Road Trip Day 6

[den]

April 4

Off to Port Arthur. I've been check up on some dates, and I know I was last in Tasmania before April 1996. The Broad Arrow Cafe was in operation when I was there. Now the ruins are a memorial garden. So, tatterdemalion, it's been more than 10 years. Sorry about that. I promise I won't leave it that lng next time.

First stop, some rocks.

Blowhole and Tasman Arch


Tessellated Pavement




I stopped at Eaglehawk Neck, a narrow isthmus that had a line of vicious dogs across it to stop escaping convicts.

"Those out of the way pretenders to dogship were actually rationed and borne on the government's books, and rejoiced in such soubriquets as Caesar, Pompey, Ajax, Achilles, Ugly Mug, Jowler, Tear'em and Muzzle'em. There were the black, the white, the brindle, the grey and the grisly, the rough and the smooth, the crop-eared and the lop-eared,the gaunt and the grim. Every four-footed, black-fanged individua lamong them would have taken first prize in his own class for ugliness and ferocity at any show." Melville, c. 1840

And now, Convict Ruins.

Port Arthur was built in the 1830s and was where the other penal settlements sent their bad convicts. On the other side of Tasmania is another penal settlement where Port Arthur sent their bad convicts. The site was largely intact until bushfires of 1890s burned most of the buildings. In the mid 1960s conservation work started.

I overheard a ranger telling someone that Port Arthur has applied for World Heritage status. "And then we'd be like the Colosseum, or Pompey!" he finished.

And I thought "...nnnnnno you won't."

Many more photos on my flickr page.









Memorial Avenue planted in 1919 - one tree for every local man lost in World War One.


I spent the entire day there until the site closed. Then it was back to Milan's for a feed of Chevapi and Wedges, and chai latte. This was my last night in Hobart. Tomorrow I head North.

Comments

[atara.livejournal.com]

/geology geek
Oooh, tessellated pavement. Cool! :)

Loving all these pictures, by the way.

[amazingadrian.livejournal.com]

What the heck is tessellated pavement? It looks cool, like sheet glass almost.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

The "glass" is just water reflecting sky. The pans are caused by salt eroding the flat areas between the denser joint intrusions.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Do you have any plans for Ch'Alla in the Outpost thread, or are you just making it up as it goes along. I think John Grey might have to leave for a while; I'm out of ideas.

[amazingadrian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sorry about that. I've just been kind of making it up.

I don't know why, but it seemed like the Outpost thread was easier to get into back in the day. The fact that it's crunch time in school for me right now doesn't help.

Hmm, what would you like to do with John? I could try bringing in another character or something...

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

My original plan was to get into the Outpost, introduce John Grey, RP a bit then get him away for a while so he can pursue outside activities while I read through the forum and get used to the RPs going on. John doesn't have any sort of stat sheet beyond his rather vague profile entry. (just FYI I have never done any sort of table-top RPG because I've never had anyone local to do it with, and only recently have I had a reliable internet connection. Plus, my timezone is against me for online campaigns in IRC)

Right now John is feeling like he should leave to finish his task, but he doesn't know his truck has been towed to the Outpost motorpool.

[amazingadrian.livejournal.com]

Ah cool. Well, if you have any questions about how things work in Gaming Guardians, don't hesitate to ask! I've enjoyed a good three or so years there now. :)

Yeah, I'll see what I can do to get things moving again. sorry.

[tatterdemalion.livejournal.com]

yes, far too long... 8-)