Fri, 26th Dec, 2014 “Blue Place” Campground, Kempton to Howden Boat Ramp

Heavy rain last night when we went to bed. 13 degrees in the van at 8am and at 10am it was 13 degrees outside – the wind was icy. The sun is trying to peek through the clouds as they whizz over. Packed up and headed south back onto the Midland Highway. As we head out of Kempton this stagecoach cutting was at the entrance into the town. 

Over Constitution Hill at 322m and then down a range to elevation of 80m. Passed our first roadside fruit stall but no space to pull over. Turned off the highway to Pontville, another historical village but didn’t stop. Lots of old house etc like Kempton but it was on a hillside rather than flat like Kempton. Into Brighton and noticed the fuel price at the Coles Express was cheap (139.8c/l) so stopped to fill up. Their gas bottle exchange was on special too - $38 reduced to $25 (we normally pay $23 at Bunnings) and if you spend $20 in store (that includes the gas bottle) you get 10c off your fuel. It had a 4c voucher that expired yesterday but the nice man honoured that and we got the 10c off as well. Nice Christmas present. They also had Coles $2 milk and bread so grabbed a couple to keep us going.

Back onto the Highway and into traffic as we head into Bridgewater and across the Derwent River.

The bridge opens up.

Nice wide river.

Took a photo of three swans then as we got to the other side there was hundreds of swans.

Looking to Mount Wellington (1270m), will check that out without our van.

Looking over parts of Glenorchy and the Derwent River.

Lovely boardwalk around this part of the river.

Lots of similar names – Goodwood Road leads to Woodgate in Qld. Bowen & Richmond too.

Over the hill into Hobart.

Our Tassie friends from Kempton gave us free camps spots to check out. Decided to go to Howden which is on a peninsula down from Kingston and we will be close to Pierson Point to be able to watch the yachts come in on Sunday.

It was a narrow dirt road down to only a small parking area. There were two cars, one had a boat trailer but backed in and made lunch. The wind is fairly strong and we are right beside the water in NW Bay.

Put on the TV to watch the start of  the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Found the Cairns guy’s yacht on the tracker website so will check how he goes. Amazing they don’t crash into each other.

They are off and Comanche takes the lead over last year’s winner Wild Oats.

Past the turning marker.

 Out through the heads and out to sea – we will see them sometime on Sunday in Hobart.

Unhooked the van and headed off to look for Pierson Point where Judy & Bob said to watch the yachts come in to the Derwent River from. Followed the road around the peninsula and stopped at Pierson Point. Looking over the lighthouse and the end of South Arm and into Storm Bay where the yachts will come in. There is another lighthouse out in the ocean to the left of this lighthouse.

Fort Pierson, a 2^nd World War Fortification had a gun emplacement and a bunker where there was some information about the discovery of Tasmania, called “The Story of Kingborough”.

We were a bit confused about what we were looking at but after a drive and using the Navman to work things out we now know that this is the north end of North Bruny Island.

The rest of the lookout has trees blocking the view so headed on to find a better vantage point. Kept following the road into Blackmans Bay, where we were able to work out what we were looking at across the bay.

Drove back up the hill area where there are some new houses being built – we could stop up here and watch the world go by. Looking across to the top of South Arm (to the right) then into Ralphs Bay and Rokeby which is on the opposite side to Hobart.

On the way back we stopped at Fossils Cove walk. Not much in the way of details but a family headed off in front of us so we thought it must be ok.

Well it went down and down lots of stairs. Here we go again. Down the last set of stairs to come out on a small cove and it was amazing.

The beach is covered in round rocks and lovely shells.

There was an arch in the rock.

Through the arch and more amazing cliff faces. Makes us feel very insignificant.

 Further round an island with great rock formation too.

Amazing how these trees survive.

We walked out onto flat shelves of rock which are layers of sediment with lots of shell, fernlike fossils.

Looking back at South Arm and the lighthouse we saw from Pierson Point.

Climbed back up – more photos of stairs, just to prove we did it.

Back on the road and found a cute bull letterbox to add to my collection.

Turned up Mt Louis Road to see if there is a lookout. No lookout but great view from one house, called “The Lookout”.

A cruise liner coming out of the Derwent River.

Turned onto Tinderbox Road, there is a winery here – unusual place just beside the sea.

Down to the boat ramp. Bob had said we could camp there too but it was crowded with cars and there was a no camping/van sign so will give that a miss.

Lovely little bay – a lot of people cross over to North Bruny Island from here. The water to the right goes into North West Bay and to the left it goes down the coast to D’Entrecasteaux Channel.

Looking back over the gap between North Bruny Island and the mainland as we head back up the hill over the winery.

Back down to North West Bay.

Oyster farm.

Tides out as we head back to the van. Looks a bit lonely there.

All the edge has had rocks to reinforce the banks.

All quiet in the van as the wind has died down. Lovely looking across the water as the lights come on across the bay.