Tag: Australia

Edge of the World

Edge of the World

Cycling Tasmania – Day 26
Arthur River to Smithton (via Montagu)
73km, 460m elevation

Bushfires are a big problem in Tasmania this year with the weather being so hot and dry. I was keen to cycle the Western Explorer through some of the most remote parts of the already remote West Coast but that will have to wait for another year when that road re-opens. Fortunately, we have a rental car, so once I’d cycled to the north coast, we just threw the bike inside the car and drove the long way around to the far end of the Western Explorer.
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Everything in a single day

Everything in a single day

Cycling Tasmania – Day 25
Waratah to Boat Harbour (via Wynyard and Table Cape)
89km, 1280m elevation

From Corinna on Tasmania’s West Coast there is a remote and rough road that twists through the Tarkine Wilderness, eventually re-emerging 110km later at Arthur River. Sadly, the famous Western Explorer is closed. Recent bushfires have damaged a bridge, making the road impassable. I’d really hoped that the road would reopen and that I’d get to explore this wild part of Tasmania. I guess that’s just one more reason to add to my list of why I need to come back!
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Corinna Wilderness Experience and Pieman River Cruise

Corinna Wilderness Experience and Pieman River Cruise

“The woody interlacing branches, even when not an inch in diameter, will bear the weight of a man laden with his knapsack. But woe betide the luckless wight who, while travelling through this scrub, treads on the treacherous mossy disguised twig or branch which has decayed. Should this not infrequent case happen, down to unknown depths he may drop, while the green treacherous mossy carpet springs into its place like a trap, concealing the engulfed explorer. It is to be feared that one or two of our missing mining prospectors have met their fate this way…”
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Deep into the Tarkine Wilderness

Deep into the Tarkine Wilderness

Cycling Tasmania – Day 23
Waratah to Corinna
68km, 1,290m elevation

It was a difficult decision but I couldn’t resist heading deeper into Tasmania’s remote West Coast, even if that means I’ll run out of time to cycle a complete loop around the island. The Tarkine Wilderness is one of the world’s last intact expanses of temperate rainforest, something truly rare and beautiful. How could I turn down the opportunity to experience such a special place?
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Here comes the rain

Here comes the rain

Tasmania Cycle Tour – Day 21
Strahan to Rosebery
78km, 1,225m elevation

Before leaving Strahan this morning, I spent some time exploring more of the town and going for a walk through the forest. Strahan is a beautiful place and classically coastal – a tranquil bay surrounds the town, there is a marina full of boats, and you can walk for hours along the beach. It rained heavily last night and continued until the early morning, making everything feel fresh and new.
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Tasmania’s B&Bs are full of character

Tasmania’s B&Bs are full of character

One great thing about travelling in Tasmania is all of the unique accommodations you can find. In Norfork Bay, we stayed in a B&B built by convicts in 1838 as Australia’s first railway station and later used to ship convicts between Port Arthur and Hobart. In Queenstown we discovered another great lodging full of history and character. The Penghana B&B is a grand old mansion that was once the residence of the town’s mine manager. It’s strategically situated on top of a prominent hill where the manager could see everything happening throughout the town.
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An unexpected extra day in Queenstown

An unexpected extra day in Queenstown

Last night as I was leaving Queenstown’s Empire Hotel after a great dinner I ran right into a wall of thick smoke. For a place that usually gets 3-5m (10-15 feet) of rain each year (!) it sure has been dry and hot on Tasmania’s West Coast and fires are raging as a result. That throws a big wrench into my plans to continue cycling west. The smoke is so thick that it’s seriously affecting visibility on the roads and I’m getting a sore throat. This morning I decided it’s probably best to wait for the smoke to clear a bit.

That’s alright – I had no trouble finding lots of interesting excursions to keep me busy.
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