A Tasmanian Odyssey in Five Parts: Part 2

Part 2: The Central Highlands
From Smithton we headed to Deloraine, a busy town that seemed to have lost a bit of its charm since we last visited so, after picking up a picnic lunch, we moved on to our destination for the day: Liffey Falls. We parked at the upper car park and walked down through a lovely forest...

 ... until we came to the river ...

 .. and the first of three falls.

Then the second falls.

... and the iconic third falls. Unfortunately there was not a lot of water; in good times the water extends to the far left and right of this photo.

We met a young guy from Germany who asked if we wanted a photo.
It would have been churlish of us to say nein!!!

After a refreshing picnic lunch we drove through dry and rugged country...

 ... to the Pine Lake walk, just off the Highland Lakes Road.  These trees are not really pines at all but evergreen coniferous trees. They grow round the shores of highland lakes, are an ancient species that evolved before flowering plants.They are endemic to Tasmania and can live up to 1200 years old. However, they are endangered due to the constant fire threat. Years ago they suffered from the phytophthora (root rot) disease and the walk was closed. But the trees are recovering and the walk is now open again. We spent a lovely time here.

A noble specimen.

Next destination Bothwell. We remember it as a lively highland town but on this visit it seemed a pale reflection of this; in fact Steve said it was more like a ghost town as we wandered around seeing nary a soul. At times it felt as if we were on a deserted film set. But the buildings were captivating and there remains a strong sense of history with many Georgian buildings listed on the historic buildings register.

The only sign of life we saw.

A deserted building.

Built in 1850 as a shop and residence Bothwell Stores has an imposing presence.

The roses were prolific here and we couldn't stop taking photos of them.

 We stayed at Batts Cottage. This was a National Trust registered Georgian cottage built in 1840 from convict bricks. All the bricks above the fireplace had the convict arrow on them.

I adore window-and-flower shots.

Our final stop in this area was at Kempton, originally the home of the Big River tribe of Aborigines, and first settled by Europeans in the 1820s, when two convict stations were established here as well as sheep grazing. It was the first overnight stop on the Hobart to Launceston run. A very small town but a few lovely old buildings, and we wandered around the cemetery for a while, sighing at the sad loss of early lives. 

A handsome blue church.

Steve goes all creative. 

Fernleigh, built in the 1830s for free settler and doctor Thomas Gorringe
 who combined his practice with brewing beer.

This is the former Dysart House. Built in 1842 as a coaching inn run by a former convict, it has had a varied life, including a stint as a girls college and, more recently, home to Australian arts and food doyen Leo Schofield.

It is now home to the Redlands Distillery. I always loved driving past this building and imagining I could live there.





And so ends our highland adventure.

Next part: The Huon Valley