Wednesday 2 January 2008

Trips around Tassie

This is our mode of transport - the 'Ute' (short for utility vehicle). There isn't a clear view from this picture - but if you could see the left rear mud guard, you'd see some quality workmanship from yours truly! So off we toddled in the Ute to Port Arthur.





On the way there we checked out some of the incredible coastal formations at Eaglehawk Neck.

Take these for example - you're wondering why have they put a picture of a pavement on the blog - well... this is a very rare phenomenon, this is called the Tessellated Pavement, which is a natural occurrence on the coast line.



Further along the coast is Tasman Arch and a little further the 'Blow Hole' - but it wasn't blowing at the time so there's no picture!








This is the rugged coastline leading into 'Devils Kitchen'












This is one of the cells in 'the separate prison' at the historic site of Port Arthur. It was used from 1830 up until 1877 as a prison for 'repeat offenders' i.e. you only came here if you had been to one of the others first. It was the first prison to attempt to rehabilitate the offenders by teaching them trades etc - but if that didn't work then they just lashed them with a whip or put them in solitary confinement. The person in this picture is in solitary for setting fire to his sister's friend's fence at the tender age of eleven!!



This is a special church for those in solitary - note how there's separating boards so no prisoner could see another one, but could only see the priest. Also the wearing of big blue hats was banned!












This is the main penitentiary - a lot of the area was damaged by fires - hence that 'burnt out' look.





This is the port looking back from the 'Island of the Dead' (a small island where the prisoners and staff where buried - the prisoners in unmarked graves of course!).













A Pied Oyster Catcher!








3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eh! I'm first to put a comment on this blog? I beat my hubby and sissy j?! Do I win a cup of tea?
Question for the Billie's;
Do Tasmanian Devils really exist? and if so, is there any chance that you might see one while you are there?

Love Shirley x

Anonymous said...

Y'see Paul, if Shirley is talking about beating you, then this business of you and her being a team doesn't apply now does it? So all these times that you said you scored a point because Shirley beat me, in hereby null and void.
Shirley pet, dinnit fall for the cuppa tea bit!

Bro, had a good laugh at you in the pen for setting fire to fences. And if that place is for repeat offenders, then you and our Ron would have had your names done in bronze plates!!

Shirley, if there really are Tasmanian Devils and he doesn't see them, Photoshop will be hastily employed!!

Anonymous said...

Didge, will you please tell me why Sunderland people are called Mackems? Grew up there and was never called that ever!