A Love Letter to Tasmania

Between the plunging waterfalls, crystal blue beaches, active wildlife and mountain ranges that seem to last for days, I can easily say that Tasmania is my personal favourite Australian state. Okay, I know I have only seen 4 out of the 7 states, but forgive me when I say they are all going to have to be pretty spectacular after our last three weeks on this incredible island. Tasmania is a state of what seems like ever-changing landscapes. As you drive down the Tasman Highway the dreamy green pastures filled with cows and sheep instantly draw you in. The rolling hills in the background and the hazy sun dancing on top of the wheat fields brings you a sense of ease that you somehow cannot articulate. Then suddenly you are along the eastern coastline where the water is as blue as the sky and the sand is as soft and white as flour. The boulders that stand along the coastline have been stained a coppery red and seem as if they are as old as time. You then drive inland and the mountains ranges go on for miles and if you look at them closely you can see how time has warn them down and how they have persisted on throughout the ages. Massive craters and pinnacle rocks that stretch higher than skyscrapers stick right out of the bluest ocean you’ve ever laid eyes on. Trust me, this state is fucking wicked and I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.

We arrived in Devonport on January 22nd via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. For the 9 to 11 hour adventure we opted for the private cabin. Considering it was a little pricier, we were very happy to find clean linens, a great (hot) shower and our own private view of the Bass Strait.

Frenchie sitting pretty at Bakers Beach, TAS / 📷@justybumpstead

We had three weeks on the island state and wanted to try to make sure we could use our time to the fullest. This meant getting started right away. We don’t usually drive at dusk to avoid collisions with critters and friends who like to come out to the road, but we figured we would hit the ground running and make our way towards Bakers Beach on the northern coast. We drove through stunning farmland encompassed in a remarkably colourful sunset as the wildlife started to appear. Before we parked the van we saw wallabies, eastern quoll’s and little pademelons (miniature wallaby-type creatures). I think at that moment we both knew just how incredible Tasmania was going to be. Later that night, after a quick bite, we watched the Wolf Blood Super moon light up the entire sky. It was quite a warm welcome.

We started driving from Bakers Beach down towards the Tamar Valley. Known for it’s famous “wine route,” we decided it would be rude not to partake in a couple cheeky tastings. Even though it was only 11am, we drove down along the Tamar River and checked out Vèlo Wines and the Tamar Ridge Vineyards. A little tipsy and feeling snacky, we decided to stop into the nearby town of Launceston.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

We got some groceries and stopped at the famous Cataract Gorge, where for the first time in my life I saw a wild peacock. After lunch we drove east to the Bridestowe Lavender Fields. Lavender is honestly one of my favourite plants, smells, essential oils, etc. so needless to say I was very excited to stand amidst the 260 acres of pure purple aromatherapy. To cap it all off we enjoyed one of their homemade lavender infused ice creams!

Taking it all in @Bridestowe Lavender Estate TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

Me and Frenchie @Bridestowe Lavender Estate, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

 Finding free camping in Tasmania was not a problem at all. Almost everywhere we visited had either free campsites, or unmarked land that we took the liberty to stay on. The only issue is that lots of the campsites within Tassie are along 4WD tracks and although Frenchie is quite a beast on a gravel road, she is not a 4WD. So when we arrived at what we thought was “Little Blue Lake” we realized that we were really going to have to push the van to get to our spot for the night. We drove slowly and carefully down the dirt track and found a rocky spot along the lake. It ended up that the maps had taken us on a wild goose chase and we were wrong side of the lake. When we settled into our spot we went down to the water and found a group of caravans along the other side. Exhausted from our long day and what felt like endless kilometres of gravel roads, we decided to take our chances and stay on the more secluded side of the lake.

The real Little Blue Lake, TAS/ 📷 me

We got settled, went for a swim and made an Asian Style Chicken and Rice (see recipe in taste). The stars that night were just as bright and beautiful as I would have imagined them during the Jurassic period. I woke up and went down to the lake for a morning shower. It felt so incredible to be alone among the trees and the mountains, cleaning off in what felt like my own private lake. Once we were on the road we found the sign for the real Little Blue Lake, which happened to be a lot bluer than the one we had previously been at. This one was so blue it was almost electric. We had a good laugh about our mishap but were happy with our choice to stay where we had. It’s always fun to have our own personal spot and not have to share.

Later that afternoon we arrived in Eddystone Point along the northern most part of the Bay of Fires. This is where we both fell in love with Tasmania. While Justin was shooting I decided to walk the short track to the nearby Larc Beach and what I found was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The track opened up on top of the red stained rocks to white sand that glistened in the sunshine and teal water that seemed to stretch on for miles. The statuesque boulders carved out alcoves along the white sand and the water was so clear that the blue skies reflection sparkled along the shoreline. I walked down to find I was the only one there. As I was walking down the beach I was overwhelmed by the utter natural beauty and the how breathtaking this planet is when we take care of it. There was no litter, no people, no pollution; just me and the waves and it was extraordinary. Eventually I brought Justin over and we spent the rest of the afternoon revelling in this little slice of heaven.

Larc Beach, Bay of Fires TAS/ 📷 @justybumpstead

Relaxing at my new favourite spot, Larc Beach, Bay of Fires TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

The next couple of days were glorious. We spent most of our time at The Gardens, which is a small beach along the mid-section of the Bay of Fires. The beach was beautiful and the water was the perfect temp for a day of swimming and relaxing. We also went inland to see St. Columba falls, a waterfall right outside Pyangana. There we spent hours taking in the 90ft. cascade and cooling off in the shallow pools near the bottom.

Happy as a clam @St. Columba Falls, Pyengana TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

St. Columba Falls, Pyengana TAS/ 📷Me

Pyengana also had “The Pub in the Paddock” a wicked old pub where you can feed Priscilla the beer drinking pig. Justin and I had a couple schooners there and chatted with Shawn the owner’s husband. The pub has been around since the 1880’s and if Shawn didn’t tell us enough about it, the walls sure did. Covered in old signage, notes of worldly currencies and pictures from when the establishment first opened, made it one of the coolest country pubs we’ve been to on this trip.

We capped off this incredible week with an inland hike at the Douglas-Apsley National Park. Our morning was spent hiking through the bush that eventually opened up to the Douglas Apsley gorge. The gorge was slightly dry but we found a sweet pool a little further into our hike. We spent a while there, swimming and enjoying the sunshine.

Douglas Apsley Gorge, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

After only a week in this state I started to realize just what we were in for. The northern east coast gave us awesome hiking, towering waterfalls and some of the most magical beaches we’ve ever seen. Follow along as our whirlwind Tassie adventure continues south to Freycinet National Park!