After landing in Launceston, we picked up a rental car and drove towards our first destination: Cradle Mountain - Lake Saint Clair National Park. Along the way, I took a few photos from the passenger seat of the car as we drove through the lush valleys and farmland, and climbed into the mountains.
The sun appeared briefly, but I soon discovered that the weather changes quickly in Tasmania.
But it didn't stick, and within an hour the clouds lifted and the sun peaked out revealing a more expansive view of Dove Lake.
Cradle Mountain (which I was told has a similar shape as a gold mining cradle), reaches over 3,000 feet.
We were treated to a rainbow that seemed near enough to touch!
The next morning we hiked a small portion of the Overland Track, starting at Buttongrass Moorland and continuing to Crater Lake. On of my favorite plants along the way, was the Pandani or, giant grass tree - I think they look like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss story.
Some of the walk is on elevated platforms - keeping hikers dry and preserving the marsh area.
Eventually (and I say eventually because it seemed that at every turn there was another image that I wanted to make), I made it to Crater Falls.
And, soon after, reached Crater Lake.
On the return, we pasted Wombat Pool where minerals turn the water red.
I stopped to take a few additional images of the plants along the way.
There was just enough time to walk the Enchanted Forest path as the sun was setting.
Tasmania, certainly knows how to do trees!
The next morning was cold and a thin layer of frost covered the area as we departed south towards Queenstown.
We drove through some fog, noticed a sign leading to Murchison Dam, and decided to take a little detour.
While the view from the dam was stunning, the dam itself was also an interesting form to photograph.
Down river from the dam, the trees were thick, but there were a few locations where we could sneak a look at their reflections in the still waters.
Surrounding us were several different type of ferns, moss, and lichen.
After lunch in Queenstown, we stopped at Lake Burbery with it's magnificent calm waters and stunning reflection.
We drove east through the park, through miles of majestic eucalyptus trees and buttongrass.
We continued to Strathgordon, stopping at the summit for a quick photograph.
When we finally arrived at Lake Gordon, it was raining and cold, but still incredibly beautiful.
We decided to make a quick trip to the dam before sunset, on the way, we saw the most vibrant rainbow that I have ever seen and, luckily for us, the clouds broke and it stopped raining.
The Gordon Dam is the tallest (140 meters/459 feet) concrete double curvature arch dam in Australia.
Small cars (like the one below), were used to quickly descend on the track to the bottom of the dam.
The visitor center was closed for the season, but made a nice reflection for a photo. I promise I wasn't "standing" while I made the second photo. : )
We took a quick detour on the way back to see the Serpentine dam (a rock-filled dam which contributes to the containment of Lake Pedder).
In the morning, the warming temperature created a mist over parts of Lake Gordon. The dead trees are a result of damming the Gordon and Franklin rivers to generate hydroelectric power.
As we headed towards Scott's Peak, we made a stop at Ted's Beach where we discovered interesting colors and patterns along the shoreline (with the help of a polarizing filter).
Next, we stopped at Wedge River picnic area. It was encouraging to see the regrowth on the eucalyptus trees after a brushfire in 2016.
On the return trip, we stopped at a small lagoon. The branches and grass mirrored in the still water caught my eye but a little exploration uncovered an unexpected sandbar.
We we left Strathgordon and headed southeast, past Hobart, and onto the ferry to Bruny Island. Delayed by road repair, we make it to the lighthouse just before sundown.
I have never seen so many stunning, dramatic, and expansive views as I did in my short time in Tasmania. Thank you to all of the friendly people that we met on our journey. I hope to see you again. Soon!
Credits:
© 2017 Julieanne Kost. All rights reserved.