10 Tasmania: Stanley - Devonport

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world..." - Mahatma Gandhi

(The Spirit of Tasmania in the background) 

Day 10: 29 August 23 (Tuesday)
Route: Stanley - Devonport
Distance: 130 km
Hotel: Formby Hotel, Devonport

It was raining slightly in the morning and the weather was chilly. We had toast and eggs for breakfast.

 

(Checking out of Stanley Seaview Inn)

Before leaving Stanley for Devonport, we visited the base of the Nut. It used to be called 'Circular Head' and it wasn't until the 1850s that it started to be called the Nut. Hikers can access the top of the Nut via a steep foot track from the town of ​​Stanley, or by riding the chairlift. Unfortunately the chairlift was not operational during winter.

(The chairlifts traverses a distance of 250 meters)

(The Nut has several viewing flatforms at the summit)

(It takes approximately an hour to hike to the summit)

From Stanley we drove direct to Devonport about 130 km away bypassing the towns of Wynyard and Burnie. Burnie is a port city on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. When founded in 1827, it was named Emu Bay.

(Route scenes from Burnie to Devonport)

When we arrived in Devonport we detoured to visit the Devonport Don River Railway. The railway is operated by members and volunteers and was established at Don River in 1973 while the trains commenced operating in 1976. The train trip travels on the eastern bank of the the Don River to the junction in Coles Beach. There are museum and workshop on site. The heritage locomotives and carriages are on display throughout the grounds.

 

(A volunteer-run vintage railway and museum)

( It runs a passenger train from Don to Coles Beach)

(The railway is open from Saturday to Thursday)

(Carriage hauled by either steam or vintage diesel locomotive)

(Wondering among the old trains at the Wreck Yard)

Our next stop was Mersey Bluff Lighthouse. The lighthouse stands on top of the bluff to the western side of the mouth of the Mersey River in north of the Port of Devonport. The lighthouse has red vertical stripes and can be seen clearly from the sea. It is unusual for an Australian lighthouse to have red vertical stripes as it’s day mark.

(Red and white striped lighthouse)

(The lighthouse is overlooking the Bass Strait)

(A lookout point at Mersey Bluff)

(Seagulls at Mersey Bluff)

Near the lighthouse is Tiagarra, one of the oldest Aboriginal operated Museum and Keeping Places in Australia. The museum tells stories of Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their culture, past to present. It was temporarily closed.

(The road to the rocky coastal promontory)

(Campervan and RV Park)

(Officially opened 40 years ago)

(Exhibitions of rock engravings and Aboriginal artifacts)

We later visited the Devonport Ferry Terminal and took some photo shots of the Spirit of Tasmania from the Victoria Parade. Our lodging for tonight was at Formby Hotel Devonport, located along the Mersey River across the Devonport Ferry Terminal.

(The Spirit of Tasmania viewed from Victoria Parade)

(The Ferry Terminal is on the other side of the river)

(On days of single sailings, the voyage takes 11 hours)

(The ferry from mainland Australia to Tasmania)

As most of the restaurants were closed and would only be opened from 5.30 pm and required prior reservation, we had our early dinner of Lamb Wrap at Baba's Kebab Restaurant not far from our hotel.

(Baba's Kebab franchise in Devonport)

         11 Tasmania: Devonport -Hobart👉

👈09 Tasmania: Strahan - Stanley