TASMANIA
The Spirit of Tasmania boat to Devonport, across the 240 km Bass Strait (which is far more romantic, even when travelling alone). The 'Apple Isle', discovered in 1742 by the dutch navigator Abel Tasman, is Austrlia's only island state. Once an outpost of the empire where deported convicts were held, Tasmania is now one of Australia's major tourist draws. Its gory history only adds to the attraction. I was told the entire island could be explored in one week, but even the fortnight I'd scheduled was insufficient. Tasmania offers a diversity of natural splendour, placesof historical interest (including ghostly runs), charming towns wth excellent tourist facilities, heritage buildings and old-world cottahes and friendly people. It has something for the mountain lover and beach bum, the history buff and culture-vulture, the indefatigable trekker and wildlife lover, and the simply curious. The Tasman House Backpacker's Hotel in devonport was the only place I'd booked from Bombay. Devonport, divided by the River Mersey, is an important business and retail centre despite its laid-back ambience. It has several attractions, but I was keen to trek in Cradle Mountain.
Cradle mountain is the starting pont of the 'Overland Track', the dream of trekkers around the world: an 85 km route to Lake St Clair through rainforest, alpine highland, ancient pine, and deciduous beech ablaze with colour in the autumn. Cradle Mountain was named in 1827 by Joseph Fossey, for reasons which are immediately obvious. But it also has several not so readily apparent wonders, and the best way to enjoy them (or those of any other Tasmanian National Park) is to camp inside. Half a day was not enough, though I was lucky enough to spot a souple of wallabies-one delicately feeding off a streamside log on the beech-wooded mountainside. We had just enough time to walk round Dove Lake.
I'd devoured by the desire to visit Strahan, on the west coast, much before I left Bombay. Strahan has been called the world's best 'little' town by the travel editor of the Chicago Tribune. It isindeed lovely, as is the Youth Hostel set in a wild garden with a stream boasting a real, live platypus. Its delightful to walk around, especially on the waterfront Esplanades, and if you walk long enough you can make it to Hogarth Falls. The actual waterfall is at the far end of a rainforest full of man-ferns my height and swamp gums towering overhead.Strahan is also the gateway to the Franklin-Gordon National Park, a famed World Heritage site. From Wild Rivers National park the Franklin and Gordon rivers hurtlethrough rainforests, lush valleysand spectacular gorges, tomerge and empty into Strahan's vast Macquarie Harbour. These rivers were verynearly damned for hydoelecricityin the 1980s. A major controversybroke out over the issue and the environmenal campaign whch saved the rivers is said to have brought down the government. Cruising downthe Gordon on the Wanderer III I thanked the campaigners for allowing me to enjoythe reflection of the Huon and celery-top penes in the clear waters. As the Wanderer III preceeded upriver, we passed several fishbreeding farms. (Tasmania, incidentally, is a foodis' paradise, especiallyfor sea-food.)