I woke up early to make breakfast for everyone today because today is not only Christmas Eve but also DS2’s birthday. He turns 18! I made simple pancakes. I had bought 2 bottles of shaker pancakes, add water to them and pour on the pan, fry and they are ready! All ready to be eaten with butter and maple syrup. There was no non-stick pan here, so I used a cast iron pan. Result – pancake does not look very nice, but taste was not affected.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate

This morning we headed to Bridestowe Lavender Estate. The drive there took about an hour. Bridestowe is one of the major suppliers of lavender oil to the perfume and food industry. November is a great time to visit the farm as the lavender are in full bloom. We were told that the lavender stalks are usually longer but this year, due to low rainfall, the stalks are shorter than usual. Nonetheless, they were still beautiful.

There is an entry charge of A$10 per person to visit this farm. But if you are a Friend of Bridestowe, it is free. It is very easy to become a Friend of Bridestowe. Just sign up on its website here and print out the welcome and discount email that they send you. Show this email at the entrance and you enter for free. It is that easy. We were advised to have everyone sign up as members, although at the entrance, they just needed to see one email for each vehicle.

They provide free tours of the farm at regular intervals. We attended one but really, there is no need to unless you really are interested in hearing about the farming and oil extraction and production process. It was just hearing the guide talk and while they did bring us to the production shed, nothing was being done that day.

We wondered around the farm and took many photos. The flowers were beautiful. It is wonderful to be surrounded by a sea of purple. The farm is very popular with tourists and there were many China tour groups.

We went to the gift shops and cafe afterwards. The gift shop had a wide range of lavender products to choose from. There were soft toys, bags, lavender based cosmetics and oil, soap etc. The cafe also sold lavender flavoured food like lavender ice cream and lavender hot dogs! My kids had the ice cream (A$5) while DN had the lavender hotdog.

Lunch @ Lilydale Larder

We left Bridestowe and headed to Lilydale Larder which was nearby for lunch. Located on the main street of the village of Lilydale, Lilydale is a cafe and bottle shop. They have 2 counters in the cafe. One side where you order your food and the other side allow you to taste and purchase local wine.

We just had a quick and simple lunch. I had the potato skins (A$18.50). It was good but too much for me, I couldn’t finish my food. DH had the home baked pie (A$20.50). The pie came is a bowl with a puff pastry covered at the top. DH said that it was good. DS1 had the gourmet burger (A$21.50), DS2 had the seafood chowder (A$19.50) and DD had the soup of the day (A$14.50), which was a tomato soup that day. Together with 4 coke (A$2.50) and a glass of Pinot Noir (A$9), the bill came up to A$113.50.

Cataract Gorge, Launceston

After lunch, we went to Cataract Gorge. Cataract Gorge is a river gorge near the city center of Launceston. It is hard to believe that one can find such a piece of wilderness within a city. It is a favourite holiday spot for locals and on this day, both Christmas Eve and a weekend, there were many families about picnicking and in the swimming pool just within the reserve.

Cataract Gorge boasts of having the longest single chairlift span in the world with its central span of 308m. The whole length of the chairlift is 457m from the terminal building to the Cliff Grounds.

Admission to Cataract Gorge is free but you will need to pay a fee to take the chairlift across the basin. One can choose to make a one way ride on the chairlift, either to or back at A$12 for adults and A$8 for children. A 2-way ride is only slightly more expensive at A$15 for Adults and A$10 for children. We weren’t sure of our plans and how difficult the one way walk will be so we decided to buy the 2 way tickets. I enquired about family ticket and was expecting to buy a family ticket for 2A2C and 6 more individual adult tickets. However, they were able to work out a family ticket for all 10 of us, 8A and 2C and we paid only A$112 in total. It was only A$12 for Adults and A$8 for children. We actually got the 2-way for 1-way price! So don’t be shy and ask for family ticket if you visit. You never know what they can do for you.

The ride across the basin was beautiful. It gives a wonderful view of the basin from above. We saw people walking along on the path below. It definitely looked like an easy walk and it is free to walk.

After we alighted form the chairlift, DH, DBIL, the boys and DD decided to take the more challenging walk up to Eagle Eyre Lookout. The walk up is steep and does not have any railing. I have a phobia of height so it is definitely not for me, especially without railings. DH said afterwards that the view that greeted them was ok but not worth the climb. DD said that she was so tired from that walk.

My parents, DSis, DN and I took the easy Cataract Walk. Following this walk to the end will lead you out to King’s Bridge and out of Cataract Gorge. We did not go all the way but just a portion before doubling back when those who went to Eagle Eyre Lookout came back to join us. The view along the Cataract walk was quite pretty.

There was a playground and Victorian Garden nearby. The 2 young men had just as much fun as the girls fooling around the playground and swing. There was a cafe next to the garden where we sat down for drinks and coffee. The garden was pretty with flowers and there were several peacocks roaming freely around.

DH and DBIL decided to walk back to the car park rather than take the chairlift like the rest of us. They walked across through the Alexandra Suspension Bridge. DH says that it was an easy walk. No steep climb.

Dinner @ Jailhouse Grill, Launceston

I had made reservations for dinner that night at Jailhouse Grill in Launceston for Christmas Eve dinner and to celebrate DS2’s birthday. I had made detailed research early during my planning to ensure that I can find a place for dinner tonight. Some restaurants that I contacted were close because it was Christmas Eve. Jailhouse Grill had good reviews and was open so I made the reservation and requested for their assistance to arrange for a cake that night for DS2.

Jailhouse Grill is housed in a building constructed in the mid 1800’s using handmade convict bricks. It had its own parking which was very convenient for a restaurant in town.

Jailhouse grill served wood fired steaks and like regular steak houses come with a salad bar. We especially like the sautéed vegetables because it reminds us of Chinese style sautéed vegetables that we have not had for 10 days!

We ordered a dozen each of raw oysters and the oyster Kilpatrick at A$33 per dozen, for sharing.

The steaks come with different cut and sizes.

SMALLER CUTS

• Rump 200g…$27.50
• Scotch Fillet 200g…$31.50
• Eye Fillet 180g…$35.00

MEDIUM CUTS

• Porterhouse 300g…$34.50
• Scotch Fillet 300g…$38.00
• Eye Fillet 280g…$45.50

LARGER CUTS

• New York Cut 450g…$48.00
• Eye Fillet 400g…$55.50
• Rump 650g…$48.00

Most of us went for the smaller cuts and only DH, DS1 and DS2 had the medium cuts. DMum does not like steak, so she had the small serving of the Pork Ribs in Plum Marinate (A$19.50). DN has the kid’s meal steak (A$15.50)

There was an extra charge of A$3.90 for sauces, and we had a choice of Dark Mushroom & Bacon, Creamy Mushroom, Diane, Plum, Pepper or BBQ. Only I opted for a Diane sauce, the rest except DD just went for the standard serve of garlic butter. DD added the Jailhouse Steak Topping which was a mix of pan fried onions, mushrooms and bacon (A$5.90)

Actually we were a little disappointed with our steak. All four kids actually said that they preferred the steak that I prepared the night before, that my steak was better!! Hard to believe,’ but it is true that the steak here was pretty tasteless. The steak we had at Ball & Chain Grill in Hobart was much much better.

I had requested that they arrange a cake for DS2 and they had asked for my preference. I choose Chocolate cake as I figured you can’t go wrong with that. After dinner, they brought out the cake. It was a simple chocolate cake but was quite nice.

Total bill was A$425 including A$2.50 per person cake charge which was reasonable.

Christmas Eve Mass @ Church of the Apostles

After dinner we went to the Catholic Church, Church of the Apostles which is less than 5mins away to attend its 9pm Christmas Eve Mass. it was a simple Church with a small congregation. Mass was about an hour. After mass, it was a 20mins drive back to Red Feather Inn.

Next up : Day 11 – Launceston to Warrnambool

The post 15 Days Tasmania & Melbourne Self Drive, 2017: Day 10 (Launceston) appeared first on Mums Travels.

Today, we took a mid morning flight (10.05am) from Launceston to Melbourne. We had chosen to fly on Christmas Day as many places of interest in Australia are closed and this is probably the most efficient use of time.

The drive from Murphett’s Cottage to Launceston Airport was about 15mins. DH dropped us at the departure hall and went to return our rental car. Check in and immigration was relatively smooth. Our qantas flight was a propeller plane, so cabin bags had to be put into the cabin hole before we boarded our plane and we collect them when we leave the plane. Only small duffel bags can be brought into the cabin.

Qantas is a full service airline, so we were served water and snack during our short 1hr 15mins flight.

Car Rental in Melbourne

We had booked our car rental in Melbourne with Thrifty as well. As it was Christmas Day, the counter at the airport was closed, and a notice at the counter directed us to the main Thrifty office at the Parkroyal hotel just opposite the airport to collect our car. The hotel is connected to the airport via an overhead walkway. While DH and DBIL went to handle the paper work for our cars, the rest of us went to get our lunch.

We were again ungraded to a Pajero Premium. Yippee! DBil got the Pajero Sports. When we compared, the space was about the same. The main difference between the 2 vehicles was the Pajero Premium can be converted to a 7-seater.

Our Pajero Premium was relatively new too with mileage of about 4300km. We paid A$729 for their 5 days rental including GPS and ultimate protection cover to bring excess to zero. There was again a A$200 deposit which was refunded to us within 2 weeks of our return. Btw, they did not accept cash payment today as it was Christmas Day and they only accepted credit card payment. There was a service charge of 1.1% for visa. Amex was more expensive.

Lunch @ Nandos

It was close to 12 noon when we arrived at Melbourne Airport, so we decided to have lunch there. Furthermore we were sure it would be difficult to find a place to eat outside the airport today since it was Christmas Day.

We did not fancy burgers and so was happy to find that there was a Nandos at the airport. Our family of 5 decided to get 2 whole chicken with 2 large sides. I wasn’t sure how big the portion was. For once, it was not enough and we ordered another a chicken with 1 large side.

Thunder Point Coastal Reserve, Warrnambool

After lunch, we picked up our car and headed to Warrnambool. It was a long and boring drove. Almost 4 hours of straight roads. Very easy to drive but very very dull. I normally try to stay awake to keep DH company during long drives. But on this occasion, after lunch, I could not keep my eyes open. After a short nap, I woke up feeling really guilty. The 3 kids were all still sleeping at the back. I started taking out the snacks and feeding DH.

Upon arrival at Warrnambool, we headed straight to our Deep Blue Hotel & Hots Springs where we were staying for the night. We checked in, settled our stuff and headed out to Thunder Point which was just 5 mins away.

Thunder Point Coastal Reserve is adjacent to Warrnambool’s beach and offers one of the best coastal scenery in the area. We wondered along the coast and walked along some of the board walks. The waves were strong and in some sections there were hardly anyone else. Gives a very rustic wilderness atmosphere.

We did not hang out too long at Thunder Point as we needed to go back to the hotel to prepare dinner.

Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs, Warrnambool

We decided to stay at Deep Blue Hotel & Resort as we expected that it would be difficult to find a restaurant open on Christmas Day, and we would need a place with kitchen facilities to prepare our own dinner. We had booked a 2 bedroom penthouse (A$615) for my family of 5 and 2 standard Qween Studio (A$230) for Dsis’s family and my parents. They did not charge DSis extra for the rollaway bed for DN. The 2BR penthouse was very expensive but we had no choice as other apartments with kitchen facilities were not taking reservations of one night during this holiday period.

The hotel was beautiful and had a cheery and homely reception area. We had thought we could use the hot spring in the hotel, but unfortunately, it was not open that day as it was Christmas. We were a little disappointed.

Our 2 bedroom apartment was beautiful and had a wonderful view. It had a spacious living room and large dining table. The bedrooms were cosy. The extra double sofa bed was at a separate entrance area when we entered the apartment.

The apartment also had its own laundry room which which had a washer and dryer. It was so useful and convenient. The whole evening and night, we were running continuous cycles of washing for ourselves and DSis!

The kitchen was well equipped and had enough cutleries and utensils for us. Everything was very clean and well maintained. We had bought disposal cutleries and plates from the supermarket thinking that a 2 bedroom apartment for 5 may not have enough for all of us, but we need not have done so.

This evening DSis prepared pasta and salad with DMum’s help. My responsibility was only the Campbell soup! Hahaha!

We had a lovely and simple Christmas dinner. The beautiful apartment was well enjoyed by everyone and really no regrets paying the high price for it.

Next up: Day 12 : Great Ocean Road

The post 15 Days Tasmania & Melbourne Self Drive, 2017: Day 11 (Launceston -Warrnambool) appeared first on Mums Travels.

Today, we took a mid morning flight (10.05am) from Launceston to Melbourne. We had chosen to fly on Christmas Day as many places of interest in Australia are closed and this is probably the most efficient use of time.

The drive from Murphett’s Cottage to Launceston Airport was about 15mins. DH dropped us at the departure hall and went to return our rental car. Check in and immigration was relatively smooth. Our qantas flight was a propeller plane, so cabin bags had to be put into the cabin hole before we boarded our plane and we collect them when we leave the plane. Only small duffel bags can be brought into the cabin.

Qantas is a full service airline, so we were served water and snack during our short 1hr 15mins flight.

Car Rental in Melbourne

We had booked our car rental in Melbourne with Thrifty as well. As it was Christmas Day, the counter at the airport was closed, and a notice at the counter directed us to the main Thrifty office at the Parkroyal hotel just opposite the airport to collect our car. The hotel is connected to the airport via an overhead walkway. While DH and DBIL went to handle the paper work for our cars, the rest of us went to get our lunch.

We were again ungraded to a Pajero Premium. Yippee! DBil got the Pajero Sports. When we compared, the space was about the same. The main difference between the 2 vehicles was the Pajero Premium can be converted to a 7-seater.

Our Pajero Premium was relatively new too with mileage of about 4300km. We paid A$729 for their 5 days rental including GPS and ultimate protection cover to bring excess to zero. There was again a A$200 deposit which was refunded to us within 2 weeks of our return. Btw, they did not accept cash payment today as it was Christmas Day and they only accepted credit card payment. There was a service charge of 1.1% for visa. Amex was more expensive.

Lunch @ Nandos

It was close to 12 noon when we arrived at Melbourne Airport, so we decided to have lunch there. Furthermore we were sure it would be difficult to find a place to eat outside the airport today since it was Christmas Day.

We did not fancy burgers and so was happy to find that there was a Nandos at the airport. Our family of 5 decided to get 2 whole chicken with 2 large sides. I wasn’t sure how big the portion was. For once, it was not enough and we ordered another a chicken with 1 large side.

Thunder Point Coastal Reserve, Warrnambool

After lunch, we picked up our car and headed to Warrnambool. It was a long and boring drove. Almost 4 hours of straight roads. Very easy to drive but very very dull. I normally try to stay awake to keep DH company during long drives. But on this occasion, after lunch, I could not keep my eyes open. After a short nap, I woke up feeling really guilty. The 3 kids were all still sleeping at the back. I started taking out the snacks and feeding DH.

Upon arrival at Warrnambool, we headed straight to our Deep Blue Hotel & Hots Springs where we were staying for the night. We checked in, settled our stuff and headed out to Thunder Point which was just 5 mins away.

Thunder Point Coastal Reserve is adjacent to Warrnambool’s beach and offers one of the best coastal scenery in the area. We wondered along the coast and walked along some of the board walks. The waves were strong and in some sections there were hardly anyone else. Gives a very rustic wilderness atmosphere.

We did not hang out too long at Thunder Point as we needed to go back to the hotel to prepare dinner.

Deep Blue Hotel & Hot Springs, Warrnambool

We decided to stay at Deep Blue Hotel & Resort as we expected that it would be difficult to find a restaurant open on Christmas Day, and we would need a place with kitchen facilities to prepare our own dinner. We had booked a 2 bedroom penthouse (A$615) for my family of 5 and 2 standard Qween Studio (A$230) for Dsis’s family and my parents. They did not charge DSis extra for the rollaway bed for DN. The 2BR penthouse was very expensive but we had no choice as other apartments with kitchen facilities were not taking reservations of one night during this holiday period.

The hotel was beautiful and had a cheery and homely reception area. We had thought we could use the hot spring in the hotel, but unfortunately, it was not open that day as it was Christmas. We were a little disappointed.

Our 2 bedroom apartment was beautiful and had a wonderful view. It had a spacious living room and large dining table. The bedrooms were cosy. The extra double sofa bed was at a separate entrance area when we entered the apartment.

The apartment also had its own laundry room which which had a washer and dryer. It was so useful and convenient. The whole evening and night, we were running continuous cycles of washing for ourselves and DSis!

The kitchen was well equipped and had enough cutleries and utensils for us. Everything was very clean and well maintained. We had bought disposal cutleries and plates from the supermarket thinking that a 2 bedroom apartment for 5 may not have enough for all of us, but we need not have done so.

This evening DSis prepared pasta and salad with DMum’s help. My responsibility was only the Campbell soup! Hahaha!

We had a lovely and simple Christmas dinner. The beautiful apartment was well enjoyed by everyone and really no regrets paying the high price for it.

Next up: Day 12 : Great Ocean Road

The post 15 Days Tasmania & Melbourne Self Drive, 2017: Day 11 (Launceston -Warrnambool) appeared first on Mums Travels.

I woke up early to make breakfast for everyone today because today is not only Christmas Eve but also DS2’s birthday. He turns 18! I made simple pancakes. I had bought 2 bottles of shaker pancakes, add water to them and pour on the pan, fry and they are ready! All ready to be eaten with butter and maple syrup. There was no non-stick pan here, so I used a cast iron pan. Result – pancake does not look very nice, but taste was not affected.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate

This morning we headed to Bridestowe Lavender Estate. The drive there took about an hour. Bridestowe is one of the major suppliers of lavender oil to the perfume and food industry. November is a great time to visit the farm as the lavender are in full bloom. We were told that the lavender stalks are usually longer but this year, due to low rainfall, the stalks are shorter than usual. Nonetheless, they were still beautiful.

There is an entry charge of A$10 per person to visit this farm. But if you are a Friend of Bridestowe, it is free. It is very easy to become a Friend of Bridestowe. Just sign up on its website here and print out the welcome and discount email that they send you. Show this email at the entrance and you enter for free. It is that easy. We were advised to have everyone sign up as members, although at the entrance, they just needed to see one email for each vehicle.

They provide free tours of the farm at regular intervals. We attended one but really, there is no need to unless you really are interested in hearing about the farming and oil extraction and production process. It was just hearing the guide talk and while they did bring us to the production shed, nothing was being done that day.

We wondered around the farm and took many photos. The flowers were beautiful. It is wonderful to be surrounded by a sea of purple. The farm is very popular with tourists and there were many China tour groups.

We went to the gift shops and cafe afterwards. The gift shop had a wide range of lavender products to choose from. There were soft toys, bags, lavender based cosmetics and oil, soap etc. The cafe also sold lavender flavoured food like lavender ice cream and lavender hot dogs! My kids had the ice cream (A$5) while DN had the lavender hotdog.

Lunch @ Lilydale Larder

We left Bridestowe and headed to Lilydale Larder which was nearby for lunch. Located on the main street of the village of Lilydale, Lilydale is a cafe and bottle shop. They have 2 counters in the cafe. One side where you order your food and the other side allow you to taste and purchase local wine.

We just had a quick and simple lunch. I had the potato skins (A$18.50). It was good but too much for me, I couldn’t finish my food. DH had the home baked pie (A$20.50). The pie came is a bowl with a puff pastry covered at the top. DH said that it was good. DS1 had the gourmet burger (A$21.50), DS2 had the seafood chowder (A$19.50) and DD had the soup of the day (A$14.50), which was a tomato soup that day. Together with 4 coke (A$2.50) and a glass of Pinot Noir (A$9), the bill came up to A$113.50.

Cataract Gorge, Launceston

After lunch, we went to Cataract Gorge. Cataract Gorge is a river gorge near the city center of Launceston. It is hard to believe that one can find such a piece of wilderness within a city. It is a favourite holiday spot for locals and on this day, both Christmas Eve and a weekend, there were many families about picnicking and in the swimming pool just within the reserve.

Cataract Gorge boasts of having the longest single chairlift span in the world with its central span of 308m. The whole length of the chairlift is 457m from the terminal building to the Cliff Grounds.

Admission to Cataract Gorge is free but you will need to pay a fee to take the chairlift across the basin. One can choose to make a one way ride on the chairlift, either to or back at A$12 for adults and A$8 for children. A 2-way ride is only slightly more expensive at A$15 for Adults and A$10 for children. We weren’t sure of our plans and how difficult the one way walk will be so we decided to buy the 2 way tickets. I enquired about family ticket and was expecting to buy a family ticket for 2A2C and 6 more individual adult tickets. However, they were able to work out a family ticket for all 10 of us, 8A and 2C and we paid only A$112 in total. It was only A$12 for Adults and A$8 for children. We actually got the 2-way for 1-way price! So don’t be shy and ask for family ticket if you visit. You never know what they can do for you.

The ride across the basin was beautiful. It gives a wonderful view of the basin from above. We saw people walking along on the path below. It definitely looked like an easy walk and it is free to walk.

After we alighted form the chairlift, DH, DBIL, the boys and DD decided to take the more challenging walk up to Eagle Eyre Lookout. The walk up is steep and does not have any railing. I have a phobia of height so it is definitely not for me, especially without railings. DH said afterwards that the view that greeted them was ok but not worth the climb. DD said that she was so tired from that walk.

My parents, DSis, DN and I took the easy Cataract Walk. Following this walk to the end will lead you out to King’s Bridge and out of Cataract Gorge. We did not go all the way but just a portion before doubling back when those who went to Eagle Eyre Lookout came back to join us. The view along the Cataract walk was quite pretty.

There was a playground and Victorian Garden nearby. The 2 young men had just as much fun as the girls fooling around the playground and swing. There was a cafe next to the garden where we sat down for drinks and coffee. The garden was pretty with flowers and there were several peacocks roaming freely around.

DH and DBIL decided to walk back to the car park rather than take the chairlift like the rest of us. They walked across through the Alexandra Suspension Bridge. DH says that it was an easy walk. No steep climb.

Dinner @ Jailhouse Grill, Launceston

I had made reservations for dinner that night at Jailhouse Grill in Launceston for Christmas Eve dinner and to celebrate DS2’s birthday. I had made detailed research early during my planning to ensure that I can find a place for dinner tonight. Some restaurants that I contacted were close because it was Christmas Eve. Jailhouse Grill had good reviews and was open so I made the reservation and requested for their assistance to arrange for a cake that night for DS2.

Jailhouse Grill is housed in a building constructed in the mid 1800’s using handmade convict bricks. It had its own parking which was very convenient for a restaurant in town.

Jailhouse grill served wood fired steaks and like regular steak houses come with a salad bar. We especially like the sautéed vegetables because it reminds us of Chinese style sautéed vegetables that we have not had for 10 days!

We ordered a dozen each of raw oysters and the oyster Kilpatrick at A$33 per dozen, for sharing.

The steaks come with different cut and sizes.

SMALLER CUTS

• Rump 200g…$27.50
• Scotch Fillet 200g…$31.50
• Eye Fillet 180g…$35.00

MEDIUM CUTS

• Porterhouse 300g…$34.50
• Scotch Fillet 300g…$38.00
• Eye Fillet 280g…$45.50

LARGER CUTS

• New York Cut 450g…$48.00
• Eye Fillet 400g…$55.50
• Rump 650g…$48.00

Most of us went for the smaller cuts and only DH, DS1 and DS2 had the medium cuts. DMum does not like steak, so she had the small serving of the Pork Ribs in Plum Marinate (A$19.50). DN has the kid’s meal steak (A$15.50)

There was an extra charge of A$3.90 for sauces, and we had a choice of Dark Mushroom & Bacon, Creamy Mushroom, Diane, Plum, Pepper or BBQ. Only I opted for a Diane sauce, the rest except DD just went for the standard serve of garlic butter. DD added the Jailhouse Steak Topping which was a mix of pan fried onions, mushrooms and bacon (A$5.90)

Actually we were a little disappointed with our steak. All four kids actually said that they preferred the steak that I prepared the night before, that my steak was better!! Hard to believe,’ but it is true that the steak here was pretty tasteless. The steak we had at Ball & Chain Grill in Hobart was much much better.

I had requested that they arrange a cake for DS2 and they had asked for my preference. I choose Chocolate cake as I figured you can’t go wrong with that. After dinner, they brought out the cake. It was a simple chocolate cake but was quite nice.

Total bill was A$425 including A$2.50 per person cake charge which was reasonable.

Christmas Eve Mass @ Church of the Apostles

After dinner we went to the Catholic Church, Church of the Apostles which is less than 5mins away to attend its 9pm Christmas Eve Mass. it was a simple Church with a small congregation. Mass was about an hour. After mass, it was a 20mins drive back to Red Feather Inn.

Next up : Day 11 – Launceston to Warrnambool

The post 15 Days Tasmania & Melbourne Self Drive, 2017: Day 10 (Launceston) appeared first on Mums Travels.

Breakfast this morning at Highland restaurant was included in our room rates. They serve standard hotel buffet. It was a welcomed change after so many days of simple self prepared breakfast. A break for me!

After breakfast, we checked out of our cabin and headed back to Sheffield to do what we had originally planned to do yesterday. It was raining at Cradle Mountain and we were glad we were leaving and had done our walks the day before when rain was relatively lighter and had occasional breaks.

Tasmazia & The Village of Lower Crackpot

First stop this morning was Tasmazia & The Village of Lower Crackpot, a small theme park with 8 mazes, a miniature village and an Embassy Garden. Adult pass was A$27.50, child Pass was A$13.75 and Family Pass was A$77.

The 8 mazes all had different themes. The Great Maze – at the time of planting the world’s largest! The 8 mazes includes the Great Maze, Cage Maze, Balance Maze, Hexagonal Maze, Irish Maze, Hampton Court Maze, Yellow Brick Maze, Confusion Maze. Some complicated, some easy, but all were fun! I was expecting a kiddy maze, but really it wasn’t. Well worth the entrance fee!

The Village of Lower Crackpot was a whimsical model village built to 1/5th scale. It was fun and cute with lots of humor too. You just need to spend time reading all the signs!

The Embassy Gardens was apparently a recent addition, containing sixty buildings dedicated to over 40 countries.

The most funny must be the representation of USA (Statue of Liberty) and Mexico (cactus). And in between these, they actually have a wall with Trump’s face on it – yes, Trump’s Wall! Hahaha!

If you are visiting Cradle Mountain, do drop by Tasmazia for some laughs and to get lost! It is not only for little kids. Really lots of fun! Highly recommended!

Lunch @ Blacksmith Gallery Cafe, Sheffield

I had made reservations for lunch at Blacksmith Gallery Cafe in Sheffield. Because there were 10 of us, I figured that it was better to call ahead to reserve a table. Furthermore based on reviews I read in the internet, this cafe is very popular. So after leaving Tasmazia, we headed back to Sheffield Town.

This cafe combines traditional style country food in a heritage building that was once the town’s blacksmith and this is reflected in the mural outside the cafe. The interior of the cafe is decorated with a wonderful selection of local art and craft. The whole atmosphere was very cozy. It’s a great place to sit around and relax with friends over a cup of coffee.

This cafe serves simple fare including homemade pies and cakes. As we were there on 23 Dec and they were going to be closed for a few days over Christmas, the choice was a little limited.

Among our family of 5, we had 2 blacksmith burger (A$10.50), 2 chicken and veg soup (served with bread) (A$9.50), 1 sausage roll (A$4) and 1 chicken, cheese and sweet chili pie (A$5.50). For drinks, we had 2 ice coffee, 1 long black, 1 coke and 1 bundaberg guava juice. Total bill came up to A$73.

There is an IGA next to the cafe, and we took the opportunity to shop there for supplies for our dinner that night and on Christmas Day before we left Sheffield.

Sheffield – The Town of Murals

After lunch at Blacksmith, we took a stroll around town to explore the murals scattered all over the town. Sheffield is renowned as a heritage country town with old-world ambiance. It was one of the early townships in Tasmania. Over the years and left behind by development around it, the population of the town declined. Inspired by the story of Chemainus, a small Canadian town that had through mural art, rescued itself from ruin, the Kentish Association for Tourism (KAT) worked on the vision to combine the arts and tourism to revive and reinvent the town of Sheffield.

Today, Sheffield has become a major tourist attraction due to it being promoted as a “Town of Murals”

The first town mural was painted in Sheffield in December 1986. Since then over 60 murals depicting the area’s rich history and beautiful natural scenery have been painted on walls throughout the town and buildings along the roadside. The murals attract an estimated 200,000 people to the town annually.

One of my favourite murals is the one of the old gas station. It look great with the old world vehicle of yesteryear parked next to it.

Murphett’s Cottage, Red Feather Inn

We left Sheffield Town and headed to Hadspen, just outside Launceston, where we will be spending the next 2 nights. We had book Murphett’s Cottage, a stand-alone Cottage of Red Feather Inn which can accommodate all 10 of us, 8 adults and 2 kids. The check in time here was very strict, only between 4-5pm. We paid A$550 per night for the cottage for 10pax.

DSis arrived first and there was a lady who directed their car to the Cottage. She was then handed with 3 sets of keys and then the lady left. The lady did not even bother to show her around or explain anything. When she was checking out the Cottage, we arrived as well. When we counted the beds, we realized that there were only 3 double and 2 singles. The sofa bed was not made up. We figured that we can do it on our own, but we couldn’t find the beddings. So we walked over to the Red Feather Inn, but the lady had locked up and left! There was a phone number to call in the literature that we found in the Cottage but no one answered the phone. I left a message and no one replied in the 2 days that we stayed there. In the end, we made do as there were additional pillows on my bed and we found some duvet in the cupboard. But we couldn’t find any sheets. My 2 boys used that sofa bed, and they just made do. The service here was really disappointing. In fact, no service at all.

But we must admit that the Cottage was beautiful and very cozy and comfortable. The beds were comfortable too. There were 2 bathrooms. Based on the layout plan on the Red Feather Inn website, there was a laundry room. However, we found the room, but there was no washing machine in it. So not sure what they meant by laundry room. Anyway, there was a coin laundromat nearby and DH and DS2 brought our laundry there together with their iPad and iPhone to entertain themselves while they waited. while we ladies were preparing dinner.

The kitchen was well equipped and they had all that we needed to prepare our meals. Oven, microwave, stove and dishwasher. The pots and pans were generally clean and in good condition. That night, we had a dinner of steak, salad and potatoes. I made the steak and DSis did the potato and salad. DMum helped us. Ddad commented that it was the first time that he has seen DMum, DSis and I prepare a meal together!

One big negative here was that while they say they provide WiFi, all of us hardly can get any reliable signal. I think we needed to stand at the gate to get some decent signal which was ridiculous. So don’t depend on it.

Despite the unhappiness of not having sheets and pillows for the sofa bed which was not made up and non-existence WiFi, our stay at Murphett’s Cottage was overall comfortable. It was a very pretty cottage with space for everyone. Although there were 10 of us, we did not get into one another’s way.

When we left on Christmas Day 2 days later, we just dropped the keys in a box outside the Red Feather Inn before the 11am check out time. Yes it was all self service! We never saw anyone except the lady who opened the door for DSis when we arrived. They had already debited my credit card for full payment before we arrived.

Next up: Day 10 – Launceston

The post 15 Days Tasmania & Melbourne Self Drive, 2017 : Day 9 (Cradle Mountain- Sheffield – Launceston) appeared first on Mums Travels.