Tasmania :: Day 12 Forest Walks Lodge :: Pine Lake Walk

We had breakfast with a fellow traveller, Peter, who worked at Trinity College at Melbourne University. He and Shaun left to walk to Pine Lake Walk.

We walked one of the walks that was near the accommodation. Rosemary lent us a booklet with numbers and explanation that authored by them. It was like a simple orienteering task to find the numbers in the forest. At the rainforest, the saw mill site, and an open waterway. I knew that the waterway was healthy as it was full of dragonflies. We found trigger plants, a gum-leaf skeletoniser caterpillar and a beautiful shimmering blue feather. Part the path was overgrown with plants and we had to carry the children across.

At the lodge, a family of French tourist stayed at the same time. They were slightly jet-lagged. The lady was a singer, Camille Dalmais, who was here for the So French So Chic Festival in Adelaide. 

We had lunch at delicatessen and petrol station at Meander. It was a country style friendly place. It was definitely a place we would like to hang out at. Thomas claimed that he had the best bacon sandwich there.

I wanted to spend more time at Pine Lake Walk again. It was worth the drive. It was slightly overcast and windy. It didn’t matter. It was very beautiful. I tied a tea towel onto Ella Mae’s head so her hat didn’t blow away. The accessible boardwalk snaked through the delicate flowers and ancient pencil pine. It was a privilege to be there. We were there for a long time. I didn’t want to leave. 

On our return trip, a lone young echidna crossed the road. He was nearly squashed by cars!

The children fed the ducks when we arrived back at the lodge. One of the females was blind one side as she was spat on by the drake a little while ago. Rosemary was annoyed about how he harassed the other ducks, that they left him outside the pen overnight. The next morning, he was gone, either taken by a quoll or Tasmanian devil.

Dinner of venison at the lodge was quite average. It was too dry. We ordered red wine and it was good, but expensive for a bottle with no label. 

We chatted as we watched the sunset as the rain pitter-pattered on the roof. Kangaroos and wallabies were jumping from one side of the property to the other to graze and drink from the dam.

The night ended with a twack. An Emperor Gum Moth flew onto my arm. It was a special moment.