So we ventured on, getting side tracked once more – to Richmond. Seeing the turn off at the last minute and remembering that people have told me about this place, we took the turn off.
We walked down the main street seeing all the old buildings including the bridge (the oldest working one in Australia), the gaol and many more. We didn’t opt to do any tourist attractions in this town but the boys did score a national pie each, which we tried. Not too bad.
We left and found our new camp spot at Dunalley. A big spare block next to the pub overlooking the ocean.
Here we set up our van running along the fence so our front door faced the ocean. We left the annex up as it was windy and went for a quick drive into town to have a look. There was no town. But we did find a jetty with the potential for fishing.
It was also at this free camp spot, beside Dunalley Hotel,that we met new people Berice and Kevin. They were invited over for dip, cheese and crackers, however we were the ones to eat it all. LOL. A lovely chat, we went and made dinner and off to bed we went.
At the time of setting up it was a great idea choosing the spot we did but at 1.30 in the morning I was regretting it. The winds picked up to about 50km/hr, no exaggeration. If anything they were stronger. I had visions of the van being blown over the cliff! I woke Rod and we ended up dropping the lid of the van, which did help.
The next day we got up and headed for Port Arthur, about an hours drive away. The weather was not the best but according to the forecast it wasn’t going to get any better.
We did the guided tour. OMG was it boring. The lady doing it sounded like she had recited a speech. We put up with it and quickly departed heading for the boat ride. While we were on the boat ride it started to rain; not what northerners would call rain but heavy drizzle. The smell of hot pies was making Rod and I salivate so when we returned from the boat trip food was on everyone’s mind. So we went to the car, sat in the car and ate the food we had packed.
We returned and headed for the buildings first, before they closed and opted to do the ruins last. Mitchell was in a foul mood and dragged his feet as we went.
Some of the houses were huge, especially knowing they were so old and the ruins, well it was amazing to see them still standing, in some order, nearly 200 years later.
We left late in the afternoon and squeezed in a quick look at Fortescue Bay, a camp ground where we thought we could have a hot shower – no such luck!
So we returned to our campgrounds and packed up our van AND MOVED IT! We moved it over along the timber fence, away from the cliffs and out of the wind. We made a coffee and went and visited our friends, Berice and Kevin, for a cuppa in their warm campervan.
We came back and I made a big pot of spaghetti Bolognese and Rod got the showers organised. We have a portable shower, ensuite tent, but required boiling the billy etc. We all had warm showers and sat down to eat and went to bed.
The next day we decided to have a relax day, kinda. Well I spent the morning updating photos and blogs while Rod pottered around putting wiring on the van and other things. We farewelled our friends, Kevin and Berice, who we found out are going to be famous too. Have a look in this month’s Caravan and Camping Magazine (I think that’s the one) and they are in it.
About 11am we went into Sorell to fill all empty water bottles and get some groceries. On the way back we called into Marion Bay, a place we were told about that had rolling surf. So we gave the boys the choice of going for a boggie board; they opted out. It was like chilled water on ice! In other words BLOODY COLD. We returned to have lunch and then headed off to see some other tourist attractions.
Again with the boys whinging about having to go somewhere we pulled up to Eaglehawk Neck. This is the place where there was a dog line, to keep the convicts in, who tried to escape from Pt Arthur. The boys saw a rabbit and ran off chasing it.
We continued on the the Blowhole, Tasman Arch and Devil’s Kitchen. The Blowhole wasn’t so spectacular, not spraying up but the Arch and Devil’s Kitchen were amazing. It was such a long way down and amazing the layers in the rocks. The boys took to tossing rocks over the edge to see if they could hit the other side. That lightened the mood.
We returned hoping for an earlier night to cook dinner. I made chicken stirfry with noodles while Rod did his duties of getting showers ready again. We ate and left the kids to wash the dishes while we went in and spent $4 on the pokies and had sticky date pudding. It was divine.
We returned and I read some more of my book and we went to sleep. For those of you that don’t know me very well, I don’t read, ever. I don’t think I have read a novel in my life. Well while we were at Mallacoota I got a book from the laundry and thought I might give it a go. I am nearly halfway. It is called Iceman. Basically an American version of Chopper Reed. There are some messed up people in this world.
PHOTOS: Richmond and Dunalley
PHOTOS: Pt Arthur
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