We started our side-trip to Tasmania with a night at Horsehead campground in Devenport. Since the weatherforecast was bad for the next days (finally, it staid dry and there were huge bush fires), we decided to first visit the eastern part. After the city-stress from Melbourne and the ride on the ferry, we relaxed in Kelso on the Big4-campsite (jumping-pillow, swimming-pool and lots of wombats).

The first park wie visited was Ben Lomond National Park and the next day, after a really cold night, we climbed Legges Tor, the second hightest peak on the island. On the way back, we followed the road out from the ski slopes down Jacobs Ladder (mountain road with 6 hairpin bends).The impressive rock towers animated us to start again some rock climbing and by chance, we met two climbers on the parking who borrowed us their Tasmania climbing- guidebook for the next 3 weeks (thanks to Mark Feeney).

We continued our trip on little roads via Upper Esk to Fingal (Goldmine-Region). The next day will be remembered by all of us: we drove to the Freycinet-National Park to Whitewater-Wall, were we went rockclimbing with the kids directly above the sea – they climbed in the rocks like koalas on trees and had fun. Even Fiona lost her fear of abseiling and hung herself into the rope with her back first.

By bedtime, our little ones were still playing in the rooftop tent instead of sleeping (as so offen). When Nora wanted to go to the toilet, she forgot to step out of her sleeping-bag and fell down the ladder. All that ended with a terrible screaming and crying. When she still did not move her arm the next morning, our borddoctor suspected a fracture. We interrupted the visit of the park and drove to the nearest Medical Centre in Swansea hoping they had an xray. The doctor there informed us that there were only two xrays in Tasmania – one in Hobart and the other one in Launceston and he sent us with the same suspicion to Hobart. There, the team of the Croco-ambulance dropped the patient and the house doctor at the Emergency Department of Hobart Royal Hospital and organized some food in a bakery in the meantime. 2,5 hours later we all left the hospital – with a sling decorating the patient’s arm for the next 6 weeks.

The left humerus right below the shoulder was fractured, probably favoured by the insufficuent calcium-intake of our milk-hater. Since then, one yoghurt every morning is obligatory.
Luckily, hiking is also possible with a broken arm and with some help, she could climb the ladder into the tent. The same evening, we went to Dunalley (towards the Tasman National Park) – and after everything what happened, dad drove too fast when leaving a village and caught by the police who gave him a warning.

The next day, the mood got better and we continued to Fortescue Bay in the Tasman National Park. The campsite is directly at the beach and the sites were nice and even. The same day, we hiked to Cape Hauy to see the the impressive rock needles of the Candlelight Stick and the Totem Poles. On the way back, we even saw a snake.

The next stopover was the southernmost point of Australia, South Cape Bay. We drove through the region southwest of Hobart (which is famous for its fruits and vegetables) to Boltons Green Campground, a campsite at the mouth of Cockle Creek under nice trees with overhanging branches.
When talking to other campers, we found out that our neighbour, Jesse Lethbridge, Building didgeridoos and does a lot of music himself. We made an appointment for making some music with alpine horn and didgeridoos together after the 2-day hike with a night at South Cape Bay. It was great to see the high waves and und wild beaches of the ocean and in the evening, we even saw a quoll next to our tent.

When we came back, Jesse and Markus climbed into the big tree which served the older children as playground and for climbing. We figured out that didgeridoo and alpine horn match together very well and we attracted an audience from the whole campsite.

Because we intend to buy a didgeridoo, we asked Jesse what to pay attention to and where and from whom the best ones are available. The next morning, we did a little recording before heading to the thermal pool at Hastings Cave.
Afterwards, we went to the Mount Field National Park where we saw our first rain in Tasmania on the normally pretty humid island – at least in the Western part. We did two hikes: the first day, we went via Dobson Lake to Tarn Shelf and the second day to Mount Field East. On the way down, Nora spotted a rare white-lipped-snake and the next morning, we saw for the first time a platypus in the creek on the campground.

We heard about severe bush fires in the north west, in the Cradle Mountain park and the Walls of Jerusalem Park due to the dry weather and many roads were closed. Unfortunately, also the roads in the South West park were concerned and so we went to Lake Burbury. By chance, it was Australia day the next morning (26.1.) and the campground served as a ground for the celebrations including several childrens’ activities.
We continued to Macquarie Harbour with the famous Hell Gate, the narrow rocky entrance of the harbour. We drove northwards and crossed the Pieman River to Corinna by ferry, but the planned route via the Western Explorer Road to the north west was closed due to bushfires. Even the campsite at Savage River was closed and eventually, we spent the night at the beautiful Hellyer Gorge Reserve where Daniela spotted two platypus on her night walk.

On 27.1., we went to Cradle Mountain National Park intending to hike to the summit the following day. But on arrival, we learned the park was closing due to a changing direction of the wind (risk of spreading fires from the neighbouring and already closed „Walls of Jerusalem National Park“ ) and they were deciding whether reopening the park the next morning.
The next morning, Markus was at 08:00 am at the information centre and fortunately, the situation had calmed down a bit and some trails were open. Despite clouds and rain, we walked from Dove Lake via Wombat Pool and -Peak to Crater Lake and Ronny Creek. Because we were wet anyway, Daniela also hiked back through the valley to the campground. Unfortunately, wie did not have any views or -in other words – only one view: grey fog!

On the 29th, we continued to the Gunns Plains with stopover at Leven Canyon. We visited the Gunns Plain Caves – wonderful caves with a very good guide making plenty of jokes. He even demonstrated how Fionas blinking shoes coud provide light for orientation in case of a breakdown of electricity.

We spent the night in the nearby Wings Wildlife Park in pouring rain. Fortunately we had chosen a spot in the upper part close to the shelter- the proper campsite down at the creek got flooded during the night- several tents and campervans had to be evacuated and their chairs and tables swam away.

After visiting the wildlife park the next morning we drove back to the coast where we could watch a platypus for over an hour splashing around in the river in Ferndale Reserve at Burnie.
In the evening we went to the „Penguin Observatory Centre“ to see their arrival at the beach. Unfoertunately, there were only two penguins this evening, but the free guided tour was very good and the place a lot nicer and less touristic than Philipp Island.

At 10:15 pm we went back to Devonport for our last night in Tasmania, from Girdlestone Park we had only 5 minutes to the ferry the next morning. Loading and departure were without problems (interestingly, there are almost no quarantine regulations when returning to Victoria from Tasmania). The strong wind which already stopped us from sleeping the previous night let the ferry rock when leaving Tasmania but calmed down later on.