Lake St Clair, over the Central Highlands to Launceston

Very frosty start to the day, ice on the windscreen so a few minutes waiting in the car with the heater on high before we could get going. Two hour drive to Lake St Clair and of course through beautiful national parks, my navigator actually took us on a wrong turn and we ended up driving through Tarraleah, past Bradys Lake and Bronte Lagoon (which is the geographical centre of Tasmania) which was actually the scenic route, so hats off to the navigators!!  We got some fuel at Derwent Bridge, a couple of kilometres from the lake.  One thing about driving through the wilderness of Tasmania in winter is the lack of traffic and a huge choice a car parks. 

We were the only ones in the visitors centre when we arrived so it was straight into coffee and cake for smoko.  A short walk around the Lake Clair jetty, beach and visitors centre to walk off the cake. 

After smoko it was off to Deloraine, another two hour drive broken in the middle by a couple of lookouts over the Tasmanian Lakes District, dominated by Great Lake right in the centre of the island.  Once again I think my navigators dozed off and we ended up on the Marlborough Highway, which as Highways go, was a bit of a disappointment.   It was about 40 kilometres of dirt road broken only by a million potholes.  Once again it was the scenic route through small villages we judged to be either holiday huts for keen fisher people or hermits who have had enough of civilisation??

Once again we drove through about 6 different environments from heavy timber, alpine vegetation to large agricultural plains.

Arrived in Deloraine and hit the jackpot for a 2pm lunch of burgers and stuff, best we've had.  Deloraine seems to be a very wealthy area and the town is well maintained with beautiful river walks and renovated old buildings.  It also has a Woolworths where we stocked up on goodies for our three nights in Launceston.  Arrived at our accommodation at about 4.30, just in time to unpack and open a beer.

Lake St Clair - both the start or the finish of the Overland track between Lake St Clair and Cradle Mountain.

The path to the pier

Browns cows

Still cold - so no swimming today

Even though the water is crystal clear

Back to the visitors centre

We've decided it must be busy in summer

Lake St Clair beach

Great Lake from the lookout

Babbling brook

The end of the road for someone

Marlborough Highway

Rocky mountain high

Can't go anywhere without someone looking over my shoulder!!

Mt Field and Gordon Dam

Very poor internet in Maydena last night so this is the catch up.

Woke to bright sunshine this morning and because we had a long day ahead we lit the fire, had breakfast, packed the car and was on the road by about 8.30.  First stop was New Norfolk to buy some bread for our gourmet dinner tonight (ham, cheese, tomato toasty) and grab a coffee before we wandered into the wilderness.  New Norfolk is a nice little town established in 1807 and looks like a huge paper mill is the heart of the towns employment.  The towns cafe makes a very good coffee and tasty sausage rolls.

Onwards to Mt Field National Park and a couple of short walks. First a 15 minute walk to Russell Falls and after all the rain over the last couple of weeks the falls were at their best.  We walked along a creek hoping to spot a platypus but looks like they may have gone north for the winter.  I’m sure the sun never gets to ground level as the fungi and moss all over downed timber and trees is so healthy.   I've never seen tree ferns as big as they grow here.

Back to the visitors centre, drive up the road to the Tall Timbers walk and you wouldn’t believe it but there were lots of tall trees on the walk, one measured at 77.17 metres.  Looking at the sign detailing these allegations seems to be about 20 years old so I’m guessing the tree is actually about 85 metres so I wish they’d update their signage so I can give you more accurate information.  I’ll be writing emails to Tasmania National Parks in an effort to motivate their staff!!

After we sorted out the Tasmania National Parks Service we started the hour and a half trip to Gordon Dam to inspect the Tasmanian Water Commission maintenance program.  They seem to be doing a good job, the dam wall is so tall and I couldn’t spot any leaks at all.  I did walk down the 2000 stairs to the dam wall.  Pam says it’s only 200 stairs but she didn’t do it so I’m not sure I credit her with any accuracy in this matter.

The drive out though was so interesting, started out in tall tree rainforest, going into rocky mountainous alps and low growing temperate marsh land.  There was no more than a 400 metres stretch of straight road in the 1.5hrs, I should have counted the corners but I’m sure that sort of information would be of no interest to you at all??  I can sure understand the campaigns motivation to lock these areas into a World Heritage Area all those years ago.

Arrived at Maydena at about 5pm after another very long day, looks like a two beer/one red wine evening and into bed before 8am.

Photos from the front yard of our house

Our next B&B??

Walking to Russell Falls

The Russell Falls

Creepy moss hanging off the trees

Some of the tall trees

Tall trees and a block head

Gordon Dam

Noelene living dangerously

Long way down

Vernon on the way down

Those stairs were locked

Looks like a zip line - no thanks!!

Someone made a late appearance....