Launceston, Tasmania

May 7
On Monday , we left Sydney, the big city. We took the subway out to the airport and boarded a small plane for Launceston, Tasmania. Launceston is the second largest city  with about 100,000 people, located on the northern side of  the island. The airport was small and easy to negotiate, we got our luggage and rented a tiny black car. Due to the weather forecast of rain showers most of the week, we decided to tour the north part of the island by car, staying in hotels instead of our original plan to camp. Next week looks drier and we hope to give it a go then.
Bob was very brave to start our driving on "the wrong side", we both would chant "white line to the right"  to keep him on the correct side of the road. The turn signal is also on the right side of the steering wheel and the wipers on the left. Bob was constantly signaling to turn with his wipers.
Our first stop in Launceston was the information center where we were guided to the Auldington Hotel on a slight rise above the city. We looked at several rooms, the one on the third floor with huge windows, balcony and views of the city won immediately.

While I rested, Bob went out exploring. His mission was to find some sort of takeway food for a picnic supper in our room. Bob quizzed the hotel staff about the best place to find local cheeses and wines, they were very pleased by his request and sent him to Davies, a gas station/ deli. It was set up like a convenience store yet it held an amazing selection of locally made cheeses, fresh bread,deli items and local wines. They even gave him a wine tasting to help him make a decision, the cheapest bottle of wine was $23. AUD. He came back with a soft goat cheese, a  water buffalo feta and a camembert, a loaf of crusty bread and a spinach salad with roasted pumpkin and sundried tomatoes...so gourmet, what a feast !!

May 8
Our hotel did not offer a free continental breakfast, so we walked a block down the hill to Cuccina Cafe where we both enjoyed a hot breakfast. Both our selections offered " Cuccina relish on the side", it turned out to be a homemade catsup with chunks of onions, very tasty.

Bob's breakfast wrap with homemade relish.

On our stroll back we indulged in a little urban foraging, there was a Granny Smith apple tree behind our hotel and a lemon tree in front.
Our plan for the day was to drive north along the Tamar River toward the ocean, stopping wherever we liked. We only made it 11 kilometers out of town before we discovered the Tamar Island Wetlands. What a great place for bird watching, we added numerous new birds to our list and spent a relaxed couple of hours strolling along the walkways to and from Tamar Island.

We saw huge flocks of native black swans, purple swamphens, chestnut teals (ducks), lapwings, superb blue fairy wrens ( I kid you not, that is what they are called) and grey fantails. It was a birder's paradise !!
We eventually made it to Beaconsfield, a very cute little mining town, for tea, coffee and pastries.

Across the river at Batman's Bridge ( cricket not comic) and back down the other side of the Tamar River to Launceston. Another picnic for dinner. Tomorrow we plan to leave this charming town for.... stay tuned to find out.

Bird list for the day:
Little Black Cormorant
Great Egret
White Faced Heron
Black Swan
Chestnut Teal
Pacific Gull
Purple Swamphen
Green Rosella
Welcome Swallow
Grey Fantail
Superb Blue Fairy Wren
New Holland Honeyeater
European Goldfinch
Forest Ravens
Common Blackbird