Our family has been wanting to travel to the West Coast of Tasmania for sometime now, and the June long weekend in Winter seemed perfectly suited to the ruggedness of the West Coast, we packed our Winter woolies, mapped out a few four wheel drive tracks, we had been wanting to travel and headed off early Saturday morning.
Firstly we were to stop in the small old mining town of Tullah, where we had accommodation for two nights. The drive is stunning, but very windy.
We arrived at Tullah at about 11am and decided we would head off to the Montezuma Falls for the afternoon, when traveling to the falls, you can take a normal car in and walk the hour and a half bush walk to the falls, or take one of the two four wheel drive tracks, right to the falls. We took the Ring River 4x4 track, and it was quiet hard, we needed the tow ropes a few times, there were lots of river crossings and other huge water holes, where the water would often creep up to the bonnet of the car.
It took us about two hours to get to the falls, and they were spectacular, and at 110 meters they are the highest falls in Tasmania.
I am not the best with heights, and there is a suspension bridge that takes you to a better viewing spot of the falls. As it was 50 feet above the ground, I gave it a miss, but I hear it is spectacular over there!
It took us about another two hours on an easier track, to get back to Tullah and our accommodation for the night. It was a huge, but rewarding day.
On the second day, everyone headed off on another full day of four wheel driving, but the children and I opted out, as I knew they weren't looking forward to another full day in the car, and there was plenty to do around Tullah and Rosebery that would occupy us for the day.
We started our day with a walk down to Lake Rosebery, which was close to our accommodation and absolutely stunning, the children had fun exploring, skimming rocks on the glass like lake, stacking rocks, watching fish and leaving a love heart for the next mini explorers.
It was so quiet, and at one stage I stopped the children and asked them to try and hear a noise, it was amazing because we couldn't hear a thing, not a car, bird, no wind in the trees, just nothing.
We then headed to the beautiful Tullah Lakeside Lodge for some lunch, and a game of chess.
When I say lunch, I mean waffles for the kids! Not a very healthy lunch, but a great treat on a rainy day.
After our huge lunch, we drove to the next little town of Rosebery, and had a play on the playground, and checked out a Replica Workers Hut, which was staged like it would have been in the mining days about 1915.
With dirt floors, a small bed, some chairs and not much else.
On the way back to Tullah we stopped and looked at the huge Merchant Dam, an old mining shaft and another waterfall.
There really is a surprise around every corner of the West Coast, there is so much to see and do.
Tommy and the others took some photos for us of their 4x4 adventures for the day, including getting stuck in the deep mud flats, some cows that popped up out of no where and didn't mind a munch on some seaweed and the picturesque rough seas that the West Coast is known for.
On our last day we had a slow morning then headed back to the Lodge for brunch, before heading home.
It was a lovely way to spend a long weekend in Winter, and I look forward to heading back to the West Coast and exploring some more, in particular the West Coast Wilderness Railway, which I've heard is amazing.
