Australian Adventures 2018 - Part 9

Part 9 – Huon Valley and the Road to Strahan

And so we have left the Huon Valley and driven across Tasmania to Strahan on the west coast. And, yes, it was sad to leave. Our week there has given me a new “heart home,” to use Bill’s phrase. The plan, of course, is to return in 2019. Enough said…

The photos: the first group is from our last day of wandering along the Huon River.

The second group is from our 350-km drive to Strahan. And what a drive it was! It took almost 8 hours, following the twisty, turny, NARROW roads through magnificent scenery. Bill did an incredible job of driving.

At one point, we pulled into a lookout area for some photography. A small truck, the kind you see all over Tasmania, pulled up beside us. It belonged to a construction company that was working on the roads and had what looked like a snow plow on the front. Curious, I asked the driver if it really WAS a snow plow. Yup, it was! He said that it was handy in July and August when they do get some snow, but that he keeps it on the truck the rest of the year because “it’s just handy to shove things around.” So there you have it folks – a Tasmanian snow plow!

On the drive, we also encountered controlled bush fires along the road. The practice of controlled burns uses Aboriginal approaches to fire safety - after all, the Aborigines have been living in Australia for 60,000 years, so they know a thing or two about bush fires.

We’re having a quiet morning in Strahan before heading off on an afternoon ride into the rain forest on board the West Coast Wilderness Railway. It’s raining as I write this – badly needed rain, so no complaints from me – but I hope it clears a bit before our trip.

More about Strahan in the next post. Meanwhile, enjoy the photos!

Eucalyptus trees along the Huon River

Hedge with flowers near Cygnet

Saffron field belonging to Tas-Saf,  a successful grower of high quality saffron. We bought some of their saffron-infused gin. Pretty tasty with tonic water!

One of my friends on Graces Road

Fog-filled Huon Valley the morning we left.

I don't know what kind of bird this is, but we have seen them frequently. Such beauty and charm!

A plateau on the road to Strahan

The first Tasmanian snow plow that I've seen.

And a winter warning sign!

A controlled bush fire, using Aboriginal approaches to reduce the risk of catastrophic bush fires.

Nighttime view from our Airbnb digs:

a fish boat returning to Strahan harbour. 

Australian Adventures 2018 - Part 8

Part 8 – The Huon Valley: A Gift for the Soul

“I find myself mesmerized, caught in a transfixed gaze.

Moments like these are freely given, a daily event,

Though we rarely make the effort to pause and 

become part of their story.”

- Paul Fleming,

PAUSE – A Collection of Tasmanian Moments

(Moonah, Tasmania, 2016)

Two Saturdays ago, I bought a copy of Tasmanian photographer Paul Fleming's book of images and reflections at the Salamanca Market in Hobart. What a treasure! Fleming travels this island recording its beauty and magic. When I’m back in Canada, this book will help remind me of my love for Tasmania.

Thank you, Paul Fleming.

Fleming’s photographs are also a reminder that the magic of a place – and the magic of a moment – can be discovered in the smallest detail, the kind of detail that escapes me if I’m not observing mindfully.

Which brings me to the Huon Valley and our week-long retreat in its embrace. Simply put, the Huon Valley is a gift to the soul. Wandering the dirt roads near our cabin with my camera this week has been a blessing – I have become lost in the moments that Fleming celebrates in his photographs and writing.

I hope these photos bring you a sense of what I’m loving about the Huon Valley – its quiet power and understated beauty. We are already planning a return visit next year. My camera and I are looking forward to it.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Signs of early autumn

Eucalyptus leaves that Bill is using for dyeing fabric

Dawn in the Huon Valley

Fishing boats in the nearby Huon River

Graces Road, Glaziers Bay, near our cabin