Gorgeous Day

It’s no wonder Cataract Gorge has become Launceston’s premier attraction, not just for tourists but for locals as well. Not many cities can boast such a natural wonder right on its doorstep, for within a few minutes’ drive or a decent walk from the edge of town, you can leave the noise and bustle behind and be transported into natural bushland and established gardens harking back to the Victorian era.

 

Events and festivals might bring larger numbers of visitors to the city, but such occasions come and go, whereas the Gorge is an incredible gift to the region which keeps on giving all year round. Springtime sees the return of colour, with new growth on bare trees and flowers bursting into life, then warm Summer days find family picnics spread far and wide, with the glistening swimming pool just begging to be used. Autumn sees a softening as deciduous trees come into their own and show their magnificence, but it is often in Winter that the Gorge attracts more visitors than usual. Every few years, the north of the State has a habit of experiencing exceptionally high rainfall, and if the Gorge is in flood, it becomes a mecca. The usually calm waters are transformed into a broiling witch’s cauldron as floodwaters thunder through and pour into the Tamar River, an awesome and spectacular sight.

 

No matter what the season, the chair lift ferries people back and forth over the water across First Basin, hikers are out in force, making use of both easy and challenging trails, the suspension bridge dares you to cross it without a drunken swagger, while all and sundry photograph the surrounding wonder, and watch with fascination the peacocks roaming the gardens showing off their finery.

It’s all too easy to forget the marvels we have in our own backyard, yearning instead to see the sights in far off destinations. Travelling near or far to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds and culture of any country or region can be an illuminating experience, but let’s not take for granted the valuable natural assets around us that can also provide enrichment on more than just a physical level.

Gouged through rock

cold waters tumble

gorge defined

Howzat, Here come the Yachts

Aaaaah, audible sound of relief. I like Boxing Day. The big day is over for another year, the crazy build up is finally behind us, no big feast to prepare, there’s still plenty of leftovers in the fridge to feed a small army, now comes some put your feet up time.

Going back quite a few years, I remember when we’d either sit down and watch the first day of the Boxing Day Test Match on TV, or actually be there while on one of our trips visiting family in Melbourne for Christmas. Or if not at the Test Match, we’d head to the MCG for a one-day International game. One of the boys would strip their Australian flag cover off their doona and we’d use that as our flag to wave madly every time the Aussies took a wicket or excelled with the bat.

So today, the MCG curator gets to show off how immaculately he can crisscross mow the grass as the Boxing Day Test against India gets underway, and to add to sporting drama, the fleet sails out of Sydney Harbour in a great fanfare for the annual battle down the east coast and across the sometimes-treacherous Bass Strait on its way to Hobart. Line honours have a certain prestige, but when you see just how small some of the yachts are in comparison to the maxis crewed by a cast of thousands, your level of respect rises markedly for those mad but dedicated men and women who pit their skills against the elements.

We become armchair experts for a few days, both in cricket and sailing, watching with anticipation as both cricket teams and yachts jockey for position, at one moment gaining the upper hand, and then seeing it all fall away as fortune favours the opponent. A battle royal is about to unfold….don’t miss it.

2011 Sydney - Hobart winner

Farewell landlubbers

the fleet sets sail for Hobart

Sydney Harbour gleams

Cubes and Tubes

Catching up

lunch out with the girls

birthday treat

What better way to pass the time on a sunny Saturday than catching up with friends over some good food, laughing, munching, telling stories. Lunch at The Cube at Seaport on one side of the river, then a stroll across the new bridge for dessert and coffee at the Grain of the Silos Café in the Silos Hotel. Being Launceston’s latest hotel development, I was interested to check out how the old silos, somewhat of a towering eyesore on the banks of the Tamar River, had been incorporated into a slick modern building. The circular protrusions into the wide passageways didn’t seem odd at all, and though we only saw the restaurant, café and function spaces, it was pleasing to see the circular theme carried into other areas, even into the carpet design, plus a colour palette chosen to reflect the site’s industrial past.

Lovely food, even better company.