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Cradle Mountain | |
Jump to Cradle Mountain - Day 2 - Dove Lake Circuit & Devils@Cradle
Jump to Cradle Mountain - Day 3 - Marion's Lookout walk
On arrival in Hobart we found out that Qantas had left Miche's suitcase at the airport in Melbourne, so travelling a little lighter than usual, we head up from Hobart through the Highland Lakes region and various scenic mountain passes to Cradle Mountain. Our SatNav 'Sheila' had a few erratic moves including trying to take us through a gated farm, but we got there.
I hadn't realised that many of the roads in Tasmania aren't sealed and it made for interesting cornering at times...
A windswept Miche...
Our new motor and Great Lake...
On the way we were delighted to see our first Echidna (short-beaked). They're like cuddlier hedgehogs and are egg-laying mammals (monotremes) like the Platypus. They have a great ambling way of walking...
Someone had chosen to decorate the Round Mountain Scenic Lookout sign with bullet holes...
After driving through Deloraine, a tiny town in the middle of Tasmania, where we saw Willem Dafoe in a coffee shop we tackle the windy switchbacks that take us to Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park. We later found out that Willem Dafoe was making a new film called 'The Hunter' in the area.
We stayed at Cradle Mountain Lodge just outside the park entrance; at check-in we'd asked if we might see any wildlife around the lodge and were told that we'd see it right up to our cabins and she was right.
Entrance to the Park...
Late afternoon sun catching the top branches of this eucalypt as we walk the 'Enchanted Stroll', which had given us our first sighting of a Wombat...
Miche and a Wombat near the entrance to the Lodge...
Built like tanks and known for their determined and sometimes grumpy behaviour if things get in their way, we couldn't help but fall in love with the Wombats...
A pair of Bennett's Wallabies look on...
A Southern Grass Skink...
Miche watching the Ashes coverage in the bar after a hike...
It was amazing, we were in Australia in the Summer, but it still felt great to be next to an open fire as we were up in the mountains...
Miche in the Qantas one-size-fits-all lost luggage kit...
A Bennett's Wallaby near our cabin...
A Pademelon joey is brave enough to take peek out...
Lodge entrance...
Next stop - Cradle Mountain - Day 2 - Dove Lake Circuit & Devils@Cradle