Archive for December, 2008
Delightful Place Names Of Tasmania
Friday, December 12th, 2008Australia has some weird and wonderful place names, and investigating colourfully-named locations can be a great excuse for wandering off the main roads. I’ve done this in Tasmania, which has its fair share of odd and quaint labels.
Names like Fern Tree or Flowery Gully are straightforward, as they describe what you’ll find there. I didn’t spot the hollow tree which I assume Hollow Tree was named after, but I did see a penguin at the town of Penguin.
Near Paradise, Tasmania
Some names are alluring, almost begging to be visited. Are the localities of Paradise, Plenty and Promised Land as attractive as they sound? They looked pretty good to me, as they obviously did for those who named them. Is Adventure Bay as much fun as the name suggests? How would you feel in Snug? I did feel snug in the town of Snug, but haven’t yet made it to Adventure Bay.
Other names may arouse curiosity. What have the people at Detention Point been up to? How much suffering really goes on at Cramps Bay? Some names have historical explanations - Eggs and Bacon Bay might be where Lady Jane Franklin (18th century governor’s wife) once either ordered or was served eggs and bacon. But how Nowhere Else got its name is something I’ve yet to learn.
My favourite place name belongs to Flowerpot, a rural community on the coast south of Hobart. I love the quaintness of the name, and find it amusing to think that some people are able to say “I live in Flowerpot”. The drive through the area was very enjoyable, but gave no obvious reason for the name. Perhaps I’ll stop and ask someone about it on my next trip … as well as satisfying my curiosity about Adventure Bay and Nowhere Else.
Eggs and Bacon Bay, Tasmania
Topics: Odds and Ends, Tasmania | Add Your Comment »
Great Lake Hotel - Refuge In A Storm
Friday, December 5th, 2008In the middle of Tasmania lies a plateau dotted with lakes, and next to the biggest lake sits the Great Lake Hotel. In the quiet of winter it is a great place to shelter from passing snowstorms.
Great Lake Hotel; cabins and motel units at right rear
For much of the year the highland lakes are popular with fisherman, but I’m not into fishing - I just like out-of-the-way places bypassed by most tourists. Another lure is the offer of budget accomodation in an area which receives the most regular snowfalls outside the mainland ski resorts. I stayed there last winter, arriving just as snow began to fall.
The Great Lake Hotel is a country pub with more accommodation options than your typical drinking establishment. I stayed in a cheap and basic fisherman’s cabin, but there are also nicer motel and hotel rooms, plus sites for campervans out the back.
Part of the lake view
Wherever you lay your head, most people end up in the main bar area, with its restaurant and verandah. In cold weather, the roaring log fire forms a cosy centrepiece, with the grand view of the lake outside the window adding to the charm. It feels even more cosy if you can gaze out the window and watch the snow falling outside.
Apart from its vantage point next to Great Lake, the hotel is a focal point for the locality of Miena. This community of highland fishing shacks is the nearest thing to a town on Tasmania’s central plateau. The hotel, with the adjoining general store, forms the hub of the community - something I gained a sense of in my longer than expected stay.
The snow which fell upon my arrival at the Great Lake Hotel closed the roads to two wheel drive vehicles, and it was three days before I could safely drive away. Even then it took a bit of snow shovelling before I could reach the road.
A good day not to go driving
Looking back, the enforced lingering made me slow down and appreciate an area which is truly unique in Australia, and which few visitors to Tasmania get to see. Finding a cosy refuge at the Great Lake Hotel made it possible.
Some clarification: The snow I experienced was unusually heavy and persistent. Normally the snow around Great Lake is much lighter, with lengthy snow-free periods between falls - even in winter.
Link:
Google map showing Great Lake Hotel location
Topics: Accommodation, Tasmania | Add Your Comment »
Lower Liffey Falls Walk Trail
Monday, December 1st, 2008
Drys Bluff on the approach to Liffey
Tucked away in a tranquil northern Tasmanian valley lie the beautiful Liffey Falls. The waterfall itself is what draws visitors, usually via the more direct upper track. The longer and less-used lower track, however, is a worthy attraction in its own right, and could be one of the most pleasant forest walks in the region.
The falls are only a 45 minute return walk from the upper car park, which accounts for the popularity of that approach. By comparison, the lower car park is quoted as being three hours return walk from the falls - an obvious deterrent for those looking to save time and energy. I first visited the Liffey Falls using the popular route, and it was delightful, but on my last visit I used the lower road because it is better suited for campervans. I was in for a treat.
Lower Liffey Reserve campsite
Even just getting to the lower track is a delight. The steep edge of the central plateau - known as the Great Western Tiers - looms large as you cross lush green farmland towards the Liffey River. As the valley closes in, you pass through the idyllic-looking locality of Liffey, where Australian Greens senator Bob Brown has a cottage. Retreating here has helped Bob maintain sanity in the world of politics, and it’s not hard to see why - he picked a great spot. Continuing up the narrowing road brings you to the Lower Liffey Reserve campground.
Facilities at this campground include a pair of clean flushing toilets … and not much else. It’s really just a trailhead with lots of space to camp, but if you’re self sufficient it can be a pleasant place to stay, under the trees by the river, feeling remote from the rest of the world. It was one of my favourite overnight stops when touring Tasmania last winter.
Walking to the falls from here is relatively easy; much of the track follows old rail trails used for logging around a century ago. In two places the Liffey River is crossed on small but sturdy bridges, providing opportunities to pause and soak up the sound of the gurgling waters.
Liffey Falls
The lush forest you pass through is a fine sample of what nature can build if left undisturbed long enough. Glimpses of Dry’s Bluff appear through the trees in a few spots, as a reminder that the plateau edge is near. A fresh dusting of snow on the Bluff might top off the scene if you time it right.
A little steepening of the track precedes arrival at the falls. Many think Liffey Falls rival Russell Falls as Tasmania’s prettiest, but however you rank them, it is a lovely spot to sit and soak up the scenery. The viewing platform is small, but steps down to the river give access to more viewpoints, and rocks to sit on.
Returning is via the same route, and if you appreciate peaceful and gentle forest trails like I do, you’ll have enjoyed a beautiful walk. The presence of a waterfall at the other end of the track is icing on the cake.
Liffey River below the falls
More info from the Australian Rail trails website:
Liffey Falls Rail Trail
Topics: Tasmania, Walks | Add Your Comment »