Another Winter in Tasmania.

[drron]

some history.
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One of the churches.
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And Something I have seen elsewhere amongst my Australian travels -the doctor becomes the local brewer.
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[drron]

Another of the churches now a community hall.
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A place of love.
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And for those of you have missed the real eatate offerings of @RooFlyer here is a lovely historic house for sale.Intersting town just 40 minutes from Hobart CBD.
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Over the road a another nice home.
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And some more history.
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[drron]

The old convict compound now the local council office.
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Next door the RSL.
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[drron]

I took a detour to the back of town to get a better view of the surrounding countyr.
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And found the Catholic cemetery.
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McKays bakery est 1857 but only moved here in 1919.
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[drron]

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[drron]

Some more history.
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[RooFlyer]

About the man himself. 'Colourful' character. He had 18 children and was known as 'the father of Van Diemen's Land'

Biography - Anthony Fenn Kemp - Australian Dictionary of Biography

adb.anu.edu.au

Worth a look: Highway in Van Diemen's Land

 

[drron]

An impressive house on the northern outskirts of town.
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Obviously the stables have been subdivided off to get another house.
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At the back of the house ran the old railway line.The bridge didn't do too well.
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But the road bridge built at that time has stood the test of time.
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With a little bit of help from time to time.

 

[drron]

The last of Kempton.
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And the coach leaves Kempton for Launceston.
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[drron]

I stopped in Cambelltown for a late lunch at J&J's bakery.They don't do scallop pies.I really had to take what was left as they had been slammed with travellers returning north. the highway is very straight throuugh Cambelltown'Probably a couple of Kms.When I came around the bend at the South end of town it was a continuous line of slow moving vehicles to the northern exit.When I stopped not that far from the northern exit the traffic was still coming around the southern exit.
So a chunky meat pie,a cornish pastie and a lemon slice plus a coffee.
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And outside the window a reminder that the English weren't too kind to their own 200 years ago.Stealing beans got you 7 years in Tasmania.
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When I got back to Launceston i moved into my new digs -York Mansions on York street.About a 100 metres down the road from the Adina.

 

[RooFlyer]

.I really had to take what was left as they had been slammed with travellers returning north. the highway is very straight throuugh Cambelltown

In spite of what people say, 'southerners' and 'northerers' do venture to the other half of the state, at least for sport. The AFL football - and decent match-ups for a change - really got people on the road. I passed through Campbell Town on the Saturday - the day before you, I think - for my usual coffee but both the usual haunt, Zeps and the back-up Banjos, had queues out their doors. Never seen that before. So I continued to my destination, Ross where the little family-run cafe bakery got slammed with people who decided to do the same. Fortunately I got there first, but by the time my coffee was made, there were 5 more customers waiting and more coming.

I think the program to upgrade the Midlands Highway is also getting more people onto it (which was the object). People no longer fear being stuck behind trucks and caravans for miles and miles. Two more major sections about to be started.

 

[drron]

The Midlands highway has certainly improved markedly since I began working in Tasmania in 2007.The problem though is the disregard for their fellow travellers by a few idiots.When i left Cambelltown it was still bumper to bumper traffic going north.The problem was we were travelling at 40-50Kph when it was a single lane but when you got to a passing lane if you wanted to remain in your place you had to go at 115Kph.At 120Kmh you passed a single vehicle usually.2-300 metres after the passing lane ended you were back to 50Kph.
On the 6th passing lane i was finally behind the last slower driver.I could see very few in front and they were pulling away.We went at 80Kph coming up to the passing lane but I had to go at 130Kph to pass the full minibus.I was the only one to get past.By the time the passing lane had ended and I set the cruise control at 107Kph I was pulling away from the idiot very quickly.

 

[drron]

So to my new digs at York Mansions.I was to move into "the Lodge" apartment which is on the street level but only a shower and no washer/dryer.I got upgraded to the "Duchess of York's" apartment with a bath and washer/dryer but on the top floor.
The bathroom is good.
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The kitchen is small with very little storage.The plate display are what you use.The stove is gas and you have to use matches to light.
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The living room is also quite nice.
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A little balcony with good views over Launceston.
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[drron]

The bedroom is fine.At the back so you don't hear the traffic noise.
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There is a second bedroom upstairs in the attic.Quite useless as from about 2 steps below the landing and in most of the room I can't stand upright.
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The washer/dryer is out on the back balcony exposed to the weather.
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So you get a view of the backyard next door which looks a shambles.
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And of this building which is a Tassie garden in winter.
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Internet is OK and much better than the Adina.
TV reception though is awful with quite a few channels quite flaky.Glad it is only 3 weeks.

 

[drron]

My first late afternoon on the balcony at the new digs.
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The Tas Uni oval where Essendon was playing Hawthorn.Pity a building got in the way.
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Probably a HBA-SYD flight.
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Went to Woolies that night and passed an ex church on the way back.
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[drron]

Behind the places I have been staying in the last 5 weeks is Windmill hill which is the site of the Launceston Semaphore station.
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The views over launceston.Flags were used to send the message to the Port Office.
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And what it dis look like when working.
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This is all that is left of that building.
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[drron]

Some of the houses up on the hill.
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The old War Memorial Hall.
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The Launceston Leisure and Aquatic centre.
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Still some autumn in Winter.
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[drron]

This will be where I spend the last 3 weeks.An AirBNB which says it is close to the hospital.Unfortunately down this street.Easy to walk to the hospital but I would find the return trip a little daunting.
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Down the hill an Afghan restaurant I thought I might try but it seems to have a funny menu.
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So chicken and cupsicums in each of those dishes.I might try it later.
That night a different sunset.
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[drron]

Another sunset.
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[drron]

The weekend comes around again.I decided to drive to Beauty Point but first to the Harvest Market to pick up some cheeses from Southern Sky cheeses.
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No social distancing here.I did see one woman wearing a mask.
Across the road an old Industrial building falling into disrepair.
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One of the reasons I went to Beauty Point was to see why the Riviera hotel hadn't reopened.there was this message.
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Going to you tube I realised it is not going to reopen soon as the girls are having too much fun.So it was back to the Waterfront hotel for lunch.not too bad but not as the Riviera hotel was.But a lovely spot.Sat outside in the sun taking in the view.
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