Hello fellow travelers.  As I have indicated below I accidentally deleted all  my previous posts!!!!  I have recreated them but all your comments have been lost.  Sorry.  Anyway things are back on track now including me!  Because I am about a week or so behind in posting I will make several posts over the next few days so you don't have to much to read at once.
 

Thursday April 11 Sandford

I have booked on the Spirit of Tasmania for Friday 26 April.  That was the first available date although they offered to wait list me for Tuesday 16^th.  In the meantime I have decided to head off for the west coast and slowly work my way round to Devonport.

Left home around 10ish with a plan to stay at Wayatinah which is about halfway between Hobart and Queenstown.  A widely varying drive both in terms of the nature of the roads and country side.  Rolling hills of farmland around Hamilton and Ouse gave way to heavy rain forest as I approached Wayatinah.  Very hilly and winding road(Lyell Highway) which was a good test of the pulling power of the Deli with a fully loaded trailer.  It passed!!!

Got to Wayatinah early afternoon and cruised the caravan park which inspired me to go on to Derwent Bridge with a call-in stop at Brady’s Lake to check out the possibility of  a free camp site.  Not overly impressed with either the free campsite or the caravan park in the National Park at Derwent Bridge which is run by a private operator for $20 a night for an unpowered site.  The sites were two small for my set up and the powered sites at $30 weren’t much better.  No solo nomad rates.

So, decided to push onto Queenstown which I reached around 4 ish.  In the caravan park and set up by 5.30 just before dark.  A great little park and although the amenities block is a bit dated the showers are hot, the water pressure good and the shower rose is above your head not in the middle of your chest!!!  At $15 per night for a powered site it is a great spot to setup and explore the surrounding area.  Note:  your tent pegs will not like the gravel sites but when it rained and it did rain as it only can on the west coast, at least the water drained away quickly.  Super strong mobile and internet signals.

 

 

 

Friday April 12 Queenstown

With the promise of a fine, clear day I decided to wander down to the ABT Wilderness Railway station and buy a ticket and I am very glad I did.  While not the cheapest attraction at $133 it was well worth the money.  5 hours of stunning wilderness scenery, history, informative commentary, numerous photo opportunities and a pleasant lunch stop.  The train arrived in Strahan around 3 with an hour in Strahan whilst waiting for the return coach to Queenstown. 

 

Saturday April 13 Queenstown

It rained!!  Spent the day in town.  Went to the look out, and the local photographic museum which is well worth a visit.  Entry $6 and $5 for seniors.  My distinguished ever greying nomad look got me in for the seniors price.  Checked out what else is available to see and do in the area by having a chat with a friendly guy called Noddy who runs the local gift/souvenir shop(no his assistant’s name is not Big Ears).  Turns out her worked for the Hydro in the past so was able to tell me all about the Lake Margaret power station and the wooden staved pipeline.  He also told me how to access the road that takes you to the Bird River Bridge and walk to Kelly Basin on Macquarie Harbour.

After spending a very informative half hour or so with Noddy I headed back along the Lyell Highway towards Hobart to visit Nelson Falls( another Noddy recommendation).  It was pouring with rain which is very appropriate for a rainforest walk to a water fall(you may remember my east coast experience with waterfalls – dry!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday April 14

It stopped raining and while overcast it started to clear around mid-morning by which time I was on the road south of Queenstown heading out to do the rail line drive and walk to Kelly Basin which is on the north east corner of Macquarie Harbour(approx.).  The road is very good.  Wide and sealed built by the HEC to access the Crotty and Darwin dams which they built on the King River and which created Lake Burbury.  It was the last scheme built by the HEC.

You will be treated to spectacular mountain scenery and vistas over the south west wilderness area.  The road changes to gravel just after the Darwin dam but maintains its width and the surface is very well made.  It becomes narrow about 10ks further on and moves into the South West World Heritage Area under the control of the National Parks and Wildlife Service(NPWS).  About another 10ks or so further on you come upon a fork in the road(no knife or spoon).

 

To the left are Mt McCall and the Franklin River.  Go up the little rise on the right and you will be on the old rail line route to the Bird River Bridge.  A fantastic drive.  It is basically level, single lane with a good surface(suitable for 2wd at least it was when I went).  However, I would suggest you take a bowsaw(or chainsaw) with you as there may be fallen limbs blocking your way.  There is no mobile reception.

After about 5ks you will arrive at the Bird River Bridge parking area and walker registration station.  Make sure you sign in and out of the book.  The walk to Kelly Basin starts at the bridge and continues along the remaining section of the rail line route to Kelly Basin.  3 hours walking return with an hour there for lunch and to explore the ruins.  The track can be very muddy after rain and it can be a bit of a scramble in places where the rail line route has collapsed or been washed out by the Bird River.

Kelly Basin was the site of a large mining town called Pillinger and there was a long railway wharf where the ore was shipped out and supplies in.

 

 

The above pics show Kelly Basin as it is now and the other as it was early last century.  The rain forest has reclaimed it but there are some interesting ruins to be seen.