Tasmania, Australia!
Opened my eyes to this... looking off our balcony, I had my first view of Tasmania. Lots of little islands... more built up than the islands of New Zealand we visited in the fall. Better grab some coffee and explore!
Without much of a plan (weird for me, I know), we walked off the ship and followed the signs toward the city centre. Not sure that's what we really wanted to do, we listened to the sale pitches of a few vendors. Old school buildings lined the street... cute port town!
After deciding on a short trip to Richmond, Tasmania. We waited here by the harbour for out small van. One of the other tour options included a mountain top view but with the hovering clouds... this was not the day. Considering it was supposed to rain, we were okay with simple light cloud cover!
We started off on what should have been a half hour trip. The driver's phone rang... he ignored... it rang, he ignored... after about five calls, he asked one of the other passengers to answer for him (now talking on the phone while driving!). The end of the conversation we heard went something like this: "yes... oh...uh oh... okay" "ummm... apparently you forgot one customer." So back to the harbour we went to pick up the left behind guest. This meant we got to cross this bridge a total of four times... ha!
The whole way from Hobart to Richmond had amazing scenery! The cloud formations were stunning. Lined with farms and vineyards, this scenic area would be fun to explore more thoroughly.
Upon our arrival, we strolled through the charming town. We stopped to photograph mountain apples... just like the ones that grow in my parent's yard in Tahoe City.
Beauty in the middle of town... the Richmond Bridge! This is the oldest bridge in Australia! The first stones were laid in 1823. Spanning the Coal River, this bridge is in the heart of the Convict Trail. Decades ago, the British sent their criminals to serve out their sentence in this quaint town. With sentences of fourteen years, the prisoners were expected to work with ankle bracelets on after seven. Interestingly, if a convict died prior to serving the full fourteen years, they were buried where they fell, in an unmarked grave. After serving their full sentence, they were given a proper burial.
Peacefully swimming beneath the bridge, these ducks saw a potential for food and traveled together toward it. A couple brought a bag of duck food to the water's edge and fed these hungry ducks!
We walked along the path and under the bridge. On the other side, I convinced Barry that it was time for our daily selfie!
This glorious garden was on the shores of the Coal River, just beside the bridge. Such a sight! Flowers blooming... I could imagine sitting in this yard, reading a book. All along the river and throughout the town we saw charming homes. This town is like taking a giant step back in time!
Streets in Richmond are full of history. This town was a military staging area in the past, as well as a place for British convicts. We saw so many antique and soap stores. I had to take a shot of the yard on the left as we passed by... it was similar to many yards in the area. The yard on the right used creativity to save an old tree but still build an effective barrier around the sizable property.
Built by convicts in 1838, St Luke’s Church of the Physician is not the oldest church in Australia but certainly close to it. Other older churches have been reconstructed to the point that not much of the original is left. This one is mostly original and sits proudly on a hill overlooking the countryside.
This beautiful church sits on the main road. Drenched in flowers, it is not open to the public. Signs on the outside made it appear as though it has been transformed into unique accommodations. That would be a fun place to stay!
Continuing to meander through the town, we headed for a cup of coffee. Getting a good cup has been quite a challenge... since leaving Sydney, we have not received a strong cup! It's more like warm milk, which puts us in a nap mood rather than giving us the jolt we need! We found a darling coffee shop with outdoor garden seating, but the coffee was no different. These water jugs sat on a table for us to serve ourselves. Such a nice afternoon with my Valentine! Tomorrow is a sea day and then Melbourne!
