Mon, 5th Feb, 2024 Bush camp by Lune River, near Southport to Bush camp at Gillams Beach, Recherche Bay, Tas (Hastings Caves)

12.4 degrees, overcast one side and blue sky the other. No wind.

Drove back to Hastings Caves with blue sky over us. Much nicer than yesterday. The tops of the trees are moving with the wind up high.

Into the info centre and paid for our tickets for the 11am tour. Very helpful ladies. The cave is actually called Newdegate Cave, named after a Governor of Tasmania, not the chap who found it.

Read the information about the old chalet across the road, built in 1938.

Nice drive up the 5km to the caves car park. Had a cuppa there as we were early. Dug out our winter coats as it is only 9 degrees in the caves. A few old trunks with cuts where the loggers put their standing planks into. Plenty of tall trees here.

It is only a short walk through the trees to the cave entrance. Across a tannin-stained creek with a plaque explaining about this creek and the thermal spring that flows down to the pool 5km away.

Someone has carved a plank with the story of the lyrebird - which aren’t native to Tassie.

Next was one about the Coffee-Pot Boilers. Bit hard to read as it is on an angle to the pathway. There was more on the other side.

Continued along the boardwalk through all the trees.

As we stopped to read about the logging a chap behind us (a guide) said that the area was being logged when they found the caves and luckily it was turned into a reserve within 2 years so the caves and the trees were saved.

Plenty of big tall ones now.

Up the steps to the meeting area at the cave entrance. Great information available. No bats in here, only crickets and spiders.

We had a big group so they split us in two and we had the guide we chatted to before. Very informative and the caves were amazing. Some are still growing from the water leeching down and others are dry. There is a creek below us but we can’t see it.

The green here is from the old days when people would toss in a money to the water to make a wish and it has left the copper behind.

Some more photos as we made our way slowly back out.

Found another poem on a plank as we headed back out. Unfortunately one side has broken off but you can still make out what the story is about.

Trunk of a big tree as we return back to the camper to the sunshine and warmth.

Back to the information centre car park. Parked in a corner and made lunch - enjoying our big cherries.

Sadly we had to pick up rubbish left by others by the road. Put the coats away and dug out our togs!!

Down the pathway to the picnic area around the thermal pool. Love the rock walls and tree in the middle of the picnic area with big fireplaces.

On the mantle over one fire place it read, ‘Some say it was Crazy Joe, the barrel-maker, who boiled the first billy here. Back in the 1860s, he and a mate, while cutting Blackwood, came upon a clear, warm spring flowing into a cold, dark creek. Joe dipped his billy , they enjoyed a geothermal brew. Look at this mate - the creek’s running hot.’

Very nice grassy area around the pool. A ball is carved showing the pool and the creeks but too hard to photograph it all.

We decided to do the walks first. Started with the platypus walk. A recent ‘sawing’. All trees eventually die.

Along the edge of the tannin-stained creek. Steve spotted a small trout. No platypus.

Followed the Hot Springs Circuit (30 minutes).

Found where the cool water meets the warm water. Another timber carving. Steve tried the thermal water first - just warm. I tried the cool water - definitely cool.

Continued on alongside the thermal water creek.

Found another plank story.

Came to a spot where the warm water was bubbling up through lots of roots.

Around past the dead trees then continued into the trees again with lots of little mossy flowers on the ground.

Over a small bridge with a tap - left the warm water from the thermal spring below us and right from the cold creek on the other side of the bridge. Fascinating to see them weaving through way through the undergrowth and going their own directions.

Back to the pool where we changed into our togs. Supposed to be 28 degrees but we felt it was a bit cooler than that. It was comfortable with the sun shining down and we laid back against the edge where the warm jets were coming up. The wind up high is sending big clouds across at an amazing rate of knots.

Well soaked we finished off with a very hot shower in the amenities. Found an old picture and info on the wall beside the amenities.

Headed back to the camper. I got some more exercise as I had to walk back again since I had left my togs in the shower!!

Headed back to the main road, across the Lune River.

Through a few houses of the township of Lune River. Darker clouds to the south.

Next little place is Ida Bay - used to have a great volunteer historic railway here but with Covid and funds needed to keep the renovations it is now closed.

Continued onto the gravel road that goes down to Cockle Bay and the most southerly point of Australia - we walked down there last time. On the tour map we got from the caves it says from there Antarctic is closer than Cairns.

A lyrebird came out of the bush just before us but quickly turned and went back into the bush - smart bird.

The road is full of small pot holes that are now full of water. Across a narrow bridge over the D’Entrecastreax River - supposed to be good fly-fishing spot. Not sure how you get down to it through.

Around to Recherche Bay and a row of holiday/fishing shacks called Moss Glen around the bay edge.

A bit further around we pulled up at Gillams Beach. There is a couple of open areas for camping - the first one looked quite boggy. We had a cuppa and wandered onto the beach.

Continued along - more campers in the next section. Checked out the next two spots and decided to go back to where the campers were. I am hoping the sky will clear to be about to see the Aurora from here so we parked the camper so I can look out the front from bed during the night.

Chatted with other campers then walked along the beach and back. Starting to get too chilly so back to the camper for drinks.

Lovely sound of the waves rolling onto the beach as we had dinner. I then worked on my cross-stitch while Steve read.

Down to 16 degrees to we put the heater on low to keep the cold out.

About 10.30 I went for a walk (with big coat on) onto the beach but couldn’t see any Aurora colours. There is a low cloud band on the horizon so that probably isn’t helping.