St. Helens (2017-03-03)

St. Helens is at the most Northeasterly point on the A3 highway, before it turns West towards Launceston, and was our destination for one night.

 

Enroute from Coles Bay we stopped for coffee at Bicheno and then a walk along the Henderson Lagoon at Scamander.  We saw nobody at all while at the lagoon, so it was a very quiet place, but no wildlife either, apart from a few black swans.  The signs told us to beware of snakes, but Marlene bravely led us through the long grass without incident.  That brought to mind a joke book title from my youth - "Through the Snake Infested Jungle" by Hugo First. 

 

Winifred Curtis Scamander Reserve

 

Just North of St. Helens is the Bay of Fires Conservation Area, which we thought was so named because of the colour of the rocks, but we learned that it was actually due to the number of Aboriginal fires seen from the passing ship of an early explorer.  The bay is a series of beautiful sandy beaches, punctuated by groups of large red / orange-coloured rocks, with unusual names, such as Binalong Bay, The Gardens and Cozy Corner.

 

Marlene at The Gardens

 

Looking South from The Gardens

  

Beach South of Cozy Corner

 Dinner was fish and chips from Skipper's, eaten out of the paper, with views of the harbour, which was achieved just before our first rain began to fall.  The rain continued to fall well after we went to bed.

 

By morning, the rain was gone and we got back onto the A3, headed towards Launceston.  First stop was St. Columba Falls State Reserve, which was recommended to us by our host, Jim, at Sweetwater Villas.  After days of arid coastal terrain, this rain forest park (just 35 minutes inland from St. Helens), was totally different, and you could imagine that it was somewhere in New Zealand - lots of tall green trees and tree ferns.

 

The Walk to St. Columba Falls

 St. Columba Falls is 90 metres high, never runs dry, and is the highest waterfall in Tasmania.  So obviously there must be rain falling in the hills above the falls on a regular basis.  The walk was very enjoyable in the cool shade, compared to some of the heat we have been enduring on our walks.

 

St. Columba Falls

 From St. Columba we headed to the Art Gallery in Scottsdale for coffee, and then stopped at the summit of the highway, where we ate our lunch with views out over the valley, almost as far as Bass Strait.

 

After lunch, as we headed down to Launceston, an Echidna ran (slowly) across the road ahead of us.  There was not much traffic, so I was able to rush back and get a photo.  For those unfamiliar with the Echidna, it looks somewhat like an overinflated hedgehog.

 

Echidna Crossing the Road

 Then we winged our way to Launceston, where we will be for the next two days.