Wed, 4th Feb, 2015 Sorell RV Stop to Ted’s Beach Campground, Lake Pedder

Rain during the night. The sun is out in between dark clouds that occasionally drop rain. Watched Sunrise – our way of finding out what is happening in the world and to check the weather for the day as we often miss the evening news.

Eddie, who does the weather, was at Derwent Bridge and the Wall of Wilderness (we have yet to see). I took photos of the TV interview with the chap who has carved these magnificent panels. Looking forward to seeing them. What an amazing skill.

Packed up and said bye to Leanne & Rick then Glenda and Noel. The young couple who were parked beside us at Dunalley pulled in so we said they could have our spot. Steve recognised a truck from Cairns who sell coffee. Went over to say hello and chatted for a while. The young couple came over and ordered some coffees so we ordered some too while we waited for Steve to top up the water tanks etc. Very nice cuppa too.

At last we headed off, passed lots of vine yards and horse stables as we headed towards Richmond.

After a steep descent we headed into Richmond. The town was an important military staging post and convict station linking Hobart with Port Arthur. It is nestled in the Coal River Valley and is famous for its Georgian architecture. Crossing the famous Richmond Bridge which is Australia’s oldest freestone road bridge. It was built in 1823 by chain gang convicts using sandstone quarried at Butchers Hill and hauled by hand carts to the bridge site. It was originally named Bigge’s Bridge.

Parked at the Richmond Gaol. It is the oldest, still intact, gaol in Australia. An info plaque outside about Richmond.

Stood outside reading this plaque and listening to a commentary about the gaol.

Wandered into the info centre and paid the entrance fee. We might see a ghost if we are lucky!!

A display of weapons.

Headed into the men’s solitary gaols. Only a small hole for air. The prisoners could be locked inside these solitary cells for up to 31 days. Their diet was bread and water. They had a night barrel and a single blanket. They were not allowed out for exercise. The walls were thick and blocked out any sound too.

A couple of the cells had info about convicts who had spent a lot of time here.

Amazing that these buildings are still standing – original floor boards too.

Thick walls.

Built in 1825. Wandered through the different rooms reading the information.

So hard to imagine what it was like for them after reading all these information plaques. It took 10 years before they built another building to house all the prisoners.

The entrance steps are well worn.

Lots of information to read.

Old boots, woollen and leather caps.

More info about Cat o’nine tails. They didn’t put the extra knots like they did at Port Arthur.

Leg Irons.

Handcuffs.

Old door bolts and locks.

Punishment methods – once imprisoned, convict punishment was often carried out in a corporal (to the body) form, such as flagellation using cat o’nine tails (the lash), solitary confinement and hard labour. Leg irons were used to restrain convicts during hard labour. The ball and chain was not used in Tasmania. The ultimate punishment was hanging, reserved for the most serious crimes, such as murder. Hangings were not performed at Richmond Gaol, but were conducted in Hobart, Launceston and Oatlands Gaols.

In the Sleeping room – it was originally 4 small cells. When the cells walls were removed the room became a very crowded space were male prisoners, the local chain gang and road parties were locked up for the night. No ‘comfortable’ hammocks like in the Port Arthur Separation Cells – just the hessian bag on the floor!!

Interesting information about the aborigines.

Digging to Freedom. They had a hole in the floor with things in that they discovered.

Some old construction tools.

A gaol built by convicts – the walls are exposed to show the brick inserted into the noggins.

More history.

The Javelin Men’s room became the Prisoner’s day-room. Before the new gaoler’s residence was built in 1833, this building was the javelin men’s (guards) room. It was later used as a day-room by prisoners. Ikey was one of the javelin men – interesting reading.

Nasty looking man trap. This hideous looking device was indeed designed to capture a man. If stepped on, the jaws sprang shut in the victim’s leg. It was used to catch poachers and trespassers.

When the weather was too wet to work outside, men were locked up for the day in this room. To pass the time, some carved drawings on the window shutters or played draughts or gambling games on the two boards etched into the floor.

Prisoners games etc.

Resisting Authority.

The Punishment Cell – This cell was a place of punishment, where prisoners wore heavy leg-irons. 

Steve tried them out for size!!

The Flogging Yard – Steve takes the position!!!

The little birds have moved in now.

At least the women got some privacy to use the toilet even if there are two seats!!

Into the Cook House – certainly was the best job for a prisoner, nice and warm. They cooked in a wood-fired oven and the cook was usually a convict from the local work gang.

 Some plates and utensils found years later.

 Keeping the prisons clean.

Daily food.

Bread oven – to heat the oven, a fire was built on top of the bricks. Coke fuel was used to increase the fire’s intensity. Once the fire has burned down, an ash hoe was used to rake out the fire ash. Bread tins filled with dough were placed deep inside the oven using a bread spade. The door was closed, and the heat stored within the bricks baked the bread.

Coke shovel – coke is almost pure carbon fuel, produced by burning coal at very high temperatures.

There were lots of regulations in the prison.

Next was the women’s solitary cells – female convicts could be sentenced for between two and 31 days of solitary confinements in these tiny, dark and silent cells. Punishments was often from 7 to 14 days.

Some female convict’s information.

They had cut out the door and staged a dummy to show what it would have been like but of course it would have been dark. This depicts Emma Martin, offence – insolence. Sentenced 2 Feb 1838, punishment 21 days solitary confinement. Rations – bread & water. The bucket was used as the toilet.

Next door was the women’s room and sleeping area. It was originally a large room but later was partitioned off to make a sleeping area.

Artefacts unearthed from the courtyard area giving a glimpse of life for the women and their children held at the prison. There isn’t much information about the women and most of them were illiterate.

Grand old washing machine.

After washing, a mangle was used to wring excess water from a garment. One women would have fed the garment between the wooden rollers whilst another turned the wheel to squeeze out the water. The garment was then rinsed and the process repeated through the mangle.

More info about the women.

Found this photo of the Cascade Female Factory in Hobart.

A new wing was added to the overcrowded gaol in 1835 – this room was used by women during the day.  Some more great photos and info of how Richmond grew.

Some building implements on display.

Rifles and pistols and bullets etc.

Looking back to the female prison area.

New house for the gaol-keeper built in 1833. Now used as a residence.

Looking back at the male prison. They all face into the enclosed courtyard. Originally with just this one building it just had a rickety wooden fence around it so lots escaped.

Back outside and we walked around to the front of the gaol-keeper’s residence. Rather grand really for the time.

Headed across the lawn towards the river. Passed this cottage which turns out to be the Miller’s Cottage, built 1830s. There was a mill next to it.

 An info board about the historical points around this spot.

You can hire a wooden boat or a black swan to float around the river.

The bridge makes a lovely photo shot.

Amazingly neat work.

Walking under the bridge.

Well-worn stairs up to the top.

The other side.

Engineering plaque.

Info plaque about the bridge and churches.

The mill is on the other side of the river.

Info carved into the stone about the first stone being laid.

Looking upstream, lots of people enjoying the big grassy areas beside the river for a picnic.

Walked over the bridge and checked out the mill. For Sale, should check how much for.

Wandered up the road past the Catholic School that opened in 1840s to St John’s Church which opened in 1836.

Saw similar things at the goal which we have now worked out were boot scrapers.

The entrance was narrow.

Some photos on the wall of the church’s history. The spire wasn’t put on till 10 years later.

Lovely inside.

Beautiful stained-glass windows.

Turned around for the high seats.

Down to the main road again and we pass St Luke’s Anglican Church Cemetery from 1823. The church though is on the other side of town!!

One of the black swans heading down the river. Looks like fun.

Cute little ‘Bridge Cottages’ now used for accommodation.

Some other old houses right on the edge of the road. The guttering is old stonework too.

The Courthouse and Council Chambers built in 1825.

Pass more old brick buildings which house lots of galleries and shops and The Richmond Bakery. Went in for a look and the pies were calling us!!

Steve had a curried scallop pie.

I had a chicken and camembert pie. Both were very nice. They are both Tassie icons so I thought they were worth a photo.

Gnarly old tree as we head back to the truck and van.

Another info plaque near St Luke’s Anglican Church.

Looks more like an English castle. The Church was built by convict labour and was completed in 1835. James Thompson, the convict who is responsible for the original timber work inside the building, was granted his freedom as a reward for his work. The clock was originally from St David’s in Hobart and was placed here in 1922.

Info about the first use of the church – a wedding, then first baptism and first burial.

Inside is lovely too with great stained-glass windows.

Nice pipe organ too.

History of the church.

Info and photos about the restoration of the clock.

As we head out of town passed this lovely cottage.

We headed down Middle Tea Tree Road to head to Brighton rather than the main road over there heading back to Hobart. Looking over to a vineyard.

As we turned off I saw a sign about an old bridge. Looking back at it but don’t know any of the details.

Crossed over the Derwent River and headed upstream on the southern side of the river heading to New Norfolk.

Looking at Mt Dromedary (989m) on the other side of the river.

Further up the river.

A big factory ahead.

It was Norske Skog, a paper mill.

Good info board as we enter New Norfolk. The Paper Mill does tours which would have been interesting after all the reading we did about the old one in Burnie. As we have the van on we decided not to check out the lookouts etc. Seen enough historical buildings.

We followed the river which is narrowing.

Some rapids under the bridge as we turn away from the river to head to Plenty.

Decided to turn in to the Salmon Ponds to check it out. Lovely Poplars line the driveway.

It was $8 each so headed in. A photo of the main pond and hatchery in 1880. It is called Salmon Ponds because the hatchery was built originally to receive salmon eggs. Salmon are a migratory fish, spending part of their life at sea. It was expected that one released, the fish hatched at Plenty would return to the Derwent River. Several releases were tried, but for some unknown reason, the Salmon never returned. A small number of trout eggs, however, had been included with the first shipment of salmon eggs. They were hatched and raised along with the salmon. Unlike salmon trout are generally non-migratory and they quickly became established throughout the State’s lakes and streams.  The foundation of today’s valuable recreational fisheries had been laid. Trout ova from Plenty were later used to establish hatcheries throughout Australia and New Zealand. Salmon Ponds was built in 1861 and has always been Government property.

Bought a $2 tub of pellets to feed the fish as we walk around. The main big pond has Rainbow Trout in it. Rainbow Trout are considered by many anglers to be the best sporting fish in Tasmania, but have not adapted in the wild as well as the Brown Trout. Introduced from North America in1898. The Tasmanian record Rainbow Trout is 7.8 kg caught in the Ouse River in 1933. They usually have a dark olive green back and silvery white ventral surface, with a pink to red flash along the side.

There were heaps of them and they came straight over waiting to be fed. Just like feeding our barra at Cicero Close.

Took a photo and video of them feeding.

Lovely long pond with many different varieties of trees that were planted from all over the world. The brochure has a great diagram and identification photos of tree and leaves of each of the plants. 
Very interesting. The area is a rare example of a 19^th century English style public open space, made possible by the generosity of Robert Cartwright Read of Redlands who was willing to lease a portion of his land. The gardens and surrounds were established with introduced evergreens and exotic plantings by enlightened men interested in gardening and nature. A significant number of the trees at the Ponds are 140 years old. The site was also one of the earliest uses of grassed areas in garden design and the original Hawthorn hedge still forms the boundary of the ponds and is the backdrop to the river walk. The flow of water through the Salmon Ponds is a key feature of this garden. In the 1860s Redlands installed a gravity fed system taking water from the Plenty River to irrigate their hop fields. This water source was shared by the Salmon Ponds and still supplies the water needed by the hatchery, except when water level falls below a critical level, and a backup pump is needed. The Salmon Ponds was always designed with visitors in mind and has been used as a picnic spot since the late 1800s.

Inside the hatchery.

Info about how they incubate the eggs.

The eggs are stored in these buckets.

Murals depicting the introduction of trout to the lakes in Tasmania.

After the fish hatch they are put in these tanks.

I saw a few little fish darting about. Got a photo of one.

Interesting information about the dingy and the 1960 flood that is considered to be the largest Tasmania has seen since European settlement.

Steve enjoyed reading about the early trout fishermen and their BSA Bantam motorbike. Will have to email it to Dave & Wendy.

Info boards about how the salmon and trout ova were transported from the other side of the world in the mid 1800s to Melbourne then Tasmania.

A map showing where the trout have been put. The Salmon Ponds stock Tassie’s lakes and dams with over one million trout. The eggs hatched from wild trout are raised till the fish are between the side of a match (called fry) and a finger (fingerlings). These fish are then released.

Outside to another pond full of Brook Trout. A very attractive trout with dark olive-green to brown back, sides and dorsal fin with light worm-like markings and a white stripe along the leading edge of fins. Although introduced to Tassie in 1883, it hasn’t acclimatised well – Clarence Lagoon and Lake Plimsoll have wild populations with specimens up to 4kg.

 Lovely markings.

Took a sequence of the trout hitting the pellets.

Steve loved this chair outside the museum. I told him he could make me one some day!!! This cottage was built in 1865 for the first superintendent of the Salmon Ponds.

Trout fishermen’s heaven. So much information and equipment to look at. The flies are so small.

Would love this table.

We visited Pine Lake up in the highlands, it was freezing and windy but no ice then.

Another room had all about the evolution of reels and hundreds of flies.

This room reminds us of Alan Gregory’s spare room in Hannam Street years back!! Emailled Andrea the photo. She says he still has some of them but Ben is fishing crazy now and has heaps more.

This is a photo of the newly hatched Snowfly Caddis that the trout rise up to get. It was taken on the last day that men fished Shannon Rise before the Dam wall was raised to direct the flow of the water to the other end of Great Lake, therefore the Shannon River didn’t have the flow of water anymore.

Lovely sitting room.

Old piano/organ.

Looking over the grounds at some of the planted trees. They certainly have made a lovely area here.

Another hut pays tribute to Anglers. The walls are full of photos of men who have contributed to the trout industry and the ones who have had the biggest catch etc.

More info about the “Shannon Rise”.

Headed down to the Plenty River which is a tributary of the Derwent River.

They have platforms for handicapped people to fish from. It looks like a little creek. Steve threw in some pellets and up came the trout.

A replica fishing shack.

Wandered along the Plenty River keeping an eye out for platypus as well.

Back to another pond full of Brown Trout. These are the ones we saw at Liffey Falls and are the common ones. The Brown Trout was introduced to Tasmania from Europe in 1864 and is now in good numbers in most lakes and rivers, all of which have self-sustaining populations. The largest recorded Brown Trout was a 13.27 kg monster, caught in the Huon River in 1887. Brown Trout vary considerable in colour depending on whether they are found in rivers, lakes or sea-run.

 They were huge and just resting on the bottom.

 Though got excited when some pellets hit the water.

Next pond was full of Albino Rainbow Trout, much easier to spot.

Another pond has large mature Atlantic Salmon. Atlantic Salmon in sea-cage farms are the backbone of Tasmanian’s aquaculture industry. Once a year, two lakes have been stocked with large fish, and many are caught in Southern waterways following their escape from farms.

They were all swimming in the current of the water flowing into the pond.

 But could boil up very quickly.

Last pond has Tiger Trout.

 They have great markings.

They are all hungry.

Looking back over some of the ponds and the trees.

Fed the remainder of the pellets to the Rainbow Trout. There is a coffee shop overlooking this pond so the fish put on a display for the customers enjoying a cuppa.

Back on the road through Bushy Park. Noticed a sign about a campground for $7/night so will add that to my book. Passed a lot of hop fields.

Up the hillside overlooking Glenora and the hop fields. Lovely view up the valley.

As we were driving along I smelt liquorice. Realise they had just mowed the road edge and there were fennel plants growing which smell like liquorice. Long straight but rolling road.

New pine trees growing up in the plantations. Wild blackberries growing along the fence line have fruit but the councils spray them so we are not tempted to pick them.

Passed a loaded timber truck. Turned off at Westerway to head towards Lake Pedder.

The road goes along the bank of Tyenna River. Passed the turnoff to Mt Field National Park. Will check that out later, lots of walks to do!! Through the town called National Park then passed some cyclists – they can have that!!

 Reasonably good two lane road though no extra bitumen on the edges. Slowly climbing up in the valley beside the river. Passed a few areas of bee hives (bit blurry!). One of the Forestry signs says “used for bees, camping, hiking & fishing”.

Slow climb up again. Passed a sign saying this was the highest point on the road, 651 metres. Then we go down sharply down the other side to 430m into the Upper Florentine World Heritage Area. Annual rainfall of 190mm. Climb up again to 570m to Boyd’s Lookout which is covered in trees then down again to 330m into Boyd Forest Reserve. Saw a sign – Boat Ramp Road 3km which would be into Lake Gordon – looks like it isn’t used much though.

Next is Wedge Forest Reserve then pass the car park for Mt Wedge walk which takes 5 hours return.

Lots of high mountains surrounding us. These are part of the Sentinel Range (963m). Some old signs point out the ranges and mountains as we go past.

Looking back to Mt Wedge which reaches 1146 metres.

On the other side more mountains. Into the South West National Park (World Heritage Area).

Across the canal that allows the water from Lake Pedder to flow into Lake Gordon for the hydroelectricity station.

Our first view of Lake Pedder (the northern end) and it is fabulous. So much water.  Lake Pedder & Lake Gordon form the largest inland freshwater storage in Australia – 27 times the volume of water in Sydney Harbour. Dad had been to Lake Pedder when it was just a small lake. Another sign points over the lake and up to Hermit Valley with Stillwater River and Frankland Range over the other side.

The power lines stretching over the hills.

Turned off into Ted’s Campground (310m elevation).

Chatted with another Brisbane couple then set up camp. Warm in the sun but the breeze is still nippy.

Wandered down to the ‘beach’. White quartz like rocks make the beach look sandy.

Inside the picnic hut explains why it is called Ted’s.

Got drinks and nibbles and joined our neighbours for late happy hour. Beautiful view over the lake. This little fellow was trying to get into the rubbish bins. We grabbed our cameras and he headed down to another camp that had just left their chairs. He could smell their chips. The Spotted Quoll – another one to tick off my list – just the Devil to go.

At 8pm the sun is still bright but the temperature has dropped to 10.6 degrees outside. I was warm in the van as it was still 21 degrees while I cooked dinner.

9.15 pm a few clouds hanging on the mountains over the lake create lovely sunset colours.

Last check of the outside temp and it is 6 degrees!!!