Just a quick note at this stage. It seems that at every place we go there is an issue with Internet but we have managed to get onto a computer at the Strahan Library this afternoon. No photos to post yet, I’ll add them later. just letting everyone know we’re here.
I agreed this morning that we should do the Ronnie Creek to Dove Lake walk which was said to take 2 hours but that doesn’t allow for all my huff breaks and photo stops. We’d just started out and Alex was wondering how many people fell off the boardwalk when he stepped back to take a photo and the tally went up by one. The first part of the boardwalk went over a big area of Button Grass and it was obvious lots of Wombats called the area home. I thought some probably made their homes under the boardwalk and it reminded me of the Billy Goats Gruff and the troll.
The boardwalks were very well maintained, and the views glorious. We’ve been very lucky here with the weather, there has been very little wind and only a couple of light showers during the night. We did think Cradle Mountain would be completely shrouded in mist today but we were able to see it most of the time. Before we set out we both bought beanies and certainly needed them most of the time but after strenuous walks uphill we had to shed the beanies had open our jackets. We ate our lunch at the summit of Wombat Peak and watched walkers fit and unfit arrive and depart in various directions. Some headed up towards Marion’s Lookout and I considered doing the same before sanity kicked in much to Alex’s relief.
After our lunch break we set off towards Wombat Pool and then back to Dove Lake. Just as we arrived at the carpark we saw the Shuttle Bus about to leave so we waved to the driver and he waited for us. He was full of ideas out the best tracks to take and we followed his advice and took the Enchanted Walk. The exertions made Alex think he was entitled to a second lunch so we went to Cradle Mountain Lodge Tavern for pizza and hot drinks. We were delayed by a lovely woolly Wombat which was enjoying its lunch beside the path and paid us far less attention than we gave it.
With a fresh battery in my camera we set off on the King Billy Walk which went through the most amazing vegetation of mosses, lichens, liverworts on enormous trees. Fallen trunks were completely covered in bright green moss. The Geriatric Geezer is now an expert on Snowgums, Deciduous Beech, Pencil Pines and King Billy Pines. I can tell you that Wombat poo is like a miniature version of horse poo, just ground up grass and I can also tell you that Bennett’s Wallabies are not always grey but sometimes a gorgeous cream colour.
I’ll be sorry to leave this great place, the way the buildings and campsites have been created and organised is fantastic. In Summer it’s crowded with people so although it’s been cold, I’m glad we came at this time of year, we’ve had space to really appreciate the environment.
I think we had the best site in the whole caravan park last night, in the shower block women were complaining about the wind buffeting their caravans but we were fine nestled behind the amenities block and between trees. The camper was difficult to pack down though and we later discovered that the front canvas awning had again blown up over the top of the camper. I think we’ve had the best amenities ever at Stanley, they even supplied a stack of towelling bathmats so everyone had a fresh one. As I relished a nice long, hot shower I thought of the insane golfer out in the cold, blustering winds. He arrived back just when I finished my morning fruit juice insisting that he’d enjoyed the round.
There was only 1 U turn today because I was driving but it was because the Geriatric Geezer and the cyborg between them were sending us back to Devonport. Luckily the Geriatric Geezer realised we were going the wrong way before very long. We stopped in Burnie for a hot drink and supplies. I think we must have missed the best parts of the town.
The road to Cradle Mountain was much easier than the ones we travelled on yesterday and we were here about 2 o’clock, started setting up camp and were immediately visited by a Pademelon with a baby in her pouch. When she realized we weren’t going to give her anything other than the bits of apple she’d already eaten she left us. We went to get our shuttle bus tickets and I found a nice warm jacket at a very good price. We took the shuttle bus to Dove Lake and walked to the Glacier Rock and Boat House. There is nothing wrong with the Geriatric Geezers glasses because he spotted a wombat just ambling its way out of some bushes. We’d seen wombat poo everywhere but I was thrilled to see one. When we were waiting for the shuttle bus to take us back to the Visitors Centre I saw a wallaby with joey in the carpark.
The facilities here are excellent, nothing like any Big4 parks we’ve stayed in before. This one has secluded individual sites, no bouncy castle or swimming pool but a terrific eating are built of stone. I lit the fire, Alex FED and stoked it and other campers are now very happy with the result.
Once again we have no internet access so you’ll be reading this when we’ve already moved on.
2macstracks 
Recent Comments