Having explored both north and south of Launceston, we decided to have a good look around the town itself. Free parking was on offer at the river cruise terminal on the western edge of the CBD. We agreed to go our separate ways and meet up later.

I headed off along the bike path that runs along the north Esk river, down past the old industrial area, and across the bridge to the museum. Set in the old rail yards, with tracks everywhere and former workshops among the newer landscaping and sculptures, it would make a good sprint map. I decided not to go inside, but headed back towards the shopping area, following the historic walking trail marked on my tourist map.

First main stop was City Park, a beautiful oasis of traditional English garden beds, large leafy trees, fountains and pergolas, and a wonderful Conservatory. I had a lovely time taking floral photos and particularly liked the colourful dahlias.

Time for lunch so I wandered further along the trail into town. I bumped into Peter and Simon, also meandering.. I checked out some of the notable historic buildings such as Albert Hall, the old Commonwealth Bank, and the ornate Post Office with its red tower.

I had plenty of time at my disposal so I decided to take a short river cruise, which meant heading back to the terminal at Seaport. A 45 minute trip took us upriver as far as Kings Wharf, which is as far as the larger vessels come these days. I learned that the Tamar is Australia’s longest navigable river (71 km) but the large ships only come as far as Bell Bay these days, and Launceston is no longer really a port. I saw the dry dock, and the shells of dredgers, barges, and car ferries from days gone by. The car ferry was brought to Hobart from Hong Kong when the Tasman Bridge was hit by an ore carrier and destroyed back in the mid 70s. Sixty thousand workers were stranded on the wrong side of Hobart, and they had to rely on ferries to get to work for the next three years.

Our little boat turned around and headed into the first part of Cataract Gorge, a little way under the two bridges – there are too many rocks and not enough water to go any further. We saw a fat brown furry seal sunbaking on a slab of granite, quite oblivious to the audience on the boat and on the walking track above. We had a great view of the sheer cliffs either side of the gorge. It was a very pleasant diversion in the middle of the day.

Ian met the boat and we retrieved the car. We drove to the eastern suburbs, where we found a lookout in a tiny park. From the top of the short spiral stairs, we could see Mt Barrow, Ben Lomond, and most of Launceston. We were also on eye level with a kookaburra perched on a light pole!

Our final stop was the power station at Duck Reach, further up the Gorge. A short but steep descent brought us to a suspension bridge, and into the disused building where only one small piece of machinery remains. The old pipes are still in place, and you can see the remains of the aerial tramway which was used to get equipment across the river.

So ended our week in Launceston, with plenty to see and do at a relaxed pace. On to part 2 of the trip – the east coast.