winter wonderland

Posted on December 24, 2015 by kathy

Cradle Mountain is stunning any time of year but winter brings an enchanting wonderland. A couple of years ago, we treated ourselves to a three day spa package at Cradle Mountain Lodge. It didn’t snow for us but there had been heavy falls the week before. On the way, we stopped at Cradle View Lookout to take in the expansive vista across the valley to snow covered mountains.

1.cradle view lookout2

Our cabin at The Lodge was welcoming

2.lodge1 3.lodge2 and we watched the changing colours on the mountain as the sun settled for the night.

4.mountain from lodge1 5.mountain from lodge2 6.mountain from lodge3 7.mountain from lodge4

The frozen lake formed abstract mosaic patterns.

Icy Dove Lake is shadowed by the mystical mountain, enshrouded in cloud.

18.Dove Lake2 19.Dove Lake5 20.Dove Lake1

Lake Lilla is serene,

21.Lake Lilla

the walking path too perilous to navigate.

22.Lake Lilla path

King Billy Walk winds its way through ancient forest

23.King Billy Walk

and joins the Speeler Track, opening up to scenic button grass plains

and spectacular mountain views.

30.Speeler Track7

Cradle Valley Walk goes all the way to Dove Lake.

We stopped for lunch at Snake Hill and caught the shuttle bus back to The Lodge where we had a date for a massage.

36.valley walk9

The Waldheim Spa has an enticing menu of treatments or you can opt to enjoy The Sanctuary. The hot tub is suspended above nature and the cool plunge pool is invigorating.

Waldheim Walk passes through diverse landscapes

41.Waldheims1 46.Waldheims7

and the historic Waldheim Chalet offers insight into the founding father of Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park. Built in 1912, it remains a memorial to Gustav Weindorfer and his wife, Kate.

The Waterfalls Walk is an easy track to Knyvet Falls

47.waterfalls (Knyvet)

and Pencil Pine Falls.

48.waterfalls (Pencil Pine)

I talked Michael into a body scrub and Vichy Shower for our final treatment at the spa. I found it very relaxing but he had some concerns about the durability of the paper G-strings we had been given to wear!

52.spa5

I think another winter weekend at The Lodge is looming…..

53.final pic

veggie patch paradise

Posted on December 19, 2015 by kathy

Many years ago, I saw this picture in a magazine and have coveted this veggie patch ever since. It is Pete’s Patch, a working vegetable garden in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart, made famous by local legend Peter Cundall.

1.Pete's patch

There was a veggie plot of sorts when we moved in, with two long, narrow, concrete edged beds and a big space in the middle for spuds.

2.before

Our new design incorporated the existing beds as paths and we set about building.

3.during1

We procured reclaimed hardwood roof trusses from the local salvage yard to make the boxes.

4.during2 5.during3 6.during4 7.during5 8.during6

The centrepiece was designated for our fruit salad tree – one tree bearing lemons, limes, mandarins & oranges.

9.during7

The posts were sunk and braced in readiness for the concrete.

10.during9 11.during10

I was eager to get some vegetables going. We ordered a truckload of loam and, after laying six sheets of newspaper, filled the boxes with a lovely soil/ mushroom compost mix. The planting began.

12.during11 13.during12

Another truck, another load – road base this time – was wheelbarrowed and spread along the paths.

14.during13

I don’t mind admitting the whacker packing is man’s work!

15.during14

Seven months into the project, the first bricks were laid.

16.during15

We collected old bricks from wherever we could find them. Fortunately for us, a house nearby burned to the ground (it was empty at the time) and we scavenged most from there.

17.during16

Michael laid, I laboured, just over 3,000 bricks!

18.during19

Now to keep the critters out! A double layer of shade cloth around the bottom also helps with protection from the wind. Wire around the top to deter any climbers.

22.during20

Almost done.

48.finished1 24.during22

The “verandah” of wire around the top is supposed to keep possums out because they won’t climb upside down.

26.during23a 27.during24

Michael very cleverly made the doors to fit the angles of the slope

28.during25

and we were finished.

29.during26 30.during27

Now we can just enjoy the veggies.

Or so we thought! Following a stealth attack by parrots, we decided we needed a roof. Gable supports and bird netting did the trick.

46.finished2

With some left over bricks & timber and an old laundry tub, Michael constructed a fantastic washstand to complete my dream.

47.washstand 23.during21

remarkable river

Posted on December 15, 2015 by kathy

I was going to start this post with the story of our amazing seaplane flight up the Gordon River from Strahan but, I’m sad to say, I’ve just found out Strahan Seaplanes have closed their doors due to family health issues. Hopefully, their situation will change and they will resume their wonderful service.

The other way to experience the river is the Gordon River Cruise. Departing Strahan early morning, the clouds were ominous as we crossed Macquarie Harbour, six times the size of Sydney Harbour.

1.macquarie harbour

The lifesaving apparatus was reassuring.

The reflections in the calm waters of the river were stunning, the wake of the boat hardly disturbing the surface.

4.reflections1 5.reflections2 6.reflections3 7.reflections4 8.reflections5

Looking back downstream, the remoteness was realised.

9.downstream1 10.downstream2 11.downstream3 12.downstream4 Later in the morning, we disembarked at Heritage Landing and walked through part of the largest tract of temperate rainforest surviving on earth.

13.rainforest landing

The return journey started with a delicious lunch, sipping on a beverage as we enjoyed the wonderful scenery.

19.island

The next destination was Sarah Island. A penal colony from 1822-1833, the ruins of some of the buildings still stand. The guided tours are apparently very entertaining, we opted to explore the island in our own way.

20.boat at S island

The views from the island highlight the rugged isolation

34.sarah island14 35.view from SI1 36.view from SI2

emphasised further as we meandered back to Strahan.

37.view from SI3 38.mountains1 39.mountains2

If not for the efforts of conservationists and public opinion in the early 1980s, much of this area would be underwater if the Franklin Dam had eventuated.

renovation ruminations: part 4

Posted on December 11, 2015 by kathy

The bedrooms didn’t need too much work. The previous owners installed bay windows in the two main bedrooms, adding a bit more space and enhancing the gorgeous views. They tiled the floor area in the window section to blend in with the cream carpet.

the pink walls, pelmets and curtains were first to go.

5. new curtains

We pulled up the carpet and removed the tiles

then filled in the gaping hole with Tasmanian oak flooring. The hideous solid wardrobe doors were replaced with Tassie oak framed mirrored ones

and the floorboards were sanded and polished.

17.K's after 16.M's after 15.M's after

After much searching, I found some antique bedside cabinets. They are mismatched and after some restoration they completed the picture perfectly.

18.K's bedsides 19.M's bedsides

The third bedroom was designated for guests

18.bed 3 before

but the sofa bed was soon re-homed once I discovered how uncomfortable it was. The carpet had to go and a huge built in cupboard was deconstructed and resurrected in the shed. With some rearranging, the room has become a cosy guest suite for one as well as my playroom.

beautiful beach

Posted on December 9, 2015 by kathy

A short drive from Strahan township is the beautiful Ocean Beach. Forty kilometres of pristine sand lies between the Great Southern Ocean on one side and the west coast wilderness on the other.

4.beach1 5.beach2 39.beach3 40.beach4