Wed, 31st Jan, 2024 Mike & Anne’s place, Bridport, Tas

12.6 degrees at 7.30am, the minimum was only 12.2 so it is taking a while to warm up. Thin layers of clouds at the moment and no wind. You can hear the waves clearly from up here on the hillside.

Anne gave me ‘A History of Bridport’ to read. Glen’s grandparents were founders of the area - Barnetts and Alexanders. The streets were named after family members, Emma, William etc and girls were one side and boys the other so you knew which area to go to. Great aerial photo shows where the ‘cut’ changed the mouth of the Forester River through the Barnbougle Dunes and the Trent Water Estuary and Brid River flow out closer to Bridport.

The boys headed off with Mike for a fish so us ladies went out to Barnbougle Lost Farm for a cuppa. There are two golf courses here now on what used to be a farm. We passed the first golf course then continued on over the Forester River where the farmer had put a cut through the dunes to drain the wetlands into the bay.

The original farm house was buried under fast moving sand dunes so the restaurant is called The Lost Farm. Some great information on the wall.

Amazing views and lovely coffee and cake.

Plenty of black swans as we go back across the river.

Back into Bridport and Anne took us for a drive around the houses and to the Old Pier - tide was in.

Up the hill for another amazing view over half of the bay and the estuary.

Back home for a late lunch. The boys came back with two King George Whiting - Steve caught one, a flathead, a sort of tusk fish and a big squid which squirted its ink everywhere apparently.

Steve had a look at the rims and realised they were the wrong ones. Mike rang his friend and we can take them back and he does have the ones that we wanted. We decided to drop the camper off so we can drive back in to Launceston tomorrow and get it sorted.

Drinks then joined the others for fresh fish, calamari and salad for dinner. I provided the dessert of frozen mango from Christmas and raspberry icecream.

Great night chatting etc.