Cradle Mountain
It’s possibly the most well-known tourist destination in Tasmania, besides Port Arthur. It’s an imposing figure of a mountain, and is utterly stunning. We made a day trip from our free camp in Forth, and drove the 1.5 hours (ish) to the Cradle Mountain National Park in our XTrail, opting to not drive Kaley up the mountain, along winding, narrow roads, most likely in 1st or 2nd gear at an average speed of about 15 km/hr. (Thank GODS.)
Along the way we passed Mt Roland – pictured below – and simply had to stop and take a few pictures.
Once we arrived at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Info Centre, we were amazed by how busy the place was! Apparently on a sunny day it’s always packed as people come from all around to bushwalk, hike, and tackle the summit of the mountain. The person we spoke to suggested we leave the shuttle bus at a place call Snake Hill, and walk to Ronny Creek along the timber pathway. It was a simple, easy walk – she said – and wouldn’t have many people on it. We’re glad we did – it was exactly as described, and I found the winding timber pathway mesmerising as it wove a path through the varied textures of plants and undergrowth.
Once at Ronny Creek we stopped for a brief meal, then started on the path to the Waldheim Chalet – a timber building originally constructed by Gustav and Kate Weindorfer in 1912. Its name literally translates as “forest home”. The original chalet fell into disrepair and in the 1970’s was rebuilt on the same site, the same as it originally stood.
The outside of Waldheim:
In this image you can see tracks winding across various different parts of the landscape – these are designed to minimise intrusion into the natural habitat of the wildlife. There were at least two wombats snuffling around in the undergrowth for food (they love native grasses) and one crossed our path quite closely. (But my good camera wasn’t ready fast enough! Doh!)
After a brief shuttle bus to take us to the Dove Lake stop, we got out and were greeted by this stunning view:
Here, our intrepid supermodel / health coach Bel dips her feet into the frosty waters of Dove Lake by the old historic Boat Shed. Cradle Mountain stands, ever imposing, in the background.
Later in the day we took a walk called “Enchanted Walk”, where we saw some small waterfalls and plenty of lush rainforest. Again, I became utterly obsessed with how the light fell through the trees and the undergrowth.
On the drive back home, I had to stop for this landscape of Mount Roland. The light was AMAZING.
Tasmazia & The Village of Lower Crackpot
Located about 40 minutes from Devonport, Tasmazia is home to eight different mazes, some nestled within the larger Great Maze, and is the largest maze complex in the world. It is full of humour – some dark, some cheeky, most politically incorrect – and full of laughter and delight. Their manifesto at the front gate reads as follows – and sets the tone beautifully:
At Tasmazia, we do things the Crackpot way.
Here, fun and laughter rule.
Love warms our mountain air.
The broad and all-encompassing spirit
is the canvas on which we paint our delight
in the joy of life.
A demanding character, impatience, self-centeredness,
discourtesy, a mean spirit are not virtues here.
They will not be allowed to pollute the sunshine of our day.
This is not their place.
The eccentric; the artist; the composer;
the poet; the writer; the musician
and those who love these things;
those of a soft and kind nature;
those who suffer under the domination
of harsher, cruder spirits;
those who step to a different drum;
the loners; the creators, the adventurers;
the visionaries; the lovers; the givers and not the takers;
the young at heart; the gentle folk.
This is their place. May their spirits dwell in eternal summer.
Above is the “balance maze” – found on the fringes of the Great Maze – and below is The Three Bears Cottage – the goal at the centre of The Great Maze. I didn’t take any shots inside the Great Maze – but it looks very much like the maze in the fourth Harry Potter film, except not quite as tall, it doesn’t change itself, and it isn’t quite so sinister. In fact, the easiest way to navigate around is using the cheeky signs at each turn and dead-end with jokes or quotes on them!
The Village of Lower Crackpot is a miniature village at 1/5 scale – similar in idea to Cockington Green, but filled with far more inappropriate humour, and the buildings are bigger. It includes a whole range of buildings, including some tongue-in-cheek “embassies” and a beautiful monument dedicated to The Whistle Blowers – those who take a stand for what is right, often at great risk to themselves. This was a great, fun day out, and a perfect way to wrap up our visit to Tasmania.