Bay of Fires

Bay of Fires Lichen Covered Rocks

View from our Deck of Beach at Bay of Fires

Today I drove from Freycinet National Park to Binalong Bay and Bay of Fires. I haven’t driven very much on this trip lacking confidence because I haven’t driven on the left since we lived in the UK in 1987-88. I didn’t need to worry, there was only one car following us the entire trip from Coles Bay to Bay of Fires, a two hour drive, and that was in the last twenty minutes. Bay of Fires was one of our “must see” Tasmanian destinations, and we had to scramble for accommodation about one week ago because our Weldborough ATC member couldn’t rent us his cottage as planned due to family illness. This is the second ATC arrangement that has fallen through on this trip, but both times we’ve found excellent cottages as replacements. One of the disadvantages of the club is that most members are retired and  because some are of advanced years they are more prone to illness or emergencies. We found a place via Google called Bay of Fire Character Cottages. It was difficult to judge from the website pictures (they can be very deceptive sometimes) and Margaret at Sheoaks B and B was lukewarm when we mentioned where we were staying.

It is more than fine with inspiring views over a long white deserted beach. The cottage is tucked into a landscaped hillside along with a handful of others. The Binalong Cafe is practically right outside our door too. It advertises itself as serving “brekkie” and lunch transforming into a gourmet restaurant in the evening. We ate lunch there and it was delicious. This is for Ros: Duncan had panko coated squid and I had Haloumi and Corn Fritter with Rocket Salad – yum!

Because the weather had changed from stormy to sunny and windy after checking in, we drove 11 km to The Garden where we parked our car to take a hike to the famous red lichen covered rocks. The area isn’t called Bay of Fires because of the lichen, but because the early French explorers to this area  spied numerous beach fires built by the indigenous inhabitants. We clambered over the huge boulders looking for an aboriginal hiding place cut into the rocks that a fellow traveler told us about. They concealed themselves in the rocks in order to hunt seals. We couldn’t really find the place and locals and a couple of young German tourists weren’t helpful either. So we returned to our car and made stops at a couple of beautiful swimming beaches along the way back to the cottage.

This morning the clouds came down and it rained on and off so we contented ourselves with enjoying the rain softened view over our breakfast, then reading, writing and visiting the internet cafe in St. Helen’s so that I could post updates to the blog. Internet connections in Australia have been few and far between unlike our experience with NZ where we had easy access on our last trip.

We’ve planned our route for tomorrow’s meandering drive to Launceston hoping to hike and ultimately visit a Platypus Centre where I will view some in captivity. They have acute hearing and vision so it’s almost impossible to see them. I remember at Wild World in Sydney, I couldn’t see one at the viewing station, nor did I see one in Atherton on the last trip. They generally feed at dawn or dusk and then only if they feel secure.

We’re off for a walk on the beach in the wind and rain before we enjoy the Stripy Trumpeter (fish) we bought for dinner from the nice Asian lady at Salty Seas in St. Helen’s.

Click below to view map:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Binalong+Bay+Tasmania+7216,+Australia&hl=en&ll=-41.244772,148.31543&spn=6.823194,14.128418&sll=-42.122673,148.293457&sspn=3.365531,7.064209&vpsrc=6&geocode=FSiXiv0dDhHXCA&hnear=Binalong+Bay+Tasmania,+Australia&t=m&z=6