We love Australia!!! - Part Three (Pic heavy)

[Stickbow Hunter]

Continued on from this thread: http://www.ozbow.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=11430

We went through some beautiful countryside and and at one point found our way down in a deep valley and rode right beside the Tarraleah Hydro Electric Power Station.

Looking down at the Tarraleah Hydro Electric Power Station

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Further on we went through a Hops growing area which we found interesting as we had never seen them before.

Hops growing beside the road

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We ended up about 25km north of Hobart in the very historic little town of Richmond. It was here we had about the best accommodation of our trip; our own little cottage at the back of some historic buildings for four nights and it was cheaper then most of the Motels and caravan parks I might add.

The view out the kitchen window of our cottage

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Richmond is a very old town and thankfully it has kept its historic look and we spent one whole day just walking around the streets; absolutely fantastic.

The main street

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The main street in the opposite direction

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These sort of cottages were very common

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Some of the buildings are just amazing and a lot of them were built by the convicts with many being constructed with hand cut sandstone blocks. Even the edges of the curbing in places was made from these hand cut blocks.

An old Church made from the hand cut stone blocks

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A fine old building named 'Oak Lodge'

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One of the features in Richmond is its bridge which is the oldest in Australia. It was started in December 1823.

Overlooking the Richmond Bridge

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A view from down lower

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And from the other side

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We found ourselves up on a hill on the north side of town at an old cemetery behind the Catholic Church (the Church in the background of the bridge photos). Some of the graves were very old.

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This one is from 1838

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Later in the day we went to the old Richmond goal (1825). I must say this was a real experience and it conveyed what the convicts endured far and away better then what Port Arthur did. The buildings have been kept pretty well maintained and some in near original condition. In fact one of the large lock-up rooms adjoined where the toilets used to be and there was still a urine smell.

When you see and read how the convicts were treated and kept it really opens ones eyes - it is a shameful part of our Australian history IMO.

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Inside the goal

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A cell inside the Men's solitary confinement area

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I wonder how many poor beggars looked out the windows of this hell hole longing to sail back home to England

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The next day we went to Port Arthur but I will show those photos in another thread.

The day after Port Arthur there was rain and drizzle until lunch time so we had a lazy day and then wandered around the streets some more in the afternoon. There were many things of interest and I took heaps of photos but these are just a sample of what I took.

Fry Cottage

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How many feet have trodden on these steps?

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I love the look of the bark on these trees

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Beautiful!!!

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Lavender at the entrance to Corner Cottage

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As you can see we really liked Richmond and we would highly recommend you visit the place if you go to Tassie.

I will do Part Four when I get around to it.

[Bill]

yes, Jeff we also did a tazzie tour, boat over three hours late, lucky had a cabin, took sixteen days round the boundary up and down the middle to the great lake saw all the week ender huts, sampled alot of pies found the best in Sheffield, the old bridge there's so much history, we are willing to do it again for we enjoyed that trip so much I agree it was great.......Bill

ps..... by the way you have taken some truely great pictures, thanks for the memories..

[Stickbow Hunter]

We had eighteen days Bill and really only touched the surface as they say. We too would like to go again some day but there are so many other places we would like to visit also; choices, choices!
I had a Curry Sea Scollop Pie from the old Bakery in Ross for my birthday lunch - YUM!!!

Jeff

[Curvemeister]

Awesome pics , thanks for postig , looks like a great tour to go out and do , and Richmond sure looks a beautiful place to stay

[Gringa Bows]

love those pics, Richmond looks like how i would imagine a little town in England woul look.....

[Stickbow Hunter]

Thanks fellas; it is a beautiful place and very English.

Jeff

[bigbob]

In an another life I will get there and sample those magnificent old heritage buildings and wild scenery. Thanks for putting them up Jeff.

[hazard]

Great Pickies Jeff. Very pretty place.

Hazard

[sambar]

great pics they bring back many memories of my travels around the triangle. did you happen to see the tiny little town up in the high country where all the workers lived when they built the hydro set up. It is almost completely abandoned besides the pub LOL (typical Aussies cant leave the pub) i cant remember the name of it but it was a spin out, i think they rent the old houses out to trout fisherman in the season.

[Stickbow Hunter]

did you happen to see the tiny little town up in the high country where all the workers lived when they built the hydro set up.

Can't say we did mate. In all honesty we really only skimmed over the place. I reckon you could easily spend a couple of months travelling around down there and still not see it all. Tassie truly is a beautiful and interesting place.

Jeff