MOT Tour Day 17 - Northern Coast

Sue with another
lighthouse picture

We covered the northern coast of Tasmania, from Rocky Cape NP to Wynyard today.

In a bit over 40 kms we were at Rocky Cape Lighthouse. A relative newcomer along the coastline, it only came into service in 1968. Its not a tall light, because it sits on a high coastline. The lighthouse has no real attraction here but the coastline and the human history here are staggering.

The rocks in this spot are among the oldest in Tasmania. 

Called pinmatik by the aborigines of this area, it marks an important place for them in their cultural history. Its an area they have been visiting for thousands of years and a number of caves have shared the evidence of middens of seal and fish bones plus shellfish showing aboriginal occupation. We did the short walk down to the North Cave. The scenery was spectacular, although you aren't able to the actual cave.

It was off this piece of coast that the steamer Southern Cross was wrecked when it struck an unknown reef in 1889, after being enveloped in smoke burning from bush fires on shore and the skipper being unable to see. All crew and passengers were saved.

In the light of our planned visit to Rocky Cape on the way from Stanley, it was just as well we didn't attempt it. The turning circle at the lighthouse may have provided enough room but several of our subsequent stops would have been impossible.

The North Cave at Rocky Cape

After our walk to the cave, we drove down to a launching ramp at Burgess Cove, on the southern side of Rocky Cape. A sturdy ramp and jetty are provided for boaties. The scenery is wild. Its what we expected of Tasmania. The walk to the South Cave started there but we were wary of the descriptions given of the walk and I don't go on caves that much.

From there we shifted to the southern section of Rocky Cape NP. Travelling via the Bass Highway and turning off at Boat Harbour, we took the winding road down into Sister's Beach and had morning tea at the Little Sister's General Store. Really unexpected good quality coffee and loads of local info from the owner. We followed the coastline to another boat ramp with a rich mixture of some really interesting rocks. We again decline to walk to either of two local caves for a variety of safety and cultural reasons.

We climbed back out of Sisters Beach and then down back into Boat Harbour Beach, visited yesterday in a moment of madness and poor research, with the van on. Today, with just the Forester, it was a breeze. We took lunch on a grassed public area behind the little bay off the Port Rd. Lovely sport when you aren't worrying about a van.

Table Cape Lighthouse

Our final day destination for the day was Table Cape Lighthouse, for a tour. On the way there, we stopped at a number of vantage points for photos of the coast. The tour was excellent. Completed in 1888 after a series of marine incidents, the lighthouse is made of brick but unusually is painted only on the inside. Its also rare in that it has a fixed light (it doesn't rotate). Initially, the first keeper used to travel up from Wynyard on horseback to man the light but a house was established and also for subsequent additional keepers (the light at one stage had one keeper and two assistants).

 Two deaths have been recorded here. Bertie, the 14 month old son of the first headkeeper died just three weeks after the light was commissioned. There is no record of how he died, in fact, the only information comes from the lighthouse keeper's log.

“Wind south. A strong breeze and misty weather. Employed in the lighthouse and cleaning up about station. At 5.10 p.m. Bertie Jackson, son of the head lightkeeper, departed this life aged one year and two months"

The second, another son of a lighthouse keeper, died when he accidently fell over the edge of the cliff during a game with other children.

This was a really interesting tour.

Click here for today's photos

We returned through Wynyard and included a climb to the top of the lookout at Fossil Bluff for view over the town and its golf course which runs beside the Inglis River on one side and the Bass Strait on the other. If you slice on the second or third, you are in the breakers! Its an impressive place and we regret not choosing to stay there instead of Burnie.

Home about 5pm for a beer.

MOT Tour Day 16 - Burnie Art Gallery/Museum

Smooth as silk pack up. We really are a team.

Boat Harbour Beach

Dreadfully sorry to be leaving Stanley. We both really loved the relaxed vibe of the place. It’s a town that seems happy with the way it is and pleasantly welcome new neighbours.

A few restrictions on calling in to see places along the way. It’s not always easy to turn the van in some of these small coastal villages. Rocky Cape Lighthouse was postponed for a return from Burnie when we just have the car but we did make our way into Boat Harbour Beach. Why, I don’t know. Almost immediately we turned off the access road, the carriageway shrank to barely two car width and dropped alarmingly. Every van driver’s nightmare is to drive into a situation where there is no space to turn at the end and this was looming as a trogglehumper.

About three quarters of the way down, a space opened up on the left side and I took it gladly and we walked on from here to find the only coffee shop in the village, attached to the surf life saving club. Lots of people, big line up, “sorry, there will be a wait for coffees”. I ordered and Sue wandered off to enjoy another beach. Sixty plus, you’d think she’d be over them but no. 

Back to the coffees: mine was in the wrong mug, was luke warm and had no crema but other than that, fine.

We walked back to the car, completed the drive down the hill, turned in the car park and returned … despite a big bus that was in the way. Regardless of all that, it was a pretty place and I’m sure the cafe was just having a bad day.

On into Burnie where we missed our turn into the caravan park because it looked like a motel. We reset our GPS and returned to find out the caravan park is a motel … with a caravan park out the back. Sites are all across a significant slope. Challenges.

After setting up, we ventured in to the CBD for a visit to the Art Gallery and included the Museum as a bonus.

Pioneer Village Museum

The Burnie Museum is a cracker, with a permanent exhibition that was the brainchild of Peter Mercer, Burnie have a really unique take on displaying items from the 1800's. An avid collector, he had small museums in the district but always had the idea of creating a village street scape inside a larger building. This he achieved in 1971 and then the local Council took it on. What we saw today is his masterpiece - a village in microcosm, displayed as though its early evening inside a huge, purpose built building. Inside each residence are the things of everyday. You can peek in on the dentist, the newspaper office, the saddle maker, all as if they have just stepped out of the room. In the storeys above, curtains are drawn over lit rooms. It really is a brilliant exhibition. An adjoining room is a more conventional display of the early history of the north west of Tasmania. An enthusiastic volunteer, Chris, added many interesting anecdotes.

The Burnie Art Gallery, next door to the museum and part of a large performance space which would rival Port Macquarie's Glass House, had an exhibition called The Games We Play. It was interesting but not really art. It was more of a museum exhibition. Apart from some photos, the only art piece was an early Ben Quilty painting of a Holden Torana. Despite my qualms about the efficacy of an art galley hosting a museum-style exhibition, it was a really good exhibition with a number of quite nostalgic items.

Click to see today's photos.

Burnie is an international port, with a big cruise liner at berth currently. It seems a busy place and from the lookout, a very industrial place. The roads are a blur of cars. The lookout's major reveal was a large industrial area, a port and railway lines.

Back tracking tomorrow to the places we missed today.