7.30am and we are at the port waiting to board the Spirit of Tasmania.

Smooth sailing and uneventful.

We did try to change the booking 2 weeks ago to an overnight crossing, but it was booked out for 3 months in advance!

Our Free camp in Forth about 15kms from the port was also free to the other 40+ vehicles on site.

Free Camp No 1

Council Camp Ground

Today : 15 Kms

Total : 15 Kms

Altitude : 10 m

Sunday 6th February 2022

Driving towards the Cradle Mountain National Park is ‘Letter Box Road’.

Almost every house has rather unique letter boxes.

Up the road the village of Wilmott is where Coles started. Mr G J Coles  purchased the store originally opened by John Clarks in 1900.

2 years ago it burnt to the ground...

We purchased a $40 yearly pass to all Tasmanian National Parks - GREAT Value.

King Billy Pines.

Today a walking day that we managed 12kms around  and about the Cradle Mountain Lodge.

The Vale of Belvoir

Its a glacial Valley , the remnants of the glacier that carved Cradle Mountain , and the lakes in the park.

That glacial period started 2 million years ago and ended 18,000 years ago.

Wildlife was everywhere: Wombats, Tasmanian Pademelons, and Wallaby

Free Camp No 2

Today : 75 Kms

Total : 100 Kms

Altitude : 10 m

Walking : 12kms

Monday 7th February 2022

The main 6km circuit around Dove Lake.

And to prove we are actually here !

Started the 6.5 Km walk back fro  Dove Lake to the Rangers station but a little disappointed.

All on boardwalk - fantastic - image the contract for that !

6.5 Kms of timber decking WOW !

Disappointed as it tended to follow the road rather than Dove Creek.

We jumped out at Snake Hill and caught the transfer bus back to the reception.

Free Camp No 3

Lake Gairdner

Another Wikicamp found by too many other such travellers

Today : 23 Kms

Total : 123 Kms

Altitude : 478 m

Walking : 9.8 kms

Tuesday 8th February 2022

Leven Canyon: The creek does an almost 90 degree turn in  the valley, the geological notes say due to a land slide eons ago. This was the first view point the next was just up the rise !!

697 Steps later - that is equal to 37 flights of steps !

You arrive exhausted at the next view point.

Called into the “Wilmont Hills” distillery, makers of home made Gin, Ports, and other exotica.

The Blackcurrent Gin liquor mixed with 1/2 sparkling water was GREAT !

1/2 bottle gone this evening....

Wild Camp No 4

Lake Cethana

At the end of a hydro trail

Plenty of fire wood

A GREAT Camp spot

Today : 139 Kms

Total : 226 Kms

Altitude : 236 m

Followed many logging tracks this one they were clear felling replanted eucalypts

Marakoopa Cave.

150m long and quite close to the surface.

Discovered in 1908 when a dog fell into a hole.

Access was initially by a rope ladder, today a concrete pathway.

Purchased Hot Smoked Salmon at 41*South - at pre-dinner drinks, that lasted 15mins !

Wild Camp No 5

Old house site  - near Liffey Falls

Also GREAT Camp spot

Today : 153 Kms

Total : 416 Kms

Altitude : 774 m

In Launceston a LOOONG walk around Cataract Falls and beyond.

Out to the Launceston airport, stored the truck in the long term car park for a weekend back home for our Grand-daughters 21st at our house