Strahan

Hi folks I am still alive, there was zero Internet coverage at Lake St Clair, so that's why you haven't heard from me for the last three days.


Lake St Clair is well worth the visit I went on two walks over two days, the most interesting was the Shadow lake walk which took me 4.5 hours to do, the lakes in this area apparently were formed by Glaciers.

The accommodation at Lake St Clair is average and a little expensive for a Backpackers, also they charge you one dollar for a six minute shower and when I went down to the office they didn't have any change that was until I complained and they mysteriously handed me five dollars. Also they charged me five dollars for a liter of milk, ordinarily I would have told them where to put the milk however there wasn't much choice it was either their milk or no milk on my cereal.

I am finding that Tasmanian traders like to rip off tourists and the service here is of very poor standard in some places, I think they have the attitude if you don't like it go somewhere else, I certainly found that with the Can-Am dealer down here trying to charge me $1000 for a service.

I would recommend spending time at Lake st Clair however avoid the accommodation at the National Park as it is a RIP OFF. there is a pub with 30 dollar a night rooms which is only 5 km away on the Lyell highway just past Derwent Bridge on the left hand side heading towards Queenstown. I wish I had discovered the pub before I checked into the National Park accommodation.

I left St Clair today at 9am and the ride along the Lyell highway was very enjoyable a great road and once again brilliant scenery it takes the sting out of bad customer service and reminds me of what is enjoyable about Tasmania.

Queenstown has changed since I was there many moons ago it doesn't like as barren and bare as it was when I toured there with Mom and dad, even the quality of chips have improved...( Family Joke) no toenails sis....

The road from Queenstown down to Strahan is called the Lyell Highway and it's a tight and twisty road excellent for testing your skill and nerve for those tight corners, it's not a road for those with a nervous disposition and I wouldn't recommend it in winter or if it is raining and you have only two wheels.

Strahan is also the place for a cruise along the Gordon river and for 89 dollars you can go on a five hour cruise which includes an all you can eat dinner and endless cups of coffee and tea, I am off on a cruise tomorrow at 0800 hours. By the way daylight savings has now finished in Tasmania so I put my clock back today.

I have to be back in Devonport by the 10Th so I will stay two days here and then head up to Stanley and spend two days there the last two days I will spend in Burnie and then it's off to Melbourne and the Spyder will get it's 10,000 service.

The Photo above on the left is the mountain on the way into Queenstown and the photo on the right is at Lake St Clair.