Table Cape

  

We are on the move again. Today we are driving to Strahan on the central west coast. 

We were packed and ready to go fairly early because this would be one of our longer transfers. We made a short detour up to the Table Cape lighthouse.

There's a nice display that identifies the geological features that you cansee from the lookout.

The view to the east (above) covers the bays and penisulars that run almost back as far as Devonport.

The View to the West (above) overlooks Boat Harbour Beach (township top left of picture) and Rocky Cape which dominates the horizon.

On a clear day (like today), The Nut is visible behind the outer section of Rocky Point.

The foreground is interesting as well.

Have you worked it out yet?

How about now? What may look like cotton fields are in fact government sanctioned medicinal poppy fields! The semi volcanic soil is fantastic for growing this type of crop. Much of the area is covered in tulips. Unfortunately, the flowers aren't out at this time of year.

Obviously, there is also a lighthouse. One quick lap & we were on our way to Strahan.

Burnie

Makers' Workshop

 Yesterday we were out on the road all day. Today we had a lot less driving to do because the plan was to explore Burnie, about 40 minutes south east along the coast from our base at Sisters Beach. The Makers' Workshop was the first activity on the day's itinerary.

The Makers' Workshop is all about making things with fibres, especially recycled fibres.

The entrance is essentially a gallery of some very well made peices made of recycled fibres, essentially paper mache'.

 

The other Makers' Workshop purpose, is teaching people how to make paper. Unexpectedly, Harry got right into it.

After some basic tutoring, we were making paper ourselves with mixed results.

Harry was making paper like a professional in no time.

The paper had a watermark of a picture of our choosing. Harry's was a wombat. The rest of us were nowhere near as succcessful as Harry.

Just off to the side of the gallery was a small underground mining display. Harry's wheel house for sure!

Burnie Sights

 

At Harry's request, we found an observation point where he could watch the container movements at the port. I was more interested in the odd mix of an artificial waterfall with a backdrop of a volcanic rock cliff with similar formations to Dip Falls.

Burnie Container Port

Harry was far more interested in the containers being moved around in the freight yard.

Harry even found himself a loco!

Round Hill Lookout

Round Hill overlooks Burnie and also has unobstructed views along the coast in both directions and also back south to the farmlands and mountains.

Fernglade Resrve

Fernglade Reserve lays just outside the township of Biurnie. We ate our lunch as soon as we arrived and were not joined by a swam of march flies! It was a very welcome relief. We were joined by a couple of kookaburras.

After lunch we walked along the river looking for wildlife and fient hoping to see a platypus.

No such luck with the platypus, but there were plenty of birds.

Walking along the shady green pathway was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

Having explored the Burnie area, we headed back to Sisters Beach for a refreshing swim in Bass Straight. We took a bit of a scenic route hugging the coast. From the coast road, you get a great look at Table Cape (above) which is one of the similar volcanic peninsulars along the north west coast.

By the time we had returned from our swim, the sun was starting to disappear & the birds started to get busy again. Above is an eastern Spinebill & below another supurb fairy wren. Tomorrow we will be moving on again.