So camp 78 isn’t really a camp, more of an escape. An escape from van life, for just a few days. I’m not sure how I found out about Eagles Nest but it was a lovely little interlude in the final week of our Tassie adventure. With views to die for, chickens for fresh eggs, a veggie garden and orchard at our disposal and space to spread out, we were set for a few lovely days.
The house was simple, spacious yet cosy but it was the view of Mt Roland that stole the show. So stunning we found it hard to want to go anywhere, so we didn’t. The first night we were making the most of having a decent oven and had roast pork that crackled up beautifully. Accompanied by roasted veg from the garden and apple sauce made from apples out of the orchard. Magic.
We really did just unwind, relax, catch up on a few things, sleep, eat and repeat. That said there was school, blogging, journals to keep up with and being out of the van gave me a chance to give things a good clean and wash.
Just to complete the experience Eagles Nest Retreat provide a few service you can book during your stay. One being spa treatments and the other having a chef prepare your meals. My back had been causing me grief for months so that was a must and having a chef prepare us a 3 course meal well who could pass us that experience.
Chef Cynthia was wonderful and preparing a gluten free, dairy free and low sugar meal was no trouble. Her husband Chris was the gardener and it sounds like their own property has them pretty self-sufficient. So we were treated to the freshest of produce nearly entirely out of her garden. Cynthia came two nights out of our 4 night stay and a total luxury.
Our one outing durning our stay took us up to Cradle Mountain for the day. We jagged a totally fabulous day with very cold but clear weather. People tell us most of the time Cradle Mountain is shrouded in cloud or mist and many tourist visit but may not even see it. So we felt very lucky to do two of the shortest walks around the lake.
There are many stunning walks situated here in the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Claire National Park, but unfortunately we didn’t have the time nor do we find walks very easy with Lulu. She is a happy little delight but the pace is so so slow and she will not go in a carrier. Ken and I have to take turns lugging her around and all in all it’s not much fun, so we opt out most of the time.
That said we thoroughly enjoyed our time spent around Lake Dove, in the glorious sunshine, lapping up the stunning views. The shuttle bus in and out to Lake Dove was a great service, managing traffic in the park and giving additional information about the park. Very well run.
We returned to the car for a quick picnic lunch and on to Devils at Cradle for an education and look at the the Tasmanian Devil, Spotted Quoll and Eastern Quoll. Tasmania three largest carnivorous marsupials and all under threat in the wild. A fabulous conservation sanctuary and we loved the tour, knowledge and passion passed on by our guide. And the animals were amazing. All very cute but he Tassie Devils have such character and a sense of mischief, that is when they are not flat out sun bathing.
All up it was just one of those magical days were your filled with gratitude to be doing this trip and doing it together.
Our time at Eagles Nest Retreat was nearly over and the weather had closed in however we had one last thing to do, plant some trees. A fabulous option is to leave your mark, give a little back and reduce our carbon footprint by paying for and planting some tree on the property. Des the owner is as Chris (the gardener) put it ‘an unusual dairy farmer in the sense he actually likes tree’.
This was made abundantly clear to us with the arrival on the fence line of the owner of the neighboring property. She was very keen to know what we were doing with those trees and if the tree where going to block the view. Initially she was quiet abrupt in her manner but mellowed as she realized we were interstate guests visiting and planting a few trees with our children. A little insight gained and a little dirt under our nail and we were off to Strahan, camp number 79.
Another storm was set to lash the west coast that evening so we were keen to arrive and set up camp but now being very limited on time we were not going to be able to postpone the tours we wanted to do and just hoped the weather wasn’t going to reek too much havoc.
First stop was the post office to collect a bit of mail we’d been chasing for weeks now. My mistake forgetting it was to be delivered to Coles Bay, followed by a series of postal mistakes but in the end I spoke to an awesome person at Australia Post who took up the challenge to find and this piece of important mail from a 7 year old girl in Perth to her travelling 7 year old bestie moving around Tassie. The smile says it all, great job Australia Post!
That evening we attending the longest running play in Australia, “The Ship that Never Was”. Fabulous evening! They’ve had 25 years to perfect it, although with it being a two man / woman show and a large proportion of audience participation it keeps it pretty fresh. Telling the story of some personalities we’d learnt about at Port Arthur and the convicts keep here on the notorious Sarah Island it was, funny, informative and ridiculous! A highlight of the trip for sure.
The next day it was an early start through to Queenstown to take the West Coast Wilderness Railway. A half day tour on the old steam train up some very steepest track using the rack and pinion system. The journey takes you deep into beautiful temperate rainforest but it must have been a total nightmare to build.
We were told the story of how and why the rail was built. A tale of the race of two Irish men, for riches and power. A race to exploit the gold, but mostly the largest copper deposits in the world back in the late 1800’s. It was a wonderful and yet again stunningly beautiful scenic journey. Once at the half way point the engine was turned around and we had a chance to walk amounts the Forrest. The trees, the fungi, the mosses, the cool mountain air was energizing and beautiful. Tassie just continues to wow us.
As part of the tour we stop at one of the old station and everyone get the opportunity to pan for gold. It’s a well oiled tourist experience and we while the kids were excited to get a chance to pan for gold I didn’t for one moment expect we or anyone else would get anything. Lady Luck was with Georgia on this day and she jagged a nice bit of gold much to the shock of all including the tour guide who had never seen such a big piece of gold turn up in the panning.
Amazed by the morning Queenstown still had one little treasure to reveal to us. A most unassuming cafe, run by a couple of salt of the earth people, well up on looking after our coeliac needs and baking the best Curried Scollop Pie EVER!!!! A Tasmanian specialty, my mouth is watering just writing of this. With our heads, hearts and bellies full we returned to Strahan for a cosy night in the van.
Having loved the play so much last night Charlotte was really keen to see the “Ship that Never Was” for a second time. She just jumps at any chance to get up on a stage and having missed her drama classes so much I couldn’t say no. And we enjoyed it just as much the second time too. Although the heavens opens with deafening rain, the wind turned wild and the temperature dropped noticeably, but the show did go on. Considering the show is done in an outdoor theater with some heavy duty canvas sails for shelter it was pretty impressive.
Our final day here was on a boat cruise through Port Macquarie and up the Gordon River. A World Heritage listed area it was set to be a spectacular day. We were treated to proper west coast Tassie weather which wan an experience in itself. The sky was grey and moody, the wind wildly whipping up waves in Port Macquarie and patches of rain coming from all direction. Once we entered the Gordon River we were a little more sheltered from the elements and despite the weather it really was another amazing tour, in a deeply beautiful place on earth.
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Learning about the ship building era, the convicts and the amazing forest was all very interesting. I knew it was going to be good, everyone had said it was amazing but I was blown away by the feeling of being amongst such, ancient, unique and majestic trees. These are not just any old tree, they are very rare and protected with the Huon Pine holding powerful healing, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which makes it very unique and special, however they are incredibly slow growing.
After being in awe and blown away in the forest we were nearly literally blown away on Sarah Island learning to story of the convicts lives, successes and spirit. It’s a gripping and intriguing tale and it was told so so very well by none other than one of the actors of the the play ‘’The Ship that Never Sank’. The weather was wet and wild but we didn’t really mind because the story was so warm and rich.
Thank you to the Wild West coast of Tasmania 10 our of 10! But that’s not all ………….
Our final camp and night in Tasmania was spent in the Central Highlands. The drive to Davenport and the ferry was too big for one day so our plan was just to pull up wherever we got to by about 4pm. So Little Pine Lagoon was it. I didn’t really have a sense we were up too high and nor were we aware we may be in for snow but it was Baltic for sure and upon checking our altitude was hopeful Tassie might deliver us one more magical moment.
The summer just past Tasmania had experienced some of it worst ever bush fires and we had been traveling through some of that country today. Black and battered in appearance but by morning it would be covered in snow.
It sure was magical, just what you’d dream of and imagine for your first experience of falling snow. You go to bed and when you awake and peer out the window everything it white. And that was exactly how it was but it was also still snowing. So surreal and so beautiful. It was a very exciting morning making snowmen and photographing this very novel scenery.
Much fun was had but the snow was not to thick and it wasn’t long before patches were melting. However we had a boat to catch that evening and still a distance to travel so it was back on the road for us.
We needed a lunch spot and a quick search on google revealed a real gem we’d be driving right past. A perfect way to farewell Tasmania and her delicious produce was at the Tasmanian Food & Wine Conservatory. A beautiful setting complimented with grazing platters that were completely local, lovely and lekker, (lekker is a Dutch word for good / pleasant and completes the alliteration).
Perfectly blissed out. Much gratitude to this little island packed full of fabulousness! Thank you Tasmania. ♥️
