Tasmania Travels - Port Arthur

Early morning departure on the Convict Trail self-drive route, for the Tasman Peninsula and Port Arthur, about 70 mins from Hobart. We stopped enroute at the Tessellated Pavement, a natural formation of what looks like neatly laid tiles on the shoreline. 

Crossing over the narrow strip of Eaglehawk Neck, we stopped at the Blowhole, Devil's Kitchen and Tasman Arch - all with stunning views of the windswept coastline. Pretty wildflowers bloomed amongst the hardy shrubbery. 

An eco boat popped into view under the arch, bobbing about in the rough waters of what looks like a fantastic coastal cruise. 

 

Arriving at Port Arthur around midday, we booked in for the next harbour cruise. 
The 25 minute ride was a great introduction to the site and gave a different perspective from the water. 



Views from the water were spectacular, as we cruised past the tiny Isle of the Dead, where convicts were buried in unmarked graves and military graves with tall headstones could be seen. 

Back on dry land, we walked around the historic site. Some buildings remain fairly intact, others were just facades, propped up by steel beams on the other side.

 

Remember the 3 nuns from Hobart? We saw them again! 

On the hour, church bells would peal, adding a poignant touch to the ambience of the place. The sun shone brightly in the cloudless blue sky. The convicts lives must have been a living hell and I imagine this place must have a different atmosphere on a cold winter's day. 

The site of the Port Arthur tragedy brought a tear to my eye, just thinking of that horrific day and the lives taken. We sat in silence by the reflection pool in the memorial garden and hugged our kids.

The weather played nice and we had a wonderful visit to Port Arthur. We missed seeing the Coal Mines Historic Site a little further down the road, but we had to leave something for next time...

Tasmania travels - Bruny Island

An easy drive from Hobart to the Bruny Island Ferry at Kettering, then a quick trip over the calm water and we were on the island, heading for  South Bruny.

Our first stop was Allonah. There was an Historical Society adjoining the Post Office, so we popped in for a peek to see if there was any information on my great-great-great grandfathers, who both settled here in the 1800's. The staff member at the PO couldn't help us with the historical stuff, but mentioned there was an old cemetery out the back that might be worth a look.
A lovely old cemetery it was, overlooking the water. And there, smack bang in the middle, was g-g-g-grandfather #1 and his wife. He was a Portuguese man who apparently jumped off an American whaling ship and set up home in this gorgeous little island of Tasmania, working on a ferry service.

As far South as we could go, was the Bruny Island Lighthouse. Standing tall and proud, overlooking the rugged cliffs of Cape Bruny where a lone albatross surveyed its domain.

We meandered around South Bruny, had lunch by the water and inhaled every breath of that fresh, salty air. We still had some sights to see, so we headed North to The Neck, the strip of land that divides the two section of Bruny. A wooden boardwalk and steps led to a viewing deck, Truganinin Lookout,  that looked down upon the magnificent scenery below.

Back up to North Bruny, to Dennes Point, named after my other G-G-G-grandfather, A.S. Denne, who arrived on a boat from England in 1821 and settled on Bruny.  

We tried to visit another old cemetery at Barnes Bay, but a pesky tiger snake stopped us in our tracks on the driveway.  

Apart from the snake, the only other wildlife we saw was this brown falcon (I think), who was trying to steal eggs or ducklings from ducks in a dam. I hope Mama Duck managed to keep those fluffy lil guys safe, and Mr Falcon found something else to eat that day.

The drive back to Hobart was nice, with lavender fields adding a purple pop to the green landscape. 

We also managed to find A.S. Denne's grave in the back of a church near Kingston and ticked it off the find-my-ancestors list. 

We got to see a lot of Bruny on our day visit, but we hope to visit again and stay on the island next time, giving us more time to really explore the place.