This tour, with Adventure Island Tours, was definitely the highlight of our trip. We packed so much of Tasmanian history into the one day. It was a big day that left us exhausted but it´s something that we are still raving about. [Read more…] about Port Arthur Mega Tour: Adventure Island Tours
Mt Wellington Tour
We chose to do this tour on the final day so we (moreso, I) could cram more into this trip. It was meant to be part relaxing, part tourism, but I felt like we hadn´t done enough travelling.
We could see the mountain towering over us from wherever we were in Hobart. A number of friends had recommended going up to the summit, so we decided that this would be our final adventure. This tour allowed us to say a final goodbye to the city and still have enough time to get ready for our flight that after noon.
Mt Wellington
Our holiday was during the last week of June. This meant that it was snowing fairly regularly at the summit. We were unable to go the whole way up as the road was closed, which was disappointing. Still, we were able to play with some fresh snow.
The photo above was from about half way up. We got some really nice views over Hobart, although it would have been nicer to get some from the summit.
I´m from Geelong. We don´t get snow here. The only snow I´ve seen is on a daytrip to Mt Buller in year 8. Back then, the snow had been walked on so much that it was just went and barely worth seeing. I´ve always wanted to see freshly fallen snow.
I´d love to do some of the walking tracks in that weather. I got some really nice photos of the snow on plants. It would have been nice to get away from the main tourist area.
We took the opportunity to have a mini snowfight and experiment with photography. The above photo is one of my favourites.
There was also a nice man who offered to get a photo of us together. That was lovely as most of the photos are actually from Glenn (my partner) experimenting with my camera. Except at the airwalk, where I got distracted by fungi.
The Cascades
We were only able to visit here for about 10 minutes, which was a shame. I would have loved to explore it properly. The bus driver was very explicit about ´driving off without us if we were late.´ I sent my boyfriend up ahead to get photos and hung back so I could keep an eye on the bus driver. I was also exhausted and trying to avoid any more hills.
The building was beautiful and I would have liked to have gone inside. Still, I´m grateful that we went. I know what to do next trip!
The Female Factory
The Female Factory highlights one of the things I love about Tasmania. They treasure their past and go to great lengths to preserve it, even when there isn´t much to see. The factor here had a wall surrounding it and a small building with a gift shop and presentation area. It was incredibly basic but you felt like you were part of something bigger.
It´s not much to look at but I thought it was well worth visiting. It is one of the stops on the Red Decker bus in Hobart. In the future, I would use that to visit the factory and the brewery. I´d also take a shuttle to the top of Mount Wellington.
Overall
It was a pleasant trip and a good way to cram a lot into a short period of time. I´d only recommend it for time poor people though, as I felt like I missed out on a lot.
Penguins in Melbourne – St Kilda Breakwater
When most people think of penguins near Melbourne, they think of Phillip Island. Visiting there requires either an daytrip or a LONG time on public transport, plus an overnight stay
What most people – even locals – don’t know is that there is a penguin colony a short tram ride from the CBD. It’s at the St Kilda breakwater, which is the line of rocks at the end of the pier.
About the penguins:
The breakwater was actually constructed for the 1956 olympic games – prior to this, penguins weren’t usually found in the area. In the 1980’s, people discovered penguin where living there and the colony has been the subject of study and conservation ever since.
Now the colony numbers at around 1300. You certaintly wont see that many, but it’s a really interesting place to visit. They have created a environment where the public can see and learn about the penguins, yet most of the colony is fenced off and protected.
You can see the penguins if you visit there at dusk. There are a bunch of helpful volunteers that will show you were the penguins are and answer any questions you have. I recommend talking to them as they know so much about life cycle and history. You’ll probably see about 20-30 penguins, as well as a couple of water rats.
In the summer, it may be too late for young kids. There are also a lot of tourists, so expect for it to be crowded. Also expect to have a lot of people blocking your view just to get a photo.
How to get there
You can’t catch a train to St Kilda – you have to get there via train. You can catch the 112 or 96 from in front of spencer st Station. The 96 will get you closer, and is a much nicer ride.
I’d take the 96 and spend some time exploring St Kilda. It’s a really lovely area and I’ve visited there a couple of times going to the market or Luna Park. If visiting in the summer, you could easily find a nice restaurant for dinner
We got there at 7.45 in mid November. It was way too early, and the boyfriend went to explore the pier a bit more while I waited. We saw the first penguins at around 8.15
I was worried that I’d get there and not know what pier they were talking about. Seriously – there is just the one pier. It’s long, and you can see a line of rocks beyond the restaurant.
I get lost easily and I was able to find it pretty quickly.
Finding the penguins
The boardwalk consists of a walkway, and then a larger area with a few seats. This leads towards a further set of steps.
When I got there, we sat on the seat. There was actually a small penguin under the seat, and two hiding amongst the rocks. Wherever there was a penguin, there was a group of people around them talking loudly with camera. Be prepared to have to wait to get a glimpse of it.
Around nightfall, you will start to see the penguins come in. A lot of people hung out around the area where thre was the beach, assuming that you’d see them walk across the beach. Those that did went so quickly that you barely saw them, and even then there was usually someone leaning forward so you could barely see it.
The best chance was waiting until they had gotten onto the rocks and started exploring. The volunteers would shine a torch on them for about 10 minutes, and you were able to get really close to them. There was about 20-30 there.
I found the best vantage spot was sitting in an isolated area beyond the steps. You are away from the crowds and can sit there silently watching the penguins climb up. You don’t get as close, but it’s a lot nicer.
Big Brolga: Townsville, 2010
This post has been backdated. I was on a trip to visit my friend in Queensland.
Burkes Lookout
I visited this spot at Mount Dandenong with a friend in 2009. This post has been backdated.