Sun, 21st Dec, 2014 Lake Ada to Penstock Lagoon (via Arthurs Lake)

Clear blue sky this morning, 12 degrees in the van at 8am. Have been preheating my coffee mugs for a while now as the tea and coffee goes cold quickly. My first boss, George, made me do that all the time for him and I had to keep his glass in the fridge for his cold drinks. See boys, that’s where your mum got her habit from!!

Little swallows are hovering beside the van but not long enough for a photo. Two guys pulled up in the same ute Brian got Jon for the business. They put their boat in. The other people haven’t returned to their cars. Headed off, lots of people heading in, a few with boats.

Great view over the Great Lake as we work our way back down to Liawenee (1050m).

Stopped at the Parks & Wildlife Info Centre. Made a cuppa and I did a few days blog uploads then we went into the centre but there was no one there to answer my questions. Took photos of Wallaby scats and Brushtail Possum scats - or poo, so I know what dropped what!! Confirmed the Tassie Devil poo thing too.

The little swallow we saw this morning is called the “Welcome Swallow”.

Old photos but no details about when and where taken. A bit of a fuzzy shot but it is water pouring over the 2^nd dam of Lake Augusta. We wouldn’t have been able to drive on the road we were on if it was that wet!!

This is the arched dam at Miena that we will check out.

Continued on then laughed as we passed Boundary Bay Road. It leads down to open area beside Great Lake. Oh well, if we had stopped there we wouldn’t have discovered Lake Augusta and Lake Ada which we did enjoy going to.

Looking across the lake we could see the dam on the other side with the curved arches.

Over a hill which apparently is called Murders Hill where a violent murder of a shepherd and convict-hutkeeper happened in 1840 by a pair of bushrangers.

Looking over Dud Bay and Swan Bay to Miena.

Through Miena – there are blocks of land for sale here from $35,000.

Drove round to the Dam Wall. Parked at the bottom where an echidna was waddling along.

Walked up to the top of the wall to the information board. Very interesting. There are three dam walls here and the last one has been retopped. We can just see the top of posts of the first one which was built in 1916. The water level is pretty low then.

 The second engineering feat one was built in 1922 with 27 arches.

Top of the rockfilled Dam wall but there was a gate stopping us going onto it.  

                             

Looking over a small part of Great Lake and its islands.

The water used to travel down the Shannon River to power stations at Shannon and then Waddamana. After the 2^nd world war they decided to change the water’s direction by drilling a six kilometre tunnel through the northern rim of the Great Western Tiers. The water then dropped down a penstock and shaft to the underground Poatina power station. The third dam which is the 22 meter rockfill one behind was built in 1967. That was raised a further six meters in 1982.

Steve found a lure – we might catch a trout after all!!

Walked up the hill to the Beamont memorial. The first recorded visit to Great Lake by a colonial settler was in 1817. The visitor was John Beamont, naval officer in charge in Van Diemen’s Land. He is buried here but I think in the tomb on top rather than did down as it is very rocky area.

Wonderful view over Great Lake.

Going back to the car looking over where the Shannon River now has become Shannon Lagoon.

Driving over Shannon River looking back at the dam wall.

Passed open plains then over and down the other side of Barren Tier to 930m. Turned off main road to Arthurs Lake and travelled beside huge power lines.

Turned into road following Arthurs Lake sign and followed the graded road along for a while past Flintstone then into Wilburville when I realised we were going the wrong way – oops, a “Scenic Tour”. Kept going to find a place to turn around and found the dam wall. We always seem to find something special when we go the wrong way!!! It is all about trout fishing here, not really family holiday areas.

Climbed up on the wall to look over Arthurs Lake and down at the pipe work taking the water away to the Hydro Power Station.

Back out to the road again and went further along till we met this long pipeline which lead down to the lake and the Pumphouse Campground. We were heading further up the lake to Cowpasture Campground as it was free.

Heading down the hill towards the lake and our camp area (sign said 4WD only). The powerlines go across the lake further on and head to Launceston.

The camp areas are tracks into the bush and some more open ones like this. Pulled in and had lunch but decided to keep moving as we weren’t exactly by the lake.

Very rocky area, so different from the rainforests we have been in of late.

Driving back out beside the powerlines again looking down on Flintstone.

Back out onto the main road and a little way back up north to turn off in the opposite direction to head to Penstock Lagoon and Waddamana Power Station Museum. Passed a farm with cattle and sheep sharing the same paddock then three deer in another paddock. Didn’t have the camera ready!! Old style brick sheds etc with lots of old machinery, sulkies etc. Will get some photos when we come back out again.

Turned into Penstock Lagoon – world famous for Trout fly-fishing. It is only a small lagoon compared to Arthur and Great Lakes but apparently is very popular. When we pulled in there were 10 cars with trailers and a few other campers. Walked around checking where we can fit the van between the trees. Selected a spot and moved in.

Had a cuppa enjoying a bit more warmth here and listening to the birds. Though the other buzzy things got a bit annoying – mossies and marchflies!! Just felt like home.Went for a walk to the boat ramp and got the info of the area. Penstock Lagoon was originally constructed in 1916 as water storage and intake for the now decommissioned Waddamana Power Station. Throughout its history Penstock has been a fly fishing water of high repute.

Chatted with some chaps about trout fishing. They were waiting for the wind to drop and the little bugs to start dropping down onto the lagoon to bring the trout to the surface. The lagoon is a managed as a Premium Wild Trout Fishery and is regularly stocked as there are no spawning possibilities here.

Wandered down to the foreshore and noticed big dark clouds moving our way and the kookaburras are laughing.

On the left is a dam wall. The other side is private property but the anglers can walk along the edge and fish. It is very shallow all the way across but they allow boats to go up and down the middle.

Some ducks and swans on the lagoon.

Back to the van to get the fireplace sorted as there is a lot of tree trash on the ground so “safety first Steve” wanted to build the fireplace up higher and clear around it well. Lots of timber to use in the fire at least. He is cooking tea in the bush cooker tonight. I got up to date with my blog and connected to the aerial for more boost and was able to upload the website. It is a lovely spot with lots of birds singing. The black clouds have left and the sky is now clear and the temperature is dropping.

Rang Jon & Tash to see how the house was going as Nick has moved out now. Then rang Sandra to catch up on her news. Got the vegies prepared so sat down for more chatting with my Tuckshop ladies, Jenny, Rochelle then Carolyn while tea cooked.

The sun set about 8.30 but there was still plenty of light till 9.00pm. A bit later we had a walk around to see if we could see any Brushtail Possums. It is 10pm and it is 10degrees outside. Steve had put out bread and honey and I put out the vegie scraps to see if we could encourage a possum to come down. We had read that they cut the bark of the trees to drink the sap. We had noticed a lot of trees with a cut in the bark and the trees are marked here too. Steve checked his bread and a lovely big fat possum was enjoying a feed. I managed to get a couple of photos. He has a lovely big bushy tail that is black so is hard to see in the night.