Thursday,21st September,2006

I have been running down the wharf, past where the Spirit of Tasmania is docked.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/spirit.jpg

The view on the loop home is of the passage she makes out to sea.
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/spiritout.jpg

Today we started out headed for Launceston, but got sidetracked, firstly by driving towards Narawntapu National Park.
The road was lined with a layer of natural foliage and bush, but then between the gaps it was as though a dirty secret was being hidden.

Deforestation.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/logged.jpg

As with most areas which have some economic reliance on the timber industry,logging has been a contentious issue in Tasmania with the usual arguments regarding demand for timber products and job protection being run.
But seeing this genuinely made me feel a little sad.

Just across the road, the scenery of what this whole area would have once looked like.


http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/wilderness.jpg

We were then sidetracked by the town of Beaconsfield. Town site of the mine where the world’s deepest mining rescue occurred and 2 sturdy miners fuelled on egg sandwiches and the foo fighters eventually made it out alive.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/mine1.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/mine2.jpg

The mine is attached to a museum which has preserved the ruined remains of the original mine which also collapsed.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/sylvie_011/oldmine.jpg

2 examples of what we take from the earth in one day.

I need to find some hippies and balance out my chakras.

Tassie is great,but,I'm missing the heat!
We are planning to leave by Monday or Tues and head for NSW.
CANNOT WAIT to run across the harbour bridge.

oh and,GO DOCKERS!:)