Hobart – from a different angle

Open House Hobart gave us a great opportunity to see Hobart from a different angle. We explored

• the CML Building with it’s cute little upstairs caretakers flat begging to be restored and rented as a cute city bolt hole;
• the Tasports Tower for a great view of fabulous Hobart and the Derwent;
• the new MAC 02 Cruise terminal; and
• the Parliament Square in development phase. Going in through the doorway of what was once St Mary’s Hospital, circa 1837, we really stepped back in time to discover beautiful sandstone footings, old windows and walls, snippets of yesterday’s news and more. Many things are being wonderfully preserved, so looking forward to seeing the development finished and adding to the vibrancy of Hobart and Salamanca place.

Thank you heaps to the architects and volunteers who gave up hours of their time to tell us about the places we explored.

Seen on the wall of Tasports Tower, Hobart

From the CML Building

From the Tasports Tower, Hobart

CML Building – behind here is a caretaker’s flat

Seen on the wall of Tasports Tower

Town Hall, Hobart

Stairwell of the CML Building

Roz on the CML Building

Discovered in one of the demolished buildings on the Parliament Square development site

From the CML Building

Original tiles on the CML Building

Tasports, Hobart

Grotesques on the CML Building

From the Tasports Tower, Hobart

From the CML Building

Friday Forays April 2015

Friday Foray #7 Tall Trees Walk, Mt Field;  24 April 2015.

Walk: From Tall Trees walk entrance on Mt Field road to the Waterfall Cafe.

Food: Lunch at Waterfall Cafe.

I was lucky to do a Friday walk with Japanese friends Hiroko N, Hiroko K, Shigemi, Yukiko, Kazuko, Harumi, Setsuko, Misa and Hisako. What a glorious day to be out and about in Tasmania. Through the striking autumn colours of the Derwent Valley we drove onto Mt Field to register with the Parks & Wildlife officer before we drove up to the beginning of the Tall Trees Walk. It was beautiful. There were indeed many tall trees, tall ferns, moss covered logs, swimming trout, Pademelons, and laughter and chatter as Carrie, Masako and I joined the 9 Japanese visitors of the Belle Nature Group to walk down past Horseshoe Falls and Russell Falls to the Parks centre.

After a fabulous lunch of chunky vegetable soup, smoked salmon toasted sandwiches and to-die-for chocolate ice-cream we ventured on over Meadowbank Lake to Curringa Farm. What a tour! Adrian, Mark and Jane made us so welcome and topped us up with a scrumptious afternoon tea of just-baked scones, raspberry jam and cream, Princess Mary Cake and tea/coffee.

Mt Field National Park, Tasmania

Tall Trees Walk, Mt Field National Park, Tasmania

Let’s go! Tall Trees Walk with Belle Nature Group

Hiroko N on the Tall Trees walk

Belle Nature ladies standing in a tree trunk

Mossy logs on the Tall Trees walk

Russell Falls, Mt Field National Park, and the Belle Nature Group

Autumn in the park.

Spotting trout on the Tall Trees Walk

Crossing Meadowbank Lake in Tasmania

Afternoon tea at Curringa Farm with Belle Nature Group

Curringa Farm water view, Tasmania.

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Friday Foray #6 Cascade Walking Track;  17 April 2015, one of the Greater Hobart Trails.

Walk: from Behind Silos at Cascade Brewery to end of Cascade Walking Track then down the Old Farm Road to Cascade Brewery.

Food: Snack at Cascade Visitor Centre Cafe & Restaurant

Valeri, Brian, Sally, Rod & Thyme had a fabulous walk along the Cascade Walking Track. So well maintained and signposted, weather perfect for walking, wallabies and birds to spot along the way, it was a magic day for meandering around Mt Wellington’s edges. Good on Cascade and the Hobart City Council for their contributions to the great track, and good on Peter DeGraves for starting it all back in the 1800’s. What a guy!

We wandered back along the other side of the Guy Fawkes Rivulet down Old Farm Road before taking a snack in the Cascade Brewery  Restaurant. The gardens and water features were a delight, we were almost tempted to do another brewery tour.

Cascade Walking Track

Yay, all ready to walk.

The Brewery from the track

Gorgeous tree trunks along the way

Wildflowers

Honouring Peter DeGraves who built Cascade Brewery

On the DeGraves Bridge

Brian along the Cascade Walking Track

Cascade Walking Track

Cascade Walking Track

Guy Fawkes Rivulet

Old Farm Road

Cascade Brewery

Cascade Brewery

Cascade Brewery Bar

Cascade Brewery Coper Pipes

If only we could still see these guys living in Wild Tasmania

Cascade Brewery Gardens

Cascade Gardens sculpture

Cascade Brewery Gardens

The track we actually walked, up the Cascade Walking Track, Down the Old Farm Road

See our March Forays, our February Forays, our January Forays.

Wooden Boat Festival Fun in Hobart – 2015

The Wooden Boat Festival is a feast of wooden boats, people, entertainment, friendly competition on and off the water, and to add to the scene, HMAS Sydney was in town as was a cruise ship – Hobart takes it all in its stride. The Living Boat Trust (LBT) of Franklin was well represented with yachts, skiffs, the ferry boat The Nancy and an information stall – great job volunteers!

Brian P and Brian M motored The Nancy up to Hobart from Franklin over 3 days and spent many hours talking to folk who had been a part of Nancy’s life over the years since it was built in 1917.

Brian P prepares The Nancy for departure to the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

The Nancy ready to depart Pt Huon

The Nancy – a beautiful old girl

Brian P and Brian M aboard The Nancy

A peaceful departure

Motoring along the Huon River

Brian P aboard The Nancy on the Huon River

The Nancy in it’s barely visible position at The Wooden Boat Festival.

The Nancy in a better position and in great company.

Boats arriving for the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Part of the Sail Past

Part of the Sail Past

Skiffs of the LBT at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

The swing bridge opens so boats can access the inner dock

Wooden Boat Festival 2015, Hobart

Forge at work

The Nourish Choir entertains us at the Wooden Boat Festival, Hobart, 2015

Late evening sun in Hobart while Nourish sing their hearts out for us.

The Navy Reserve band rock for us at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

HMAS Sydney comes to town for the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Sea birds enjoy the spectacle.

Cygnet skiff rowers at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Brian P ready to cox a rowing race

Brian P coxing the rowers

Rowers at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Heading out to the race circuit

Rowers at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Rowers at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015

Rowers at the Wooden Boat Festival 2015 – and the winner is…….

Race over, relax now.

The crowd watching the skiff racing

Salute!

 

Friday Forays January 2015

Determined to explore more areas of beautiful Tasmania, by foot, a small group of us venture out one or two Fridays per month to walk a part as yet unknown to us, followed by lunch and chat. Bodies and souls are nurtured. Sometimes the most unusual gems are hidden in the  most ordinary of places. The exploring is always rewarding.

Friday Foray #2 Truganini Track  30 January 2015, One of the Greater Hobart Trails.

Walk: from Cartwright Reserve to Signal Station Cafe on Mt Nelson.

Food: at Signal Station Cafe.

Four of us set out on what looked like quite a miserable weather day. As we left home rain was pelting down, skies were leaden but spirits were high. We parked in the Cartwright Reserve just off Sandy Bay road, donned the raincoats, hoods and boots, then armed with walking poles we set off. Immediately we were alongside a babbling stream looking at gorgeous foliage, edible fungi and listening to Common Bronzewing Pigeons. It was all UPHILL so we really enjoyed our brunch in the fabulous Signal Station Cafe before walking back down. The downhill walk gives time to enjoy the scenery over the Derwent and beyond. Luckily we didn’t encounter any proper rain altho’ there was a bit of mizzle now and again. But that was a good thing, it really brought out the colour in the foliage, bark, rocks and lichen along the way.

Truganini Track along Cartwright creek.

Prepared for the worst weather, but instead the most we had was mizzle – great walking weather for uphill climbs.

Roz is ready to tackle the Truganini Track

And they set off along the Truganini Track, easy peasy on the flat at the start.

Fungi along the way on the Truganini Track

Bark, glorious bark.

Lichens on rocks along the way. Looks like a map.

Along the Truganini Track

The rain brings out the best colours in nature.

Along the Truganini Track

Truganini track pathway

Cartwright creek keeps babbling along as we ascend the Truganini Track to Signal Station Cafe.

Roz checks her messages as she wanders along Cartwright Creek on Truganini Track.

View from our window at Signal Station Cafe.

Brunch at the Signal Station Cafe; well earned after the walk from Sandy Bay Road along the Truganini Track.

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Friday Foray #1 New Town Rivulet  2 January 2015, Easy peasy lemon squeezy. One of the Greater Hobart Trails.

Walk: from Wellington Park to New Town Bay.

Food: at The Taste 2015.

Seven of us set out, leaving a vehicle at New Town Bay to ferry drivers back to Wellington Park to collect vehicles left at the starting point. What a great walk – babbling rivulet, milk factory, sculpture trail, parks, disused castle, interesting homes, alpacas, fellow walkers, fossils  (not us!), dogs, doors, follies, graffiti, great food at The Taste of Tasmania 2015.

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A Good Day Out – In Hobart

The week between Xmas and New Year is such a lot of fun in Hobart. There is The Taste of Tasmania, there is the finish of 4 big yacht races, not the least of which is the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and there is random street entertainment all making for a general buzz of people enjoying the docks, the lawns and Salamanca place. Combine that with sunshine and friends and it is a great day out in Hobart.

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A wander around the Docks to see the first two boats that crossed the line in the 2014 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Challenge. While we had seen Wild Oats XI many times before, Comanche was new and exciting. And the crew sported great t-shirts with accompanied significant folk in Comanche headgear, it was a great spectacle.

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Then onto The Taste of Tasmania for a look and a snack before we headed over to Salamanca for the customary wine and pizza.

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