February 2014

Forecast for today is sunny with a temperature range of 10 to 26 degrees.

We had no need to be up early today as we only have 55 kms to go to Myrtle Park, and with most of the packing up done yesterday before the storm there was no need to be on the road until 10:00 am at the earliest. We had a short detour to Evandale to empty the holding tanks, as the dump point at Longford is not easily accessible. Myrtle park has no 3G phone coverage and no TV coverage, so we will be relying on the satellite dish. Yesterday David sorted out our problems with the satellite dish - we have a broken co-axial cable connection in the back of our satellite box. We have never had more than a 60% signal, but now we have over 80%, albeit with a temporary fix. We will have to get a proper repair when we return home.

We have a booking at Myrtle Park for 4 days on a river front site with a fire-place - so we are carrying about 100 kgs of firewood in the back of the Navara that we bought before we left home - our local nursery will sell you fire-wood for $180 per tonne. Myrtle Park is about halfway between Launceston and Scottsdale in the North-East of Tasmania. We arrived at Myrtle Park at about 11:30 am and did a full set up. We are on site No. 8, which as well as a fire place has its own beach on St Patricks River.

Site 8 at Myrtle Park Campground

Our beach

Looking up river

Looking down river

Weather forecast for Longford for today was 9 to 31 Degrees. A late change was also forecast with wind gusts to 40 knots during the afternoon.

We started the day with eggs and bacon cooked on the BabyQ - a frequent Sunday morning pleasure! During the morning we could feel the wind strength increasing so we decided to pack away the sun shades and the awning just to be safe. We have been caught out before not rolling up the awning when strong winds are forecast. As the Weather Bureau says on its web-site winds can be 40% stronger than predicted and today was no exception - Hobart got gusts to 130 kph, or about 70 knots. After lunch we drove over to Woolmer's Estate for a few photos.

Woolmer's is one of several Estates owned by the extended Archer family. Thomas Archer came to Longford in 1817 after serving 5 years as Deputy Commissary of the Stores at Port Dalrymple, and was granted 800 acres of land on the banks of the Macquarie River. Woolmer's Cottage was built in 1818 with the help of convict labour and the homestead was extended several times over the years. The property eventually grew to more than 12,000 acres, however the family had little interest in farming and spent most of their time in England, leasing the property to others to manage. After the Second World War another wave of disapproval rose against absentee landlords, and the Soldier Settlement Scheme reduced Woolmer's to about 640 acres, vastly reducing the estate income.

Woolmer's from the front gate

Woolmer's Cottage

Visitor centre and accommadation cottages

Woolmer's machinery shed

Convict built cottage

Old Barn at Woolmers

Forecast for today is sunny and hot with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees.

We headed for the newsagent for our weekend papers and spent the morning catching up on the news. Late morning we packed some water, sun cream, and hats in a small back-pack and headed for Festivale in Launceston's City Park. Festivale is a three-day food and wine festival and is Launceston's answer to Hobart's Taste of Tasmania that runs for ten days. Unlike the Taste which is free entry - Festivale is $20 each entry on Friday and Saturday, and $15 on Sunday. I guess if you have to pay to get in you don't eat and drink as much! We started with Salt and Pepper Squid, followed by Tempura Mushrooms, accompanied with a bottle of Tamar Ridge Pinot Gris - excellent fare!

The entertainment included three Troubadours signing a song about Taxes - the told us that they had been paid from our Taxes that included the $20 we paid to get in! Some of the other entertainers had the cheek to pass the hat around as well.

Di enjoying the shade of a large tree

The nearby Gas Works - now a Hogsbreath Cafe restaurant

An entertainer on the steps of the Conservatory

Salt and Pepper Calamari?

Three Troubadours

Stilt-walker blowing bubbles

Forecast for Longford today is mostly sunny with a temperature range of 15 to 26 degrees.

We started the day with a trip to the newsagent for papers, and a visit to the servo for a gas bottle refill and diesel. Back at camp we spent the morning relaxing in the sun reading our papers. After lunch we had a look around Longford, which was established in 1813 when free settlers and convict labourers were re-settled form Norfolk Island. The district prospered when a number of wealthy settlers were given quite large grants of land and the convict labourers to work their properties. In 1842 three Baulch brothers with their wives and families arrived in Tasmania and settled in the Longford/Cressy district. Quite a few of these early family members are buried in the Christ Church Cemetery in Longford.

Lass O'Gowrie Hotel built 1846, now a private residence

J J's Bakery appropriately located in the old Flour Mill built in 1834

Working Men's Club built in 1860 now a private residence

Christ Church Longford built in 1839

Longford Town Hall originally a theatre attached to the Pub next door

Blenheim Inn built in 1846

Forecast for Longford today is 12 to 24 degrees with intermittent clouds.

Including our detour to Swansea to use the dump point, our trip today was 182 kms via the Lake Leake Road to Campbelltown. We were on the road by 9:45 am and arrived at Longford Riverside Caravan Park at about 12:30 pm where we booked in for 4 nights. We were allocated Site 56, which is one of several new sites added to the Park since our last visit. During the afternoon the park slowly filled up, no doubt all the others are like us and here for Festivale in Launceston this weekend.

After a late lunch we got out the satellite dish to ensure everything was working properly before we get to Myrtle Park next week where there is no TV and no 3G phone connection. Just as well as our VAST connection had expired and required updating. It is still not working properly so looks like a phone call to VAST will be required tomorrow morning. It is very frustrating that people who sign a declaration that they are regular travellers are messed about by Malcolm Turnbull's mob who have nothing better to do!

After re-registering with VAST we have 7 Central, IMPARJA, and 10 Central and nothing else! I know that the ABC and SBS are a bunch of left wing loonies, and Malcolm may well think that they should be shut down, but enough is enough! As Barnaby said the other night most intelligent people are able to filter out the bias on the ABC.

Site 56 Longford Riverside Caravan Park

Macquarie River looking upstream

Macquarie River looking downstream

The park is nearly full tonight

Evening sun on a large gum tree