(Friendly Beaches NP, St Helens beach, Beaconsfield, Franklin river, Cradle Mountain, Burnie, Stanley, Marrawah) 10-19 Jan 2011

Hello Moovers and groovers; 

 Its Louise here at the helm today of our little blog;  I hope all our readers are well and enjoying life; we certainly are!  We are currently parked up at Marrawah Beach, NW Tasmania Coast, feeling a bit knackered as we climbed 'The Nut' - a huge 3 Mil.  yr old volcanic 'plug' that sticks out into the sea in Stanley, Tas.  The path up is extremely steep, so bad in fact that there is a chair lift installed, but being in need of some exercise to shed a few kilos, we decided to walk up the bugger... And my 'glutamus maximus' or my bum muscles to the lay person, are killing me... Ah well just shows how I have become a bit soft lately - no doubt down to the fact that we were stuck with some bad weather for days last week; rain, rain and more rain.  I'm sure you have all seen the bad floods in Queensland and Victoria?  Well, Tassie copped some of that too;  but thankfully it has cleared.  

Our highlight of the trip to the west coast was Cradle Mountain, which, the day we decided to attend, actually had some really lovely weather and we had a fantastic walk around Dove Lake (see photos below);  We are going fast through our list of things to see on this trip and that was one of the big ones;  next is the Victorian Snow country and the Yarra Valley (wine region);  we may try to get a visit to Canberra in, if we can before getting back to Sydney and the Mardi Gras party on 5 March.  Should be wild.

We have been through some very pretty towns in Tasmania,  and have enjoyed it immensely;  we are catching the ferry next Mon 24.1.11 back to Melbourne and 'the big north island' as the locals here call the mainland...

Matt at a waterfall along a walking track at Mt Field NP 7.1.11

We had a run in with a very rude man who wanted to collect $20 off us for staying in the car 

park here - to cut to the chase we gave him $15 only, but made sure we used the hot showers...

Thought this pic was really nice...  Mt Field Nat Park 7.1.11

Louise trying to befriend one of the locals at Friendly Beaches campground, this wallaby tried it on with every person that came into the are to get food off them.  8.1.11

We went for a stroll along Friendly Beaches for about 3km and back, 

it was a Robinson Crusoe moment.   9.1.11

Matt at St Helens beach camp ground, lovely spot (very windy)- Swimcart Beach 9.1.11

Trying to catch some trout at Tulabadine Dam (just near our camp spot) in the south western part of the tassie wilderness... caught nothing!  I have been nagging Matt to get the lines out, 

and here is the photo to prove he did it!   15.1.11

Outside the Beaconsfield mine.  you all know the story of the 2 miners, Todd and Brant who were 

trapped under tonnes of rock in 2006(?) and after a week got dug out?  Here it is; and it has become a 

tourist centre re the rescue of the 2 guys more than the fact it is a gold mine! Tues 11.1.11

A tree had fallen over along the walking track along the 

famous Franklin river, absolutely beautiful walk.    the tree had just come down, as we could see the new 

split and smell it too,  we had to climb over it, hence my weird pose...please note

the use of my old ranger raincoat here; thanks Warringah Council! 13.1.11

An echidna along the way. Lake St Clair N.P  13.1.11;  this little chap was walking up and down

the main path for ages, getting his picture taken; talk about 'look at me -I'm a tourist attraction..."

This was a real moment for me to be alongside the Franklin river having grown up knowing how much people fought to keep this wonderful place the way it is.

During the time the protest went on, a primary school friend's mother of mine actually went down to protest the damming of the Franklin, where she tied herself to trees and got thrown in prison a few times.  13.1.11

This place was just mind blowing beautiful!

Ahhh-  the famous Cradle mountain, you can not visit Tassie without going to Cradle Mountain, the walk around the Dove Lake here in the back ground was 6.5km.  16.1.11

A camp spot just down the road from Cradle Mountain, the weather that day was superb! 16.1.11 We went to Cradle Mt again next day 17th and it was pissing it down, windy and cold; we did 2  x 300m walks in our lovely raincoats, but abandoned the idea of doing the Cradle Valley walk of 6.5km; bugger!

Free camp spot just outside of Burnie, really nice place, 

mind you it would be freezing in the winter with the cold winds coming off the Bass Straight. 17.1.11

Louise at lookout Table Bay, west Tasmania  18.1.11

Here we are at Stanley, Tasmania,with 'The Nut' in the background 19.1.11

Our free campsite beside the Nut; Stanley. Tasmania 19.1.11

Overlooking Stanley, Tas.  20.1.11

the VERY steep path up and down 'The Nut"  20.1.11

Marrawah Beach, NW Tasmania  2o.1.11

so dear readers,  we shall get another blog out when we get back to the mainland next week and we start doing the East side of Victoria, (away from the floods) and the Snow Country in Victoria, which I am so looking forward too;  Matt had been there before but not Mrs Byron, so it should be a blast...Love Louise and Matt  

NYE (Melbourne), 3-9 Jan 2011 Tasmania (Cockle Bay, Mt Hartz, Mount Field)

Hello Happy Campers,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! - Matt here...

We have just found a place along a beach called the Bay of Fires where we finally have Internet! Yippee!

So thought we should get a blog out while the iron is hot.

Louise and I took a trip to the North Island from Tasmania (i.e mainland Australia) for NYE to attend a party at Ethiad Stadium to see a DJ called Armin Van Buuren, a Dutch Trance DJ, voted No.1 in the world recently, where he held a captive audience of around 5 - 7 thousand fans dancing into the wee hours of NYD (see pics below), our friends Jonathan (flew in from Sydney), Kelly and Alexa also came along for the ride, thanks guys for a fantastic night!  We had a blast!

It was loads of fun being in Melbourne, apart from when we arrived in Melbourne on the NYE where the temperature was a mild 38-40C (it was very dry and unbearable) especially when we had just come from Hobart where the temp was 20C.  I even went back to the hotel room to change my pants (from long to short pants), on our way to the AVB party, but the night/morning got progressively cooler as it went on.

We stayed in Melbourne for a few days after NYE and walked around the city to find all the alleyways that are famous for its graffiti art (see pics), and for those of you who know who Banksy is, I think we managed to find a stencil of his (see pic of the rat).

We arrived back in Hobart and stayed one more night with our friends Sarah and Dom in Ables Bay (thanks guys) then hit the road again and headed south to a place called Cockle Bay, where the beaches were very pristine and the water was clear blue.

We then headed up to the north east into Mount Hartz, which is the second highest peak in Tassie, we walked to the base of the mountain and visited Lake Osbourne and Lake Esperence, the air is so fresh and clean up there, we had really good dreams and deeeeep sleeeeps!

We then proceeded to travel a little further in the same direction to the north east to a place called Mt Field and walked a circuit walk to Lady Barron falls which was a 9km circuit walk through giant trees and rain forest, you really felt like you were stepping back in time to the Jurassic period.

We have now made our way over to the east coast of Tassie and have just visited Freycinet NPark and we currently camped up beside the beach at the Bay of Fires Cons Park (we will put photos on our next blog of these places).

Hope everyone had a great NYE/NYD and are all well and thanks to you all for looking.

Matt xoxoxoxo

NYE - Armin Van Buuren at Ethiad Stadium, this pic was taken by a professional photographer going around on the night taking photos of people.

We look like we are having a good time, you can see Jonathan in the back ground to the right with his arm in the air (typical)...

Matt and Jonathan getting a snap before we headed out to see Armin, I walked about 100 metres down the street and decided to come back and change into short pants because it was so hot outside. shame as those are my rave pants...

Some graffiti art in the alley ways of Melbourne CBD 3.1.11

Eat you heart out Jullian, he is quite popular to the underground art/graffiti movement.

The writing on the suitcase reads "Terrorists also wear suits"

This is called stencil art/cut out art... We really like it.

Photo opportunity at while doing a bush/beach walk and Cockle Bay NP. 5.1.11

Matt at the base of Mt Hartz walking up to Lake Esperence, Tasmania ; 7.1.11

thanks guys;  more soon;   matt and louise (loma); pls leave comments, we love to hear from our readers...

Geelong, Ferry to Tasmania, Xmas Day etc

Hello moovers and groovers, 

Louise here on the blog today, giving you all the news that's worthy of being called news, in regards to our ongoing adventure around this great big brown land of ours known as Oz-tralia...

After our trip along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, we ended up in Ocean Grove near Geelong, which was very handy as we had a date to meet up with one of Matt's old chums from Magnetic Island, Tony and his wife Joanne who live in Geelong;  we left the golf club car park in Ocean Grove, on 21st Dec to meet up with them later that afternoon.  We wanted to have a look around Geelong, and a  lovely place it is too, but a bit cold and windy for my tastes...We met up with tony and jo around 2pm and had a lovely afternoon tea with them, and if you are reading this - thanks guys!  It was great to catch up with old chums again.

Then we made our way to Port Melbourne  to catch the Tasman Ferry to Tasmania on Wed 22.12.10 and we had to park in a local beach reserve, as the streets around the ferry terminal are all paid parking.  Well, it was an interesting place to park, dear readers...  It had a car park area adjoining a tiny beach, and let us say that gentlemen who "play for the other team" were enjoying the sea air! (Not that there is anything wrong with that - as long as it doesn't involve children, small animals or your immediate family, I don't care what you do)   - and as I always say, I'm not gay but the woman I sleep with is...

 The area had vehicles coming and going all night but for those of you who know me,  I can sleep through  anything... Matt not so unfortunately and he got a broken sleep due to the noise of cars driving up and down...

Next morning we had to be at the Port to get on the ferry for 7am boarding and we set sail eventually at 9.20am;  we had a long journey; the ferry docks at 6pm but we managed to find some bench seats and we had a lovely sleep after lunch for a few hours.  

We have had an absolutely fab Xmas in the home of our pals Sarah and Dom who live in a great part of Tasmania named Ables Bay;  they have a jetty 2 mins across the road from them and the scenery and clean air did Matt and I a power of good. 

Before our Xmas main meal, we all jumped in Adrian's the neighbour's tinny boat and went fishing! (see photos below).  There was a cold wind blowing and we rugged up with jumpers on and set out.  We caught a few fish and after a few hours headed back to shore to cook up  our catch.  Sarah got a great side of organic beef from a local producer which was superb...

It all went very well with the wines we brought from the Margaret River area of W.A and the Barossa Valley of S.A...  

Later in the night the neighbour Adrian asked us over for a few bevvies and he had the bonfire blazing away, so how could we refuse? We had a great time and for all those worried about the state of my liver I was very good and only had 3 drinks (red wine) with water in between;  those who know me will know I am a cheap drunk...

Boxing day saw us trying to walk off the Xmas day lunch by walking up to Egg & Bacon Bay, (I swear I am not making this name up!) with Sarah and Dom;  fantastic scenery and the wind was still cold but the sun was out.  

On Mon 27th Matt and I headed into Hobart to the movies;  happily it was a public holiday and we had no trouble parking the van in town and walking to the Village Cinema Complex.  We saw 'Tron 2' in 3D which I have to tell you was fantastic;  Not cheap though, $19.00 each plus $1 for the 3D glasses, but very enjoyable; good acting too and Jeff Bridges (who was in the original 'Tron' in 1981 I think it was) reprises his role as Flynn again.  Its get 4 start outta 5.

The next day Matt went up with Dom to the house being built on their land, and helped out;  Sarah and I made lunch for them, and did a few little tasks around the site, but on coming back to Abels Bay, and it being a sunny day, I had a weird desire to go FISHING.   So, I grabbed our rod, and some bait and sat on the end of the jetty hoping for a bite;  Sarah joined me for a bit, and I wish I could say I caught a massive flathead, but no!  Nothing, Nada, zero;  after  2 hrs I gave up and came home...  But it was very relaxing and I do now 'get it' why people love fishing...

Its Thurs 30th now and Matt is just packing our things back into the van, as we are off tomorrow morning to fly to Melbourne to attend a massive dance party at the Docklands Stadium;  Armin Van Buuren (Dutch Trance DJ) is doing a 6 hour set which should be massive. 

We are hoping to park in the van tonight near the airport at Hobart,  park tomorrow in the long term car park and jump on the plane;  we are back in Hobart on 3.01.11, and will come back to Sarah and Dom's place before we go on our travels around Tassie, and I will give you a run down on our NYE festivities then... Should be good, I just think the party dress I bought along to wear may be a bit tight after all the booze and good food, but we shall see...

Have a safe and happy new year everyone;   Louise and Matt  XXX

At Geelong Waterfront; Matt with the lifesavers; 21.12.10

Louise with bus conductor Geelong waterfront;  21.12.10

Matt at Port Melbourne, awaiting us to get on board the Tassie Ferry behind him; 8am 22.12.10

My good pal Sarah at the wharf near her house, xmas day 25.12.10 2pm; she was feeding the local resident duck named Henry, Matt in background, setting up the fishing rods, we

were about to set out in the tinny boat to do a spot of fishing, with Sarah's husband Dom as well...

Here is Dom, who got bragging rights that day; he just keep reeling them in!  

It was a bit cold hence us all in jumpers;  (16c)  25.12.10

The catch of the day; lovely parrot fish, and some flathead too; I caught some squid,

but it was too small so we tossed it back;  25.12.10

And here we are later on Xmas day enjoying our catch of the day, plus a fantastic organic side of 

beef from the local producer; we washed it down with a Pinot Noir we bought 

in the Barossa Valley in SA months ago;  it was worth the wait!  Xmas day 25.12.10

Here is yours truly with Sarah and Dom Xmas day, just about to start on my second glass

of that lovely Pinot Noir.   25.12.10

Boxing Day 26.12.10 at the neighbour Adrian's place, Matt pretending to be a gee-tar player...

Here is Adrian, with Matt, in front of the bonfire, the doggie Chisel on the left.  26.12.10

This is Adrian's dog 'Chisel' who is the best and friendliest doggie in the whole world; here on

the grass, awaiting Adrian coming back from checking his lobster pots;  25.12.10; There is also a cat

named Mr Tiggy (a tabby) who belongs to Adrian, and he is the nicest cat you could ever meet...

happy new year to all;  love louise & matt

Great Ocean Road, Lorne, Great Ottway National Park

Hello all,  Matt here,

Merry Christmas to you all!

Louise and I will be spending our Xmas in Tasmania with our dear friends Sarah and Dom who moved there 2 years ago from Sydney, and from the way the weather has been lately in Victoria (Freeeezzzing) we suspect it will be no better south of the border!  Time to get the ugg boots out again?

It has been a while since our last blog, as soon as we jumped on the Great Ocean road nearly 2 weeks ago we have had a case of - 'our heads up our bottoms'.

The drive from the 12 Apostles to Torquay has been absolutely spectacular, the surrounding countryside off the coastal road is taken up by the massive 'Great Otway National Park', it covers the whole length of the drive and goes inland some 50 km which consists of beautiful farmland and rain forest.

The national park is crissed-crossed with walking tracks and we must have walked to around half a dozen of them (some of them are in the pics below).  As we drove along the drive we soon discovered most of the little towns along the way did not like people camping in their area so we made dashes into the many lovely campsites that the national park had to offer amongst the trees.

The drive along the Great Ocean Road can get very Windy and narrow where the average speed limit is around 40-60 km, which makes a perfect speed to take in the views of the coastline.  There are also many spots where you can pull over to take happy snaps of the great views.

If you have never done the Great Ocean drive, we seriously recommend  -- it is one of those things you must do before you die! You can spend weeks doing it and still not get enough of it - a bit like eating chocolate Louise says...

We are currently in a place called Ocean Grove (very touristy) which is about 100 km south west of Melbourne while we are awaiting to make the mad dash over to Port Melbourne to catch the ferry to Tassie.  A Tassie xmas should be fun and we are both looking forward to it.

Our next blog will most likely not be posted until after the new year so - we wish everyone who has been following us all the very best and safe Xmas/new year.

Matt and Louise xoxoxoxo

Had to get a photo of the sign that lets you know you are starting the Great Ocean Road drive. 12 DEC, 2010

One of the many lookouts before you get to the "12 Apostles "- The Archway; 12.12.10

If you cannot read the sign (we had to take a pic of it) it basically read, 'DANGER DO NOT ENTER UNSTABLE CLIFFS, IF YOU PROCEED YOU MAY DIE".

We thought it was quite funny to think anyone would even think about climbing over the fence to take a closer look (there was no point given you were already so close to the Apostles). 12.12.10

Louise and some of the apostles, well what is left of them after a few of them have collapsed into the water over the past few years.  12.12.10

Part of the views driving along the great ocean road.

One of the many look-outs you can stop off at along the road.

The photo does not clearly show it, but the road hugs the coastline for miles and miles giving you views like this all the way!!!  13.12.10

One of the many waterfalls we walked into, these falls are called Triplet Falls. 16.12.10

Another one of the many falls.   Beauchamp Falls , Vic.  16.12.10

This pic was taken in the town called Lorne, it is one of the major coastal townships along the way.

A huge storm was brewing out to sea and it felt quite eerie before it hit the mainland.  17.12.10

The storm getting closer to the coastline.  3pm 17.12.10

We managed to find a place along the road where there were no 'NO CAMPING' signs, Louise and I have the saying 'if it ain't signed it is fair game'.  I was literally standing on the Great Ocean Road when I took this pic.

We were very surprised how quite the road was after 6pm, there were hardly any vehicles on the road from 6pm-6am.

Louise at the famous Bells Beach headland.  18.12.10

We were driving along the road  towards Torquay when this house sprang up from around the corner. It is linked by a walkway to the part at the back; whacky or what?  16.12.10

Had to get a pic with the plaque.  16.12.10

ADIOS AMIGOS

HAVE A FAB NEW YEARS EVE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER BLOG IN 2011 WITH OUR TASSIE & NYE ADVENTURES.....  LOUISE AND MATT