Wild Wilderness West Tasmania

Now on the west coast, at Strahan. A cruise (a leisurely one this time!) across the large Macquarie Harbour and through Hell's Gate took us to the open sea, then back through the harbour to the Gordon River. This is Tasmania's largest river in terms of volume of water (this part of Tassie gets between 3 and 4 metres of rain per year!) The water in the river is the colour of Coca Cola because of the tannin produced by the buttongrass plants. Therefore there are few waterbirds. A stop at Sarah Island showed clearly why Van Diemen's Land, as it was in days gone by, was such a hated penal colony - very little chance of escape and totally impenetrable forest if one was lucky enough to get away, not to mention the venomous snakes and other wildlife one was likely to meet. This explains the name Hell's Gate, as the convicts knew they were pretty much in Hell when they were sent there.

It was a great trip and a good way to spend Australia Day.

Australia Day picnic, small town-style (here the horseshoe-throwing competition!)

Strahan waterfront from the boat

Entering Hell's Gate

Sarah Island, wooded again now

Sarah Island as it was as a penal colony. Up to 500 convicts would have been here at any one time.

Remains of the three-storey penitentiary. 

Beware this one -- he's a tiger snake. Tassie doesn't have any friendly ones!

The buttongrass which causes the tannin in the rivers ............

.......... which looks like this

Impenetrable forest and deep river (looking back)

and the same  looking forward

Kelly's Creek waterfall among the trees