MOT Tour Days 58 & 59 - Huonville, Geeveston & Tahune

Camp site in Huonville

 Yesterday was spent moving from Hobart to the Huon Valley. It wasn't far but we took our time and set up up fully in our new digs. The Huonville Caravan Park is a friendly and well appointed spot and our part of that was right beside the Mountain River, a tributary of the mighty Huon River which dominates this area. We could kick a loose stone from beside our van and see it make circles in the Mountain River.

Today, we drove down to Geeveston and enjoyed the information centre and its wonderful representation of local woodworkers. It has traditionally been the centre of the "Piners" who took out as much of the Huon pines that they could. Two days a week, the centre plays host to a local woodworker who works away while you watch behind a glass partition. Not so today. There are a lot of wood crafted items for sale that have been made locally. Upstairs, there was a display of old woodworking machine based on treadle power and an art display by a local artist who suffered ill health during the Covid disaster period and used art as a restorative tool.

The information centre also has a display of photos and memorabilia from the ABC TV show Rosehaven, which was filmed in Geeveston and several other small towns with in this are of the Huon Valley.

The Huon River

We took off west along the Avre Road, through a long, slow drive under 60 kph, often winding, often under steep descents over 30 km, to arrive at Tahune Air Walk on the Huon River. Where we left the Huon at Geeveston, it was a widening bay on it way to join the Tasman Sea. By Tahune, it had worked a giant loop to the north and was a robust wild river about two thirds of its journey from Lake Pedder. The Air Walk is a metal walkway that loops through the forest about 30 metres above the forest floor until it culminates it the breathtaking Cantilever, a metal walkway that is suspended out away from the last pylon with no further support at the other end. You hang there, swaying a little and looking down on the Huon, now 50 metres below you. Its a buzz and well worth the effort, because you have a climb up the hill to get to the entry point. Unfortunately, the experience is weakened by the fire in 2016 which ripped through the area of the Air Walk, destroying major trees and razing the underfloor.

Strangely, I enjoyed the more traditional Huon walk, normally a half hour stroll which leads you through forest of a variety of tree types. A combination of board walks and track, tacks you through some giant trees, the dominant species being Springybarks. They are normally resistant to fire because of their fibrous bark and although some are black from the flames of 2016, they remain. The under storey is brim with huge ferns. We stopped and ate lunch in a lovely spot in forest. Further on, beside the river, there were more Huon Pines, which we had come to recognise by their unique leaves. It was a really pleasant walk.

Click here for today's photos

We retired to the very well appointed cafe - well appointed because this is truly a wilderness area - and had ice creams and enjoyed a glorious view of the Huon flowing past.

The drive back was another chance for me to enjoy some real driving, something Tasmania has provided for me constantly.