This morning we packed the car up with all our luggage, with the ultimate destination, Burnie where we are spending another 4 nights with Darrin's mum, sister and her family. There would be nobody home till after 3:30pm, so we visited a couple of other places on the way.
Our first stop was Dip Falls, just 24 or so km's off the Bass Hwy. Magnificent falls, flowing quite strongly after plenty of recent rain. The noise of the torrent was rather intense too! Looked at the falls from a lookout. Then we went on another very short walk up another path where we found the rusty moss covered ruins of an old boiler - from the early logging days in the area. The thing that is different about these Tasmanian forests is the amount of different mosses, lichen and mushrooms in all the dampness.
The boys then took the steep steps down to the base of the falls for another view of the cascading water. The girls stayed in the car and got warm. We figured it was a bit too steep and slippery for Gemma. Zac has been loving having his own digital camera and he again took some great shots of the falls.
Once we climbed back up the steps we drove a further km along the dirt road to the 'Big Tree'. A short walk through the dense forest and we found the 400 year old eucalyptus tree, said to be 62 metres tall and a staggering 16 metres around its girth at the base. The three kids enjoyed clambering on the various knobbly bits of the base for photos!
Drove back to the first picnic area and enjoyed a picnic lunch in the picnic shelter. Making a thermos and having hot cuppa soup has been the norm this week, which has been nice in the cold! We've been very fortunate with the weater, although cold we have not been caught out in rain yet.
On the road again, back to the Bass Hwy and about 50 km's to Boat Harbour Beach. This was a short detour off the highway, down a windy road to the base of a steep hill where a small town clung to the rocks and hillside overlooking a pleasant little sweeping bay. Jolly Roger's cafe was at the end of the road. It was right on the beach and had a playground outide it. We enjoyed some afternoon tea and a play in the playground. Jet said the hot chocolate was one of the best she'd ever had. We walked along the beach and back before getting in the car for the remaining 40 minute drive to Burnie.
It was nice to catch up with family members again, and to hear about their recent trip to England. They got home on Saturday, the day we left for Tassie. Zac was given a 'Bite me' shark t-shirt, Ethan a cuddly stingray and Gemma a cuddly starfish from the London Aquarium. Jet and Daz got a London Double Decker fridge magnet!
Zac got to sleep in cousin Henry's room on the lower bunk. The rest of us were in the garage which has been converted to a living area and is joined to the house via the kitchen. Ethan and Gemma shared a futon and thought that was great!
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