Dunalley & More From Port Arthur Region


On Thursday the 8th March we were ready to move on so after a slow start, ie after some shopping, we hitched up and left Darren and Maria’s. We would still be seeing them on the weekend but we had spied a great free camp at the Dunalley pub which is past Sorell and on the way to Port Arthur. We wanted to see some things that we had not got to see earlier down that way.

We arrived about 2pm and got a great spot overlooking the water. The campground filled up quickly after that and it was packed. The next two nights were even more packed due to the Tazzie long weekend.









On Friday we drove to the Tasman Lookout for this spectacular view.




Then down into Pirates Bay to see the Tessellated Pavement. The loaf appearing rocks are created by the action of waves and sand eroding the joints in rock. The joints were created by the rock cracking through movement of tectonic plates. The pan looking rocks are created by the action of salt eroding the rock but not the joints, leaving the joints protruding. The loaf ones are closer to the sea and wave action.






Pirates Bay itself was very nice.



Then we went to the Tasman Blowhole, Arch and Devils Kitchen.









For lunch we went to Bangor Winery. We knew this would be a bit of a splurge but the location was amazing and they do a bit of a paddock to plate experience which we were really looking for. Their wine was terrific as well, best ever according to Linda. The winery has been in the one family for five generations. It overlooks the town of Dunalley and the waterways there. Dunalley lost about 1250 homes but no lives, fortunately in the bushfire of 2013. This was the place where a family went into the water at the end of a jetty to escape the flames and the jetty burnt down. Amazing. It was interesting talking to the staff about all that. Lunch was good as well. So glad to have splurged.








We just took it easy the next morning. Walked over to the town for a seafood basket at the Fish Market. Then a walk along the canal to try and walk off the fried food. This is a view from the town to the Bangor Winery where we had lunch two days earlier.





From 1901 to 1905 the Denison Canal was built to join Blackmans Bay and Norfolk Bay. You have to look at a map to get an idea of it but this short canal was such a time saver for travelling by water around the place. Back in those days a lot more freight was carried by water and the efficiencies were great. The canal and turntable bridge get a lot of work.







That afternoon Darren & Maria and Ben came down from Hobart. We had dinner in the Dunalley pub that night. The meals were huge. After that and the lunch we had I was thinking I would need to climb to the summit of Cradle Mountain again to get rid of the bulging waste line. It may have kick started a new desire for exercise.  

Sunday morning we hitched up and went to New Norfolk. Stopped in on the way at Cambridge at the dump point to dump the cassette but also found that the jug I use to dose up the cassette was still there after leaving it there four days ago. Also stopped in at Jaycar in Moonah and bought a 12 volt plug with two usb ports to charge our phones. Still trying to get a plug that fits our laptop for our 12 volt universal charges. Got one from China that cost a just over a single dollar with free delivery. It didn’t work, go figure????

Darren, Maria and family joined us again at New Norfolk and we went to the huge antique stores there, yippeeee! Once that torture was over we said goodbye to our Tazzie friends as we would be now venturing further afield and not getting back to Hobart. We have had a terrific time with them.

Went back to our campsite which was pretty good. It was a free camp at the beginning of town. We were on the upper reaches of the Derwent River. It is tidal and has a tannin colour. A guy told me there is a lot of bream in the river at the moment.






Had a look at this swamp gum stump that is massive. The story on the plaque is there to read.

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