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Just an hour drive from Hobart, and a little more from Launceston, the little town of Oatlands, Tasmania now bypassed by the Midland Highway, is a step back in time.
Once upon a time when you drove the Midland Highway, there were some great examples of topiary beside the road that were produced by one of the road workers (the late Jack Cashion). There were all sorts of shapes, from memory most were animals, and they provided a nice distraction as you drove along.
On my last visit to Oatlands, I spotted a few more examples of this interesting art form right in the town. But you don’t need distractions here – there is plenty to keep your interest. Not the least of which is the restored Callington Mill.
This magnificent structure, fully restored and operating, is now producing quality flours as the winds of the Midlands drive its sails.
Nearby is a blacksmith. And throughout the town are outstanding examples of Georgian buildings dating from the early 1800’s.
On a sunny day, you could buy a nice pie and find a picnic spot on the shores of Lake Dulverton.
UPDATE July, 2022: A recent addition to the Callington mill surrounds is a modern whiskey distillery. You can take a self-guided tour, have a taste, or even mix your own. All the more reason to stop and enjoy the hospitality of Oatlands.
An easy 24 km drive from Hobart, Richmond is a town that is rich in history. Boasting Australia’s oldest remaining Catholic church, St. John’s, built in 1836, the oldest goal that’s still intact, and the oldest bridge that’s still in use.
Whalers Way on Eyre Peninsula The very tip of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia reveals magnificent coastal scenery in a drive along Whalers Way.
You can see Australian native animals at The Healesville Animal Sanctuary – an amazing place a couple of hours drive from Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Here you will experience up-close encounters with a range of Australian wildlife, including kangaroos, dingoes, koalas, birds, snakes, and the strange platypus.
In Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia, Barcelona there’s a clock tower. And occassionally other towers spring up in the square – but these are people towers.
As you walk down through the Trocadero Gardens and fountains, the tower gets higher and higher until it soars above.
A wonderful old train journey through spectacular gorges and desert scenery in the luxury of a train that once belonged to the Bey of Tunis.