We finally made it through those hundred winding curves on the road from Queenstown, and honestly, our stomachs were quite glad to see the flat ground of Strahan. We’ve officially arrived on the West Coast, or as we’ve started calling it, the "Wet Coast." It certainly lives up to the name with a persistent misty drizzle, but it gives the whole place a moody, beautiful feel that we just don't get back home in WA.
We didn't have to travel far to find ourselves deep in the green. Just a kilometre or so from the centre of town, we found the track to Hogarth Falls. It’s an easy stroll, but the scenery makes us feel like we’ve stepped back in time. Steve was in his element with the camera, as the path is framed by these magnificent, towering tree ferns that create a thick, emerald canopy over our heads.
While Lisa was busy looking up at the ferns, Steve was busy looking down at the details along the trunks. We found a little hollow in a moss-covered tree that was home to a whole family of fungi. These delicate little things were tucked away in the damp bark, looking exactly like a tiny village for forest creatures.
The walk ended at the falls themselves. They aren't the highest we've ever seen, but they have such a lovely character, with the water splitting into two distinct veils as it tumbles over the rocks into the dark pool below. The kids would have loved scrambling around the edges here, though we were happy enough to just take in the cool, damp air and the sound of the rushing water.
Later in the day, we took a drive out to Ocean Beach to see the "Big Water." It was a bit of a shock to the system compared to our bright blue northern beaches! The sand was quite dark and messy, and the waves coming in were heavily stained with that deep, rusty brown tea colour that comes from the button grass tannins in the soil. It’s a wild, rugged stretch of coastline that doesn't care much for being "pretty" in the traditional sense. Back towards the calmer waters of Macquarie Bay, the scene was much more serene. We watched a pair of black swans drifting along the shoreline, looking perfectly at home in the tannin-stained shallows.
Before heading back to settle in for the night, we called into Morrisons Huon Pine Sawmill right on the waterfront. You can smell the place before you even see it—that distinct, sweet, spicy scent of Huon pine is just intoxicating. We spent a good while poking through the crates of offcuts. There were plenty of interesting shapes, but nothing quite "spoke" to us today. Lisa decided we should hold off on any big souvenir decisions until after we’ve done our river cruise in a couple of days.
It’s a quiet little town, and the damp weather just encourages us to slow down, put the kettle on, and enjoy the peace. We're looking forward to seeing what else this misty corner of the world has tucked away.
