Wed, 1st Apr, 2015 Lilydale Falls Reserve to Mick & Anne’s beach house, Ansons Bay (Hollybank Treetops Adventures)

Lovely morning, 16 degrees at 8am, reasonably clear sky though was a bit of smoke haze. Rang Hollybank Treetops Adventure at 9am and got on the 10am adventure. Left the van at Lilydale and drove  back to Hollybank. Forestry Tasmanian owns 50% share and two other people own the other 50%. It was started as a place to trial different species of trees to see what would suit Tasmania. There is a Mountain Bike Trails area and picnic areas.

Joined Tracy & Andy and 7 others for the 10am adventure. We started off learning how to put on our harnesses and listening to the safety instructions etc. We had two guides who were lovely and great fun. Steve was able to come with us to take photos and listen too. Not the most flattering outfit and I did have 3 layers on the top too.

Everyone’s harnesses were checked. Our guides checking each other first.

Outside we went for a trial run. Tracy & Andy photobombed.

We learnt how to ‘sit’ in our harnesses and then whizzed across to the platform learning how to land.

Photo of Tracy in flight. Steve took a video of me.

We headed off for a walk to the first platform. Steve and another watcher headed down to where they could see us later on. We walked for about 10 minutes – carrying our pulley block that connects us to the wire – it wasn’t light!! Climbed up a few steps onto the first platform. I was behind Tracy & Andy but they were on the other wire which meant I was first in the queue for the other side.

The first ride was unreal even though it was short 15 metres and only 6 metres off the ground to the “cloud station”. They are constructed around the trunks of White Tipped Eucalypt and I felt very comfortable leaning over the edge looking at the ground below.  The next one took us to 13 metres off the ground and I could hear Steve below us somewhere. It was a young tree and got the wobbles up as we all landed on the platform, but it was safe. All the trees are ultrasounded to make sure they are solid etc and the platforms are checked every 3 months. Across another short run to 18 metres in height. He got a photo of me up in the trees.

We alternated the leader between me and Tracy so Steve missed my glide across to the 23 metre platform which was 30 metres away. This is a Tassie Oak tree. Our guide said that in the early days the English didn’t want ‘convict eucalypt’ so they renamed it ‘Tasmanian Oak’ and as it looked like an oak when cut they were happy to buy it, the name stayed even though it isn’t an oak tree. Steve took this shot looking straight up to the platform.

Hello down there.

We had fun here as we were hooked to a short rope that we could unclip when we wanted and we went out from the platform and were able to hang for a while. You could just lay back in the harness and feel very comfortable. One guide always went first and he put on a great display of ‘hanging’. They use a short rope in case they don’t make the other side and have to swing up and walk along the rope to get themselves to the platform. We have him there with a ‘brake’ that slows us down or catches us and pulls us in if we don’t get to the platform. Steve got some photos from below – not the best angle though!!

Then Tracy.

Waiting for us on the next ‘cloud station’.

Then Andy.

I was next – loved it. I could swing around and see Steve way below me then lean forward and look through my feet. Didn’t feel scared or uneasy at all. We bought the DVD from Hollybank as they had great videos of us and our guides holding the camera doing the 200m and 400m glides. These are my hanging photos.

  

I unclipped and whizzed across to the station.

We had a young boy with his parents with us and he had to ‘cannonball’ so he would make it across to each side as he was light. So my weight had one advantage!! If you don’t make the brake cable then you have to ‘walrus’, lift the pulley mechanism and flick it along the cable so you can crawl your way up the cable. The young boy and one other lady had to do it a couple of times.

Cheeky smile for I am the first to lead off on the 200m run.

Andy and Tracy hanging about on the platform.

Everyone on the platform ready to do the 200m run.

The guide took a group photo of us.

We certainly are up high.

Steve tried to take me on video though I look like a dot in the distance. He did get a shot of a couple of people heading down the wire.

It was amazing and there was plenty of time to look down as I flew over the Pipers River, 50 metres below me. I had tucked up into a cannonball and made it easily to the other side. The platform here was on the hillside so not high off the ground.

The view to the next platform was unreal, 400m away and we fly following the river downstream. All smiles as we get ready.

Tracy was first off this time and she made it to the end. It was so great, I could have gone back and done it again and again.

The last one was only a short one to the bank so we did a trust fall. Still connected to the wire we stood on the edge of the platform and just fell sidewards – unreal. I held my arms out to the side so I wasn’t tempted to grab the straps.

Certainly was a great birthday present.

Longer walk up the hill back to the centre where Steve was waiting. Received our certificates. Got a DVD of the photos and videos and said bye to Tracy & Andy.

Drove back to Lilydale, had lunch and hooked up the van. Rang Mick to say we are heading to Bridport to meet up with him. The smoke haze was covering the horizon so the view out to sea was limited today. Penny & Pete rang to wish me a Happy Birthday for tomorrow as they will be on the boat heading back to the mainland.

After a cuppa and a chat we headed off to Ansons Bay. Mick gave us a running commentary on the UHF of things around us. Past the big Golf Course that is now one of the top 5.

Big sand dunes in the distance are going to be dug up and loaded onto trucks to take over to the mainland to Sydney. The sand dunes are a problem for the farmers as they slowly take over the farmland.  Lots of sheep pastures. All this north east land was originally given to returning soldiers after WW1.

The sun was setting behind us but I got a photo in the side mirror.

Great view over Ansons Bay as we drop down off the hill. The smoke haze though has blocked out the view of the sea.

They have a big block which they share with another family and originally had caravans on it. Decided to build small beach houses as the winters were too cold in the vans.

Nice flat area for us to put the van on too.

I made some dinner for the 3 of us, Anne had to work in the supermarket because of Easter so she won’t be down till later tomorrow.

Nice night chatting about gold prospecting and fishing.