Rainchain

The heavy downpours in November alerted me to a problem with a bad leak in my back bedroom. It seemed to be due to issues with the downpipe. Having seen rainchains in Japan Geoff and I decided that this could be the solution to my problem.

 

They are available on the web at www.rainchains.com.au and of course I bypassed the cheap ones to get a water lily one. They are easy to install and work well (we need another downpour to check if the leak problem has been solved though). It empties into a new water garden which looks lovely at the back corner.

Underhill again in December

Our visit early in December alerted us to the apricots that were not ripe enough to pick but would be before Christmas. So this trip was specifically to pick the beautiful apricots. The tree was full for the first time ever, even though it is over 25 years old.

Luckily I had two willing helpers in Anne and Ellie so in the 'cooler' part of the afternoon (probably down to 30C) we stripped the tree, much to the annoyance of a pair of Crimson Rosellas who were watching.

 

Our total harvest was a mango box full of apricots as well as small amounts of plums for jaming and some very dried blackberries with which we could not do anything.

Geoff, Jen and Ponyo came down later in the evening and Ponyo was delighted with the dam and the old fireplace ash and charcoal.

 

We all enjoyed our nibbles for dinner (total fire ban so no cooking). Terry and Ellie did boil up a few kettles for tea and coffee in their A-van. It had been an extremely hot day and did not cool down until well into the night.

Cal came down for morning tea the next  day but as Terry and Ellie had already left it was cold drinks only. 

Thanks to everyone for the help and company and helping me to accomplish my mission - to harvest our first real apricot crop.

November Visitors

Barre and Marion H came to stay all November and joined in my activities when they were in Sydney. Looking after the boys one Sunday meant that Barre watched his ice hockey game with Jess for company. She really was watching it with him! There were lots of concerts by the Sylvantones and one by the Sutherland Shire Choral Society. We did all sorts of other very ordinary things together.

Then in late November we were joined by John and Marion C so we all went sightseeing together. Our first trip was to Sublime Point, Austinmere, Audley and back home...

Morning tea at Sublime Point cafe with a stunning view down the coast.

Marion C paddling at Austinmere in sea with real waves, no crocs and no stingers (not like the usual north Qld coast)

   

Looking back to Seacliff drive and Stanwell Park

 The next day we visited Hazelhurst Gallery and the Archibald exhibition there. Later we enjoyed a great meal together at Excelsior Restaurant at Kogarah.

Brunch at Ellen and Rod's allowed a lot of friends and family to catch up with each other.

Geoff and the boys installed a computer for them.

Janice had time for a quick lesson from Rod

Barre and Rauri chatted on the lounge

Marion H and Janice had a lot to chat about

Janice J, John and Rauri

Then we five headed out to visit Camelia Gardens and Joseph Banks Native Gardens.

My visitors have all gone home now and it is a very quiet house!

Underhill in December

Geoff, Jen, Ponyo and I went for an overnight visit to Underhill this weekend. We met the Ranbuild guys about building a replacement roof for our living area.

We had two other visitors, a large monitor (probably a Lace Monitor) and a tiny dragon (probably a Jacky Lizard).

We three adults spent our time constructing new tree cages for some of the damaged ones, stealing star pickets from anywhere they were no longer required.

We demolished the fireplace ready for the new roof construction and generally tidied things as a beginning of our preparations for that event.

We left the blackberry harvesting until the day was a bit cooler and were rewarded with fruit for desert and breakfast as well as some each to take home.

Ponyo loved the whole bush experience, especially not being roused at for digging in the fire place. She will need a good bath when she gets home.

Because we did not want to light the stove we enjoyed nibbles, and salad for dinner with a glass of red wine. Absolute bliss after a long day of work with womper-stompers and star-lifters.

We did a survey of the fruit trees we now have and there are about 50 different varieties including old and new. We tidied many of them up by pruning lightly and will do a bit more after harvesting the fruit because those we did prune last year are doing much better.

Next time there will be a lot more tidying of the living area ready for the building project.

Tasmania #2

Our apartment at Eaglehawk Neck is fantastic and really well appointed with great views across Pirates Bay.

As the rain had now stopped we decided to make the most of the afternoon and headed south. Stops and walks led us to the Tasman Blowhole, Tasman Arch and Devil's Kitchen.

Tasman Blowhole - see inlet hole right at the back under the rock ledge.

Tasman Arch

Devil's Kitchen

 These are all amazing geological holes in the earth. What a noise the water makes as it surges in and out through the holes. I even tried to video the phenomena as still photos just don't do it justice.

Back to the main road and on to Port Arthur. There we  were given half-price entry as it was quite late. We were all gobsmacked by the size of the penal colony, the beauty of the formal gardens, and the breathtaking views both in and around the buildings and across the sweeping lawns. The trees are magnificent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we had booked dinner at 6pm back at the hotel we had a quick look at the displays in the visitor centre then headed back.

The dining room had a wonderful view out to sea. The meal was a fixed menu with 3 courses, each of which was far to big so we all left huge amounts. Back to our apartment to settle in for the night watching a bit of TV and a lot of the view. The misty rain was coming in again and rolls of clouds were falling over the mountains.

 

View from the dining room at breakfast

After breakfast, as the rain was quite heavy again and had been through the night, we headed out to Sorell. As there was absolutely nothing to do in Sorell to fill our last few hours in Tassie we drove to the airport, dropped off the car, and booked in. I was surprised to see Gail and Ian there farewelling another friend so we did a bit of catching up before boarding our plane and heading home.

In all we had a very wet but interesting time in Tasmania. The driving was not relaxing because of all the rain. I'd love to go again and hopefully strike better weather.

Tasmania #1

Monday 11 November 

This morning Barre, Marion and I got a taxi to the airport for our short trip to Tasmania. The traffic was awful but we had allowed plenty of time. Then the rain was so heavy we had another delay joining the queue of planes to take off. The flight was smooth once we were above the clouds and we saw a little of Hobart below the clouds on landing. Another delay waiting for our Budget rental car. I contacted friends Gail and Ian and headed for Richmond chosen as a good place for lunch and a rendevous.

Ian met us at the Richmond Alms Pub where we enjoyed a chat over maps while having lunch. Gail and Amelia joined us for a short while then we went our own ways.

We headed to Oatlands for Barre's first plant collecting site. This fantastic lake was full of Triglochin (procerum?) and other plants out further and lots of waterbirds. It took Barre a while to find the Potamogeton australis he was looking for but eventually he got enough for his DNA sample.

Heading north again we turned off towards Interlaken on a gravel road to investigate a site a few kilometres off the main road. No luck there but we did find an echidna walking along the edge of the road.

Back on the main road north Barre noticed the next town called Ross on the map. As I had heard of it before we called there. What a beautiful little heritage town full of fantastically old buildings. As there was a motel which is lovely we decided to stay.

We walked back to the old stone bridge to look for platypus that apparently live there. The river had broken its banks into the fields beyond. No luck with platypus though. We went to the pub for dinner (a light one to compensate for lunch).

 

On the short walk back to the motel we passed other old buildings and quaint shops. Such a lovely place to spend our first night in Tassie.

Tuesday 12 November

As the bakery opened at 7am for breakfast we met up and walked around in the cold air (lots more clothes on today including my woolie singlet). By the time we came out it was sprinkling. I asked the staff at the bakery about the road up to Interlaken  for a 2-wheel drive small car and they said definitely not. There was probably even still snow up there.

We then changed plans and headed north east. Our first stop was Campbell Town for fuel then a quick look at Lake Leake in the pouring rain for waterplans. This ensured the car is now all muddy. The water was too high for Barre to see anything.

 Then on to Bicheno where we too a quick walk down to the beach. The colours on the rocks from lichen and algae is amazing. I think the spiky grass on the beach is actually Triodia sp. I was surprised to see it here. We had morning tea, grabbed maps and leaflets then tried to book a penguin tour. The only booking available was for 8:45pm so we declined the offer then took a quick look at the Blowhole with more amazing colours.

As it was very wet we decided to head south and along the Freycinet Peninsula. Coming in the view of the Hazards was fantastic. Once there we went to the National Parks office and had great plans for a 1 hour walk and staying there overnight but first we needed lunch! 

We went to the Lodge for scones and cream (cheaper and light) and by the time this was finished the rain had closed in again. So we cancelled our ideas of the walk and instead drove to the Cape Tourville lighthouse. There we had a short but magnificent walk on formed paths and a boardwalk with views down to Wineglass Bay and beyond. We watched the rain squalls get closer but got back to the car before it was too bad.

The unanimous decision was then made to head back out and then south to Swansea to find somewhere to stay. We found the Swansea Motor Inn. Barre booked 2 rooms on the main road side of the motel but Marion and i convinced him to hang the expense and take rooms looking right over the bay towards the Hazards on the peninsula. We could just see the outline through the rain but the view is great.

We had a cuppa overlooking the bay then found somewhere for dinner and I found some Elderflower drink! Back to the motel to settle in. The rain and mist are now so thick that we can't even see the other side of the bay anymore.

Wednesday 13 November

Today we woke to rain and more rain. We could not even see half way across the bay. 

We drove to the Bark Mill Bakery for breakfast. A policeman arrived for his breakfast and when asked about road conditions south he said he had just driven it and lowered all the speed limit signs because of the amount of water across the road. Gray (a town to the north of us had 247mm in 24 hours).

As sightseeing would be minimal on such a day we decided to look through the Bark Mill Museum. This was fascinating and well done, showing how tannin was extracted from wattle bark for tanning. There was also a section on the discovery and mapping of Tasmania.

Following the museum visit we filled with fuel then headed south and west towards Sorell crossing raging torrents of flooded rivers and looking out on paddocks covered in water. It rained all the way and was still light rain when we got to Sorell for a pit stop. We continued on to Copping where we bought drinks then on through Dunalley towards Eaglehawk Neck.

We stopped to take a short walk to see the incredible tesselated pavement rock platform. We also had fantastic views south along the Tasman Peninsula. The parking area was opposite the Lufra Hotel so we had lunch there and also booked for the night.