Bruny Island Fare

As I have told you, my husband and I went camping with a bunch of friends on south Bruny Island from the 27th of December, 2009, until New Years Day, 2010.

While we were there, we partook in some freshly caught seafood (though let it be known we didn't catch any of it, we only ate what others caught):

Abalone... it was cooked a bit fast, I think, so it was a bit tough, but you still feel super special eating it because you know how expensive it is!

Crab. This was cooked to absolute perfection. Delicious!I think if you spread the legs out it would have been close to 2 feet (60cm) from leg tip to leg tip. Slightly bigger than the ones you find under the rocks around rockpools!

There was also flounder once or twice (which I helped to get on one night! They are freaky!), but that stopped after a midnight shark scare that actually left one of the guys knocked over in mid-thigh depth water (thankfully I wasn't helping that night).

While eating the freshly caught seafood, I couldn't help but think of the Aboriginal tribe that used to roam Bruny Island and how they would have eaten the very same things that we ate during that camping trip. 

I wonder if they considered Abalone a delicacy like we do?

Sunset

Last night the sunset was simply gorgeous. Having a new camera, we simply had to try out the 'sunset' function. My husband took these pictures. Stunning, don't you think?

Chess Board at Franklin Square

Chess Board at Franklin Square
Originally uploaded by kathytakesphotos

I logged into Flickr today for the first time in over a month. Imagine my surprise when I had a message saying that this photo of mine had been shortlisted to go in the Schmap Hobart Guide, which gets published at the end of January.

This photo of the chess board at Franklin Square is one of my least favourite photos of those I have on Flickr, but it will be interesting (and exciting!) to see if it gets chosen!

Bruny Island: An Overview

Bruny Island is a beautiful place and it has quite a lot of significance in Tasmania's history. 

Captain Cook landed on it at Adventure Bay, on the east side of South Bruny. Lots of other explorers also visited (or at least tried to) Adventure Bay: Abel Tasman, Tobias Furneaux  (who named it) and William Bligh.

A globe at Adventure Bay.

 

The island itself and the channel of water between it and mainland Tasmania are named after a French explorer, Bruni d'Entrecasteaux. The channel is called the D'Entrecastreaux Channel.


Truganini, the most famous of all the Tasmanian Aborigines, came from a tribe which lived on Bruny. 

At the south end of Adventure Bay. The water was beautiful but FREEZING!

 

Bruny Island is made up of a north island and a south island, which are joined together with a narrow isthmus, called "The Neck". So original! North Bruny is less than half the size of South Bruny. Here's a map so you can take a look. On it you can also see Captain Cook's landing place.

An artistic shot of the lighthouse... the person in the front seat was trying to ruin the photo but I love how it turned out.

On Cape Bruny, which is way down south, is a very old lighthouse: The Cape Bruny Lighthouse. It was built in 1838. When it was first in use, there were no roads on the island. To get supplies to the lighthouse boats would land at Jetty Beach (now a camping site in Great Taylor's Bay - look for the green 11 on the map). Supplies were then carried overland to the lighthouse on a track that became the first road on Bruny. Now, it is probably the bumpiest!

The lighthouse is no longer in service, but it remains a popular tourist attraction, which is understandable because it really is a gorgeous lighthouse in a stunning location. 

Happy 2010!

Wow! Already 2010! 2009 went by rather quickly.

I have been busy over my little blog break, mostly camping and taking photos. Starting tomorrow I am back! I have lots of pictures from Bruny Island which I can't wait to share with you. I also have a tan, which is more incredible than you might think.

Come by tomorrow for some Bruny Island related literature... if I can find any... there must be some somewhere. It might have more of a history bent... to do with lighthouses...

Hello!

I'm just popping in to say that over the next couple of weeks I will not be posting as I have a stack of things to do before Christmas, and am going camping for a week after Christmas and over New Years.

So I just want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry and blessed Christmas and New Years! Have fun, enjoy the company of your family and friends and remember why we celebrate Christmas at all...

xxx

Tas Lit Tues: Tasmanian Authors

When I wrote my thesis in my honours year at university, I wanted to write on Tasmanian literature. It fascinated me. But I hardly knew of any Tasmanian authors, except for a few I had studied in a unit all about Tasmanian Literature. So today, instead of posting a poem or an excerpt from a book (they take ages to type up!) I thought I would list a few Tassie authors, with a note or two about each one.

Nan Chauncy - (28 May 1900 – 1 May 1970) an author of novels for ages 10 -16, very popular in her time (approximately 1960-1970). However, not even her award winning books have ever been republished. Go to this post for more.

Marcus Clarke - (24 April 1846 – 2 August 1881) born in London, later emigrated to Australia. He visited Tasmania in 1870, for first hand experience of the place he was writing about in articles on the convict period. He is most famous for The Term of His Natural Life. I've not yet read it, partly because it is a very think book, and partly because my mum says it is depressing.

Marcus Clarke

Richard Flanagan - (born in Longford, Tasmania, in 1961) maybe one of the best known of Tasmania's authors, his latest book, Wanting, only came out in 2008. The Sound of One Hand Clapping was made into a film in 1998. He has written five novels in total, besides non-fiction (he is a historian) and political articles. His first novel was Death of a River Guide.

Christopher Koch - (born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1932) author of eight books. I have only read his first one, The Boys in the Island (1958), which I loved. The Year of Living Dangerously (1978) has been made into a movie, starring Sigourney Weaver and Mel Gibson. He is a beautiful writer. I don't think I will ever forget The Boys in the Island.

Allan Smith - Okay, not famous (yet!) but I had to put him in because he is my old high school science and physics teacher. He used to read it to us during homeroom (and occasionally during science), often making changes as he read it. I still remember it well, and that was in 2003. All profit from the sale of the goes to the Fistula hospital in Ethiopia, run by an Australian doctor, Catherine Hamlin. Go here for more - you can even read the first seven chapters. (There is also a sequel, but I can't remember what it is called.)

The cover of Allan Smiths novel, designed by his son.

Margaret Scott - (1934 - 29 August 2005) best known for being a poet, she was also an educator  and public intellectual, working at the University of Tasmania for several years. After retiring she lived on the Tasman Peninsular (where Port Arthur is located). After the Port Arthur Massacre, she wrote a book that goes through the events of the day and those surrounding it: Port Arthur : a story of strength and courage (1997). I have read this book, and it really honours all the emergency workers that played important roles that day, as well as remembering those who died and those who lost family members. I cried a lot while reading it.

Tas Lit Tues: You've Got Buckley's

Today's spotlight isn't quite on Tasmanian Literature, but it is on something that has passed into popular expression, so I think it counts!

On Sandy Bay Road, just where Battery Point turns into Sandy Bay, is a little triangle of green.

See the sign? That explains the story behind the popular saying "You've got Buckley's", or "Buckley's chance".

Here is what the sign says:

Buckley's Rest

This reserve takes its name from William Buckley, who escaped from the convict camp at Port Phillip in November 1803, lived with indigenous inhabitants for 32 years. His remarkable story of survival is said to be the basis of the colloquial expression "Buckley's chance". He spent his later years living in Arthur Circus, Battery Point. Following his death in 1856 he was buried in St George's Burial Ground (est.1841) which was located to the rear of this small reserve.

So there you go! When you tell someone they've got Buckley's, your NOT telling them that they have absolutely no chance of succeeding/surviving/getting something/whatever, but that they have a good chance of soon having a fantastic story to tell!

Rain Making

Over the weekend we had a LOT of rain in Southern Tasmania. Now, I don't know if this happens where you live, but here there seems to be certain things that help bring on the rain.

Here are some of the things:

Hanging out washing. A sure way for a light drizzle in winter, or a sudden shower in summer.

Planning a picnic somewhere with no rainproof shelter. (Prepare for thunder and lightening!)

Getting married in a garden with no backup plan. It happened to me. Houses were flooded that day.

If you want nonstop rain for three days, buy water to fill up your water tank. That's what my mother in law and her husband did last week... the day before it started to pour.

I'm sure there are more ways to make it rain! What activity do you do that brings it on? Tell me in the comments!!!!!!!!!!

Saint Davids Park III

You've seen the entrance and found out it is a cemetery. Now it's time for some pretty pictures!

The main walkway through the park. The trees make a shady tunnel to walk under.

In the shade of the trees are many plants, though not many of them are flowering at the moment. These Hydrangeas are one of the few plants curently in flower.

These steps connect the park with the memorial walls (see yesterdays post).

Stone, sunshine and flowers. I love this photograph.

For me, Hobarts most attractive feature is its joining of old and new. Here, a gazebo and the Conservatorium of Music (University of Tasmania) somehow look good together in the same shot, despite the differences between them.

The gazebo. It is humble, but has been stood on by famous characters (Humphrey Bear) and people (George from Playschool). Quite a few classical musicians have also played their instruments on here. Not quite as exciting as Humphrey Bear and George, I know, but it does sound beautiful.

One of the walls that borders the park.

Usually, there are people dotted all over the grass. When the Christmas Carols were held here, the park was overflowing with people. It was great!

Another entrance to the park, this one is diagonally opposite to the one with the lions. We will be leaving the park through here. Beyond is Sandy Bay, which we will have to explore some other time!

I hope you've enjoyed our three-day exploration of St. Davids Park! If you're in Hobart, come here with some lunch and a frisbee, and see if you can find someone in the cemetery with the same surname as you!