Gidday all,

So here we sit on the top of a ridge overlooking Sawpit Gorge in the White Mountains National park, in   between Pentland and Torrents Creek, on our way to the Diamantina development road.

Had a couple of false starts, spent the first night out at Giru boat ramp then on to a small dirt road down the HI way a bit where we found a clearing near a little creek and camped the night, then returned home to pick up a few forgotten items, but now we are on the road for real. Going to head to Boulia from Winton and then down the Diamantina to Burnsville or maybe hang a left at Bedourie and on to Thargomindah (come on get your maps out). Depends which way the wind blows us.

Either way we will wake up to a stunning view tomorrow morning up here on this ridge. Great start to our 2015 trip to Tassie and back, feels good to be on the road again, fancy free, looking forward to tomorrow. Stay tuned for updates.

                                    house built on the rocks at Wunjunga beach south of Air

                                                     Spent the night just up the road

                    great spot and really out of the way, only way in is by the beach at low tide.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Heading up through southwest QLD and thinking we won’t hang too long, back in the heat and it’s knocking us around already. The temps are going to get up to 40 around here in the next week or so.

Will head up to Emerald and over to Rocky, the roads will be OK by then after the cyclone, and the temps a bit better. Can call in to catch up with friends on the way home from there. Katie is getting close to delivery date too.

Gidday all,

Met up with our friend in Loxton and caught up on the years since we last saw each other. Then on towards Renmark where we found a nice campsite by the Murray and stayed for a couple of days.

Then on a miner little dirt road and over the border into NSW. Decided to head to Broken Hill and up into Queensland from there. Today went from Wilcania to Bourke up the dirt road along the Darling river. All was good till about an hour in when it started to rain. For the next 250k the road turned to mush. We spent the next 7hrs crawling along in 4wd, most of the time sideways. Now in Bourke, having a nice rest. The truck wouldn’t give up, a few hairy moments but it kept on going. Had to scrape about a ton of mud off at the other end. Up to Cunamulla from here and into QLD.

                                                            South Australian sunset

                                                      a bit of rain turned the road to mush

                                                                    caked on

  

                                                                 took a while to get off

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Back on the mainland and heading northwest. Had a rather smooth and uneventful crossing, Din didn’t spew once.

A quiet Sunday morning through Melbourne then north towards Bendigo. Reported temps of 44 in the region we were headed to made us slow down a bit more than usual, which is quite slow already, and we found a campsite near a dry creek.

Today will see us crossing the S.A. border and meet up with our friend in Loxton, hope the weather will be kind.

                                                             the next Winafarrgo?

                                           across the road from our campsite at Lockwood

                                                        artful farmer up the road

beautifull houses in Inglewood

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Well it had to come, and here we are, preparing for the trip back over Bass Strait. Had the last few days saying goodbye to the Loongana locals who have become friends. Last night will be at Forth again saying goodbye to friends. Tassie has become a special place for us, not only the spectacular country and pretty little towns but the welcoming down to earth people we have met. We will be back.

Will head northwest from Melbourne towards the Vic border with S.A. and look up a friend living there. Heard the weather report for up there and they are predicting temps in the late30s, so will have to acclimatise again. 

Gidday all,

Just one week left of our summertime in Tassie. Have spent the last week in a secluded spot away from everyone and everything in the mountains of Loongana, in the bush next to a lagoon.

Morning temps around eight degrees but warmer sunny days. Have seen evidence of wombats, rabbits, wallaby, and small trout in the lagoon, plenty of them too. Will hang about for a few more days then head up the road for the local bush fire brigade meeting on Sunday and catch up with some locals.

                                                                inspecting the evidence

                                                                 wombat mound

                                                             sunrise over the lagoon

                                                    the campsite at Loongana Lagoon

                                                         road in a bit rough but all good

                                                dinner cooking and the bath water heating

                                                                   trout in the lagoon

                                                              one of the Loongana locals

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Wound our way down south a bit, stopped in at Latrobe and checked out the chocolate factory. Found a couple of interesting delights and left before any more tempted us.

Onwards and we found ourselves at Liffey Falls camp grounds, a lovely spot by the river. A few campers about but got a spot away from them all so happy to hang about for a while.

                                                  morning sun through the treeferns

                                                          went for a walk to the falls

                                                             camp spot by the river

                                                            the water burbling over rocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Had a good weekend, went back up to Loongana to visit, spent a couple of days catching up and lazing around. Went up the road and were guided into the Forest to where the treehouse is. There it stood, defiantly hanging onto the massive murtle that has held it up for decades. The years of neglect have taken their toll, but it proudly sits high in its forest home. The swinging bridge that leads to the front door dared me to try, but I didn’t. What a magical home it would have been in it’s day in the canopy of that ancient forest.

 

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

After some thought and the toss of a coin we pointed west and stopped off at Bridport on the northwest coast. After lunch and a look around we headed south to Great Lake in the central highlands. Winds were high and temps were low, camped at Great Lake for the night and woke to about eight degrees so stayed in bed a little longer than usual. Off again and down to Arthurs Lake, found a camp site next to the lake and parked up. Met a couple of blokes who had been fishing and they gave us a nice brown trout. Cooked it up and had a great feed, Din had veg.

Spent a lovely few days by the lake, now back at Forth and will meet up with a friend from Hobart who is coming up for the weekend.

                                                              nice spot by the lake

                                                               the great bow hunter

                                                                  to big for the pan

                                                                 in the oven and cooking

 

 

 

 

Gidday all,

Back in the world of mobile coverage, just spent six days relaxing and doing, well not much of anything really. Last Saturday travelled from Ulverstone to Little Musselroe Bay, was getting late but decided to press on, night closed in and on the dirt road we came across about five wombats and countless wallabies, a bit slow with the camera but worth the late drive. Finally arrived, parked up and went to bed.

Woke up and found another three campers scattered around, later that morning they all packed up and left us all alone, so we picked the best spot and settled in. Spent the next five days walking the beach, reading, watching swans on the water, sleeping, so much to do so little time. Decided we really should get going, so packed up today and headed, well we don’t really know where yet.

                                  painted rock at Derby on the way to Little Mussleroe Bay

                                                                     swans on the bay

                                                                  dinners cooking

                                                                               nice spot by the bay

Gidday all,

On the move again, were recommend a nice spot by a lake, so we went to check it out. It was a great spot and we had it all to ourselves so stayed a couple of days. Cradle mountain just up the road so we decided to blow the budget and go for a helicopter ride around the mountain. What a spectacular sight, winter would be beautiful, a bit too cold though.

Temperature is just right at the moment. Might hang around this area for a few more days then maybe up to Little Musselroe Bay for a while.

                                                    Din saying goodbye to Sammy the seal

                                               Sammy waving bye wishing us a good trip

                                             this little  fella wandering around the paddock

                                                       Cradle mountain in the distance

                                                            great views from up here

                                                                     back on the ground

 

 

Gidday all,

Stopped at Forth and called in to see our mate Rod on the Forth River. Decided to help with a building project he’s doing at his caravan. Lunchtime and noticed a seal was sunning itself on the river bank. Very unusual for one to be so far up the river, some locals called in and said it was the first time they had seen one up here, so lucky to see it.

Great spot to spend a couple of days.  

                                       little blue wren checking out the stranger in the mirror

                                                    our visitor resting on the river bank

                                                                 soaking up the sun

                                                                nice spot at the Forth River