Back in Launceston, or ‘Launnie’ or ‘Launois’, so say those in the know (not LaunVegas?), our Sunday was all organised with a four-hour cruise on the Tamar River booked. This was to take us straight up the middle of where we had travelled the previous two days, and give a completely different perspective. We arrived at the Home Point Cruise Terminal to see a small crowd already milling about, jostling for pole position to board the Tamar Odyssey catamaran as soon as the captain gave the word. This was obviously a very popular activity for the over-60s visiting Launceston. Continue reading “Tamar River cruise (part four)”
Waking up in our little cottage on the dunes at Barnbougle, I discovered that I hadn’t made it up in time for sunrise (hint: I wasn’t trying), but the early low-slanting light that I did catch was incredible, making the grasses glow a fierce gold and giving the golf course green the look of having been processed through an Instagram filter. We packed up and took a quick spin 4km down the road to Barnbougle’s sister resort, Lost Farm. We had a sticky beak in their restaurant just to ogle the spectacularly dramatic view through the floor to ceiling windows, and then drove into Bridport for brunch. Continue reading “Bridport and the west Tamar Valley wine route (part three)”
The next morning – Good Friday – after a slow start, we headed over the hill to the beautiful Cataract Gorge Reserve. Arriving there at about 11am, I was surprised to find the carpark close to full, but apparently this is not an actual surprise because it turns out that Cataract Gorge is Launceston’s number one tourist attraction. Entering the grounds of the reserve, visitors are greeted with a plaque that proudly announces that it is home to the world’s longest single span chairlift. With a total length of 457m and a centre span of 308m, it was also an official carrier of the year 2000 Olympic flame. Continue reading “Cataract Gorge and the east Tamar Valley wine route (part two)”
A short hour after taking off from Melbourne airport, the plane dropped through the clouds revealing a carpet of green as far as the eye could see. We were going to land very soon, but I couldn’t quite make sense of that. It looked as though we were going to land in a paddock; I couldn’t see anything out the window that suggested that the city of Launceston was anywhere nearby. I’d had my head in a book and tunes in my ears throughout the quick flight so hadn’t heard any of the usual announcements that you get about the time of landing and weather at the destination. Were we making an emergency landing in a field? Had I somehow got on the wrong flight? Continue reading “Launceston – it’s nice to meet you (part one)”
There is much to be said for generosity, and when I say ‘generosity’ I’m not speaking of handing out gifts or spending truckloads of money on others. I mean the spirit in which something is offered. Continue reading “King Island crayfish (actually, Southern Rock Lobster)”
eating & going places 