Wednesday 12th April 2018

Lex writes: The alarm clock started our day at 7:00 with a cheery little ditty. It meant "get up". After a slow tea/coffee, the pace quickened as we prepared for a short drive to the Strahan docks. Our mission was to catch the Heritage Cruises vessel- the Harbour Master. This catamaran was to provide us and about a hundred and fifty other tourists with a day on Macquarie Harbour.

Our cruise boat, The Harbour Master

The cruise left the dock at 08:30, and headed for the entrance to the harbour. This is only 60 metres wide, and is known as Hell's Gate. The passage got its name from the local convicts at the penal island in the harbour - Sarah Island. More on that later...

Hell's Gate

 



Our captain took us past the lighthouse at the entrance and just a little bit out into the sea beyond. Then he turned the boat around and headed for the local Fish farms. Three companies farm Ocean Trout and/or Atlantic Salmon in these underwater cages. The Atlantic Salmon I've been eating while in Tasmania comes from here.

Fish farm cages

 



The next stop on the cruise was Sarah Island. We followed our guide around this tiny island. She showed us where the buildings were, and where the ships were built. The tour was excellent - I would recommend it to anyone - history buff or not. Enough of the buildings remained to make the stories real, and to give us a clear idea of conditions here. The island started building ships as a way of  using the stockpiles of Huon pine timber, about the time the second commandant of the place took office (not a co-incidence. The first commandant drowned just off the island, and deserved it). This had the effect of giving the convicts a working and viable lifestyle. Unfortunately, the ship building industry was closed down to prevent competition with commercial ship builders. Sarah island was closed in 1834, and convicts transferred to Port Arthur.

The convicts regarded Sarah Island as hell for a number of reasons. There was virtually no escape; discipline was harsh and floggings were common; the work was extremely hard and unrelenting; rations were strictly controlled; and the military officers were corrupt. For this reason, the narrow entrance to the harbour was known as Hell's Gate. Not the place for a holiday then!

The slipway used to launch boats made on the island. Only two bluegum logs are visible.

Our guide showing us one of the forges

Suffolk oven used to cook up to 400 loaves of bread

Ruin on Sarah Island

After our tour of the island, we hopped back on the boat, and made for the Gordon River. This feeds the harbour with millions of litres of water every day. The water is brown because it has leached some of the tannin out of the peat it flows through. There is enough water/tannin to colour the water of the whole harbour (250 Square kilometres of it). The river system drains a huge area of wilderness, some of which we saw today. The boat travelled 12 Km up the river, and it was never narrower than about 50 metres. The forest came right down to the water on both sides, for the entire 12 Km. We didn't see one plastic bottle or piece of paper in the water. Just magic.

A typical river scene

 

Robyn at the front of the boat

 





At the furthest point on the river, we were treated to a short walk through the rain forest. Then it was time to head back down the river, down the length of the harbour, and back to Strahan. There was still something to see.

Mount Lyell from Macquarie Harbour

 

 



The boat dropped us just a few metres short of its home dock. The reason was that there is a historic, working sawmill right there, metres from the water. It uses a crosscut saw in a frame to cut Huon pine into slabs. Delightful to see, even if it wasn't the most efficient way to cut the timber. There was, of course, a shop attached to the place. It displayed Huon pine, Sassafras and Tasmanian Blackwood timbers. All well made, but as usual, too many bowls and cutting boards.

We headed home to have a cup of tea. For a bit of exercise, we took a walk through Peoples Park, and up to Hogarth Falls. The walk was only 20 minutes return, but wound through tree ferns and cool rainforest. The falls were quite nice, but there are others more spectacular.

Hogarth Falls

 

The rainforest canopy from below

 



From there, it was back home for us. We changed and drove to Hamer Grill (same place as last night) for dinner. We waited for 15 minutes for a table, but that was quick. While we were seated dozens of people came in looking for a table and a meal. All had to wait. If I ever buy a café, it will be in Strahan. The place is a gold mine.

Finally, after a long day, we are back in our cabin, ready for a good night's sleep. We leave Strahan tomorrow to travel to Moina, near Cradle Mountain.

Til then....