Week 524 · Cradle Mountain · Launceston · Cataract Gorge
Tasmania —
Tasmania Part 2 — we headed up from Hobart to a town called Mole Creek, the closest AirBnB to Cradle Mountain National Park, still 1.5 hours from the assumed start point of our hike. We took the longer scenic route through the lake country — wasn't what we expected and was probably the least scenic part of our trip to Tasmania.
No one at the gourmet family-style dinner with the 3 other couples mentioned that we park about 10 miles from the hiking area and have to take a bus. But they did push us towards a hike we thought was too challenging — and I'm glad we did it. It was a great hike and we got a great day. About 6 miles and 2,000 feet of climbing. The last 500 feet to the viewpoint was a steep climb with chains to pull yourself up.
"I don't know how the Wombats know to poo here — but the signpost confirms they do."
The result of the bus and longer hike meant we arrived in Launceston much later than expected. We grabbed a drink at a local pub and ran into one of the couples from the prior night. Found out he moved from England to St. Kilda in 1948 when he was 5 — his single mum was banished from England to Australia with him — and had pretty much lived in St. Kilda all his life.
We then went to the recommended restaurant and it was closed. Some skateboarder dudes told us there was a bar that might have food down the hall of a strip centre — and there was — the "Midnight Rambler." As Americans, we immediately attracted the attention of the owner, a Launceston native who had lived a couple of years in Dallas. When I said I was from Oklahoma, he said "F Oklahoma — Hook 'Em." He didn't know why people said that — I explained it was college football. He didn't have any food, and we asked where to get a good selection of Tassie wines and dinner. He said "Bar 2" — but it was closed too. We said we liked Two Tonne wines — he said he knew the owner and sent us to his bistro. The owner/winemaker was gone for the night and the kitchen was closed — but we got a full tutorial on Two Tonne wines but still no food. So we found a 24-hour kebab place and finally got to eat. Not gourmet — but perfect at that point.
The next morning we started our drive south to Wineglass Bay — but before leaving town we went to the city park in a gorge: Cataract Gorge. Only a 10-minute walk from the CBD but it seemed like a million miles away.
It was a quick trip to the north — but well worth it. Definitely will have a return trip to Tasmania before we leave Australia.