Launceston and the Cataract Gorge May 2012

My mum came to visit us a few weeks back. We showed her the best cafe’s, the wonderful surroundings, and every kind of weather Tassie can produce. Now all I have to do is arrange a fishing trip for some of Richard’s mates, get John over here next Summer for a tour of the wineries, get Rebecca over here for a walk with a bear, get everyone else over for the Taste Festival next Summer……

Greatest O Week Gig Ever! - Thanks to the MS Society!

Roots Manuva, Bomb the Bass, UNKLE - remember the 90’s?!

Fortescue Bay to Bivouac Bay - one of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks.

The Tasman Peninsula is one of my favourite parts of Tassie. There are so many beautiful spots. The tesselated pavement, Eaglehawk Neck, White Beach, Port Arthur, Stewart’s Bay, to name a few. Fortescue Bay has to be right up there though.

A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to attend the open day of Government House in Hobart. Apparently it happens once a year, or hardly ever, depending on who you ask, so we felt it was of great importance that we didn’t miss the occasion.

On arrival I was handed a lovely invitation printed on costly paper with gold embellishments. The Queen had personally invited me to her open day, which I thought was rather lovely.

Walking through the gardens is like being inside a Famous Five novel, mixed with a tropical getaway and a bodice-ripper BBC drama. There are secret hideaways and creeks to row your boat to safety in, servants quarters with those old fashioned pulley thingees that were used back in the day to lift heavy things up to the second floor and a wealth of ferns and palms, goodness knows how they grow in this climate….

At one stage an elderly man charged past us and muttered “I used to be the head gardener, bloody nightmare it was.”

I thought that was a tad negative, but I could see his point.

My favourite part was the vegetable garden. It puts all self-sufficient, living off the land, modern-day hippie wannabes to shame! There are espalier apples lining the walls (an absolute marvel - I want them in my garden!) fruit trees of every variety, vegetables for Africa, and cool little weathered wooden barns built some time circa 1890.

The Governor can also indulge in a spot of tennis, grass or clay, whichever takes his fancy and I imagine the orchestra playing on the lawn is there all day, every day, should he feel the need for a bit of classical music whilst taking a stroll amongst the roses.

All in all, not an invitation to turn down next time the Queen calls!

A Hobart Summer…

We’ve had such a brilliant couple of weeks here in Hobart, I really can’t stress enough - you must plan to come over next January.  It’s hot, jaw-droppingly beautiful and there is so much to see and do. Most of it is organised by MONA, but hey, they do it well so who’s complaining.

MOMA, is the new Saturday market, for people who prefer not to get up at the crack of dawn to rifle through tourist nasties and who enjoy a spot of music and beer of a Saturday arvo.

The Harvest stall is a stand out - it’s jam packed with delights. We bought two days worth of vegies for $4.50. The other stalls are brilliant too. I tried the plum icecream from one, and Richard tried one of Jucy Lucy’s detox juices. Both met with approval. I bought a lovely bunch of flowers from a flower stall run by the lovely lady from Peppermint Farm, which is on the way to Cygnet - wouldn’t mind dropping in there for a Spring visit!

Next time we go, we’ll gather together a bunch of friends, have a champagne on the ferry, try some Belgian beers in the bar and sit on the grass eating extra long Argentinian kebab thingees and lusting after the beautiful blue water that surrounds us.

My greatest highlight of this years Mona Foma music festival - The MOFO Supergroup performing the entire first Violent Femmes album, from start to finish, with no stopping for breath. I’m afraid there isn’t enough expletives to adequately describe just how amazing this gig was.

Brian Ritchie, the Violent Femmes bassist and the best thing to happen to Tassie since cheese and oysters, was kind enough to organise a couple of mates to gather together down by the water, just for every Hobartian in their 30’s aural pleasure.  They were - Mick Harvey and John Parish from PJ Harvey’s band, and Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione of the Dresden Dolls.

I can confirm, Amanda Palmer can sing like a mother-f*cking riot! But the best thing about this gig, and every other decent gig you’ve ever been to, is that the calibre of musicians was just superb.  So talented, professional, seamless - perfection. I danced like a maniac, screamed until the woman standing next to me put her hand over her ears and then I danced and screamed some more.

Blister in the Sun - live and loud twice in one night.  I didn’t realise how wonderful that could be.  

What a way to start a festival! Have a free concert, in a car park, right in the centre of Hobart.  Good thinking MONA FOMA!!

Last night we went to the opening night of MONA FOMA.  It’s a week long music and arts festival officially run by MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart’s world renowned art museum, but largely organised by Brian Ritchie, Hobart’s most well-known emigrant. Heaps of events are free, and most are cheap.  We’ll be seeing the Dresden Dolls next week, for only $25.00. Then we’ll investigate Tune Yards playing inside a gorgeous old theatre, for free. It was great to head down the street last night and see a crowd of 7000 old and new Tasmanians embracing what was on offer.  Most were dressed for a visit to Antarctica which I thought was a bit extreme, it doesn’t get too cold here at night (in summer)! But it was great to see everyone enjoying the Mongolian covers band, the guy who can play four digeridoos at once and all the 60 year olds trying to jump the back wall and immediately getting hauled off by security.  They breed them agile round here! Hobart has a great community spirit and this was a brilliant example of it. Now bring on the music!!

Ever read any Heidi or Anne of Green Gables books? That’s what picking strawberries at the Sorell Fruit Farm reminded me of.  Good, clean, fun. 19th Century style.  It’s safe to say Richard found me skipping through the fields a bit odd but hey, he was too busy stuffing berries down his gob he didn’t care!

Sorell Fruit Farm is a simple premise, and it’s delightful that they’ve kept it that way.  There isn’t any room for bubble-wrapped kids or OSH inspectors here. All you do is pay for a punnet, and then fill it up. What more do you need?

My favourite were the rows and rows of trees laden with black cherries.  Picked straight from the tree these are absolutely scrumptious.  There are also exotic berries that are definitely worth a try, Tayberries, Jostaberries, and one that would be great in a cake, or as a jus, Loganberries.  (The black raspberry type ones in the picture.)

There is fruit to be picked at this farm all year round, I’ll be back when nectarines are ripe in a few months. 

The Sorell Fruit Farm is on the road to Port Arthur, so we’ll stop and fill up a punnet on our way along the South-East Coast when Mum and Viv come to visit later in the year.  And we can go there with anyone else too……