Swansea & Bicheno

A fairly quiet day today, and somewhat random.

Bicheno (where we are currently staying) was advertising markets for today, so after a load of washing was pegged out (in the glorious sunshine and slight breeze), we went to find the markets....
Pretty much a waste of time, so we headed out of town to see what Swansea had to offer. and left our info and maps in the cabin!!!!

Swansea used to have a bark mill. the bark was processed for it's tannin for use in the tanning industry. I must confess to never having wondered about the origins of tannin, so I found it quite interesting. Apparently the bark mill kept a lot of people alive during the depression, paying sixpence per bundle in a time when it was difficult to earn a crust anywhere. 
There was a social history museum incorporated into the bark mill museum. I always find these interesting and they generally evoke a memory or two of the things Nanna had, or Nanna used. There was an old fashioned outdoor dunny that was one of the first prefabricated concrete buildings in Australia.
There was also a chook pen with a sign on the gate - "The Girls" - Love it!

Somewhere along the road we crossed the Wye River, which had a second sign under it saying "'cos it's more than just a creek". I love this kind of simple wit - probably because I don't have the talent myself.

At Swansea...

This  bridge  (below) is called Spiky Bridge (Gee - wonder how they came up with that name). It's a convict built bridge. Very well constructed and still in use.

Some of he drive between Bicheno and Swansea is right alongside the coast, very picturesque, but with few places to pull off the road for a proper look.

I took these two photos whilst we were stopped for roadworks.

We went back to our cabin for a rest and some lunch. Ray was feeling a bit off color so I decided to go for a drive and discover just exactly there was to see in Bicheno.
There is a foreshore walk - which I did not do, but I was able to follow some of it by car...

It starts with a blowhole..... the blowhole itself and the spray coming up through is not as spectacular as others ( Kiama?)................

......but I have never seen such huge seaweed. It forms a border all around the edge of the rocks and the strips are easily 8 - 10 inches wide.

 There are also some very interesting rocks formations.....

Further along the path is "The Gulch" This sits between the shore and a rocky island that can be walked to at low tide (and swum to any time you like). It is Govenor Island Marine Reserve. Lots of good snorkeling and birdwatching, so they say. The small island in the far distance is Crocodile Island.

More of Governor Island................

Further north is the start of Waubs Bay.....

There's a small sandy beach further round in Waubs Bay.......

And these taken from further north again...........

Almost back at the cabin.

 The whole area is very beautiful, but I'm not sure I would like to swim here. The shore is very rocky for the most part and then there's that massive seaweed. I'd be just way too paranoid that something was attacking me!!!

We move on from here tomorrow. Not too many days of Tassie left.......