Part 5 Strahan, Queenstown, & South

Thursday, 3 March 2022

The tourist trip on the Harbour Master II around Macquarie Harbour, Sarah island and the Gordon River.

The weather was just perfect and thus we exited hells gate to the Cape Sorell lighthouse and returned - a rare treat.

Sarah Island was the most extreme convict settlement in Australia, it even preceded in time that of Port Arthur.

There are some great stories that emulated from here.

Thousands of lashes per year.

Escapes leading to cannibalism

The hardest of all only for re-offenders

One incredible escape where the stolen ship and inmates sail to Argentina..

Then is a very short time:

Its a model prison with inmates re-offending to be sent here.

It’s the largest shipyard in Australia producing a ship every 3 weeks.

On the job training etc

‘Good’ food and improved accomodation.

The local play that we participated in this evening is about that very stolen ship

“The Ship That never Was” = very worth seeing - and its been running for 26 years !

A quick drive of Ocean Beach and back to the Pine Forest for Wild Camp No23

Friday:

A bit of a clean up, washing...

...and caught up with my Sister Kay, and Noel who are also travelling Tasmania

We also today have the National Parks gate key to do the Mt Crotty Track. - That’s Tomorrow.

Wild Camp No 24 beside Lake Burbury

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=-42.20695,145.62173&ll=-42.20695,145.62173&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Saturday 5th March 2022

This is the gate we need the key for. Its about 60kms south of Queenstown.

This area of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park is very sensitive and Nat. parks wants to keep weeds etc out.

After washing the truck we had to present our vehicle for inspection before being allocated the key.

The fungus for Eucalyptus die back, introduced Blackburry, and Gause is on the NO list.

There are 3 locations on the track for these bee hives all for Leather wood Honey.

After the last hive grouping the track is not maintained.

Its wide but a little rough and progressively steep up and down as we move forward.

2nd LOW is the go

Remember the 1980 Franklin River blockade to stop the dams.

This is ground zero and the ‘NO DAMS” sign is still visible

At 700m high the vegetation changes with some Endemic Tasmanian species - King Billy Pine and these iconic Pandani.

In the distance our goal.

Mt McCall

You can just make out the road running left to right as it climbs.

As the low cloud moves in we are almost there

Our wild camp No 25 at 700m.

The road does go further to about 500m before the Franklin River but incredibly rough and VERY steep. Then a rough foot track to the river 300m vertically in just 500m...Not Today !

Today: 32Kms

Total: 1902 Kms

Altitude: 716m

Here we are:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=-42.36990,145.72682&ll=-42.36990,145.72682&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Sunday 6th March 2022 - Temperature this morning : 4*C

What goes up must come down.

2nd gear low range - same as we ascended.

In the far distance is Lake Macquarie

Discovered in 1972, is the Darwin Meteorite Crater.

Its the source of Darwin Glass found over a 400sq Kms area.

This glass was formed when the rocks melted following the impact some 816,000 years ago, and thrown back up into the atmosphere.

Tried everywhere to get a better pic but the dense timber and topography just dot not allow.

Back in to Queenstown for a restock, the a look a ‘Iron Blow’ the now disused copper Mine of Mt Lyle. Today: 112Kms Total 2015 Kms

Wild Camp No 26 some 40 kms East of Queenstown

Monday 7th March 2022

Heading East on the Lyle H’way.

The 1.2km walk to the top of Donaghy’s Hill gives a great view of Frenchman’s cap and down below the confluence of the Collingwood and Franklin Rivers.