15. Australia - Tasmania, ending on the island off the island off the island

Covering 21 November to 23 November 2019

 

across Lighthouse Bay at the southern end of Bruny Island

There’s always a hope that the end of a big trip will be special and not fizzle out a bit damp squibby.  Luckily for us the end of this tour was indeed special because we had chosen to finish on Bruny Island, four or five miles off the south east coast of Tasmania and it really was a special place.  To me islands often have a different feel or atmosphere about them that distinguishes them from the mainland.  Tasmania was too big for that but Bruny Island definitely had a relaxed island feel about it.  Airy-fairy nonsense to my non-feely readers no doubt but the feelers will know what I mean.

male Splendid Fairy-Wren

We had the adventure of an open topped car ferry with thirty or so vehicles across about four miles of gently choppy water and we were there.  Bruny Island is very nearly two islands but there is a narrow isthmus connecting the two parts making the total about forty miles long.  The isthmus is where a Little Penguin colony is but as they leave their burrows after dark and arrive back before dawn we left them undisturbed by our presence. 

the isthmus which just holds the two parts of the island together

the Anglian Church at Adventure Bay

This was our last few days of the trip and we were in no particular hurry on a fairly small island and so detoured to the remains of the poignant Quarantine Camp.  This is where all the Tasmanian troops returning from WW1 were kept before returning home.  One of the big fears at that time was the 1918-20 pandemic Spanish Flu outbreak which is believed to have killed more people than died in the whole of the war.  Some estimates claim 100 million dead but the generally accepted range is between 20 and 50 million.  I checked the ‘Spanish’ flu story and there are a whole mass of claims for where it started although I haven’t seen one claiming that it was an infection spread by aliens from outer space.  Clearly this factual explanation has been cleverly suppressed by the authorities in a diabolical cover-up conspiracy for no apparent reason, so what more proof do you need ?  It does appear that the ‘Spanish’ part is merely because the Spaniards weren’t subject to wartime censorship and their flu problems were widely reported.   Anyway the Quarantine Camp had few visitors and the volunteer staff were very keen to talk about it.  There were a few buildings still standing and quite a lot of noticeboards.  There was a list of all the people that had passed through but no Bunces or Alleys, we like to keep out of trouble.

Sunset Bay with Tasmania in the background

Just as we’ve seen elsewhere on this trip, Bruny Island has some magnificent beaches made even more attractive on the western side because the hills on the mainland are clearly visible in the vista.  I usually find a sea view quite boring unless there’s something other than sea in it.   Down near the water’s edge, the clear blue water coupled with the pale golden white sand gave the impression of tropically warm water.  However, we’re a fair way south here with nothing between us and Antarctica so you won’t be surprised to learn that the water is for hardy bathers only.

the island at the end of Australia

On this trip, visits to lighthouses or more accurately headlands with lighthouses have become the norm, usually because they have excellent views.  The lighthouse at the southern end of Bruny Island was better than most because it was in a magnificent position with a view across a curving beach towards it.  Just below the light itself was a board describing two whitish islands which were barely visible to the south west.  These island stacks lie 22 miles away and are the southernmost points of Australia.  The white colour is guano, polite society’s word for bird droppings.

Lighthouse Bay with lighthouse

Something I’d not seen elsewhere were road signs showing other places so many minutes rather than kilometres away.  So ‘Ferry 35 Minutes’ on a sign was a surprise but obviously a shock if you happened to be walking or cycling rather than driving.

lovely flowery heathland like clifftop

and our last orchid of the trip -
a Bearded Orchid

Jetty Beach - with mermaid

I’ve mentioned language before in these blogs and the close historical links between Australia and Britain but one thing we heard highlighted what was clearly a historical Dorset connection.  We were chatting to a Queenslander and we saw a rabbit.  To my surprise, he said “back home we call these Underground Mutton”.  For those of you not familiar with our strange Doorrset wheys, that is exactly what rabbits are called on the Isle of Portland.  The word R***** being unlucky !

flowers on a Yellow Gum. 
One of over 700 Eucalptus species, nearly all native to Australia

the Green Rosella, a Tasmanian endemic and therefore found nowhere else in the wild

I enjoy most places we go and everywhere we’ve been in the world we’ve met friendly helpful people who regularly put themselves out to help a stranger.  Australia was certainly no exception.  The people were warm, friendly and helpful, there is a sense of civic pride and litter is generally a rarity.  I’m fully aware that speaking the same first language is a vital ingredient though.  Overall I’d say that Australia is a great country and I would happily live there but I’m not sure exactly where I would choose - yet.   On reflection, I’m probably fifty years too old to go now.

lunch at The Hotel Bruny, utilitarian furniture but good food