In the last remaining days of Paula Baxter’s stay we visited the Museum of Old and New Art better known as MONA situated on a peninsular curving into the Derwent River. In 1948 this land was purchased by an Italian immigrant, Claudio Alcorso who planted the first vineyards of southern Tasmania before employing, a decade later, one of the country’s leading architects, Sir Roy Grounds to design two homes on his property. Thus, arriving at the entrance to MONA caught us by surprised as it’s easily mistaken for a Wine Estate. One, with lots of car parks causing a loss of bearings and had us wondering which way to go! Alcorso’s homes have become heritage protected and part of the Museum. When David Walsh purchased the property in 1995 he converted the Courtyard House into the Moorilla Museum of Antiquities and by 2005 began planning additions to better display his growing collection. On meeting with Nonda Katsalidis, a Melbourne architect, he discovered their “design sensibilities coincided” and an unusually spectacular and large building developed. This building, in itself, is more than well worth a visit although the outside is, as David rightly describes - ‘deliberately underwhelming’.
The museum approach, with beautiful views across the river, mountain and suburbs of Hobart further confused with an all weather tennis court on the doorstep however the warm welcome from staff in smart understated uniforms quickly settled our qualms as they instructed us on the use the i-pods that would keep us informed as to where we were and what we were looking at. For us non techno folk it took time adjusting to their use – Lea certainly got the most out of hers. A glass lift dropped us 17 metres underground to the third subterranean level cut into the Triassic sandstone of the river bank, giving little indication of the sheer space and size of the place let alone the many galleries that would steadily unfold over time. The sandstone rock face beautifully incorporated as a towering wall within the building and more extraordinary was the waterfall, an art work of sound bite messages created out of droplets of water. This was our favourite! All was an experience unlike any other - a modern rendition equivalent to Alice in Wonderland dropping down a rabbit hole and finding another world that drew you along corridors into hidden corners and vast structural spaces containing exhibits that ranged from the most curious to quite bizarre, thought provoking to downright confronting. Alison and Amanda not only recommended the visit they had warned we could be shocked!
Not even this whimsical exhibit within the car park prepared us for the day in store!
It was truly a museum unlike most. Purposely built around specific art pieces, it is one of the few museums in the world to have a water covered gallery floor, a waterfall, a sex and death gallery, two cocktail-bars that momentarily have you wondering if they are for real – they are! Not to mention the weird gallery with its facilities to handle effluent from an art piece! For George, other than the amazing building there was little that appealed - he just couldn’t view it as ART. Lea found it a most intriguing place and totally lost herself down there until aching feet brought her back to reality and forced her to the top where George and Paula were comfortably seated and absorbed in books, patiently awaiting the return of person three.
As the working week ended Paula caught her flight out of Hobart back to her Southport, leaving an emptiness in both SKV and her corner of Getaway for us to have to get used to again. That first weekend in November was party time - Amanda celebrated her birthday. Such perfect weather and we were all amazed to discover Hobart 32.3⁰C registered the second hottest temperature to Darwin’s 33⁰C for the country. Both at opposite ends of the continent.
Concerned about shower forecasts for the coming week and not wishing to damage the lawn we decided to turn the caravan around in readiness for a departure to New Norfolk mid week. So much for plans, it proved impossible to reverse the caravan or find a level gradient to unhitch, not even out on the street. Very frustrated we dragged Getaway to our doctor appointments and continued onwards to New Norfolk... We took 9 days in our favourite site beside the weeping willows where Fairy wrens flit and Blackbirds twitter! Despite the many times we have been here we only discovered the Derwent Cliffs Reserve circuit on this occasion. It had always seemed natural to walk up river as the cliffs seemed impassable the other way yet concealed within a rocky passage was Jacob’s ladder testing heart, knees and lungs with gorgeous views up river highlighted by the sun before it slipped below the mountains. We soon came to look forward to our evening exercise following the Derwent River and returning along the Lachlan River.
Catching the view and a breath on the stairs up the cliffs that back onto New Norfolk Caravan Park.
If it rains in the morning a perfect evening follows and vice versa. Coats pop on and off throughout the day as fast as clouds sail across the sun. Tassie weather is capable of four seasons within an hour let alone a day and we fit in accordingly without much complaint... Awaking to a sunny morning, we packed lunch and set off for Maydena and the Styx State Forest to walk amongst the Giants. One of the larger reserves of tall, old growth trees, still relatively untouched in Tasmania are to be found on the slopes of the Maydena Range, we looked forward to seeing the BIG and BIGGER swamp gums. A sign demonstrating ‘duty of care’ asked walkers to avoid windy days in the forest due to the risk of falling limbs! The roar of wind in the tree tops accompanied by flailing branches and creaking tree trunks plus obvious graveyards of fallen monsters did not reassure Lea nor did George’s flippant comment ‘be ready to run...’
George takes the seat to admire the spectacular swamp gum piercing the sky at 87metres. We couldn’t help being affected by the Bigger Tree’s presence and beauty knowing it diminishes in size the older it becomes - due to storm damage. In earlier years it was recorded at 97metres!
Having survived the inherent ’dangers’ of Big Tree walk and the River Styx walk we decided there was enough time to get through to Lake Pedder for lunch.
A pan of the Western Arthur Range with its ridges, cliffs and craggy towers not only added scenically to the day’s outing, it indicated the rain race we were up against...
According to Senator Bob Brown, Leader of the Green’s Political Party and one of Tasmania’s best known green activists, Lake Pedder was once “one of the most gently beautiful places on the planet” until 1972 when State government of the day decided this inaccessible glacial lake and its surrounding valleys should be flooded as part of a huge hydroelectric scheme. All entailed a very controversial and damaging project. In January 2003, we had gone to see the structures involved in the damming of the Gordon River at Strathgordon and seen the upper reaches of Lake Pedder. This time, we came to the bottom end to see the two saddle dams (the Edgar and Scotts Peak) built across the Huon River which led to the flooding of Lake Pedder.
This curious currawong brightened our picnic! It was too cold and wet outside as we partook of an unfortunate lunch of dried ryvita minus avocado, Lea had unwittingly replaced in the fruit basket instead of the esky.
From our central position at New Norfolk we took a most pleasant ride along the northern bank of the River Derwent to Bridgewater and on through undulating countryside to Richmond, one of the oldest and best preserved towns in Australia. George was thrilled to be able to add to his ever growing list of Australian Superlatives - The oldest Roman Catholic Church - St John (1837) AND the oldest bridge still in use (1823), both in Richmond.
A tale of a ghost was further ‘good news’ for George! During the bridge’s construction, convict labour turned on a brutal supervisor, beat him to death and threw him into the Coal River to forever haunt the bridge - we saw nothing!
There were an amazing number of day-visitors in delightful Richmond this Monday. Coaches and motorhomes kept coming. The sudden showers or ‘monkey weddings’ as we call them when the sun shines as rain falls had all tourists scurrying for temporary cover in the nearest art gallery, woodcraft or gift shop throughout the morning. We continued a loop through the Coal Valley vineyards and Butchers Hill to Rosny Park where the film The Hunter was showing. Filmed in remote Tasmanian Wilderness we were keen to see it. Imagine our thrill when the very same landscape we travelled through to Lake Pedder appeared on screen especially the Forest Protest Camp in the Upper Florentine which had us regretting we hadn’t stopped only driven slowly by peering in at the rough and tumble camp squeezed into the forest despite a banner Welcome to Camp Flozza – Where we live the dream of arboreal nirvana! This is the longest running Blockade in Tasmanian history and the STILL WILD STILL THREATENED campaign of 2006 continues to raise a public profile for forests such as the Styx and Upper Florentine. We found The Hunter an evocative reminder of all the beauty we had experienced within the Western Wilderness Areas.
Returning ‘home’ to Howden we prepared for a special event evening... Amanda and Alison’s arrival in Tasmania TEN years ago!
Celebrating with Amanda and Alison- This was a rare ‘night on the town’ for us. Shortly after, we were joined by John Daly and another Amanda for fine dining at the Hobart Casino Hotel followed by The Pointer Sisters show.
Having grown up in Rhodesia we’d been deprived of live shows by overseas performers and, although we vaguely recalled hit music of these Californian siblings from the 70 and 80’s we were excited about attending- Understandably, we didn’t recognise the sisters as these three now cross three generations – original Ruth, her daughter and a grand-daughter! Together with their backing band they created a BIG sound of fun, lights and music and we were rapidly caught up in the moment by it all despite mostly unfamiliar funky and disco styled tunes.
Keeping us particularly busy was the installation of ranch style fencing along the front boundary of Alison and Amanda’s property. The mid section had been there when they bought their block only it was now pretty wobbly and rotten, requiring replacement. Add that during the years of huskies, wire fencing had dominated. Now it was time to create a more visually appealing facade. The planks were ordered and George, never one to let the moss grow under his feet got stuck in. Naturally, he required a ‘handlunger’ or App’ie and Lea fitted the bill. This physically demanding work occurred on particularly hot days proving Tasmania temperatures get high enough to generate a good sweat.
Three hundred and seventy five metres of timber led to sore backs and ear, splinters, blood blisters and torn skin from old wire and many expletives yet it WAS a pleasure doing something so constructive.
Soon after we’d intimated we’d be coming to Tasmania, the two A’s invited us to Maria Island. Alison reckoned it was the only place they could take us to that we’d hadn’t as yet seen in Tasmania and booked a trip for the last weekend of November. A glorious day dawned (one, rarely bettered), both working girls had taken a day of leave and we set off in two well laden vehicles early that Friday morning bound for the morning ferry leaving Triabunna, on the East Coast.
We had contemplated going to Maria Island in 2008 until the thought of carting everything over onto an island looking incredibly wild and steep as it rose out of the sea, put us off. What one perceives is not always how it is!
It was with some trepidation, Lea made this journey in the company of her cousin, despite our hostesses going out of their way to ensure our every comfort in the old penitentiary on Maria Island - NO sleeping on the ground in tents! We were first on the dock with our numerous goods and chattels – enough to seem like we were away for a week not a weekend that we were glad to slip away for a coffee rather than stand by feeling embarrassed!
Drawing up at the wharf of Maria Island National Park produced sweeping bays and soft rolling hills with historic ruins and a cluster of whitewashed buildings nestled comfortably in a valley.
Fortunately there were heavy duty trolleys available to haul all our clobber along the track into Darlington.
Our 'overflow luggage' landed up in a larger trolley... Amanda and Lea helped the young lads with the load only to be almost run off their feet as the trolley hurtled up the hill at break neck speed.
The long Penitentiary built in the 1830’s as six conjoined rooms much like today offers similar basic accommodation. The difference THEN being over 400 prisoners slept within, on nothing like the three comfortable bunk-beds our rooms each provided along one wall to sleep six or the wooden table with attached seats or a wood fired heater! We were further spoilt as the A’s had learnt that bringing camping table and chairs to set up outside the door gave fine views across the harbour and mainland Tasmania in one direction, the hillside with wildlife activity in another direction and our immediate surrounds of historic buildings provided a green courtyard guarded by Cape Barren Geese. These handsome birds with pale grey plumage and black marking on their wings and tails, in similar size to a domestic goose, paraded around the courtyard on their pink legs and black feet. Head, with a distinctive yellowish cere on its short black bill, would nod most agreeably after suitably hounding off intruders who dared feed within their grazing area. Yes, these birds are in competition with all the other grazers feeding predominantly on the common island tussock – and we laughed at their bullying tactics on a young wombat that ventured onto ‘their’ ground. Moved it on by pecking its rear end! They certainly didn’t bother the mature wombats.
In the 1950’s the numbers for Cape Barren Goose was low enough for scientists to fear their extinction. A small number were introduced to Maria Island in 1968 and breeding has obviously been most successful.
In actual fact there are now more geese alive today than at any time since the settlement of Australia. Although no longer in danger they never-the-less remain one of the rarest of the world’s geese. We found them to be full of character and on a number of occasions when we collected water from the only tap we’d feel quite daunted by 5 or 6 geese descending down the slope with wings outstretched and flapping as they ran towards us as if in attack... We soon discovered they didn’t want to miss out on a drink should any water drain away.
Aside from the fact that Maria Island has provided a sanctuary for the introduction of several threatened species in more recent years it was first considered suitable for a penal settlement until prisoners found ways of escaping. However, as we leant in time, not all the buildings or ruins around Darlington belonged to the convict eras of 1825-1832 and 1842-1896, on the opposite side of the ‘green courtyard’ to the penitentiary we gazed upon an incongruously stylish weatherboard ‘Coffee Palace’ and wondered why it had been placed there until the museum within unfolded a cultural history and understanding of the island’s history during a further two separate eras of industry.
The Coffee Palace at dawn
Just as well a very wet Saturday afternoon gave us the time to shelter awhile in the Coffee Palace come boarding house once run by Rosa Adkins who swore she’d be carried out feet first before she’d leave the Island. And she was! At the age of 96 she was the last person to be buried in the little cemetery, having brought up six young children singlehandedly after her husband was accidentally killed at the Cement Works. We found ourselves making sense of all the different buildings across the years while comfortably seated in the reading room and the dining room listening to audio recordings of stories. Here, we formed a holistic picture of all the happenings of Maria Island. From a penal settlement where the renowned Irish political prisoner William Smith O’Brien was housed to the Italian entrepreneur, Diego Bernacchi’s styling of a Mediterranean paradise with vineyards for tourists that never quite got off the ground thanks to the Great Depression followed by the Cement Works that went bust.
That first day we took the Great Short Walk recommended as one of Tasmania’s 60 best walking opportunities- Painted Cliffs, Maria Island which took us up and down dale, through eucalypt forests and across cleared paddocks once used as hop fields or for grape growing. There was much to distract us – birds to identify, the Oast House, Forester kangaroo, Bennets wallabies, Tasmanian native hen and more Cape Barren goose to watch or be watched by. A perfect introduction to the island!
George, not used to such a slow pace took this panoramic shot of Hopground Beach while he waited for us women.
At the far end of Hopground Beach we pondered the beautifully coloured and patterned sandstone forming The Painted Cliffs - extensively exposed by the low tide. Wave action also forms interesting features along the rocky platform and into the cliff face. The curling action vaguely similar to the tumbling beauty of The Breakaway Cliffs we enthused over back in April, as we came across Western Australia. A High in the Strait made the sea water a perfect temperature for dipping feet and encouraging a swim. Alison and Amanda planned to swim next day BUT contrary to the forecast, we’d had our days of sunny weather. Despite Saturday morning assurances “It’s just sea mists which will soon burn off” as George prepared to go further afield, taking the mountain climb to Bishop and Clerk (also registered in Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks) clouds continued to move in with no sign of any blue in the sky. Meanwhile the ladies roamed the foothills and along the rugged cliffs, trying to keep out of the wind. We enjoyed three soaring sea eagles and a pair of flame robins while welcome swallows darted around our legs catching the flying insects we disturbed. We met a party of Maria Island walkers- a Tour group on a 3-4 day hike across the Island. These ladies were returning from Bishop and Clerk having reached the extensive field of boulders (scree slopes) before turning back knowing views would be hidden and not prepared to do the strenuous rock hopping in thick mists. They had climbed the higher Mount Maria the previous day and were content with having seen the views from there. They reported passing George at the halfway mark. Mid-day brought the first bits of drizzle and we turned homeward to Darlington via the more protected Convict Reservoir Circuit. We made it back to our ‘cell’ just before the rain set in and George arrived shortly after having achieved the 12km return to the columnar summit of Bishop and Clerk.
The craggy top of Bishop and Clerk enveloped in swirling mist, it’s not the destination but journey that counts!
Although rain kept up throughout the afternoon and evening we had lots to ‘sticky beak’ from our spot on the veranda/corridor. A friendly mob of six from Victoria arrived on an ‘Adventure Tour’ and took up the end room beside us – their amiable Guides at the opposite end of the Penitentiary were kept mighty busy too-ing and fro-ing with wine and food cooked on their small portable stoves. Once the party was judged suitably mellow, the Guides arrived in white convict uniform to dress their clients in the same. Lots of fun seeing all attired in distinctive prison garb with I did time on Maria Island down their backs!
Awaking to more rain we considered returning on the morning ferry. However, Maria Island had cast its spell over us and we were reluctant to leave. Tiny bits of blue gave us hope and while the A’s packed up George and Lea, rugged up and set off down to Darlington Beach, past the Commissariat Store and cement silos Lea had missed seeing on arrival as her head had been well down, holding on to a trolley for dear life! At the jetty we turned up the hill to the ruined buildings we had noticed from the Penitentiary. In an old barn constructed by convicts we found a range of ancient farming implements and noticed a wombat had taken up residence at the rear- it remained very still, convinced it was hidden from our eyesight despite George taking a photo a metre away! After visiting the cemetery, the landing strip and the Fossil Cliffs with a track leading down to the 1920’s quarry site where millions of fossilised shellfish were mined for lime we climbed the steep hill taking us to the top section we’d explored the day before, with all its fine views.
We took a break overlooking the splendid cliff wall leading towards Bishop and Clerk. George hoped the cloud cover would move off and reveal its peak. That didn’t happen until we pulled out on the ferry
After another excellent morning’s exploration of the island, we collected the camera trap, Alison and George had set up along a ‘creature highway’! What pleasure these two have had setting up camera traps in different parts of the property back in Howden to see who and what is moving around by night. Naturally they couldn’t resist setting the two cameras up on the island- although they had to wait until they returned home to download the images captured. We returned to the Penitentiary taking the Convict Reservoir circuit as George hadn’t been that way. The skies briefly cleared as we relaxed in the sun and enjoyed our remaining hours before retracing our steps to the ferry and home. A treat of a weekend, indeed!
HARD LABOUR returned as the final section fencing was dismantled and replaced to match the rest. The two gateways began their facelifts as November drew to a close.
