We have spent the last couple of days around Lake St Clair and the highland area. The world heritage Franklin Gordon National Park is stunning. We are very lucky to now have this area so close to home.

We visited Queenstown again after 10 years and it seems the vegetation has  recovered slightly since our last visit. The mountains surrounding Queenstown have unusual pink and grey hues that come from the conglomerate rocks on the two most adjacent mountains – Mount Lyell and Mount Owen. The mountains surrounding Queenstown are often snow-capped through winter. Snow falls a few days out of the year. Owing to a combination of tree removal for use in the smelters (Gold Mining), the smelter fumes (for about 40 years), and the heavy annual rainfall, the erosion of the shallow horizon topsoil back to the harder rock profile contributed to the stark state of the mountains for many decades.

We have had a mixture of weather, cool mornings, a little drizzle but mainly pleasant days. We visited a cute little town called Tarraleah built in the 1930’s as a Tasmanian Hydro town. We are getting closer to home ! Last night we spent a memorable night camped outside the Derwent Bridge Hotel at Lake St Clair. We enjoyed a delicious meal beside the huge open fire with some other fun guests and locals from nearby Ouse. A good night.