Pearls On Wheels

Mining history, natural history, rural scenes on the agenda today as we ride from Launceston along the Tamar Valley to Beaconsfield, Beauty Point, La Trobe, Sheffield to Mole Creek. First stop is at the   Mine and Heritage museum  in Beaconsfield. The most poignant and heart-grabbing exhibit is the  mine rescue  of Brant Webb and Todd Russell in 2006. The exhibit conveys the hope, the  ingenuity and the courage of their rescue. The men were trapped 925m (3034feet) deep in the mine. As an symbol of the close knit community a group decided to knit a scarf 925m long after the rescue. Knitters from around the world contributed. The scarf is over 2km long. Next stop a chance to see platypus at Beauty Point. Platypuses A poem from my childhood. Banjo Patterson  Far from the trouble and toil of town, Where the reed beds sweep and shiver, Look at a fragment of velvet brown - Old Man Platypus drifting down, Drifting along the...

A longish day ahead. Around 320km through National parks, back country roads, small towns, a pub in a paddock with a beer drinking pig and other delights. We make an early morning visit to  Freycinet National Park Entry fees ($12Aus) are required for National parks here. Wineglass Bay in the distance. No whales or dolphins at this time of the year.  Cape Tourville Lighthouse has a gently graded walkway and board walk with sweeping views over the coastline. The smell of smoke and charred wood lingers as we ride through the National park. We head north to Friendly Beaches along the coastline of Freycinet National park.  Soon we are off on winding roads over Elephant pass to St Marys and beyond.  Through tin mining country near Derby... and very twisty roads through the rain forests which required my full obedience to the 'no photos now' decree. Our accommodation in Launceston - Alice's Cottages. Great welcome and helpfulne...