Tasmania

Tea and fudge

Our little garden

Stanley Beach

The Nut

Stanley

Desert Girls rugging up

Fossil Bluff, Wynyard

Shell fossils

Crab Fossil

Mr Number Five

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Sunny afternoon at Wynyard

Day three and so far we have enjoyed our first crossing of Bass Strait, 9 mildly rocky hours on the Spirit of Tasmania, very comfortable, great crew, great food. We are spending our first 5 nights at Port Sorell, about 10 min drive east of Devonport.
The weather so far has been beautiful, much cooler than back home, 10celcius - 21 celcius, gentle breezes,
lots of green fields of vegetables, flower farms, Opium poppy fields ( grown for the medical industry) and farm stands full of fresh berries, flowers, potatos of every kind , free range eggs ( duck and goose too), beautiful old farm houses and windswept beaches.

Yesterday we visited nearby LaTrobe, a pretty historical town with lovely shops, we then went D' Anvers Chocolates, where we watched fudge,truffles and Easter eggs being made by hand, they have a a little chocolate museum too and lovely gardens, we were able to taste lots of fudge and truffles and bought quiet a yummy selection. The girls enjoyed some super creamy homemade ice cream and chocolate koalas.
Then it was off to Christmas Hill Berry Farm, we were treated to chocolate covered raspberries, jams,sauces and vinigars ,and the most yummy raspberry sorbet.
Ashgrove cheese factory was next and we samples some lovely cheddars and fettas, they are very generous with their samples serves and very friendly staff.

Today we took a drive to Stanley on the northwest coast and enjoyed Fresh fish and chips and Scallops. it was pretty windy and cold for a summer day but the sun came out by the time we got to Wynyard, I could see myself living there, beautiful beaches, quaint village, a patchwork of tulip and vegetable farms, lots of forest, so green, very lovely. We found lots of sea animal fossils,  the beach area is an ancient glacier that was broken up by several volcanic eruptions. We continued on through Burnie and on to Devonport. There was a lot to take in, my husband and i agreed this was a starter trip and we will have to return a few times. We are completely overwhelmed by the endless natural beauty and relaxed agrarian lifestyle that blends so well with all that is modern. Oh and the tap water here tastes so good !