Devils and the Unzoo.

Alastair arrives on time!

In sprinkling rain we headed off to explore the area between airport and Port Arthur. Our first stop was Richmond to photograph the old bridge, fall in love with the ducks floating on the river and clamouring for food and have breakfast at the old pub.

Then on to the Tasman Peninsula, incredibly scenic and wildly beautiful but with a dark and desperate history. 

                          Tasman Arch.

The tesselated pavement caused by sea erosion of siltstone pillows on top of mudstone. Eventually they wear away looking like they were carved using tile cutters.

               The dog chain memorial.

Eaglehawk Neck demonstrates some of the dark and desperate convict history. A military guard post was established across this narrow piece of land between stretches of water on both sides. A line of 18 savage dogs was chained across the Neck designed to stop escaped convicts from Port Arthur. The Officer's Houses remains and was privately occupied untll the 1990s. 

            Lath ceiling in the guard room. 

Lunch at the Blowhole - a van selling the best fish, chips and calamari served in cardboard cones.

Our final visit for the day was to the Devil Unzoo: an attempt to get rid of cages and have animals in their natural surroundings where people explore to find them, Tidbinbilla on a much smaller scale. Many animals were rescued or geriatric acquisitions from other wildlife parks. The Devil's are very carefully enclosed and regulated because of the spread of facial cancers. They are the most fascinating creatures and we spent an hour watching them.

An odd mix of philosophies really, because visitors can feed and touch some free ranging animals such as the Forester kangaroos and the Cape Barren geese .

A mutated "Angel wing" Cape Barren goose posing on one leg! Can't fly but is pretty fast on it's feet.

On to our accommodation where our host had set a lovely fire for us which we appreciated- quite chilly now. Packed our backpacks - boy are they heavy! An early night because tomorrow we are off.