We have a late start this morning and amazing breakfast before leaving our amazing wilderness retreat heading north. Once again we drive through beautiful scenic countryside dominated by rich vivid green farming land dotted with cows and sheep and tiny flower lined roads through gorgeous villages… with cute little churches. It’s a long drive but all of it is lovely.

Our only stop today before our final destination is Trowutta Arch- a little off the normal tourist route but I had seen pictures and it looked worth the drive. This is our last rainforest visit and from the minute we walk in it is breathtaking .

After being lost in the wilderness the previous day, the graded pathway with a wooden border clearly defining the way was very welcome to us.

This forest doesn’t have quite the untamed wilderness feel of some of the other Tasmanian temperate rainforests we have seen but is still such a beautiful walk full of stunning scenery with huge Blackwood trees, myrtles and sassafras. But it’s the giant man ferns that dominate the landscape… the hugest ones I’ve ever seen. These majestic ferns create a much more open and airy feeling by allowing more sunlight to penetrate through their delicate fronds.

There are amazing tree roots and many fallen trees all covered in a blanket of thick green moss, adding to the beauty of this walk.

And of course, lichen and fungi.

The forest feels ancient and somehow like we’d strolled into Jurassic Park and I kept expecting a dinosaur to come running round the corner

We wander through this stunning rainforest and it leads us to another world… a set of beautiful, still, vivid green, algae covered ceynotes, framed perfectly by a tall arch… the remnants of an ancient cave. The roof of the cave fell in leaving a section between two sinkholes. Wow! It’s prehistoric wonderland meets outer space.

As you walk through the arch your world changes from a sea of greens to a jagged wall of limestone that surrounds the ever so still, deep, murky water (apparently some 20m deep according to the sign).

If we had been looking for a place to swim, this wouldn’t be it… it seemed like it would be the last swim you’d ever take if you jumped in as you’d be taken by some huge dinosaur crocodile or monster.

Looking back once inside the cave the view was incredible with the light shining through the tree ferns and framed by the arch. Absolutely amazing!!!

We then head for Stanley where we are spending the night… located on the northwest coast of Tasmania. As you drive into the pretty village of Stanley, you can’t miss the enormous cliff edged and ancient volcanic ‘plug’ of rock on which it sits- called “the Nut”. Think a giant geological feature that rises 150 metres out of the water dominating the skyline of the small town. The Nut is one of the biggest attractions for visitors with the summit being reached by either a thigh-busting walk (2.9km circuit loop- 45-60mins) or by taking the chairlift that soars 95 metres above the ground. But that’s hopefully for tomorrow depending on weather.

We take a walk around the perfectly preserved colonial town with cute-as-a-button cottages, stately buildings, quaint boutiques, and cozy cafes… every single building is beautifully kept!

I continued on to the fisherman’s wharf which reveals the true heart and soul of this beautiful town. Fishing boats, lobster catching pots and the crystal clear water of the Bass Strait.

I then followed the Wharf road all the way to the end to the base of The Nut, where the rugged rock meets the water…

… and then walked around the waters edge as the sun began to set.

We had been warned that in Stanley, dining options are few and without a booking you would go hungry… so we had booked weeks ago and enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner. I had been craving a good seafood chowder since arriving in Tassie and got my wish here with definitely the best I have ever eaten. Yum! I so wanted the frangelico crème brûlée but just couldn’t fit in in 😩

We then, despite the weather having turned into a rainy gale, went out hoping to see the penguins that Stanley is known for. The Tasmanian coastline is true penguin heaven, with an estimated 110,000 to 190,000 Little or Fairy penguins living on the Tasmanian mainland and offshore islands

We headed for the designated penguin watching platform at the end of Godfreys beach and saw some in the light of our headlights before we had even parked our car. The platform is equipped with red lights that allow you to see the penguins in the dark without harming the birds. As nocturnal birds, penguins are very sensitive to bright light and will avoid it at all costs.

Adult penguins spend their days feeding at sea and return to shore at night, where their chicks are waiting for them. And this is how you watch them… waddling up the beach. They are quite noisy and even when we couldn’t see them we could hear them. Difficult to see well with the red lights and hard to get good pictures and as we were getting soaked, we didn’t stay long before heading home.