West Coast Wilderness Railway – Tasmania
Once used to take copper ore for the Mt Lyell Mining Company from Queenstown to Strahan in Tasmania, the railway now carries tourists.
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About an hour’s drive from Hobart, Richmond was once a stopover on the way to the penal settlement of Port Arthur. Now you can zip over the causeways through Midway Point, but you can adopt a slower pace in Tasmania and Richmond is certainly worth the detour.
A lot of Richmond was built in the 1820’s, including the old bridge (Australia’s oldest still in use), and you can see Australia’s oldest remaining Catholic church (1836) through the arches of the bridge.
Also built in 1836 was the Anglican church St Lukes. There may be older churches in Tasmania but St Lukes has not changed since the day the first rector cleaned his boots on the marvelous boot scraper at the front door.
The clock in the tower of St Luke’s is a gift from St David’s church in Hobart. There’s a lovely stained-glass window above the alter and the timber roof is convict built. The two storey church rectory is just nearby – it’s now a private residence.
All around the town you’ll find lovely sandstone buildings, some now art galleries or cafes. You can visit Australia’s oldest goal that is still intact, grab a meal at the pituresque old hotel (maybe taste a local wine), or feed the ducks on the Coal River.
The Old Hobart Town Model Village will give you a picture of how Hobart was in the 1820’s.
And if the kids are bored by this time, pay a visit to Zoodoo, a hands-on safari and native animal park about 6kms away – but watch out for the emus!
Once used to take copper ore for the Mt Lyell Mining Company from Queenstown to Strahan in Tasmania, the railway now carries tourists.
Hobart’s renowned open air market was established in 1972 so it’s coming up for its 50th Anniversary.
Down the Western Explorer highway, through Corinna, Zeehan and Strahan for a day on Macquarie Harbour.
As you walk down through the Trocadero Gardens and fountains, the tower gets higher and higher until it soars above.
Bayeux is a picturesque medieval village in Western France, largely unscared by past conflicts, but with a unique connection to the past.
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.