Saturday 6th September
Last Monday we met our friend Meg Evans in Oatlands and then drove to Branxholm innorth-east Tasmania. We were the first guests at the Tin Dragon Trail Cottages which are being developed by Graham and Christine on their property on the banks of the Ringarooma River. They have one of four cottages finished and plan to have the others ready in the next few weeks. The cottages are well appointed, very comfortable and generously supplied with breakfast from oats and muesli to bacon, eggs and sausages. Graham and Christine are also developing an Interpretative Centre which tells the story of Chinese tin mining in the area in general and on their property in particular.
On Tuesday we explored the local area. On Wednesday we drove to the north-east coast and visiting Mussleroe Bay ('big' and 'little') and Cape Portland. We did our best to stand on the very north-eastern tip of Tasmania. On Thursday we went to Bridport (a fishing village on the north coast) and then to George Town and Low Head on the Tamar estuary. Low Head was quite pretty with its series of lighthouses. We also visited a couple of wineries. On Friday we drove home through some country lanes, stopped at a lavender farm (Helen says the car smells of "old ladies") and then had lunch in the historic village of Evandale. On the way home we called into the Cadbury factory shop - wow - half-price chocolates!
