In and around Swansea

Swansea on the east coast of Tasmania has a few lovely beaches.  The first photo is the one behind the caravan park.  There is a bit of sand there but it can't be seen. 

The view is of what is called The Hazards in the distance at Freycinet National Park.

The bay is called Great Oyster Bay.

Jo-Anne has written a little about Tasmania [ here ], you might find it interesting.

A graveyard that look out to the sea. Below is a guest house or was.

The Blowhole, Eaglehawk Neck

Down at Eaglehawk Neck is a blowhole, it's spectacular to see when in full swing, I've seen it many years ago and of cause I did get drenched back then.  This time we visited the sea was calm.

A short walk up a little hill takes you to the lookout below is the view.

Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry

Odd things happen on Blogger.  Each day I look in my Spam and not many comments are put in there thankfully.  A couple of days ago I went to Spam as usual and found 698 comments in it even my own comments!  So I went on the hunt and posted them all deleting the odd real spam.  Seems strange because nearly all the comments were already published.  Another glitch!

Down near Port Arthur we visited the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry for a 'treat' and a look. They make their own chocolate of course and selling many things such as Soy Candles which have a chocolate smell, I bought one and it was excellent.  The foundry shop site is [ here ] where by you can see the items that they sell.

The first photo is of a butter churning machine of old.  I recall my grandmother having one of these plus my late mother in law.  I used to make our own butter once but with a wooden spoon after beating with the electric mixer just to see what it tasted like.  We spent 8 years living on my husband parent's farm before we moved to the city.

Chocolates for sale and other items laced with chocolate.

The aprons were very nice with Australina/Tasmanian creature on them.

Below and excerpt from the book. If you wish to view just click on the image and it will enlarge.

The chocolate was very tasty, peppermint being one of my favourite, the peppermint was all the way through the solid chocolate.

I purchased this book on the Tasmanian Tiger as I find the distinct tiger intriguing.

Port Arthur repost

Port Arthur, Tasmania. Australia.

This post is a repost of Port Arthur.  A few of my blogger friends may have seen it back in 2015.

The biggest tragedy happened at Port Arthur on April 28, 1996 when Martin Bryant killed 35 people and wounded twenty five more before being captured.  He is now imprisoned and is serving thirty five life sentences plus 1,035 years without parole in the psychiatric wing of Risdon Prison in Hobart. Tasmania.
This shooting spree banned all guns in Australia, except on farms/pistol, guns clubs etc and of course a license is required.

Lots of history, comings and goings at Port Arthur down the southern part of the State of Tasmania.
Once we could go there and have a picnic on the lawns for free.  Many a person brought a trailer and collected the fallen bricks, until one day it was decided to make the site into a tourist venture.

Port Arthur is a small town and former convict settlement from 1833 to 1853, and is on the Tasman Peninsular, in Tasmania, Australia.  Port Arthur is one of Australia’s most significant heritage areas and an open-air museum. Port Arthur was much more than a prison,  It was a complete community – home to military personnel and free settlers.  The convicts worked at farming and industries, producing a large range of resources and materials. The Port Arthur Historic Site contains more than 30 historic buildings, extensive ruins and beautiful grounds and gardens.

The Penitentiary two lower floors contained 136 cells for 'prisoners of bad character'.  The top floor provided space for 480 better behaved convicts to sleep in bunks.

Guard Tower

Well worn steps that lead to Solitary Confinement room.  No window, no light, nothing.

Smith O'Brien's Cottage

This cottage housed one of Port Arthur's most famous political prisoners - Irish Protestant Parliamentarian,  William Smith O'Brien. Transported for life, he was sent to Port Arthur after an attempted escape from *Maria Island.  (*A mountainous island off the east coast of Tasmania and is about 20kms in size ) 

The Chapel.in the Separate Prison.  Each cubicle was separate with a locked door.

Part of the Separate Prison.

The Church represents the important role of religion in convict reform at Port Arthur.  Up to 1100 people attended compulsory services here each Sunday.  Much of the decorative stonework and joinery in the church was crafted by boys from the Point Puer Boys' Prison.

Once the Highway went around the Church.  I remember it well.

The Isle of the Dead on the left, and Point Puer on the right.

Between 1834 and 1849, 3000 boys were sentenced to go to the boys’ prison at Point Puer.  The youngest had just turned 9 years old.
To get there required a short journey on the boat, the Prison was on an island, next to the Isle of the Dead!
Point Puer was the first separate boys' prison in the British Empire.  It was renowned for it's regime of stern discipline and harsh punishment.  However, the boys received an education while some were give the opportunity of trade training.

Isle of the Dead.

Between 1833 and 1877 around 1100 people were buried at the settlement's cemetery.  The Isle of the Dead is the final resting place for military and civil officers, their wives and children, and convicts.  The most common causes of death among convicts were industrial accidents, and respiratory disease.

Some gravestone from the ferry.

Shipwright's House, and Clerk of Works' House from the ferry.

Tasmans Arch

Whilst down in the Port Arthur area we visited Tasmans Arch.

Tasmans Arch as it is known is a tall natural bridge in the sea cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula, that has also been carved out by the Tasman Sea.

The roof of the massive sea cave, or tunnel, produced by wave action over thousands of years is what remains of Tasmans Arch.  The cliff's vertical cracks (joints) were acted on by the pressure of water and compressed air, sand, and stones, dislodging slabs and boulders.

Erosion has deepened or lengthened the tunnel over thousands of years.  The tunnel eventually came to a break that runs parallel to the coast.  At sea level, this fracture is connected to the Devil's Kitchen.  At this point, the roof collapsed, leaving a pit behind an arch.

Tasmans Arch was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who played a key role in colonising Tasmania in the early 1800's.

There is a link  [ here ] where I got this information from.

Some native bush in bloom near by.

Tessellated pavement, Eaglehawk Neck.

The Tessellated pavement near Eaglehawk neck is approximately 300 million years old. The pavement is where a rock surface has been divided by fractures, producing a set of rectangular blocks.  

We went the Tessellated pavement when the tide was out, if you don't, the pavement isn't as visible.

Many people go down the stairs to walk on the pavement.

I've taken photos of the way in and then the pavement below. 

The last time we visited was in 2015 and you can find the photos [ here ] plus more is written regarding the pavement.