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| Last year I decided to spend Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere. I wanted to experience a warm Australian Christmas day on the beach. Then my flatmate, Michelle, brought up the idea of going to Tasmania. Now all I knew about Tasmania I had learned from Bugs Bunny and Taz on Saturday morning cartoons, so naturally I said, "uhh, okay!" Tasmania turned out to be my favorite state yet to visit in Australia. We spent eight days kayaking, camping, hiking, and backpacking through some of the most wild country I have seen. As for the Tasmanian Devil, I saw two - one running across the road, and one that didn't quite make it across the road. |
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| Jutting out from the Eastern Coast is the Freycinet Penninsula. The National Park consists of granite mountians surronded by white sandy beaches then crystal blue water. I've spent alot of time drooling over the ocean since moving to Australia, and for me Freycinet Pennisula showcased the most scenic costal areas I have seen. To the right is Wine Glass Bay. |
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| Michelle and I decided to spend Christmas Eve backing 18 km (~11miles) over the top of Mt Gramam (picture from the summit above) to Cook's Beach. Where we awoke Christmas morning to a picture perfect sunny day on a remote beach. |
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| We left the warm beaches of Freycinet, and drove accross Tasmania to the Tasmania World Heritage Area of Cradle Mountain. On December 26th, my warm Christmas came to an end as a snow storm hit Cradle Mountain. To the right is the "cradle" though the summit is obscured by clouds. After checking weather conditions and trying out our gear on a day hike, Michelle and I decided to hike what we could of the famed Overland Track. |
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| The first day on the trail was what you expect from Tasmania, clouds and rain with short periods of clouds and more rain. This is one of the "clear" shots of the backside of Cradle Mountain. We made great time that day and spent the first night in a hut with twenty or so other hikers. |
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| Day two and three came with beautiful weather, giving us unbelievable vistas on our circumnavigation of the mountain. |
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| Above, our clearest view of the mountain. Near the top of the Cradle Mountain summit. The wilderness stretched as far as you could see in all directions. |
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