We landed at Hobart at sunset and, after retrieving our luggage, switched to a rental RAV4. Hobart is quite a nice city; big enough but not too big. We had a comfortable stay at the boutique Islington Hotel on the west edge of Hobart. The hotel had views of Mount Wellinton and a landscaped garden. The following morning, we first did a tour of Hobart on the hop-on-hop-off bus and then later drove to nearby Mount Field National Park for some hiking and scenery. The park was old growth forest; trees up to about 250’ tall with huge trunks, plus lush tree-like ferns. Growth was dense due to ample rain which also sustained some small waterfalls. Platypuses are found here. We did not see them, but others have reported sightings.
That evening we walked the harbor front, checking out all the shops and restaurants, until we found a restaurant with the quiet atmosphere we were seeking, and had a nice seafood dinner.
The following day, we drove the east coast of Tasmania to Swansea, then turned inland ending up in Launceston. We stopped at a wool store in Ross along the way, but it was disappointing: high prices and limited inventory. The east coast was beautiful: wide sand beaches, low cliffs, clear water, calm seas, and few people. Tasmania reminded us of northern California. Another tourist couple we met in Tasmania, who are from California, also sensed the California similarity. Residents we talked to report that the climate is quite mild, and, as an island surrounded by ocean, that is to be expected. The west coast of Tasmania gets plenty of rain (like the Oregon coast), but the east coast is significantly dryer.
The island of Tasmania is slightly bigger than the island of Sri Lanka but has a population of only 532,600 compared to Sri Lanka's 22 million! The island of Java, with twice the land area, has a population of 157 million! The difference in population densities is astounding. Having visited all three islands, we have witnessed the difference it makes in peoples' lives.
Launceston is a small but scenic location. We stayed in a small B&B there; probably the least impressive of any of our trip accommodations, but about what we could expect in a small, non-touristy town. The area is hilly with seaport frontage on a bay which extended far inland from the main coast. We toured the downtown area on foot and had lunch at a small cafe. Most notable is the Cataract Gorge waterway/trail/park. You can walk to it from any part of the city, and it is wonderfully scenic. It appeared that some town residents used the trail through the gorge for their daily walks.
We drove to George Town on the outer coast, stopping at 'Brady's Lookout' along the way. The lookout is a high point along the bay with views far up and down the bay and surrounding valley. Mathew Brady used the lookout to spot ships he sought to overpower and steal to leave Tasmania. The drive was a chance to view more of the surrounding terrain. The Launceston airport is small with only basic services; we flew out on a propellor-driven turbojet when leaving. Without that airport, I could not have planned our south-to-north driving tour of the island.
[ Brady was a young man who was arrested for stealing food in England. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison and sent to Tasmania where he later escaped along with other inmates and became an outlaw. After years on the run, he was captured and killed at age 27. It was a harsh life back then. Imagine, it all started from stealing some food.]
