Thurs, 14th May, 2015 Darlington, Maria Island to Sorell RV Stop

The wind is howling and the fire went out during the night but we weren’t freezing.

Got up at 7am for breakfast in the Mess. A couple of Cape Barren geese nibbling the grass outside – no bars on the windows nowadays!!

Some information about the Mess. It was also where they had to go to school.

On each of the tables were plaques with various stories, quotes.

There was also information about the geology of the area. The model splits apart to show the different layers of soil and the distance from the centre of the earth.

It is a very big island when you consider we did a 2 hour hike on just this little point.

NP&WS have displays as well. Would like to find one of these. Nodose Paper Nautilus – these fragile shells are merely temporary artefacts made by female octopuses to contain their egg masses. They live in offshore waters and wash ashore seasonally, especially after storms in the winter months. Oh well don’t think we will wait around to find one.

The Shy Albatross – There are only three nesting localities in the world for Shy Albatross, all in Tasmania – at Albatross Island in the north, Pedra Branca and Mewstone in the south. Unusual for an albatross, this species occupies its nesting islands all year round. Egg laying commences in the last days of August and finishes in the first days of October. Chicks hatch in December and fledge throughout April and May. Despite the world wide destruction of albatrosses by longline fisheries, the population on Albatross Island is recovering in numbers after near extermination at the hands of feather harvesters in the late 1800s.

Across from the Penitentiary was the Separate Apartments that were demolished when Bernacchi arrived. The Coffee Palace was then built and was also a boarding house.

The drizzly rain has started but we wanted to see the painted cliffs so we headed off. The geese are enjoying the rain.

Passed the houses built during Bernacchi’s era. A couple are privately owned.

The rain got heavier so we stopped under the big trees for a bit. Misty view over Darlington Bay.

Headed off again though the wind is nearly blowing us backward – the rain is like a mist now. Over the rise and down into Hopground Beach.

We look like we are going to Antarctica!!

The path took us down onto the beach then around to the Painted Cliffs. Unfortunately they are easiest to get to a low tide which doesn’t happen till 11 and it is only 9 now but as we are going on the boat at 11.30 we had to make the best of it.

Certainly lots of interesting shapes and colours.

Not enjoying all these layers of clothes.

Around the corner was more sandstone but the tide was still up and the wind was whipping up another shower of rain so just grabbed some photos and headed back to the road beside the beach.

Looking back over the bay to Magistrates Point.

Decided to follow another track back. Passed Howells Cottage, circa 1924.

Looks like it was lined with packing boxes.

Nice walk back now the rain has stopped.

Next ruin is an Oast House, built in 1844. The info sign said – Like most buildings on Maria Island, the convict-built Oast House has had many uses. It was originally built to dry hops (the female flowers or seed cones of the hop plant) as part of the beer brewing process, and as such is one of the oldest oast houses in Australia. The two cylindrical parts of the building are the drying kilns. A fire was lit in the bottom of each one (accessed from inside the main room), and above the fire was a floor made of special ventilating bricks – with their smaller holes facing upwards – and a layer of hops sitting on them. The kilns would have been rooved. Hop plants were grown on the flat land below the oast house, near the creek. They were first planted there in the 1820s, and by 1847 they were producing 3 tonnes of hops per year. Later Bernacchi used the building as part of his wine making venture, and made alterations to the building. There is evidence of at least three other buildings in the oast house site. One is likely to have been associated with the oast house in its early years, possibly for storage of hops, while the other two could have been houses for people working on the site. Island residents from the 1930s recall the town slaughterhouse being in this area. The oast house is included in the World Heritage precinct because it helps illustrate the variety of labour convicts undertook, and the associated importance the system placed on convicts gaining useful skills in order to be rehabilitated. (adapted from “Maria Island – Darlington & Point Leseuer – Conservation Management Plan” 2007).

Continued around over the hill – great view back over Darlington Bay and the site of the Cement Works. That was the last walk we had to left to do out of the booklet – Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks (some weren’t exactly short though and there are heaps that we reckon should be added to it).

Back to the main track. Checked out the lonely hut on the hill overlooking the bay. It was Mrs Hunt’s cottage in 1920s. Beside it was the site of the visiting Magistrate’s residence in 1846.

Below it was the site of the Commandant’s residence 1825.

They certainly had a great view back over the penal colony and bay.

Zoomed in on all the white buildings which are being restored by many volunteers.

Site of the Cement Works and the original Commissariat Store.

The houses that Bernacchi lived in.

The walking track we just followed.

The other buildings were open for inspection. Not sure what the story is with the truck but it was on one of the posters being moved by volunteers. Probably from the farming days.

Next door is William Smith O’Brien’s quarters, 1842. He was an Irish Exile sent over because he was rich and rebellious. He also had a prison house at Port Arthur that we went into.

The next one was the Chapel 1847. It has the high rafted roof and is now used to show some historical items and artwork that is for sale.

The Penitentiary with the mess hall on the left.

In another building which was the Magistrates’ Office, there were heaps of old NP&WS signs and photos that the staff discovered when clearing out an old storage room. There used to be emus on the island but were all killed over the years.

Another great photo of the Cement Works.

This is the Coffee Palace in the 1970s – the volunteers have made it look a lot better now.

Great map with information about each of the historical buildings etc.

Behind the Coffee Palace is the remains of the foundations of the Separate Apartments – built for the 2^nd era of convicts where each convict had his own cell so they could get up to ‘unseemly behaviour’!

The Bakehouse and clothing store, 1843.

I wonder how they built the oven since there isn’t much room in there to lay the bricks.

Got our coffee cups etc and went to the Mess Hall to make a cuppa and warm up. Collected our bags from our cell then headed down to the jetty.

Looking back onto what’s remaining of the foundations of the Separate Apartments.

Nice walk down over Bernacchi Creek and the ‘Avenue’ of trees.

Three info boards showing the people and timeline of Maria Island.

Dropped our bags off at the Commissariat Store, est 1825.

Great model of the island inside.

Watched a video about 54 pilot whales who beached themselves here in 2004 and the fantastic effort some many people put in to save them. They managed to get 30 back into the water. Some old whale bones alongside the road from the whaling days though.

Lovely view back over the bay to the cottage on the hill then back to the buildings.

I walked down to check out the remains of the National Portland Cement Works. Unfortunately the picture has faded but it gives all the info on how it all worked.

The Clinker Store, circa 1922 and the Cement Silos.

Below the Clinker Store was the site of the Boat Shed in 1828.

The boat has arrived so we all headed down for the luggage loading process. Looking back on the Cement Works site.

Bishop & Clerk and Mt Maria look dark and gloomy in the misty rain.

Zoomed in on Bishop & Clerk which are Jurassic dolerite.

It was a lumpier ride back but too bad – Steve had taken his Kwell so all was good. The owner of the ferry was the captain today and he told us some history of the island. He is into maritime history and said that he believes that the Chinese knew of the ‘Great Southern Land’ long before the Dutch, French then English. Was an interesting theory. He also said that the island was called Maria, rather than how it is pronounced now as Mariah, after the wife of Van Diemen. The convicts though said Mariah even though they spelt it Maria, as when they were arrested they were put in paddywagons they called ‘Black Marias’, and the pronunciation has stuck.

Back to Triabunna where we all formed the chain again to unload the luggage. Said bye then headed back to the van. I unpacked while Steve went over to the Fish Van and got us fish and chips for lunch – crumbed flathead. Very nice. The sun is trying to peek out, it was 17 degrees in the van but not so nice outside!!

Hooked up the van and headed off to Sorell. Into Orford and turned off after the bridge to follow the Prosser River upstream. Another narrow windy road with the edge supported by rock walls.

We noticed the water stopped then we went around the corner and it was full again. Looking back I saw the weir. How’s that for a quick shot through the window!!

Over Ryton Hills and into Buckland. Stopped at St John the Baptish Anglican Church which was built in 1846 by convicts from local sandstone and is a replica of the one at Cookham Dean in Sussex, England.

Looks like a Mr Freeman’s chainsaw carving.

Through the heavy door with an old time big ring for a door handle.

The 14^th century stained-glass windows are thought to have come from Battle Abbey. They are certainly lovely. Interesting reading.

There was a timer button to push in so the lights would come on in the altar area.

Great ceiling too.

Looking back into the rest of the church.

Then the door to go back out again.

Another shot of the church as we head off down the road.

Up Prossers Ridge which is a gentle climb to Break-Me-Neck Hill then Bust-Me-Gall Hill (336m). Leanne had rung after I sent a text saying we had had our fish & chips at Triabunna which she and Rick recommended that we do. They are looking forward to volunteering at Bathurst with us. A sign said Black Charlies Opening (296m) but I wasn’t ready with the camera for the view down through the valley to the sea below near Sorell. Down the ridge through more sheep farms to Sorell. Nice view over the causeway which links Sorell to Midpoint Point.

No one else is here at the RV Stop so we had our pick. Clouds all over Mt Wellington so I can’t tell if there is any snow left on it.

Certainly is cooling off so we put the genie on and cranked up the heater. Rang Tracy & Grant for a chat. It is now 21 in the van but only 12 outside. Steve’s happy as he has good TV reception here. V8s are racing in Winton this weekend but again you have to have Fox Sports to see it live. Will watch the race rerun late Sat night and Sun arvo.