14th FEB - RICHMOND ‘’ZOO DOO’’ & RICHMOND TOWN
Set off for Richmond Zoo as soon as we vacated Tourist park, and spent a great few hours at this small private zoo, where we got up close and personal to most of the animals except the tigers and lions. Lovely hot sunny day all day.
Little mini horses at zoo
feeding the camels
Tasmanian Devil feed time
Albino wallaby
Male lion playing with his toys
female lioness waiting for her piece of string to be pulled along in front of her
baby Tassie Devil - 7 mths old
After we left the zoo, we headed for the town of Richmond itself and hopped on our bikes so we could see more of this historic old town than you can in the car, and fit more in than you can on foot. The old Richmond Bridge is the oldest freestone bridge in Australia, and the old Richmond Gaol, housed Ikey Solomon, the convict who had both plays and books based on him (e.g. – the Potato Factory ).
Richmond bridge 1823
Started driving towards Port Arthur, via Sorrell. (one of the people (Leanne) who contacted me about looking after our house and pets while we were away, came from Carlton River, Tas, and had told us to go check out Sorrell, Lewisham, Dodges Ferry & her old childhood area, which we did, and we ended up just camping beside the beach between Lewisham and Dodges Ferry…… lovely spot, and better still when it’s free.!!!
JUST LOST ALL MY PICS FROM AFTER RICHMOND & PORT ARTHUR, SO WILL REPOST THEM AS SOON AS I GET ANOTHER CHANCE ..... SORRY !!!
15TH FEB – PORT ARTHUR & GHOST TOUR
Another beautiful clear blue sky day, and hot once more …..Had our breakfast early and set off for the rest of our sight seeing tour that Leanne had suggested to us, along the waterfront, instead of the main highway down to Port Arthur. Loved it so much that we are going to stay at Rainbow Beach tomorrow so we can just relax on the beautiful beach for one day and rest up….. we just seem to be GO, GO, GO……
Got to Port Arthur finally and no sooner had I paid for our tours, it was time to get aboard the ferry that took us on a tour with commentary about the points of interest and the main history of the place. Had our lunch when we returned , just in time to then go on the tour of Port Arthur itself, and an explanation of all the major buildings and where many others were, then you take yourself off to explore the buildings that were spoken of. We can now see why the tickets you pay for are actually TWO day tickets. There is no way you can see the whole place in one day and do it justice, as far as letting all the history sink in……. and another part of it that we spent some time in, was the memorial garden and pool for the victims of the 1996 massacre where they were gunned down by that lunatic. It’s a sad place, and very moving plaques there….. so sad.
We went back to the Tourist park that we booked a cabin in at Port Arthur for dinner and shower and freshen up, then back to Port Arthur again to do their famous ‘’Ghost Tour’’. I was the first of 4 lantern bearers in a group of about 30 people, and at the first notoriously haunted place, our tour guide sent me up the garden path, and steps, up onto the verandah by myself to light the way for the rest of them to follow when I was right up there. (must admit, I was a bit apprehensive because she had just been talking to me earlier about 3 particularly aggressive poltergeists, and how she refuses to enter certain areas if they are sensed by anyone….. however, I was not going to let on to Michael or any of the others that I wasn’t keen on being sent off by myself, and I kept up my façade for rest of the one and a half hour tour, being first into the morgue and dissection lab, etc. and holding the lantern up after each venue until rest of the party had come out each time.
Well, we are now back at our cabin, and Michael went to make me a cuppa, and didn’t realise the electric jug was one of those that remains attached to the wall, and has spilt the whole thing of boiling water over his left hand. He’s been soaking it in cold water and I’ve given him some Panadol, and I just hope it doesn’t blister. He’s in bed now, but not real comfortable, needless to say.
Am going to just finish off this blog-and may post pics separately like I’ve done before, then see if Michael is OK. It’s already after 1AM.
Lost my video camera somewhere in Richmond but didn’t realize till we were nearly in Port Arthur, but the police seem to think they have found it, and the nice sergeant is going to take it to Sorrell Police Station for me to pick up in a few days on our way back to Devonport for our trip back.
Till next time, be safe all x x x
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