a wall cupboard to hide the new NBN boxes in, but couldn't find just the right thing.

From there, it was a short trip home.

The investigation of the house battery's clicking noise led to Wanda receiving a set of solar panels, which would help to keep the battery charged up when we enjoyed "free camping".

Lake Pedder - March 2014

It was the Labour Day long weekend, so a good chance to get away.  Several friends had talked about their recent visits to Lake Pedder, and we realised we had not been down that way for a very long time.

We set out on Sunday 9 March.  It was an hour to the Mt Field Visitor Centre, where we bought a Mt Wedge Tasmap and asked whether it would be safe to take Wanda on the Scotts Peak Road.  The response was reassuring, so we set off in high spirits.

We stopped to enjoy the view at the Tim Shea lookout, and then stopped for lunch at the Wedge River picnic area.  This is a quiet little spot, sitting just under the Sentinel Range, next to the pretty little Wedge River which trickles away hidden inside the bush.

More photos were called for when we first reached the new Lake Pedder, at the Hermit Basin, with the Frankland Range in the far distance.

We passed the old hydro town of Strathgordon, and popped up the hill to the Serpentine Lookout.  This little hill has great views down the Serpentine Reach towards where the original Lake Pedder still lies submerged under the larger current Lake Pedder.

We drove on to visit the enormous Gordon Dam, which was a great engineering achievement in its time.

The water levels in Lake Gordon were quite low, some 5 metres below the maximum level.

We walked down the many steps and all the way around the top of the dam.  It is all very large!

Climbing back up to the road, we drove back to the Serpentine Lookout, where we parked for the night.  At one stage we thought we were going to have to share the carpark with some motorbike tourers, but they decided the ground would be softer down on the lawns of the village.

There was a curious incident with a camera.  After several cars had been and gone, Robert noticed an expensive camera sitting on the tarmac.  He picked it up and moved it to a safer place.  An hour or so later, one of the motor bikes came back, and the rider started looking anxiously around.  He was pretty amazed (and grateful) to find his camera there still!

It was very peaceful on the lookout hill, we felt very privileged to have it all to ourselves.  The views from the bedroom window towards the morning's sunrise the next morning were magnificent.

After a quiet breakfast on Monday morning, we drove back along the Pedder road, and turned right onto the unsealed Scotts Peak Road.  We had been worried that this road would be difficult for Wanda, but it was well maintained and no problem at all.   Our first stop was the magical little creatures wilderness trail, obviously built by hobbits.

We passed the challenging Mt Anne and Mt Eliza on the left, there were quite a few fit looking walking parties heading up there.  We kept motoring to the Scotts Peak Dam.

The water is beautiful and clear, with the colour of the tannins. The white and pink stones of the beach are very collectable.

We drove to the lookout hill, and spent some time gazing over the area where the real Lake Pedder is submerged, and also scanning the southern mountain ranges towards the South Coast track.

Finally dragging ourselves away, we headed homewards.

Coast along the Coast - February 2014

We decided to join Paul (Basil) O'Halloran on a pre-election organised Sunday bike ride (Coast along the Coast) in the North West.  It was Regatta Day weekend in the south, so it would be a nice long weekend for us.

Our plan for our first night was to be under Mt Roland.  We headed north up the Midlands Highway and stopped for a picnic lunch on the banks of the Elizabeth River, in Campbelltown.

Ambling through the back streets we saw some fascinating old cottages.  Feeling adventurous we decided to check out some new routes, and turned off the highway just after Campbelltown, onto Macquarie Road.   The quiet country roads were lovely, and we passed the centre of the Tasmanian poppy industry as well.  Eventually we came upon Woolmers Estate and soon were rolling through the village of Longley.

Turning left coming out of Longley, we ducked under the Bass Highway and took the Heritage Route westwards along Meander Valley Highway and Meander Valley Rd, passing through Westbury and  stopping briefly at Deloraine. We discovered we were on the route of the Great Western Tiers Rides, and passed several of the signposts where riders might stop and listen to the podcast descriptions of the local attractions.

Out of Deloraine, we headed west on Mole Creek Main Rd,  now on the lookout for potential campsites. We passed the Melita Honey Farm, and then the Mole Creek Caravan Park, but turned into the hills to cut north through to Mt Roland. The Gog Hills were lovely, but we soon came upon the area known as Paradise.  It is now Paradise Lost, with the previously lush farmlands now overtaken by forestry operations, and the remnant farms looking pretty depressed.

At about this time we noticed a bit of smoke in the air, and my check of the Emergency app mentioned a fire at Claude Rd.  We popped out of the forests onto (guess what) Claude Rd, and the smoke was coming from the west, right where we needed to go!  But as we drove through the Claude Rd village, we passed a bunch of firefighters relaxing with a beer in the CFS shed, and figured that the fire must now be under control.

Arriving at Gowrie Park Wilderness Village, we were underwhelmed by the "wilderness appeal".  The powered van sites were crammed together on a gravel parking area just next to the road,with a couple of token trees.  We chose a more pleasant piece of lawn behind the communal buildings, screened by trees and with reasonable views of Mt Roland towering up behind us.

Next morning we drove through Sheffield and took a quick look at the shops and the murals.  We were due at Turners Beach at 11.30am, so we couldn't linger for coffee.  At Turners Beach we eventually found the meeting point, Gables Park, at the far eastern end of the esplanade.

By 11.30 about a dozen other keen bike riders had arrived, and we met Basil, the energetic Greens MHA for Braddon. We cycled along the Coastal Pathway towards Ulverstone, on a mixture of offroad shared paths and quiet local streets.  It was lovely.

Once at Ulverstone, the protected pathways came to an end and we ventured further west to inspect where the Coastal Pathway could be extended to.  We stopped at the fantastic geological marvel that is Goat Island.  Basil used to be a high school geography teacher, and his enthusiastic description of the geological events of 520 million years ago was inspiring. The colours, twists and folds in the conglomerate rocks were incredible to see.

Basil and the Cradle Coast Authority have a great vision for the shared NW Coastal Pathway, that it be extended along the coast to provide a great drawcard for geo-tourism, food and adventure tourism.

It was starting to rain as we headed Wanda eastwards.  After Devonport we once again left the main road, switching to Frankford Road and other backroads, till we came out on the West Tamar Highway around Beaconsfield. Turning left, we arrived at Greens Beach as the wind was worsening.  We took a site in the Caravan Park in the lee of a permanent van and settled in for the night. Here we discovered that the power cable connection to our bike rack had got caught on something on the road and been torn to pieces, rats! A walk along the beach revealed it is a lovely spot for family holidaymaking, and has great views over Port Dalrymple.

Next morning the storm had passed and it was a gorgeous day.

We rode up along the headland to overlook Badger Head and Narawntapu National Park.  That would be another nice place to visit!  Heading Wanda southwards, we stopped in to see the platypuses at Beauty Point, and also enjoyed seeing the echnidnas there.  It was nice to run into old friends Ken and Dianne there.  We thought we would have lunch at Strathlynn,

but the restaurant was closed, so next we tried the restaurant at Josef Chromy Wines.  What a treat - the food and wines were excellent, as were the views over the vineyard.  After a quick stop at Evandale at the Tasmanian Sauce Company for more of our favourite Kasoundi curry sauce, we were on our way home. One last diversion was taking the Richmond Road from Jericho.