Mole Creek has a way of making us feel like we have stepped back into a time when things moved a little slower, and legends were still very much alive. We spent the day exploring the township, which is famous for its caves, but we found the streets themselves held just as much character.
The town is clearly proud of its connection to the Tasmanian Tiger. We walked past the Mole Creek Hotel, a striking two-story red building that serves as the centrepiece of the main street. It is impossible to miss the life-sized thylacine statue standing prominently on the corrugated iron awning above the entrance. It serves as a permanent reminder of the elusive creature that once roamed these parts, and we enjoyed the way the town keeps that mystery at the forefront of its identity.
Further along, we came across a preserved piece of local history in the form of an original pioneer cottage. We spent a good deal of time reading the information board out front, which detailed the lives of the early settlers who called this valley home. The cottage is a simple, rugged structure built from vertical timber slabs, weathered by decades of Tasmanian winters.
Looking at the side of the hut, we were struck by the ingenuity of the construction. The chimney is a makeshift assembly of corrugated iron sheets and a sturdy brick base, designed to keep the hearth safe while venting smoke from the small living quarters. It is a sobering sight to realise that entire families lived within these few square meters, a far cry from the space we often take for granted today.
Before we finished our walk, we visited the local memorial park. We found the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to be one of the most unique tributes we have seen on our travels. Rather than just a simple stone, it includes a large tree trunk carved with the figures of soldiers in uniform, topped with a model of a Huey helicopter. Standing beside the traditional stone obelisk and a stylised metal palm tree, it provided us with a quiet moment to reflect on the service of those from the area.
It was a quiet afternoon, but one that left us thinking about the different layers of history that exist in a place like this—from the vanished tigers to the pioneers and the veterans.
