More from National Geographic - Strahan

The drive from Cradle Mountain down to Strahan again had a lot of diversity. We start out from top of mountain where it is somewhat open, travel through thick foliage on narrow windy roads (main highways - no shoulders!) I started out driving - Jean isn't used to curvy roads - but I got a little freaked because they aren't as wide as our roadways! Near Strahan we were driving through rainforest type of terrain with lots of ferns and tree ferns.

Strahan is a beautiful seaside village which offers quite a bit for the discerning traveller. On our first night we did a tour out to Bonnet Island and watched the Fairy Penguins returning from the sea under the cover of darkness. Headlamps were donned and our guides had special infra red torches, so as not to blind the little fellas. They make heaps of noise as they come in and return to their burrows where some of them had baby chicks waiting to be fed. We had clear night skies, so I was able to see the Southern Cross and other constellations; also saw a comet - we think, and part of the Milky Way and a couple of galaxies off in the distance.

Today, we just came back from a 7 hour cruise down the Gordon River, visiting Sarah Island, once a penal colony set up to harvest the Huon Pine. Grows in abundance here - a very hardy pine that contains an oil that preserves it from rotting for decades! The river contains a huge fish farm where they harvest Atlantic Salmon and Rainbow Trout. The weather was awesome today again; clear skies.

Tomorrow off to Hobart for 3 nights, so more from there!