Day 37 - South of Hobart as far as Southport

We had the ultimate scene as we awoke this morning. Fog had enveloped us.  The sun was making its way eerily above the nearby hill but, by the time we started our 300km odyssey south of Hobart, the fog had lifted, at least at the van park.  It was still evident as we approached the Huon Valley.

050415 Fog disappearing at sunrise from our van site 

050415 Fog over Prince of Wales Bay

050415 Hobart from the Brooker Highway - our main road into Hobart

050415 Fog in the Huon Valley

The Huon Valley is very picturesque. Apples, pears, cherries and fish farming are the main Huon Valley primary products. The surrounding hills are covered in thick forests that stretch all the way to the West coast of Tasmania. South from Huonville, the River widens and becomes a very scenic estuary.

After crossing the River at Huonville and following the west bank, the drive goes on to Franklin, Port Huon, Geeveston and south all the way to Hastings Caves and Southport. We did not do the caves but we went as far as the end of the bitumen road.

At Geeveston, we left the highway and headed 28km west  to the Tahune Air Walk, a 640m walk through the treetops.  The walk ended with a cantilevered outlook, which provided an awe inspiring look over the forest and the Huon and Picton Rivers

050415 We walked the blue route

050415 Crossing the Huon R on the way to the Tahune Air Walk

050415 The Huon River upstream of the bridge

050415 The Huon River downstream from the bridge 

050415 A giant "Stringy Bark" tree

050415 The start of the Air Walk 

050415 The first 100m of the Air Walk 

050415 More of the Air Walk

050415 The cantilevered end of the Air Walk - strong enough
 to hold 10 tonnes at its end 

050415 Huon River upstream from the Air Walk with the Picton River
on the LHS of the confluence

050415 Huon River downstream from the Air Walk

We drove through Dover, also on the estuary, and were confronted by a rather large flock of seagulls.

050415 At Dover, not white cliffs but white seagulls
- all 727 of them.  One had one leg

We finally arrived at Southport at the end of the bitumen road.  It looked as if a large proportion of the Hobart population had moved to Southport Beach for the Easter break.

050415  One of the bays at Southport 

050415 The beachside shacks at Southport - very busy, cars everywhere

We returned home via Police Point which took us along the Huon Estuary.  Here there were beautiful views of the estuary.  There were also several fish farms on the way.

050415 Huon Salmon's fish cages in the Huon estuary

050415 The Huon River estuary

050415 More of the Huon estuary

050415 A giant fish cage

050415 Apple anyone?  A Huon Valley orchard

050415 Kingborough/Kingston, south of Hobart on the way home

This drive took in some beautiful countryside with mountains, forests, rivers and orchards featuring.  The area is only sparsely populated.  We were disappointed not to make the full journey down to  Whale Head.  Maybe we have left that for the next time we come down to Tasmania.