We went to Tasmania (pt 4)

...it seems a while ago, Tasmania. And it sort of is,

about two weeks since.

So before it becomes a distant memory, here's the last little bit of Tassie. More wondrous natural beauty I'm afraid ...do you think you can handle that? We went and stayed in a great little place, in Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula situated on the north east coast of Tasmania.

Here's a nice view of Oyster bay, with vineyards in the foreground, and haze shrouded highlands in the back...in fact, I think those are the The Hazards.

This was on the way to Freycinet National Park - we stayed at Muirs Beach in a great little place called Coles Bay.

We went a-walking to Wineglass Bay.

It's an up-hill path (not what I'd call a slog, as the path is so well maintained), until you get to the lookout, which takes about 45 minutes.

This is what you get to see once you get there...

Wineglass Bay: pretty as a picture.

So we didn't hang about too long, as we wanted to get our walk weary bods in that astonishingly blue water. 

After another 45 mins of very steep and rocky (but beautifully maintained) downhill path...nearly there!

...just look at that, not very surprising that suddenly taking photos ceased to interest me, and getting into that water was the only thing that mattered. It was actually a tad chilly, which was perfect. Who wants a warm bath on a hot day?

Lovely refreshing dip and picnic in this glorious place. No complaints, not a one. But we had a ways to go (several km), and an isthmus to cross.

An isthmus - apart from being my new favourite word - is a small 'neck' of land that joins one land mass to another. You can see it clearly below: Wineglass Bay on the left, a lagoon in the isthmus, and just a peek of the opposite shore (Hazard Beach).

So off we trekked, into the bush...

...(on a beautifully maintained path). Along the way, we found this: Any guesses???

...it's wombat poo. How they manage to do square poo is anyone's guess...I haven't googled it and well, I'm not gonna (...of course I googled it, but I'm not going to spoil your fun!)

I think I recall reading somewhere that Abel Tasmen, after a rather cursory exploration of the land he'd discovered, and claimed, and named after his boss Antonio Van Dieman, took some of this back as a kind of exploratory souvenir (Van Dieman was Governer General of the Dutch East Indies...did you know Tasmania used to be called Van Dieman's Land?). Apparently Van Dieman wasn't entirely impressed with the square poo. Clearly the man had no sense of humour (maybe that's why they re-named Tasmania in 1856 - I do hope so).

It only took about thirty minutes to get across to Hazard Beach.

Another astonishing vista...around every corner it seems. 

Hello Hazards Beach...which was covered in oyster shells, including fossilised oyster shells which I thought were pretty amazing. 

That's Refuge Island.

And here's a map to give you an idea of the walk, about 11km..

And another dreamily perfect bay....

And a dappled path...

And look who we found...a 'wild' wallaby who was notably not at all bothered by us.

Here's a view of one of the Hazards...

And maybe we're actually on the side of one of the Hazards...

Nearly done anyway...

...but just as one last treat...

...a 'not-very-wild-at-all-wild-wallaby'. A youngster, who was reasonably happy to let us tickle it gently behind the ears (squeee!)

Oh go on then, one more.

Too cute.

The wallabies hang out at the end of the pathways and around the car-park, hoping to get fed. BUT it is strictly forbidden, as they get 'lumpy jaw', so we didn't, but they are still pretty friendly. I guess nobody mis-treats them and probably quite a lot of people do feed them so...

It was a good morning.