Before leaving New Norfolk on Thursday morning we drove to the top of Peppermint Hill and took photos of the little town we had come to feel at home in. This hill is on the opposite side of the river to Pulpit Rock so gives a different perspective. The autumn colours are not showing any more prominently than previously however driving around the streets there are some beautiful trees colouring up. Finally it was time to leave and start heading out for the east coast.
We took the route we had sussed out earlier and avoided all that ‘city’ traffic the normal track would have provided. We were soon onto the Tasman Highway and heading north with more tree farms surrounding us as we climb yet another hill (mountain). Someone of old had a sense of humour or had suffered much as at the top of yet another long climb there was a sign naming it ‘Bust a Gut Hill’. What must it have been like for those early travellers?
Reaching Orford we touch the east coast and enjoy the views across Mercury Passage to Maria Island an 11,000 hectare National Park. The island still has the remains of convict buildings in the historic settlement of Darlington dating back to 1842, and the starting place of the Tasmanian Wine industry in 1895. There is a ferry trip that can be taken from Triabunna however the whole island is National Park so unless you intend to hike and camp over there a day trip seems a waste.
The highway mainly follows the coast towards Swansea so there is plenty of pretty postcard scenery but not necessarily many places to stop for the photos (minor detail). The day had cleared and the sea and sky were clear so the colours were just magic. We had decided to base ourselves at Swansea and do our exploring from there. The view from our back window is across the road and then across Great Oyster Bay to the Freycinet Peninsula, how spectacular. The waves continually breaking on the shore across the road remind us of the constant movement of the ocean.
We drove back out to Spiky Bridge just below Swansea and took some photos of this most unusual design. The bridge was built by convicts in 1843 and is still standing strong. The information states that the reason for the stones sticking up along the top is not known but could have been to prevent the cattle from going off the side of the bridge or maybe just a folly of the officer in charge of construction.
Spiky Bridge 1843
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