Wed, 7th Feb, 2024 Bush cap at Goats Bluff, near South Arm to Paddock behind Old Buckland Inn, Buckland, Tas

Warmer morning, 14 degrees! Blue sky and a few clouds. Our camp for the night.

Walked back to the lookout for a daytime view. I didn’t realise there was such a drop down to the water.

View across to the Iron Pot and the Derwent River.

Had a cuppa then headed around to South Arm. Along the narrow section - sand dunes on the left and open shallow bay on the right with Mt Wellington in the distance.

A shed sheeted with signs.

As we entered South Arm township we turned off to go to Hope Beach but ended up going straight up the hill past homes with amazing views over the Derwent River which I didn’t get any photos of as I was trying to work out where we had missed the road on the tablet! I realised we were heading around to the Defence area of Fort Direction so we turned around.

Back down and we found the street we wanted - Roaring Beach Road though we are going to Hope Beach! Parked then walked the sandy wide track across to the beach - Roaring is a better name - maybe Hope is hoping the wind settles! Great view but cold wind. Looking across to Betsey Island that we were looking at from Goats Bluff then around to Iron Pot.

We found a pair of female thongs on the top of a dune then a towel and bag at the bottom - there was a car in the car park but we can’t see anyone anywhere along the beach. Bit creepy - hope nothing has happened to her if she had gone in for a swim.

Down onto the beach and headed to the nearest end! Weren’t taking my shoes off to get in the water here!

We walked to the end of the beach below Fort Direction - you can see a fence with signs we guess saying Defence Dept of Australia - no entry.

Up onto the platform below the hill but we kept away from the wall in case of any falling rocks. Lots of barnacles and seaweed flapping around in the waves.

The waves were going over the rocks making little waterfalls.

Lots of big mussels and scallop shells like we had found on Bruny Island - I had made a couple of wind chimes from them. They make a deeper sound then the little ones we find at Woodgate.

Back again and no sign of the lady. We walked back to the truck and another lady had just arrived. I asked if she was local and she was so I told her about the car and belongings so hopefully she might find her or if not alert someone.

Back into town then around to the boat ramp and jetty. I found a bit of history information while Steve turned the truck around. Unfortunately it was wrapped around the post so hard to the full picture.

We had gone up to Opossum Bay last time as we bought a diesel heater from the caravan from a chap up there so didn’t bother going that way again.

Headed back out. There are more beach turn-offs as we continue along. One is for Clifton Beach - another name repeated in Australia.

Turned off to Cremorne Beach to have lunch on the outer edge of a big almost enclosed bay. We sat in the sun as the wind is very cool. There is a Mount Augustus here too - we climbed the one in WA.

Walked down to the beach to check out the old boiler and found some shells too - top and bottom of the scallop and some others.

Along the Esplanade road along the bay - tides out.

Back on the road again through sheep grazing farms and rural properties. Across a water area where the road has been built up through the middle of it. Around the edge of Ralph’s Bay which comes off the Derwent River.

Turned off to head up to Sorell. Onto the Tasman Highway at Cambridge and then past the airport.

Over the causeway to Midway Point. Orielton Lagoon on left and Pittwater on right.

Across the other causeway and into Sorell.

Around the Blue Bell Inn (1829) - love the corner door as an entrance.

Called into the campground to use the dump point and top up with water. We had stayed here a few days and met Leanne & Rick here and became great friends.

Continued on the Tasman Highway towards Orford through more farming and rural areas then up through some hills to 315m elevation.

Down the other side back into farming land. The truck is doing very well and the driver isn’t bad either though ‘girlie’ still gets up him about the speed limits but most of the time she is wrong as she hasn’t been updated in years!

Up another hill with a sign - ‘Bust-me-Gait Hill, 336m’.

Up again down and levelled off at Break-me-neck Hill 290m.

Down we go again on a windy range road. Back to the farmland at 80m then into Buckland. It was originally called Prosser Plains and was settled in the 1820 for farming. Only a few houses, servo, church and the Ye Olde Buckland Inn. There is a free camp behind the inn so we went around for a look. Another van and a tent here so we pulled up for the night.

Walked over the Inn and spoke to owner Pete who used to live in Brisbane - bit of a lifestyle change for him. He had some photos above the bar - the inn has changed a bit over the years. This one is from 1880.

These flowers are everywhere.

Walked up the road - little library exchange outside someone’s house - had a book we might like so will have to come back with a book to exchange.

Found a history plaque on the General store on the corner.

Across to the main road and then up the slope to the Church of St John the Baptist. Checked out some of the old graves in the church yard - this tomb is for the Gatehouse family whose names are on the gate.

Steve was interested in how the roof tiles stayed on.

Lovely stained-glass windows. Always so peaceful in a church. There is a book swap here too.

Lots of graves in the cemetery beside the church.

Still sunny but the wind still cold. The grass is green on the other side of the fence.

On the way back we spotted a door to nowhere on the side of the Inn.

Back to camp for a cuppa and another van pulled in. I worked on my blog and Steve chatted with them. Erin and Jake are from Bunbury with their Swiss Shephard dog, Charger. Jake sent a ball flying using a tennis racket and boy can that dog run. They sold up and set themselves up to travel Australia.

They were heading over for a drink at the Inn so we joined them and another young lady, Flora, from Holland who is travelling around using public transport or hitch-hiking. We taught her a few slang words and explained things when she got confused with all our chatter. Her English is very good but when people are all talking together it gets too confusing for her to follow the conversation.

7.30 we headed back to the camper to make dinner as it is getting cold now.

The kookaburras are having the last laugh as the sun starts to set.

Played Skipbo tonight for a change. Rick sent a video of a chap in Victoria finding a big nugget - he was very excited. We would be too. Rang him and Kaylene back for a catch-up. She is slowly recovering from getting Covid from a student at school.