GREEN POINT & EDGE OF THE WORLD

After leaving Waratah a change of scenery was called for so we headed to Green Point camp ground situated near the top of the west coast of Tasmania. The camping area was small and quite uneven but we were able to squeeze in to a spot that was reasonably level. 

Green Point campground - our van is at far right.

The bird life was far from prolific, but some Ruddy Turnstones were a welcome find along the rocky shoreline nearby.

Ruddy Turnstones

The wind turbines of Woolnorth windfarm, Tassies' largest, could be seen in the distance past the rugged coastline that broods to the north of the popular surf beach, a short walk from the campground.

Even though it was the middle of summer, wet suits were the order of the day for these surfers enjoying the swells that travel from as far as Argentina, the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean in the world.

One of the birding highlights was this pert little creature with a spirited song that caught my attention not far from the van one morning. I was able to capture it on "film" before it whirred off into the nearby heath. 

Striated Fieldwren

Sunrise over nearby farming land

Ann Bay

Summer evening shadows

A short drive south to Gardiner Point near the town of Arthur River brought us to this plaque with a poem that refers to the wild and timeless nature of the coastline in the north west. We duly cast our pebbles!  

Cheers & Happy Birding

CRADLE MOUNTAIN & WARATAH

Still in mid January 2013, and the weather in Tasmania can be quite fickle. We arrived at Cradle Mountain National Park to be greeted by heavy cloud cover and reports of snow the previous morning. Not to be daunted, and knowing we could spend the full day here, we enjoyed a leisurely walk along part of the Dove Lake circuit track.

After a lunch break back at the visitors centre, we boarded the shuttle bus to the lake to discover we now had a clear view of the stunning peaks and surrounding landscape. We were duly impressed!

The grey skies and cool conditions didn't seem very amenable to wildlife watching and the birds were few and far between. A lone currawong, a summer visitor to the highlands, was foraging beside the track and a very inactive wombat had no thoughts for food and was content to snooze his way through the afternoon.  

Black Currawong

Common Wombat

While driving back to our caravan site at Waratah, we stopped along the Murchison Highway to view Cradle Mountain from a different perspective.

Waratah is a pretty little town with a very interesting tin-mining heritage and a reputation as one of the coldest and wettest locations in Tassie. A spectacular waterfall flows over the escarpment and was formerly used for the sluicing and processing of tin ore. We certainly enjoyed our stay here and would recommend it as a base for exploring the surrounding area. 

Cheers & Happy Birding!

SCENIC TASSIE

Early January 2013 saw us leaving Hobart to explore and experience more of Tasmania's scenic delights. Following is a selection of images from some of the places we visited. 

The Neck - the narrow isthmus that connects North & South Bruny Island.
Swift Parrots seen on South Bruny, plus a suite of other species at this great birding destination.

Cape Bruny Lighthouse - circa 1836

Lighthouse Bay - South Bruny Island 

Lake St Clair, Australia's deepest lake at 200 metres.

A windy day at Shadow Lake, Lake St Clair National Park

Mt Olympus, Lake St.Clair Nat.Park

Nelson Falls, near Queenstown. Olive Whistlers were easily seen here. 

Lake Burbury - hydropower storage dam

Lake Burbury camp ground

Lake Burbury sunset

Mount Owen, Queenstown

Macquarie Harbour, Strahan

Hell's Gates, Macquarie Heads, Strahan

Ground Parrot territory near Strahan aerodrome at dusk. We heard but failed to see these secretive birds.

More on Tassie to follow.

Cheers & Happy Birding!