Last weekend Sue and I (David) went to visit some friends who are currently living in Launceston, Tasmania.  We went with them to visit and explore some parts of the Freycinet Peninsula on the western coast of Tasmania.

Tasmania is a lovely area of Australia.  In terms of concentrated areas of beauty nowhere in Australia surpasses this state.  Other areas may have more beautiful sites, but they are so far spread apart that it takes ages to get from one spectacle to another.  In Tasmania no-where is more than four hours away!  It also has a wonderful collection of colonial buildings: parts of it could be taken as being villages in the Cotswolds or Home Counties of England.  Georgian and Edwardian architecture everywhere.

We went largely for the natural features, however.  We climbed Mount Amos, at the northern end of the Freycinet Peninsula (French names abound in this area, a reflection of the French explorers whose contribution was largely written out of history by the later English settlers). 

It was a steep climb to the summit.

However the views from the top, over Wineglass Bay, were superb.

We stayed in a colonial farmhouse, called Brockley Estate.  Typical colonial-era architecture with later additions.  Very English weather.  Our friend David told us the saying: “so you don’t like this Tasmanian weather?  Well just wait a minute and it’ll change for you.”  Rain, fierce sunshine, strong winds, temperatures varying from single figures to 35 degrees all in this weekend

The next day we went to Maria Island – with its beautiful scenery, and buildings reminding us of its brutal convict past – the prisoners sent here were not quite the worst of the worst, but only one level up from there, and the harsh conditions reflected that.  Whilst Tasmania is a truly beautiful state, there are constant reminders of the not-so-beautiful English colonisation of the southern-most Australian state.