After having missed seeing most of the penguins last night, Patricia was awake early and keen to see them go out for their days fishing. The caravan park manager had told us to be on the beach by four o'clock. We had parked the car by ten to, plenty of time to pull on some more warm clothes.

As we started down the path a penguin jumped out and growled at us. The little bugger scared the dickens out of us. We went on a little further and got ourselves as comfortable as we could on the cold rocks, and prepared to wait. And wait we did. It was ten past five before we saw any movement. The park manager had obviously forgotten that daylight saying had started a week earlier. First they came out in twos and threes. Two groups would join together and make their way down across the rocks to the water. They knew that we were there and kept an eye on us all the way.

When looking back toward the rookery we saw that the penguins had formed larger groups of about a dozen or so. We were fascinated by the way they would hide behind a rock, gather up some courage, and hurry on. At the water's edge, they would let the wave come in before putting their heads down and running out with the wave. And then they were gone.

Back at camp, and the tourists were stirring. Camp was broken, and we moved out before eight thirty. The map had a lookout marked at Elephant Pass, but the lookout we found had had its view overgrown. A little further on we came across the Elephant Pass Pancake Place, and they were open. A good reason to stop and have breakfast again. Savoury or sweet? We were only waylaid an hour here .

Moving on. We went through St. Mary with its quaint old timber houses, to Scamander with its beautiful beaches, and on to St. Helens Point. We were now at Tasmania's most easterly, with more beautiful beaches. A quick grocery shop stop. Oh look, a bakery.

After more green scenery our lunch stop was at St. Columbus Falls. The tree ferns here, in Tasmania are just that, trees. Their fibrous roots cover their trunks, which were as thick as my waist. The falls were magnificent. And despite having had a very dry winter there was plenty of water.

Anyway, on to Winnaleah to catch up with an old mate of Ralph's. Richard just happens to own the only PUB in town and pump the only fuel. There was a convenience store but that was run by someone else. We book in for two nights and eat a meal fit for a king and delight in the luxury of real beds. We have noticed there was no film in the camera. Which photos did we miss?

Friday 8th October, Winnaleah

Our trip leader for the day is Richard with some local knowledge. Richard had errands to run first, so it was ten thirty before the convoy got on the way.

Firstly we are shown a couple of abandoned tin mines, now only man‑made lakes. The second of these was blue due to time etc. in the water and could not support any marine life.

We headed further north to Petal Point with views of the Flinders Islands, Boobyalla and Nine Mile beaches. Travelling south east brought us to Little Musselroe Bay. It was beside this road that Patricia and t saw our first wombat in the wild. What a darling! Pat paddled a little in the ice cold water before we headed off to the little beachside town of Big Musselroe Bay for lunch.

After lunch we headed west via Forester Drive to see the, Forester Kangaroos, and yes, we were in the Forester. A quick look at Stumpy Bay and the Eddystone Point lighthouse. Then it was back to the tar and Tomahawk, a sleepy little beachside town. The sun was wanting to set, so it was back to the pub through Bridport, Scottsdale and Branxholm.

Saturday 9th October Winnaleah

Because I had used an empty camera, Patricia and I decided to backtrack to St. Columbia falls for a real photo or two. We were to meet the others at Ben Lomond and Jacobs Ladder. From St Columbia falls we took the back roads, which would take us past Ralph falls. A very pleasant walk, with an awesome view of the valley below. The falls themselves were short on water.

The road down into the valley below was built on the side of the hills. Still supporting this road in places were hand-built rock walls dating back to the 1920's.

I was glad that I had bought a Topography map for $9 at Willows roadhouse. There were tracks and back roads everywhere. We drove through eucalypt plantations. It seems to be the trend, for farmers to sell their paddocks to the timber growers. Growing the eucalypts rather than pine by the looks of it.

We had got to Jacobs Ladder before the other Subarus. They named the road a ladder because it is just that. Seven rungs taking you up over a hundred metres. I looked at my watch, put the right foot to the floor, and took on the challenge. Four minutes dead. Will I go down and have another run? N0, that would be unnecessary wear on the tyres to say the least. It wasn't long before we heard the others on the CB. Now it was their turn to climb the Ladder.

Matt was the only other one with his mind on the clock. Four minutes ten. That was fun and Matt was keen to have another go. He could do better. Everyone was on the lookout over looking the Ladder for Matt's second run. The pressure was on. Matt chooses LOW range and drops the clutch. Go! Matt go! The corners weren't flat enough to get the back of the car to slide, and with a little more wheel spin than his first run, Matt's time wasn't any better. Enough playing, time to take a look at the ski resort and get some lunch, The new resort owners tell us that it was their first season and Tasmania failed to give them any snow. Not good for business at all.

From Ben Lomond, with convoy back intact, it was down Jacobs Ladder and on to Launceston. Camp was set up and we all set off to do some grocery shopping.

Sunday 10th October Launceston

We wake up to a rainy overcast day (only the third of the trip). Decided to take a drive in the hope of finding the sun. First to Asbestos Range Nat. Forest via Beauty Point, Greens Beach (morning tea), Bakers and Griffith Points, where we looked for shells on the beach. It was on one of these dirt back roads that we passed an MY wreck on its roof. Matt plotted its position for future reference. Heading back towards camp, (as it was still raining), we followed the signs to Natley Fern Gorge State Reserve. We were now in thick fog with the view limited to the tail lights of the proceeding Subaru. We found the Gorge car park and a 3x3 metre shelter and had a late lunch. A walk to the Gorge itself would have been pointless with the thick fog and rain.

We called it a day, and all headed off in different directions to see what we could see on such a miserable day.

Pat and 1 went back to Launceston and briefly checked out Penny Royal and Cataract Gorge. A few of us got together, and had dinner at the Saloon, a Lone Star type restaurant, and then did a bit of window shopping to walk off the meal. Ralph then took us for a drive up Brisbane Street, another Jacobs Ladder, to view the city lights. Thanks Ralph. Brisbane Street's ladder had 9 rungs and was tarred, compared to Jacobs loose gravel, making for positive grip in the Forester AWD.

Monday 11th October Launceston

Today's drive would take the convoy north along the Tamar River to Batman Bridge, the world's first counter levered cabled trussed bridge, completed in 1968 (a suspension bridge using a tower on one end only).

Drove on to George Town, near the mouth of the Tamar River, eastern bank whereas Beauty Point, we visited yesterday, is on the western bank. A few kilometres farther down river was the Port of Launceston, Low Head, with its lighthouse and Pilot Station. The latter is now a museum. I had never given it a thought that, even back in the days of the Tall ships, harbour entry required a pilot to bring the ships in safely.