Day 29

Well we left Strahan farewelling our friends we had made in the past few days and headed to Queenstown where we had been the day before on the train but it is the only way out and I am glad we did as you get a whole different prospective from  the road in and out. It is quite a climb out of Queenstown but the views are spectacular. We stopped at Lake Burbury for lunch before the mountainous and twisting drive to Lake St Clair National Park. No doubt this would have been quite pretty but we couldn't see anything for the low cloud and rain. We cam across a large tour coach on one range where the driver was trying to change a flat tyre in a most precarious position. many of the coach passengers were out on the road in the rain directing traffic. Such are the joys of coach travel.

We were tired after the drive and wanted to camp but I would not recommend this site at Lake St Clair. Run by the National Parks Dept. is is expensive at $25 per night unpowered and $35 per night with power and by the time we got there it  power sites were booked out. The facilities are substandard with just bare ground and little else, no sullage point, no drainage, no nothing. With all the effort we in the CMCA makes to leave no trace it is disappointing to see a government department. provide such poor camping facilities. I was also amazed at the power supplied to sites which was run down tree trunks to somewhat unprotected outlets. Just try that at your own home and see what the authorities have to say about safety.

The rain eased through the night but we decided to call it quits and pulled out around 10am. Just a few Ks down the road from Derwent Bridge there is a tourist attraction called The Wall in the Wilderness and a local artist is in the process of carving  a 50 meter wall of Huon Pine with pioneering scenes. This is a 10 year project for the artist and he has now been on the project for 5 years. A truly spectacular attraction and the best $8.50 entry fee we have ever paid.

The rest of the day was spent driving in rain untill we stopped at the Nive River where there are two hydro power stations and spectacular lakes and man made lagoons to store the required water.  One thing they are not short of down here is water. We had morning tea here and pulled up behind a Jayco and would you believe it the people were from the next street to us in Bundaberg only about 1/2k form our place. Small world when you travel.

We have continued on to Hamilton which is just 50 odd k from Hobart and are now camped on the river bank and there are platypus in the river so we are told. We are determined to see on in the wild before we leave this little island. Will probably stay here two night as it is a pleasant spot and the fellow campers are a nice group.