Beach bum days and Forest walks

 Well it may seem as if my life is one big trip to the beach but if you look carefully at the dates between the last post and this one you'll realise that not much beach or anything else has been going on since the middle of June. Mostly it's been a round of fear and loathing in suburbia. (Well maybe not too much loathing)
Yes I'm back in Australia and have been since December 6th 2012, when I migrated back to home base. (Albeit with a one month trip back to the UK in May and June; see last couple of posts).
This post is about that incredible Isle we're so lucky to have so close by; Tasmania. In just one hour you can be breathing pristine air.
I was lucky enough to be able to stay with a friend in a small town called Low Head at the northen edge. It's well worth a trip.

Don't you just love a red and white lighthouse?

 

 

Or any red and white object really?

 

One morning we got up at 4am and drove to the North eastern corner of Tasmania to Mt William National Park to watch and photograph the beach at sunrise. There was so much wildlife on the road.  It was a miracle we didn't hit any wallabies as they bounded and swerved beside us. At one stage a huge eagle lifted off some road kill incredibly close to the car. It seemed as big as a calf.
At first there was scarcely any difference between the sky and the sand.

 

but as the sun arrived so did the colours..

 

 

 

We found this incredible midden; so thick with shells. The rest of the beach was clear but here in this sheltered little cove was treasure indeed.

A sad reminder that us "Civilised" white folks culled all the aborigines from this area a long time ago. No one now to sit and yak and eat shellfish by the hundred.

The day after our beach exploration, we set out on an adventure to find some friends of friends who live in heaven. Well this little slice is called Forest walks Lodge at Jackey's Marsh near Deloraine. Sean and Rosemary run this incredible place completely off the grid. Next to an escarpment in a hidden valley where grazing land meets the bush. We didn't have time to do any walks but we did have time for Sean to feed us an incredible lunch of local smoked ocean trout and wonderful Tasmanian wine. If you're thinking of going somewhere amazing in Tasmania go here, go here!!!

 

These guys have been working for 30 years to keep this area pristine. They've recently been given World Heritage listing for outstanding environmental values.

There is a festival every two years and next year will be a big one to celebrate the recent World heritage coup from January 24th to 27th. Tempted??? They're in the process of building the site.

 

The air here is so clear, you can see for miles. It's a truly incredible place.