And I think to myself what a wonderful world

Tag: #strahan

Triumph and tragedy

September 27th, 2022

Today we stepped back in history to climb aboard a majestic Heritage train which journeyed through time, deep into the heritage of the wild West Coast, where tales of resilience and triumph showcase the iconic local spirit.

But first we started with a delicious breakfast and the best chai I’ve had since arriving in Tassie (I seem to have converted Sue away from coffee to chai as well) in the tiny “Coffee Shack” before heading off to the railway station. Funnily enough we were actually staying at ‘Station House’ BnB right across the road from the station.

Travelling in the exclusive Wilderness carriage provided us with a more luxurious experience… a little more space and a carriage balcony to allow us to immerse ourselves into the wildness and have unrestricted viewing & photo opportunities. Yay! We start with a glass of Tassie sparkling wine or and enjoy a series of small meals served throughout your journey (salmon and caviar canapés, scones with jam and cream, sweet potato, carrot and caramelised onion soup and homemade gin and pepper berry chocolates). And more wine!

The West Coast Wilderness Railway carves its way through Tasmania’s rugged western wilderness and ancient rainforest and took us to wild locations otherwise inaccessible. The train runs a 35-kilometre track between the towns of Queenstown and Strahan, retracing the steps of colonial loggers and miners and is of important historical significance for the area. Constructed in 1896 to transport ore from Queenstown’s mines to Strahan’s port, the railway was deemed impossible by many, who said this part of Tasmania was far too wild with enormous mountains, deep valleys, and seemingly impenetrable forest standing in the way.

During the journey, our guide told us some of the incredibly challenging stories of the railway… of triumph and tragedy and the resilient people who lived and worked along its length. Stories of the men who laboured to build the line… breaking through the rock by hand and through the cold damp wilderness forest too thick to swing and axe, in one of the wettest places on earth. And stories of those who kept the trains running… to the families and children that made a life in the forest…. and the two visionary Irishmen whose fierce rivalry and undaunted ambition, that combined with innovative engineering designs, brought the railway to life.

The railway is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tasmania and 3 of the 5 original locomotives used on this fascinating 1897-built railway are still in operation.

We stopped at Lower Landing on the edge of the King River, and Dubbil Barril where you could watch the locomotive being turned by hand before the return to Strahan. Here we also did another unbelievable forest walk to see the incredible wilderness Huon pine, giant tree ferns and other native forest species… before heading back to Strahan. Another wonderful experience and would thoroughly recommend.

From the train we head straight to Cradle Mountain where Jo is leaving us to join her family in Launceston. But just before she does, we have our first ‘close’ encounter with a wombat. So cute. They have teddy bear faces.

We then completed the delightful Enchanted Forest Walk which was recommended by my brother who was here not so long ago.

It meanders through clumps of buttongrass and bearded trees, magical, mossy old-growth rainforest… where a cascading creek gurgles gently between the undergrowth…

… and a bright green layer of spongey moss blankets the forest floor…

… complete with wombat burrows, amazing dripping lichen and fungi.

It’s a short walk but there is perhaps no more perfect name imaginable for this place. Beaneath a light dusting of glimmering raindrops, this forest boardwalk was like stepping into a fairyland.

It is difficult to keep trying to find greater and greater superlatives to describe the beauty of what we have seen and felt. But this one was very special… And we breathe it in (although there is still no sign of the elusive platypus which inhabits the inky pools amongst the forests).

The beautiful walk finishes with a view over Pencil Pine cascades where the creek falls about 10m over a wide ledge into a deep pool.

We finish the day at our cute little wilderness cabin at “Lemonthyme Wilderness Retreat” where we have a delicious dinner and feed the pademelons before retiring for the night. Two big walks coming up tomorrow.
Pristine Silence

September 27th, 2022

We were in the little village of Strahan on the wild West Coast to experience nature at its most raw. Set on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Strahan is the gateway to Franklin-Gordon Rivers National Park and today we were booked for a day of relaxed adventure on the Spirit of the Wild… a 6 hour cruise on Macquarie Harbour, through Hells Gates and headed for the deep dark waters of the Gordon River giving us the opportunity to experience the dramatic and untamed landscapes up close whilst learning of its history.

The harbour cruise is unlike anything you’ve experienced anywhere else in the world. Mirror-flat water reflecting the vast Tasmanian wilderness, misty mountain peaks, densely forested riverbanks and ancient Huon Pines holding back the lush, green rainforest, tannin-stained rivers and the brutal convict history of tiny Sarah Island.

The weather was not what we wanted and there were certainly no blue skies but in some ways it perhaps just added more atmosphere with low cloud and mist sitting over the forest as we made our way down the river through the serene wilderness beauty. This beauty is one that you definitely can’t capture with pictures. It’s more about the pristine silence (even the boat travels in ‘whisper’ mode) and knowing you are travelling through untouched wilderness with global significance. You can feel the cultural and spiritual significance. Though freezing in the front of the boat, I was in awe as I soaked it in. It felt like I was in a sacred place.

As we cruised along the river, all i could think about was how good it would be to get off the boat and have a look around. Heritage Landing was an opportunity to do just that. Our boat moored at a landing and we went on guided tour around a boardwalk loop through the forest. It was a great chance to see and smell the forest up close once again, including the magnificent Huon pines, and I can’t get enough of it. It really feels like some kind of prehistoric ’land before time’ movie set.

Huon pines-,these are endemic to Tasmania and grow to be over 3000 years old making them some of the oldest living organisms on earth. They grow at only 1 millimetre a year.

We then head to Sarah Island to learn the fascinating history of the convict and pioneer days and admittedly, i wasn’t all that fussed about the idea of convict history tour. But, the stop here and the stories of life on the island and how it ended up being a major ship building site was actually awesome- our guides was amazing and really brought the history to life.

After returning to Strahan, the girls return to our little BnB to warm by the fire while I decide to walk to Hogarth Falls. It is a pretty waterfall, cascading down the sheer, mossy rock face to the log strewn, tanin-stained waters below. A lovely short walk to the waterfall, the tree-fern lined walking track meanders adjacent to Botanical creek beneath stands of towering eucalyptus and through verdant temperate rainforest. It is apparently home to a number of platypus that frolick in the mornings or at dusk… but sadly, despite constant looking, I still haven’t managed to spot one.