Last Thursday I decided to take my brother up to one of his favourite spots in Tassie....Liawenee.
He hasn't been up there since before he had his legs amputated last November
.
The weather forecast was looking pretty good but with overnight temperatures below zero, we were in no rush to get there early so eventually headed off around 11am, planning to stop for a counter lunch at the Great Lakes Hotel at Miena.
We set off up the Midland Highway to Melton Mowbray where we then got on to the Highlands Lakes Road. On through Bothwell to the Steppes Conservation Area.
Here you'll find a bizarre attraction, the Steppes Sculptures (http://www.think-tasmania.com/steppes-stones/)......
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/SteppesSculptures1_zpsa32147e4.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/SteppesSculptures2_zps14694657.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/SteppesSculptures3_zps8eba7524.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/SteppesSculptures4_zps0d8f38be.jpg~original)
Next stop was near the dam wall at Miena where I took this photo...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/MienaDam_zpsb9df1392.jpg~original)
By now the worms were biting so we headed for the Pub and lunch...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/GreatLakeHotelMiena_zps71f200f6.jpg~original)
Not far from here the road turns to well maintained gravel which the Alto handled admirably, blasting along at 100kph on the straight stretches. It wasn't until we got home that we found the rear mudflaps smashed, presumably by the stones on this section. It doesn't say much for the quality of Suzuki plastics... :eek:
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/GravelRoad_zps2bcecea7.jpg~original)
We stopped briefly to take this photo just before Liawenee...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/RagingCreek_zpsc1bd5ec0.jpg~original)
We cruised through Liawenee and surrounds, marvelling at how the houses/shacks were built on land covered in rocks and bolders.
A quick photo shoot from the lookout and then it was back onto sealed roads again...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/GreatLakeView_zpsbcd186d0.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/RuggedLandscape2_zps64776d86.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/RuggedLandscape1_zps01db51ca.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/RuggedLandscape3_zps45c21a3d.jpg~original)
Before too long we were driving through Deloraine.
As my brother had seen little of the north western part of Tasmania we decided to head for Devonport, last seen by my brother when he shifted to Tassie, some 20 odd years earlier.
A quick stop at Daz's work to surprise him and to also find out if it was ok to spring a visit on Trish and we were on our way to Penguin, roughly 30 k's further up the road.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/PenguinBeach_zps7bdc0718.jpg~original)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/OhWhatAFeeling_zps1504ee6e.jpg~original)
Oh what a feeling! This one's for you, Daz.... :lol:
We then took the scenic route along the coast to Ulverstone...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/GoatIslandbetweenPenguinampUlverstone_zps7d40fa5a.jpg~original)
Then back down the Bass Highway to Devonport and to Daz and Trish's home...
After a lovely dinner and chat we said goodbye to our hosts and headed for home.....the long way, via Perth and Campbell Town and the relatively boring Midland Highway...
Home at 11pm having done some 600 kilometres....The little Suzuki had done a remarkably good job and just seems to get better and better the more I drive it. :hatoff:
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/rustynutz69/MapOfTassie_zps425bdafc.jpg~original)