Entries about parks

Finally, the day for the event Clancy had said we definitely could NOT miss! The Latrobe Chocolate Winter Festival! It was going to be an awesome day filled with all things chocolate. Food, art, fashion, music, poetry, drinks, entertainment... and more!

The drive from Launceston was great, with nice views of snow on the distant tiers and mountains. There were lots of different activities and competition's for all ages, with a lot of the local businesses and organisations getting involved. Plus the all required taste testing availabilities! Using our stroller with its attached buggy board came in very handy for containing, and keeping two kids moving. However, it was a bit of a hindrance with the crowds of people.

Sonia enjoyed being able to decorate and eat her own biscuit at a stall the local IGA had set up. We all enjoyed the different things on display throughout the town, and couldn't avoid buying some chocolate that was constantly being offered, and fresh fruit from the local market. Hmm... and with Clancy there... there was no way we were going to miss the taste testing sites!

Picking up lunch to take and eat in a park turned out to be a good idea too. We found a nice park with playground, picnic tables, toilets, parking, and creek with small waterfall/rapids and bridge, just behind the shops on the main street. Coincidentally named 'Kings Park'. We're from Perth, WA, where 'Kings Park' is the major park/gardens of the city. Sonia enjoyed the playground, and also the new 'game' of mum trying to set up the camera on a rock for a self timed family photo, then rushing to join everyone else, having to catch and pick up Sonia... who by then was half way down to the camera on the rocks near the creek!

Even without the chocolate festival, the town itself and surrounding districts would be well worth a visit. Many historical sites, natural things to enjoy, and places to eat/drink. I would've liked to have gone to the Axeman's Hall of Fame, and the Warrawee Forest Reserve to try and see a platypus, but time and kids did not allow. We did however get to enjoy plenty of other things.

Chocolate Chef's...

• Parking was difficult due to it being the chocolate festival weekend, but we were lucky and got a quick spot. A free complimentary shuttle bus was operating from the town centre for the day though for those who couldn't get parking.
• The chocolate making area had good viewing windows, and a video running as well, which was greatly appreciated when you couldn't see through the crowd of people at the windows.
• Some good and interesting information on the history of chocolate was well displayed.
• Taste testing was available at the small shop building to the side of the cafe and chocolate making building.
• Was a bit crowded for us to fully enjoy the place and all it had to offer, but we still thought it was worth a visit.

Big Cherries

• Had an excellent set up for visitors, including families.
• Big cherries you could climb up in and look out of.
• There was an outdoor toddler player/area set up with door access to both the outside picnic area, and also into the inside cafe tables.
• Sonia did not want to leave the big cherries and play area.
• They had an aamazing and very informative set of dioramas set up inside showing all the stages of growing, to processing cherries. Including some 'hidden' things to find in each one. Managed to keep Sonic interested looking for different things long enough for us to read the information on each one!

Ashgrove Cheese Cows

• The cheese tasting and numerous painted cows around the outdoor eating area were really the only things that really caught Sonia's attention.
• We were also able to view the maturing room, and read the different informative posters. Obviously more interesting to us than the kids!

The Raspberry Farm Lake

• I popped into this one very quickly on the way home to Launceston, as both kids were sound asleep by this stage.
• Would've been a really nice place to spend more time earlier in the day.
• They also had an outdoor toddler play area, as well as a much larger grassed area near a lake.
• The lake and grass picnic area looked nice. I would've enjoyed the walk around the lake, but had to keep moving unfortunately.
• The tasting and testing of produce available was also very good.

Launceston

• Accommodation

After previously staying at a hotel/motel in Launcesten when we first arrived in Tasmania, it was now time for us to find a campground instead. Looking through the travel brochures we had for options on where to camp in or near Launceston, we noticed there was a Discovery Holiday Park in Hadspen, just west of Launceston. After experiencing this chain of caravan parks in Devonport and liking what they had had on offer there, we decided Hadspen would be the spot to be if they also had ensuite sites available. They did, as well as a good playground, cool bear birdhouse, herb garden for patrons to use, and indoor kitchen (screen door though, so still cool!) and laundry. We arrived early enough for Sonia and Kaden to be able to take advantage of the playground while tea preparation and clothes washing got finalised. Plus a quick trip into the IGA next door for some groceries.

A two second tour of the Hadspen Discovery Holiday Park, brought to you by Miss Sonia Hehir.

'Me!'

'Mine Dad'

'White plug'

'Birds'... 'Bear'

'Mine Mum, Dista'

'Mine boots!'

This then turned out to be one of those nights where I was very glad that I'd brought my big warm sleeping bag. Rather cold, and in the morning we woke to a rather heavy frost.

• Cataract Gorge Reserve

The first stop for the day was the Launceston Cataract Gorge. In summer, this would be a great place to spend a decent length of time to enjoy the playground and go for a swim (pool or river!). As we were there in winter, and it'd been raining on and off for a few days, the water level was up and over the lower walking tracks. Resulting in quite a few track closures. The Alexandra suspension bridge and Cataract Walk along the cliff face between the Cataract Gorge Cliff Grounds and Kings Bridge were still open though, so that's where we headed.

Unfortunately, Clancy's inguinal hernia was acting up fairly badly, so by the time we got over the suspension bridge and around to the Cliff Grounds Reserve, he decided it was time he needed to lay down for a bit. So Sonia, Kaden and I continued along the cataract walk while he slowly worked his way back to the van for another sleep. The cliff grounds were really nice, with quite a few peacocks meandering around the restaurant there, catching both Sonia's and Kaden's attention.

The cataract walk allowed great views of the cliffs and the South Esk River. It also seemed to get a lot of local traffic utilising it as part of their exercise route. Mums with prams, and others walking or running. One group of mums and prams we passed were very helpful, informing us they'd seen a sea lion or seal (unsure which!) in the river from a viewing point along the track. It was still there by the time we got there, and Sonia and I enjoyed watching it move up and down the river for quite some time. It appeared to be playing in the river's current, swimming up in the calmer water beside the opposite cliffs, then crossing directly into the current to float downstream a ways beside the lookout point, before repeating the whole process over and over again.

The return trip back along the cataract walk to the Cliff Grounds confirmed the reasoning behind why the signs had said this walk was suitable for wheelchairs with assistance. There was a reasonable uphill gradient to push against. Sonia and Kaden's weight in the pram and buggy board was ok, but I reckon I would've had fun if I was trying to wheel myself along in a wheelchair without help! Could have done it, but it would've given my arms and back a work out!

Returning to the other side of the basin, we wandered into the little information centre below an entrance to the chairlift (the other end/entrance is below the restaurant at the Cliff Grounds). The chairlift was built in 1972, and claims to have the longest single chairlift span in the world of 308m. We'd considered going on the chairlift when we first walked past it on the way into the basin area, but decided we didn't need to spend the money on it if we were going to walk around to the other end anyway. It would've given a totally different perspective of the gorge and basin though.

The information centre had a large number of really interesting photo's and stories on the history of the gorge and Duck Reach including the numerous floods over the years. There was also a letter from a lady who'd lived there as a child in the very early years. Sonia and I spent quite a while looking at the photo's and other memorabilia there (Kaden had fallen asleep in the pram), before Clancy woke up and came and found us. Wanting to keep moving onto the next activity for the day.

The only real downside we found to visiting this area, was having to pay for parking

• Duck Reach

I found the Duck Reach Power Station museum or interpretation centre very interesting. We parked on the West Launceston side of the gorge near the old workers cottages and manager's residence. Then Sonia and I walked (jumped in Sonia's case!) down the steps and over the bridge to the old power station buildings.

As we went over the bridge, we saw two people kayaking down the gorge. It made me rather envious, as I would have loved to have been able to join them. However, I don't think my skill level would've been up to what was required for that level of water!

Reading all the information signs, both in the parking lot and down in the power station, provided a great sense of all the different things that'd happened there over the years. Development, floods, using the flying fox, rebuilding etc. Being in a picturesque location as well seemed like an added extra bonus. Making the whole area well worth the visit.

• City Park

When we first told our neighbours that we were planning to head to Tasmania for a few weeks, one of the first things they said we shouldn't miss if we were going through Launceston, was Cataract Gorge, and the monkeys at City Park. I was a bit dubious about finding monkeys in a regular cold/hot climate city park, but after completing some research... I had to agree with them, and added it to our wishlist.

Once again, we found parking to be a bit of an issue, as it was lunch time, and it seemed like quite a few others had the same idea as us. A picnic lunch in the park. We were lucky this time though, and managed to get a free spot (2hrs only), fairly close to the park.

It was an excellent park. With a great playground (especially for toddlers), picnic facilities, ducks, fountains, monkeys, conservatory, and plenty of other gardens/plants and lawn space to run around in. But yes, I definitely have to say that the monkeys were the main highlight, followed very closely by the playground. Especially from Sonia's viewpoint!

The Port Arthur Historic Site is amazing! Really well set up, and abounding with information. There were plenty of different passes available to choose from, giving different levels of access to different things. Discounts were also available for elegible people/members (health care card, YHA, QANTAS Frequent Flyer, etc.). We chose to get a Bronze Pass which included a walking tour, harbour cruise tour, access to most buildings, and was valid for two days if we wanted.

On entrance, each of us was given a card with a person's name and picture for the Lottery of Life exhibition. While we were waiting for our allotted walking tour, we went through the interactive displays set up in the lower level of the visitors centre, following the stories of the people named on the cards we'd been given. I'd been given a young boy who ended up being not too bad off, considering some of the stories of others that I followed, out of interest later. The interactive displays and associated stories were excellent. Gaining the attention and interest of all ages. From toddlers, right through to the elderly.

The walking tour went for approximately 40 minutes, and gave a brief overview of the site. It was well worth listening to as it greatly helped with looking around and understanding things better later. Sonia and Kaden weren't to thrilled by it however, prefering to make noise and run around, resulting in Clancy and I only partially hearing the guides explanations. It didn't help that there was a constant cold wind blowing the day that we were there either. No rain though, so that was good!

The harbour cruise tour on the MV Marana was also really informative, providing close up views of the Isle of the Dead, and Point Puer. Thankfully there wasn't too much of a swell, and after seeing a large group of school children constantly going in and out to the deck of the boat, I finally relented to Sonia's requests and took her out onto the deck for a while as well. She thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the rather strong wind!

We were able to access a database in the museum to see if any of our predecessors had been there. None appeared for the surnames Clancy could remember, however I found three when I searched under my maiden name. Who knows if they're related or not! For lunch, we decided we'd enjoy the warmth of the Port Cafe, and found it child friendly and rather busy. I'd hate to imagine how busy it'd get during the busier warmer months!

The majority of the buildings were able to be reached with a pram or wheelchair, however access into quite a few of them involved steps. We spent nearly a full day wandering around soaking up the history. Both Clancy and I enjoyed wandering through the fortified stone, convict built buildings more than the staff houses, and found the Seperate Prison particularly sombre. The whole area was presented really nicely like a park, but reading all the signs and trying to imagine what it was like back in the day... it would've had a totally different atmosphere then.