16 Sunday Jul 2017
Posted in creativity, days out
Another weekend in Tasmania, another festival. At this weekend’s Mid Winter Festival there were lots of fires to keep everyone warm.
Live music, local food and drink, story telling, Morris dancing, wassailing, a burning man and a bonfire were all part of the festival.
And a very funky piano.
20 Tuesday Jun 2017
Posted in making changes
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Tasmania has beautiful, unspoilt landscape and countryside. Tasmania also has delicious local produce, including farmed salmon.
On Sunday, there was a protest against additional fish farming on our East Coast. It was all very peaceful and friendly, a few speakers, music, media coverage.
There were people on the waterfront, some with placards, some with their dogs.
There were people on the water, also with banners and signs, also with dogs. Fishing trawlers, recreational fishing boats, pleasure boats, yachts, kayaks, jet skis, paddle boards, surfers.
Although this was a local protest on a small island at the bottom of the world, this one placard seems appropriate on a global level.
13 Tuesday Jun 2017
Posted in days out, one with nature
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These extensive dolomite caves in southern Tasmania, were discovered one hundred years ago.
The caves are open to the public, although off the beaten track. We joined a tour that lasted forty five minutes and took us through several chambers.
It is a spectacular space, with stunning stalactites and stalagmites, columns, curtains.
My photos do not do justice to scale or beauty of these caves.
29 Monday May 2017
Posted in one with nature
Something unusual is happening on our East Coast beaches.
As we walked on to the white sand, we noticed hundreds of fish amongst the remnants of seaweed.
Locals advised that these little leatherjacket fish have been carried south by the currents but the water here is too cold for them. Hence this phenomenon on beaches all along the coast.
28 Sunday May 2017
23 Tuesday May 2017
Posted in days out, one with nature
21 Sunday May 2017
Posted in days out
A local vineyard held their bi-annual duck race today. Plastic ducks were sold in aid of three cancer charities – pink ducks for breast cancer, blue ducks for prostate cancer and yellow ducks for childhood cancers.
Almost 1,200 ducks were put into the pond. They needed a bit of help from the local firemen, a human sized duck and some cheering by spectators, to actually get to the finish line.
The resident ducks stayed across the pond or wandered amongst the vines. It was a fun afternoon in a beautiful location, with $12,000 raised for charity.
20 Saturday May 2017
Posted in weekly photo challenge
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Much of Tasmania’s heritage dates back to European settlement. These three bridges were all built by convict labour.
Richmond Bridge
Built in 1823 it is the oldest bridge in use in Australia.
The Red Bridge, Campbell Town
Built in 1838, constructed of hand made red bricks. This bridge on the Midland Highway now carries two million vehicles each year.
Spiky Bridge
Built in 1843, it is no longer in use, located a few meters from the East Coast Road.
But such a spectacular design. Some say the vertical stones were to prevent cattle falling over the side. Others claim it was convict rebellion against their supervisors.
17 Wednesday May 2017
Posted in one with nature
Apples have been an important crop in Tasmania since European settlement. They were exported all over the world, particularly to Europe, with the industry at it’s peak during the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Although exports declined over the decades, when Britain joined the European Common Market in 1973, the export industry collapsed. Today, it is a $40 million industry, still growing a wide range of apple varieties.
Tasmania, as an island, has a natural quarantine advantage, which is strictly enforced. If you buy Tasmania apples in Melbourne, you can not bring them back into Tassie, on a flight or on the ferry.
I took these photos at the side of the road, along the edge of an orchard, farmed by four generations of the same family. Their apples are delicious, organically grown since the 1990’s. They make good cider too.
08 Monday May 2017
Posted in creativity
We recently visited the Art Farm at Birchs Bay, Tasmania. We had a delightful walk through gardens and bush land.
We met unusual people.
We sat on distinctive benches, walked through artistic gates.
And admired many of the pieces, wondered about a few.
We followed a variety of arrows along the Sculpture Trail.
For local Tassie readers, it is well worth a visit.
