Veronika Wild

The first Waratahs The Hartz Mountains look superb from a distance. They have a sharp chiselled outline rather like two pyramids, but the first thing everyone tells wannabe bushwalkers, particularly in this area, is the Tragic Tale of Osborne Geeves, after whose family Geeveston is named.   View across the Valleys An expert bushman, Osborne was on prospecting trip in the Hartz Mountains with his three sons and a nephew on a fine day on the 27th.   of November in 1877, when they were unexpectedly overtaken by a blizzard. His son Arthur died in his arms and the nephew, Robert, died of exposure after being dragged into one of the huts. That kind of thing has always given this area a bit a sinister reputation and one approaches the   Hartz Mountains (all mountains in Tas. really) with a certain amount of respect. We turn left at the Arve Picnic shelter instead of heading up to the Tahune Airwalk. This road though unsealed is wide and not too bad. ...

Spring growth in the rainforest This is a cautionary tale.  Not every bushwalking trip is an outstanding success. I am telling you about some of my ‘fails’ because it will give you some idea about what to expect once you go off the main road, 'behind the scenery' as it were, and some of the things you should and shouldn’t do. The day started out well enough. I’d come across an excellent website detailing some of the lesser known   waterfalls and, with the promise of good weather for the next few days, I headed South, my original plan being to take it easy on the first day and do one of the longer  walks on the second day.  By the time I arrived in Geeveston however, jumping off point for the Hartz National Park, the weather forecast had changed. Now a thunderstorm was predicted for the following day which meant I should probably do the longer walk today while the weather was good.  I also heard from a friend who’d never done any bushwalking befor...

Dance Instructor Ash, formerly of TasDance It is raining. I have been down doing the Broadway Boogie with some very friendly people and this was one of the tunes they played (Check it out on YouTube) .    OK the video is a bit scary but I promise it will make you want to dance. When you are over yoga and you want something a little more energetic than Tai Chi, that doesn’t involve push - ups, crunches, running laps or pressing weights, or even regular attendance, this might be just the thing. I personally have rarely worked up such a sweat with such enthusiasm. Alas, there was only one long suffering male there, but wait till they hear how many fit, fun,  and fabulous women go to this.   Thanks for a great time Ash, and to the people who made us so welcome! Can't wait until I can do this!

Lighthouse at Low Head rebuilt 1888 A little bit of Low Head and the Top of the Tamar I trundle over the river, via Beauty Point with its big wharves, past orchards, wineries and strawberry signs - Closed alas, to get a closer look at the lighthouse at Low Head.  It looks much smaller than when I saw it as a child. There are no lighthouse keepers now. It’s all automatic but it is still an important lighthouse. It sits high on a hill, overlooking the Tamar estuary, the pilot station and surrounding bays and hills. The earlier marine lights and attendant buildings are also attractive, but I'm disappointed that there's no sign of my penguins.  The Lighthouse Keeper's House is now Tourist Accommodation One of two Navigation Lead Lights built in 1882,  so that captains could  line their ships up with both of them  and thus  avoid the reef I stay another night but I’m still dragging my feet. Instead of taking the main road I tak...