5 - 11 March 2018
Tasmanian Motorcycle Tour
Devonport - Hobart
Tuesday March 6
Port Arthur
Wednesday March 7
Hobart - Queenstown
Thursday March 8
Queenstown - Stanley
Friday March 9
Stanley - Devonport
Saturday March 10
TASMANIA
A bit about Tasmania
The first European to spy Tasmania was Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who bumped into it in 1642. He named this new place Van Diemen’s Land after the Dutch East Indies’ governor. European contact with Tasmania increased after the British arrived at Sydney Cove in 1788 – Van Diemen’s Land was a convenient pit-stop en route to New South Wales. In 1798 Matthew Flinders circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land, proving it was an island.
The first European to spy Tasmania was Dutch navigator Abel Tasman, who bumped into it in 1642. He named this new place Van Diemen’s Land after the Dutch East Indies’ governor. European contact with Tasmania increased after the British arrived at Sydney Cove in 1788 – Van Diemen’s Land was a convenient pit-stop en route to New South Wales. In 1798 Matthew Flinders circumnavigated Van Diemen’s Land, proving it was an island.
Convicts accompanied the first settlers as labourers, but penal settlements weren’t built until later: on Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbour in 1822, on Maria Island in 1825 and at Port Arthur in 1830. In subsequent decades, Van Diemen’s Land loomed apocalyptically in British convicts’ minds – the most fearsome, terrible of destinations. By the 1850s, every second islander was a convict, and Hobart Town and Launceston festered with disease, prostitution and drunken lawlessness.
In 1856 convict transportation to Van Diemen’s Land was abolished. In an effort to escape the stigma of its horrendous penal reputation, Van Diemen’s Land renamed itself Tasmania, after the Dutchman.
In 1856 convict transportation to Van Diemen’s Land was abolished. In an effort to escape the stigma of its horrendous penal reputation, Van Diemen’s Land renamed itself Tasmania, after the Dutchman.
Travelling in Australia - it is all relative!
Australians tend to talk about travel in time rather than distance:– the main reason is just the sheer distances involved when travelling in Australia. Below is a map of Australia with Europe superimposed - you can see the ‘relativity’.
Australians tend to talk about travel in time rather than distance:– the main reason is just the sheer distances involved when travelling in Australia. Below is a map of Australia with Europe superimposed - you can see the ‘relativity’.
Day 1 ~ Monday - March 5
Wagga - Port Melbourne ~ Cliff & Ken (motorbikes) - Geoff & Beck (hire car) ~ 456kms
Wagga - Port Melbourne ~ Cliff & Ken (motorbikes) - Geoff & Beck (hire car) ~ 456kms
We began our Tasmanian Motorbike Tour as three disparate groups, Kim & Guy flying to Port Melbourne from Sydney, Geoff & Beck driving a hire car from Sydney to Port Melbourne via Wagga then meeting up and travelling with Cliff & Ken (both on Yamaha FJR1300s) to catch the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. The trip for all three groups was uneventful except for Ken missing a roundabout in Albury - he was happy in the end that it was one of only three navigational mistakes he made for the six days (none in Tasmania even though guiding 4 bikes through some very busy peak hour traffic in Hobart was fun!) It must also be mentioned that the other missed corner did involve a bit of ‘bush bashing’ for him and Cliff, his excuse was that it was the last leg of the entire trip and he wanted to give Cliff a bit of excitement to finish the trip!
Once in Port Melbourne Guy & Kim found the others, gear was unloaded and the hire car returned, with Geoff getting a ‘dink’ on Cliff’s bike to return to Station Pier. This is the location for boarding the Spirit of Tasmania to Devonport in Tasmania and for cruise ships leaving Melbourne. It was by coincidence that we were to meet the cruise ship leaving Melbourne at this particular stage again in Port Arthur.
Guy, Kim, Geoff & Beck made their way onto the ferry as pedestrian traffic whilst Cliff & Ken took more than an extra hour to load the bikes onto the ferry. Thankfully when found the other four were well relaxed, settled in and more importantly had refreshments organised. The Spirit of Tasmania is a big ferry with the first five levels for trucks, freight containers, SUVs with caravans, cars of all shapes and sizes and motorbikes. Levels 7 & 8 are cabin, recliner space and areas for people to eat, relax, read, watch TV, organise other excursions while in Tasmania, play poker machines or take in a movie.
Once in Port Melbourne Guy & Kim found the others, gear was unloaded and the hire car returned, with Geoff getting a ‘dink’ on Cliff’s bike to return to Station Pier. This is the location for boarding the Spirit of Tasmania to Devonport in Tasmania and for cruise ships leaving Melbourne. It was by coincidence that we were to meet the cruise ship leaving Melbourne at this particular stage again in Port Arthur.
Guy, Kim, Geoff & Beck made their way onto the ferry as pedestrian traffic whilst Cliff & Ken took more than an extra hour to load the bikes onto the ferry. Thankfully when found the other four were well relaxed, settled in and more importantly had refreshments organised. The Spirit of Tasmania is a big ferry with the first five levels for trucks, freight containers, SUVs with caravans, cars of all shapes and sizes and motorbikes. Levels 7 & 8 are cabin, recliner space and areas for people to eat, relax, read, watch TV, organise other excursions while in Tasmania, play poker machines or take in a movie.
The four ‘boys’ found a lovely advantage point in the afternoon sun on the deck, chatting and watching the ferry leave the port. Kim & Beck had found the recliners and where trying to work out how we could possibly get any sleep on them! When talking about the recliners an old saying comes to mind - ‘if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing’. The over-welling advice from everyone on this tour is that if you travel to Tasmania on the Spirit of Tasmania BOOK A CABIN!!
All being said the trip over wasn’t too bad, the journey through the heads could be felt but the crossing of Bass Strait was relatively calm, not always guaranteed when the ‘roaring forties’ are in action. Even with the stabilises working a rough trip will have the well placed sick bags being frequently used.
All being said the trip over wasn’t too bad, the journey through the heads could be felt but the crossing of Bass Strait was relatively calm, not always guaranteed when the ‘roaring forties’ are in action. Even with the stabilises working a rough trip will have the well placed sick bags being frequently used.