Day 56 - Bridport to Low Head

Well, we could not reproduce the fourth day of brilliant sunrises at Bridport.  Instead we had rain, rain and more rain.

Our plan was to move 63km west to Low Head, which is on the eastern side of the mouth of the Tamar River. This we did without complication, other than for rain.  We have no idea about the nature of the countryside we passed through as we could not see much beyond 400m of the road.  There were no passes to navigate so we must assume it was fairly flat, farming countryside.  There were a few signs registering the presence of vineyards and there were cattle and sheep as well.

We arrived safely at Low Head and booked into a modern caravan park just across from the Tamar River.

240415 The view from our caravan's door at Low Head

Shopping was required, so we headed 6km back to Georgetown.  There were some interesting sites in Georgetown.  Seems the wood carver has been commissioned to do some carvings on the esplanade.  It was good to see here, what the tree stumps were like before being carved.

240415 Tree carvings on Georgetown's esplanade with the wood carver
having a whale of a time

240415 Tree carvings on Georgetown's esplanade.  Note the removed
timber on the ground

240415 Trees before being carved

240415 Looking up the Tamar River to the north from
Georgetown's  esplanade - white out

The rain eased momentarily and the Tamar looked much improved visually.  We could even see the other side of the Tamar River.

240415 An island in the Tamar River at Bell Bay

During our travels we called into Bell Bay, which is the port for several major industries centred here.  It is also the home of Pacific Aluminium's Bell Bay aluminium smelter and Tedco BHPB's manganese smelter. 

240415 Riding at anchor in Bell Bay

240415 At the wharf in Bell Bay

240415 Another wharf site in Bell Bay

Bell Bay Aluminium has been in operation since 1955 and was the first smelter built in the southern hemisphere. The smelter produces around 180,000 tonnes of aluminium each year.  Its main metal products are ingot, block and T-bar.

240415  The entrance to Pacific Aluminium's Bell Bay plant

240415 Part of the aluminium plant

240415 Third party picture of Bell Bay Aluminium

The Bell Bay manganese smelter at George Town is known as the Tasmanian Electro Metallurgical Company (TEMCO) and is the only manganese ferroalloy smelter in Australia. It produces sinter, silicomanganese and high carbon ferromanganese.

240415 Third party picture of TEMCO BHPB's manganese smelter

240415 TEMCO BHPB's manganese smelter

TEMCO's plant comprises four electric-arc furnaces that produce over 250,000 tonnes of manganese alloys a year, most of which is exported.  It supplies critical steel additives to over 50 companies around the world. Manganese is used in the steel making process and its inclusion results in increased strength, resistance and machinability.

Bell Bay is also the focal point for those timber jinkers we have seen coursing around the roads in the NE corner of Tasmania.  The logs are chipped in Bell Bay and exported.

240415 Wood chips awaiting export

Mid afternoon we hunkered down in the van to dry ourselves off, warm up and manage the Chinese laundry in the caravan. The air conditioner is on heat cycle and is working a treat.

We are hopeful tomorrow will be a better day.