Tassie! What an Island!

**Edbear** · 14th March 2011, 20:42

Just back from holiday in Tasmania. We had a fabulous time there! So much like NZ you'd think you were still here but without the traffic!

Weather the same as here, landscape so similar with so much variety of flora including Willow, Poplar, Norfolk Pine, Ponga, Ferns and a huge number of trees and plants I could not name to save myself!

Hobart is a beautiful city, very old with what seems like mostly stone buildings. Huge harbour and rivers perfect for fishing and boating in sheltered waters. My Bro-in-Law lives in New Norfolk, a small town not too far from Hobart and very central to so many sights! We went up Mt. Wellington to spectacular 360degree views and through bushwalks in the Nat. Forest to beautiful water falls and natives.

I had no trepidation of walking through the bush or in paddocks and no suggestion of snakes, crocs or spiders appearing. They do have scorpions there but Ross and his family have only ever seen one in the time they have lived there, needless to say we didn't find one either. Bit like the Katipo here I suppose.

Bikes seemed to be mostly Harley's with a few smaller sports bikes and Boulevards.

Vehicles that stood out as common were the ubiquitus Hyundai Excell of course which is popular throughout Aus, but notably the Hyundai i30, the Subaru Forrester - the perfect Tassie vehicle I would opine - and the Toyota Camry. These were everywhere! Lots of Toyota Avalon's as well, almost as common as Commodores and Falcons.

We walked several long beaches which were clean and smooth, in fact the lack of litter was a notable feature of Tassie!

Everyone was friendly and very sympathetic to the Chch quake. Shopping malls were clean, friendly and inviting.

We had no idea what to expect so went there with a cautiously open mind and were blown away by the place! If you like NZ, you'll like Tasmania, a beautiful, stable, friendly island that bears little resemblance to the Australian mainland and is more like NZ than any place else I can think of! Houses are cheaper than here and we could sell up and buy a mansion there! You don't need air-con in your house any more than here but it is handy in the car.

I'll post some pics when I can edit them. We're already planning our next trip over there!

**cave weta** · 14th March 2011, 20:49

I knew a girl who had a map of tassie.... it was a nice place

**Edbear** · 14th March 2011, 20:56

Did it look like this..?

http://www.discovertasmania.com/__da...and_Map_TR.pdf

**cave weta** · 14th March 2011, 21:03

Originally Posted by Edbear

Did it look like this..?

http://www.discovertasmania.com/__da...and_Map_TR.pdf

It was more evenly nibbled along the bottom.

**far queue** · 15th March 2011, 07:46

Originally Posted by Edbear

I had no trepidation of walking through the bush or in paddocks and no suggestion of snakes, crocs or spiders appearing. They do have scorpions there but Ross and his family have only ever seen one in the time they have lived there, needless to say we didn't find one either. Bit like the Katipo here I suppose.

They certainly do have snakes, and huge spiders, and devils, although as you say not something you really need to worry about. My ex is from there (Launceston), and I've been there a number of times quite a while back now. Queenstown is a bit different to our one, it's (was) a bare, stark, mining town. I went shooting a few times - bloody weird that the possums are protected - "What do you mean I can't shoot them, they're pests!" I spent nearly all my time in the Northern part of the Island - Launceston, Devonport, Burnie. Great roads, they'd be brilliant on a bike.

**Edbear** · 15th March 2011, 07:59

Originally Posted by far queue

They certainly do have snakes, and huge spiders, and devils, although as you say not something you really need to worry about. My ex is from there (Launceston), and I've been there a number of times quite a while back now. Queenstown is a bit different to our one, it's (was) a bare, stark, mining town. I went shooting a few times - bloody weird that the possums are protected - "What do you mean I can't shoot them, they're pests!" I spent nearly all my time in the Northern part of the Island - Launceston, Devonport, Burnie. Great roads, they'd be brilliant on a bike.

Yeah, they're there, but for some reason I felt safer and more at ease in Tassie and as I said we enjoyed the bush walk which felt so much like a bush walk in NZ. Never saw a spider bigger than 1/2cm and only one or two that size.

Next trip, Ross says we'll go up through Launceston, Devonport, Burnie, etc. Sadly, on 1-3 April there's a '60's festival and classic car show up in, I think, Devonport and we can't pop back for it!

**Edbear** · 20th March 2011, 15:42

One of the highlights was going up Mt. Wellington!

http://www.discovertasmania.com/acti...unt_wellington

Awesome views and an amazing "rock"!

**FJRider** · 20th March 2011, 16:09

Originally Posted by cave weta

It was more evenly nibbled along the bottom.

A bit more bush ... with a big gully up the centre ... ???

**crazyhorse** · 20th March 2011, 17:50

When I went to Philip Island a few years ago, I came across a lady on a vesper. She had it looking like a checker board. even her petrol can she carried was checkered. Was great. She'd done the ride across (on the ferry) and then was doing it all the way to the Island for the racing - That was an achievement and a half.

Sounds like a great time Ed

**Edbear** · 20th March 2011, 20:44

Originally Posted by crazyhorse

When I went to Philip Island a few years ago, I came across a lady on a vesper. She had it looking like a checker board. even her petrol can she carried was checkered. Was great. She'd done the ride across (on the ferry) and then was doing it all the way to the Island for the racing - That was an achievement and a half.

Sounds like a great time Ed

We had a ball! I can only recommend Emirates for flying! We have used them for years and they are still the best! Although they don't fly to Tasmania, I have to commend JetStar for having new Airbus A320's and really friendly crew. The Virgin Blue planes were older 737's and looked scruffy and dated beside the flash A320's. Only JetStar had the Airbus's, all the others had older planes.