JOURNEY TO TASMANIA

On May 15, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

After a full three days in Canberra we joined Chel and Rob and drove to Melbourne to pick up the car ferry – Spirit of Tasmania – for the overnight trip to Devonport. This was the third time we have done this voyage and so knew exactly what to expect! The drive to Melbourne took about 7 hours with a couple of stops along the way. We had lunch at Benalla at the wonderful art gallery overlooking the river and situated in the Botanic gardens.

The current exhibition is called “Dawn till Dusk” Gifts of Light and Landscape and is well worth visiting if you are in the area. As usual the lunch was excellent and the break was refreshing.

Then it was on to Melbourne in time for boarding at 5.30pm. The sun began to set and as we sat in the line up, we observed wonderful colours and light on the water.

Fortunately it was calm weather as crossing Bass Strait can be very rough and hazardous, even in a large ship such as what we were on with six decks of cars, two decks of cabins and a deck of entertainment, restaurants and sleeper seats.

Arriving from Melbourne — Photo courtesy of Spirit of Tasmania

After a gourmet dinner and beautiful Tasmanian wines, we retired to our cabins and were woken at 5.45am on arrival in Devonport.

Our destination was Bruny Island, at the bottom of Tasmania and which is accessed by vehicular ferry. Something I didn’t realise is that Bruny is the same size in land mass as Singapore which has a population of 6 million and Bruny only has 650 permanent residents!

We stopped in Hobart to shop for supplies for the house we were renting and, as always, went to Salamanca Place where there is the most divine Deli. Tasmania is known for its produce – wines, cheeses, fish, meats and so forth and here was everything we could wish for all under one roof!

Hobart is beautiful at this time of year – all the leaves are changing colour and there is a crispness in the air. This is the car park at Salamanca Place.

Then it was on to Kettering where we caught the little ferry. A pretty little port village with a large marina, the area thrives on all things marine and visitors come daily to take the ferry, with or without cars. The journey takes about 15 minutes and once on the other side, you have reached another world!

And so we set off on a 40 minute drive to Adventure Bay to begin the next part of our “Tasmanian Adventure.”

A Few Days in Canberra

On May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 By alisonferryIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Last week we flew to Canberra for a few days before heading off to Tasmania. It has been several years since we spent time visiting the museums and wandering around the nation’s capital. Canberra is known as the “Bush Capital” and it is not hard to see why. There are parks and gardens everywhere, the leaves are all changing colour and falling and there is an absence of traffic jams and crowds that is so common in a city. Keen to get to see as many museums and galleries as we had time for, we headed first to the National Portrait Gallery and then the National Gallery next door.

The Photograpic Prize exhibition was on and was wonderful – 44 finalists and a presentation of varied styles and subjects. All very motivating and enlightening. The collection of aboriginal art at the National Gallery is amazing as well as many beautiful ‘Old Masters’ and modern art. In fact there is something for everyone at any one time.

The War Memorial was the highlight and what an amazing place to visit. Be warned, it is impossible to see everything in one day but we did our best!

It was a beautiful day and Parliament House was clearly visible from the entrance to the museum.

The Pool of Memories with the eternal flame is very moving and a place where one can contemplate quietly. As Anzac Day was only a week ago, all the wreaths made a colourful backdrop.

Walking through the through the various parts of the Museum from The First World War through to the current wars in the Middle East, one has to wonder at the incredible waste of lives and yet at the same time praise the courage of those who went to war to fight for their country, beliefs and freedom.

This is is my favourite sculpture – out in the gardens and depicts true “mateship” in the Aussie vernacular.

Next day we took a drive through Canberra and out to Cotter Dam and Tidbinbilla where we learned a bit more about research into Space.

And here is my sister all ready for blast off! It was quite fascinating to learn about the preparations the astronauts take prior to going into space – from the very basic needs to food and health. Not something one would undertake lightly!

The country side side was ablaze with blossoms and various changing colours of leaves – something we never see in the tropics.

Climbing up the Telstra Tower we had a perfect view of Canberra – how the city has grown since we were last here!

And so, next stop Tasmania – via the overnight car ferry “Spirit of Tasmania”.

A TROPICAL EASTER

On April 11, 2015April 11, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

We spent the few days of the Easter break over on Magnetic island this year. It has become a tradition for Townsville locals to flock to the island for the Easter school holidays and the place was buzzing. It was a very social weekend and wonderful to see friends and families all come together in a community spirit.

In the early mornings we like to walk to a beach at Arcadia called Alma Bay. Often we are the only ones there and whilst one swims, the other does yoga – what a great start to the day.

Walks and wildlife are part of Magnetic island culture and during the cooler months we enjoy the interaction with nature. This weekend was no different, although the weather is still hot and muggy. Tourists and children love to go to the rocks at Arcadia and look for the little rock wallabies – some of which are bold enough to approach if you have fruit, vegetables or the wallaby pellets you can purchase in the local store. Jacqui had an assignment to photograph these cute creatures and so, armed with cameras and wallaby pellets we set off to see what we could find.

They didn’t disappoint and even managed to pose for us before scampering away.

The children came over for a day and instead of giving them lots of chocolate eggs, I decided to present them with craft and a soft bunny along with some baby eggs. This was a great hit, although they did hide themselves in a cupboard to devour all the eggs before they were caught out!

Easter is all about chocolate – and lots of it! We pretended not to notice the eggs had gone! Later I was asked to bring a dessert to a luncheon we were invited to on Easter Saturday and not being known for my creative abilities in the sweet department, I was somewhat dismayed. However, after a little research and a lot of positive thought, I managed to created this delicious Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

It turned out exactly as the picture, was easy and fun to do. I was also complimented many times but the thanks have to go to the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website for the inspiration. Go to: http://www.philly.com.au

Finally the few days came to an end and it was time to go home – but not before another lovely sunset from the deck with wine and nibbles!

WONDERFUL WAITANGI – NEW ZEALAND

On March 12, 2015March 12, 2015 By alisonferryIn History, TravelLeave a comment

I love delving into the history of places we visit and New Zealand has a rich story dating back to the early explorers and even before. One place which should be on every New Zealand visitors’ “must see” list is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds at Pahia in the Bay of Islands. Here the Maori chiefs first signed their accord with the British Crown and the Treaty is New Zealand’s founding document.

We took the little ferry across the Bay to Pahia and walked along the foreshore to the Grounds. Here we learnt a little about Maori history and culture and visited the Treaty House.

From 1833 to 1840 this was the official British Residency and the home of James Busby and his wife and six children. It is now a fascinating museum which brought to life the times in which the family lived.

Next we saw the world’s longest ceremonial war canoe which is 35 metres long and needs a minimum of 76 paddlers to handle it safely.

The canoes are launched every year on 6 February as part of the Waitangi Day celebrations. A special covered hut has been built so the canoe can be launched directly into the water.

The carved Meeting House is a beautiful building intricately carved and faces the Treaty House which symbolises the partnership between Maori and the British Crown.

We saw a short cultural performance here and a haka was performed before we entered – the idea to frighten alien people years ago and I have to admit, had I been there in those times, I would have taken to my heels very quickly!

Afterwards we made friends but I was reluctant to get too close to the big guy!

The Flagstaff marks the spot where the Treaty was signed on 6 February 1840 and today flies the flags of the United Tribes of New Zealand, The Union Flag from 1840 and the New Zealand Flag.

Busting with historical data and real stories, we made our way back along the coast road to catch the ferry back to Russell and a quiet dinner on the beach.

RUSSELL in the BAY OF ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND

On March 11, 2015March 11, 2015 By alisonferryIn History, Travel2 Comments

Russell, also known as Kororareka, is a charming little seaside town which has an interesting history. It was the country’s first seaport and also the first European settlement. There are many historic buildings and we spent several happy hours wandering through the Museums and learning about the former “hellhole of the Pacific” named because it was a shoreline destination for whalers, traders and seamen during the 19th century.

The Duke of Marlborough Hotel, the oldest hotel in the town has been restored and is in a perfect position for dining on the waterfront. Tables have also been set under the trees by the beach and we watched a couple of beautiful sunsets from there.

The little passenger ferry runs continually across the bay to Pahia.

Legend says that a chief wounded in battle asked for penguin and after drinking some of the broth, murmured “Ka reka te korora” (how sweet is the penguin). The town was named Russell in 1884. Many of the original buildings remain and a fine example is the Catholic Mission “Pompallier” which was built in 1841 and used as a printery, tannery and storehouse for the Marist Brothers. The building is made of rammed earth and has been restored as a working museum where every aspect of tanning, printing and binding is described and in some cases visitors can participate with hands on. The garden is magnificent and was created first of all to grow vegetables to feed the residents and then as a peaceful place to contemplate.

The oldest existing Church in New Zealand is in Russell and is worth a visit if only to see the musket ball holes from the New Zealand land wars!

We spent three nights here and could have stayed longer. More history is to be had at Waitangi, across the bay, and we spent another fascinating day there, but that’s another story…..

AUCKLAND, WAIHEKE ISLAND AND ON TO THE BAY OF ISLANDS

On March 11, 2015March 11, 2015 By alisonferryIn TravelLeave a comment

We left Christchurch on a beautiful sunny day and flew to Auckland where we picked up a car for our little exploration of the North island and in particular of the Bay of Islands.

Our hotel in Auckland was in the city and a short walk to the Viaduct Basin where the Marina is located along with lots of shops, restaurants and a couple of maritime museums. We weren’t totally up to date with what was happening in the city and were excited to find all the yachts competing in the current Round the World Yacht Race had arrived in Auckland at the weekend. There were displays and film shows, information kiosks and sponsor marquees all over the area and we had a wonderful time wandering around and discovering much more about the Race and the people who compete. As well as that we managed to find a restaurant serving New Zealand Mussels in large bowls with the requisite fries and a chilled glass of wine so we were very content!

We decided to spend a day on Waiheke Island which is a short ferry ride from Auckland and is, in fact, a suburb of the city with a population of 10,000 of which 2000 commute to work daily. For us it was interesting as Magnetic island is much the same in that there is a resident population and people commute. There the similarity ends. Waiheke is much larger with several communities and a number of vineyards as well as accommodation ranging from backpacker to luxury spa hotels.

There are lots of lovely beaches and the main settlement of Oneroa has a number of restaurants and gift shops which we browsed through. We struck gold with our choice of restaurant for lunch, The Oyster Inn, situated in the main street is relatively new and has a wonderfully innovative menu with a range of seafood choices. It is very popular for dinner and their marketing slogan is “Come for Dinner and Stay for Breakfast!” as they offer three rooms on site.

Next day it was time to head north. We chose the coastal route through Whangarei and Oakura Bay to Russell which took much longer than driving to Opua where there is a car ferry across the bay to Russell. It was a long and winding road but we were in no hurry and enjoyed the magnificent countryside and forests.

Yachts in the harbour at Whangarei – it was crowded with boats from all over the world.

Beautiful beaches along the windswept coast but a bit too cool for us to dip into!

We finally reached Russell which took our breath away – a really beautiful little town with hillside houses and lots of restaurants along the foreshore. We had booked into a B&B, Bellrock Lodge, and what a beautiful place to stay. Again we struck gold!

The view from our room. It was peaceful and certainly invigorated the soul.

NEW ZEALAND – Rangiora and Akaroa

On March 7, 2015March 9, 2015 By alisonferryIn Travel3 Comments

It has been ten years since we visited the land of the Long White Cloud and so our trip to see the Williams family was long overdue. We arrived in Christchurch after a short flight from Sydney and spent the first couple of days at Rangiora with Ron and his daughter Zoe. It was wonderful to be back at their peaceful retreat with a view of the Southern Alps and their cattle quietly grazing in the front paddock at the front of the house.

The weather was superb and so on the first day we drove to Blacks Winery in Wairapa for a relaxed lunch outside with the beautiful hills all around and dotted with vines. The Chardonnay was pretty good too!

Then it was off to the pretty little town of Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula which is about an hour’s drive from Christchurch. It is a stunning drive over the hills and the views were simply superb.

The town has a pretty harbour and has an interesting history. French settlers arrived before the English and as a result the streets still bear French names as do many of the shops and restaurants and the majority of tourists appear to be French!

There is still a Maori influence as well and we went to a little settlement close by where there is a beautiful little wooden church built by the missionaries years ago and still used today.

New Zealand is known for its adventurous spirit and people here love to be physical whenever they can – this involves walking, cycling, swimming, water sports of all kinds, team sports and anything else you can think of. At Akaroa there are many walks and “rambles” around the town, the harbour and the surrounding hills. We went to one which is a Nature Reserve as well and the views were simply magnificent. The park is guarded by a totem of the God Tawhiri Matea.

Akaroa, with its quaint houses, history and village like atmosphere will always remain a favourite place for me and hopefully there will be many more visits.

Reflections on Magnetic Island and Times Past

On February 20, 2015 By alisonferryIn Genealogy, History, TravelLeave a comment

Magnetic Island is a jewel in North Queensland’s crown and I look forward to each weekend when we can take the ferry across the bay and completely relax in our little paradise.

Last weekend I started to think more about the first white settlers who came to the island. We were walking along the shady path by the beach at Picnic Bay, which in itself is worth a visit. The old banyan fig trees that line the shore are fascinating with huge aerial roots and plenty of climbing opportunities for children who can let their imaginations run wild. There have been plenty of stories of goblins and fairies, dragons and monsters lurking deep in the twisted branches and all the while the cockatoos screech and play above looking for seed pods.

At the end of the walk there is a plaque remembering the life of the first known white settler. Harry Butler came to the island in 1876 after emigrating from Lancashire in northern England in 1867. My own family ancestors were also from Lancashire and at that time the county was important for it’s cotton mills and the industry arising from cotton. The countryside was beautiful and there were small villages and farms where people lived either from farming or spinning and weaving, which was done at home. They would send their bolts of cloth to the mill or factory via canal boat and canals criss-crossed the county with longboats providing much needed transport for coal and produce. The cities were grimy and crowded and living conditions harsh. I wondered about Harry Butler bringing his family across the oceans to the unknown and then choosing to settle on a small island off the mainland where there was nothing except opportunity.

Life would have been tough. A passenger, William Westacott, on a quarantined vessel Sir William Wallace noted in his diary on 3^rd October 1878 : ‘there is a hut and a man, his wife and six children and two brothers beside…..they have a fine garden….sweet potato, pineapples and corn …a lot of fowls, ducks and a dog.’ I tried to imagine Elizabeth Butler working in her garden in long skirts and heavy shoes in the heat and humidity of the tropical summer. Her English roses complexion would have suffered under the harsh sun in spite of large hats which were always worn. How different it must have seemed to them after Lancashire. Perhaps they thought it was their own little paradise.

The family planted an orchard and built another hut made from coral blocks and began to cater for people who came across from the mainland for picnics. Eventually they built thatched cottages so people could stay overnight and then, recognising the demand, they ran their own boat service to Picnic Bay from the mainland and built a temporary wooden jetty.

Thus began the first tourism venture on the island.

Photo Friday – Another African Experience

On February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 By alisonferryIn Africa, Travel2 Comments

Africa seeps into your soul somehow. We have been lucky enough to travel through several African countries and each one has given us a new insight into the heart of this fascinating continent. For me it is always watching the animals. Sitting quietly observing the daily habits of wild creatures is endlessly fascinating. Many times I have been scared out of my mind, others I have been enchanted by the antics of baby elephants, tiny lion cubs, frolicking antelopes and the hilarious little warthogs.

One day, however, is imprinted in my memory. We were in Chobe, Botaswana and had watched literally thousands of elephants day in and day out. This particular day we decided to observe them from the Chobe River and watch their water play. It was with some anxiety that I stepped into a little aluminium dinghy with two outboard motors and two African crew. They were going to show us some unusual sights deep along the river where “no one goes” they told us. Just what we wanted – watching quietly from another vantage point. Or so we thought.

After about twenty minutes, we stopped in the middle of the river and watched a herd of elephants coming down to drink.

Before long a couple of big males swam towards us, using their trunks as snorkels. It is one thing to be on land and close to this enormous creature and quite another to be in a small boat feeling very vulnerable!

However, it seemed they only wanted to play and so long as we left them alone, they were happy.

The river was also full of hippos – and these animals kill more people in Africa than any other, so we are told.

By now I was feeling a little apprehensive but had faith in our two African guides. Then the unthinkable happened. The motor in the boat stopped and the worried faces of our guides told us this was totally unexpected. We began to drift towards the hippos….

“Don’t worry, we will fix this,” they said and they fiddled around before getting the oars out and started to row towards the little sandy beach. Just then I saw a huge crocodile slide into the water from the opposite bank…

Really feeling a panic now, I decided the safest thing would be to get out of the boat and onto dry land and maybe someone could drive out to pick us up. The sharp African eyes suddenly alerted us – on the seemingly deserted beach, under a shady tree, lay two lions having a snooze with one eye on us!At first I couldn’t see them. Then real panic set in – we had elephants swimming and frolicking near us, a lot of hippos in the middle of the river, a huge croc on the opposite bank and two lions on the beach – and a broken down boat!

When it became obvious that the Africans didn’t know what to do, and there was no phone reception, we took the matter into our own hands and looked at the fuel lines of the boat. Fortunately years of owning boats in Australia had made us comfortable with the mechanics and the first thing Richard did was to check the fuel lines. They were blocked! After some rudimentary repairs, we got one motor going and slowly chugged back to our point of departure.

If you go to Africa, expect the unexpected and remember “Africa is not for Sissies” !

Photo Friday – DUNCAN AND HIS HAREM

On February 6, 2015 By alisonferryIn Africa, TravelLeave a comment

It’s Friday again – time for another photo and for me to keep to my routine!

Let me introduce you to a magnificent old lion we called “Duncan”. We came across him on a morning drive in Zambia. He was reclining in the shade with his bevy of females and a few cubs. It was hot and they had just finished feeding on their kill earlier so were lying around just like household cats very full and very satisfied.

Duncan was keeping watch and as we approached he just looked at us with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. The first feeling I had, being so close to this wild creature, was one of terror, after all what was to stop him leaping into the vehicle which was completely open? Then I looked into his eyes and saw trust and immediately I felt drawn to this lovely old boy.

Then he began grooming one of his females – look at the ecstasy on her face

In the evening we went for another drive, it was getting dark and we could hear what sounded like a cough. It was Duncan making his roar to the wild, letting all the other creatures know he was there and this was his kingdom.

Even today I think of him often and hope he is still around but the bet his he has been replaced by a younger, more virile lion and left on his own. Sad – but that is Mother Nature.