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The fleet preparing for departure<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Fish farming<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Fish farming<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Coastal lagoon<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Southern ocean<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>South Tasmania coast<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nA few minutes after they took off, we taxied out. Ollie took care of the radios for me, as he was fluent in Australian. We set off along the coast, checking out the large number of fish farms that were situated in bays south of Hobart as we climbed. As we continued around the coastline the landscape became much more rugged and remote, and we saw very little evidence of human activity. A strong wind was blowing in from the forbidding looking Southern Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n
Tasmania coast<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Approaching Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Approaching Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThere was a cloud layer at about 2,500ft over the southern part of Tasmania which was giving the others some problems. As we neared the area of Bathurst harbour, we came into radio range of Mitch and Paul. Chatting to them over the radio, we found that while Mitch had managed to find a hole in the clouds to drop down through, Paul had not been so lucky. We could see a few gaps from below, and Ollie tried to direct Paul towards them but it was not to be; eventually, he gave up and headed for home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We flew a circuit at Bathurst Harbour, and could see Mitch already parked up on the sand below us. Bathurst Harbour airstrip has a restriction, limiting landing rights to those with a commercial pilots licence only (luckily, I have this!) – this is apparently as a result of some significant landing accidents involving private pilots who seemed to be operating somewhat outside of the limits of their licence by taking paying passengers down to this popular national park. Ollie also confided in me that a reliable way to achieve a warm welcome by the resident parks staff was to show up with today’s newspaper, and some chocolate; we did this, and it worked like a charm!<\/p>\n\n\n
Parked up at Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Exploring the boardwalk<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Melaleuca river<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Traditional home exhibit<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Melaleuca lagoon<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Pilots on holiday<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nAdjacent to the airstrip, only accessible by air or boat, is the tiny settlement of Melaleuca. Originally established for tin-mining by the King family, Melaleuca is now a significant stopping point on the South Coast and Port Davey hiking tracks, as well as a popular spot for birdwatchers hoping to catch a glimpse of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot. We did not see any parrots, but we did enjoy a walk along the Needwonnee Walk. Along this 1.2 km boardwalk visitors can view the living and changing sculptural installations, made from natural materials, and share the stories of the aboriginal Needwonnee people, as well as viewing the natural beauty of the Melaleuca river and lagoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Walk complete, we made our way back to the strip. Mitch and his friend would be taking the Cub back to Cambridge, while Ollie and I continued to visit a number of other airstrips around Tasmania. We said our goodbyes and took off first, heading out into what Ollie referred to as “Tiger country” across the rugged center of the island.<\/p>\n\n\n
Bathurst Harbour strip<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked at Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Departing from Bathurst Harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Heading for "Tiger country"<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nThis territory was certainly forbidding, and I was glad to be carrying my satellite locater beacon just in case. The southwest and center of Tasmania feature large, tree covered mountains divided by deep gorges and valleys, with basically no ground access. The scenery was spectacular but I did breathe a slight sigh of relief as we approached the edge of the central plateau began a descent towards our next destination, a private strip close to the town of Launceston.<\/p>\n\n\n
Central Tassie<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Approaching Launceston<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Private strip at Longdown<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked at Longdown<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nOllie’s aviation network reached far and wide across Tasmania and beyond, and he’d been able to text the strip owner as we flew and get permission to drop in. He was mowing the strip as we arrived, and came over to say hello. We chatted for a while before jumping back in the plane and making the short flight over to the main Launceston airport for some fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n
Departing for Launceston<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Parked at Launceston<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Refueling<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Meeting local pilots!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nWe parked up next to the flying club at Launceston, and Ollie called the fuel truck. While we waited we wandered inside the club, and were greeted by an instructor and his student who were preparing for a lesson. Before long, the refueler turned up and we were able to fill up the wing tanks and get going once more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We continued to the northeast across Tasmania, on our way to Flinders Island. This is the largest of a group of islands known as the Furneaux group, which sit in the Bass Strait to the northeast of Tasmania’s mainland. The islands were first inhabited about 35,000 years ago by people making their way over from the Australian mainland, but this population died out about 4,500 years ago. The islands remained uninhabited until European settlement in the 18th century. These days a little over 800 people reside on the island group.<\/p>\n\n\n
Northern Tasmania coast<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Bass Strait<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Killiecrankie<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nWe flew all the way to the northern end of Flinders Island, and landed at the private strip of Killiecrankie. There wasn’t anybody there, and there was nothing to do, so we departed straight away and headed towards the other end of the island and the town of Lady Barron. Lady Barron has two airstrips, right next to each other; Lady Barron grass (which we landed at) and Lady Barron tarmac. The settlement is believed to be named after Clara, wife of Major General Sir Harry Barron, who was Governor of Tasmania from 1909 to 1913. The reason for our visit, touching down in the warm midday sun, was lunch! It was about a 15 minute walk to an excellent pub. <\/p>\n\n\n
Lady Barron grass<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Lady Barron Grass airfield<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nNow well fed, we returned to the airfield. A man was hanging out near the open-sided hangar with a carry-on bag, and approached us as we neared Planey. “Hi guys”, he said, “I think I’m flying with you today”. We assured him that he probably wasn’t, and suggested that he wait for the commercial flight that would be operating a little later. Winds were light, and we took off back down the opposite runway from that which we’d landed on, minimising the taxi time. It was time to start heading back to Hobart.<\/p>\n\n\n
Furneaux Islands<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tasmanian waters<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tasmanian coast<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Tasmanian coast<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nOur first stop was the airstrip at Cape Barren, just for the fun of stopping there, before we continued south towards the Tasmanian mainland again. Before long we were crossing Swan Island and coasting in over Musselroe Bay. We continued down the coastline, admiring the beautiful azure waters as we flew. We landed briefly at St Helens airport, a long tarmac strip, before continuing down the coast towards Friendly Beaches.<\/p>\n\n\n
Friendly Beaches<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Friendly Beaches<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nFriendly Beaches is a dirt\/gravel strip, nestled on a strip of land between the Tasman Sea and the Moulting Lagoon. Hangars are scattered either side of the runway, among the trees. A small commercial operator flies out of here; Ollie informed me that the lone pilot was rather starved for company, and would eagerly pounce on any visitor for conversation. Sadly we didn’t have time to stop and chat, so we taxied back to the threshold and departed again, turning south over the coastline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our final stop before arriving back in Hobart was the National Parks strip on Maria Island. This island was named in 1642 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman after Maria van Diemen, wife of Anthony van Diemen, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies in Batavia. The island is uninhabited other than a few parks staff, but can have visitor numbers of up to a few hundred at a time at the height of the season. <\/p>\n\n\n
Maria Island<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Kangaroo at Darlington strip<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Back to Hobart<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nSealing, farming, and several industries have found a home on the island over the last couple of years, and there were also a couple of historical periods where convicts were held there. Historical buildings and other evidence of these past activities can be found around the island, and form part of the tourist attraction of the national park. The runway seems to be particularly attractive to kangaroos, and we had to pick our way between a few of them as we performed a lazy touch and go, departing again over the sea cliffs and turning in the direction of Hobart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We had to be back at Hobart in good time, because Ollie had invited me to ride along with him in the Beaver amphibious floatplane which he would be piloting back from the harbour to Cambridge. We parked Planey up at Cambridge, and drove into town to the Beaver. This was the same kind of airplane which Elsa and I had ridden in back in 2018, when we went bear watching in Alaska. The size of these beasts was always impressive, and it was particularly cool to be flown by a good friend! <\/p>\n\n\n
Beaver on floats<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>In the Beaver<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Ready for takeoff<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Climbing out from the harbour<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\nOllie guided me on board without falling in the water (he’d earlier regaled me with a particularly entertaining story about him falling in the harbour) and we set off, taxiing out into the middle of the channel before pushing in the power and skipping over the waves before lifting off. It was only a few minutes flight, and all at a very low level, so the views were exceptional. Landing was a weird feeling, with the amphibious floats leaving us still far above the ground even after we had left the runway and were taxiing in! We parked up near Planey, and spent a while emptying water from the floats and hosing away the saltwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That evening, my last in Hobart, was celebrated with an excellent meal down on the Hobart waterfront. The next day it would be time to set out and explore some more of Australia!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunday morning dawned bright and clear. Ollie had been trying to convince me all week that the amazing weather which had coincided with my whole stay was not at all normal, but I didn’t believe him. The Tasmanians were clearly just trying to keep everyone else away so they could enjoy Tassie all by themselves. I therefore decided to make the most of the conditions to see a bit more of Tasmania before making the jump back to the big sandy island to the north. I had submitted my travel notification form to the South Australian government and received permission to enter (a necessity in this time of COVID), so I was all ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nGetting ready for departure<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Paul's house<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Hobart<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Hobart<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>Central Tassie<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div>