TASTE OF TASMANIA.

The Probus Club of Donvale Hill Inc. recently went on a wonderful tour of Tasmania with Lamble Tours.
On arrival in Tasmania, our Group was greeted by the coach captain who quickly set about developing a relaxed feeling and harmony within the group. This was one of many qualities this person displayed throughout our tour as he had a wealth of knowledge relating to Tasmania. An outstandingly safe driver over the entire 2200 Km of our tour. Nothing was a problem to him which ensured that our tour was completely worry free.
It was evident on arrival that there had been recent rains that had made the country side nice and green which added to the beauty of the early autumn tonings in the trees. This extensive colour contrast was one of the many highlights of the chair lift ride in the Cataract Gorge .
The Groups next taste of Tasmania was a visit to the delightful Swiss Style village at Grindelwad. The delightful layout stimulated thoughts about how relaxing it would be to retire to this sort of setting.
The amazing Beaconsfield gold mine rescue in 2006. will always be remembered as an unique operation.
It was amazing how enthusiastic the staff of Seahorse World were about development and marketing of their Seahorses and Dragons into the world and local markets.
Many old colonial buildings and bridges dot the countryside some of which date as the earliest in Australia . Typical of these is the property called Woolmer's Estate which was settled in 1816 and the historical town of Richmond which was proclaimed a township in 1824.
The next big bite was to the wallet. A visit to the amazing Salamanca Markets where there was an extensive range of local products awaiting to be purchased.
A well known local product is the Huon Pine and there is no better way to view these amazing trees and numerous other species than from the Tahune Forest Airwalk which is high in the tree canopy. Huon Pine is one of the longest living organisms on earth with trees dated over 2000 years. Its rot resistant properties make it an ideal timber for boat building and this was recognised when a shipyard was established on Sarah Island Tasmania's first and most brutal penal settlement.
Another interesting use of Huon pine is in a sculpture called the "Wall in the Wilderness". When all the panels of the sculpture have been completed it will measure over 100 metres in length. Each panel depicts an event in the development and history of Tasmania.
Tasman Island Cruises provided the next taste of Tasmania as it showed off how rugged and spectacular the south coast between Eaglehawk Nest and Port Arthur is and the abundance of water birds and marine life that inhabit the Tasman National Park No visit to Tasmania would be complete without visiting Port Arthur historical site which is the greatest tourist attraction in Tasmania and serves as a reminder to all about the living conditions endured by the staff and convicts at this settlement.
Our next taste of Tasmania was a cruise to the Gordon River viewing the fish farming operations in Southern Ocean and the magnificent forests which line the river banks.
A guided tour of the ruins of the Sarah Island Penal Settlement provided some idea of the conditions under which the convicts were housed.
Cradle Mountain National Park was the last World Heritage classified area we visited and it is fortunate that people like Gustav Weindorfer saw the beauty of these parks and helped to preserve them so that future generations may also enjoy their beauty.

Our next taste was with us throughout the entire tour, as the tour was well organised from start to finish, good fellowship was enjoyed by all and the food was excellent.