Boxing Day meant everything was up and running again in Hobart and it was time for Dara and I to start our adventure activities.
We began by exploring the mountain that overlooks Hobart on the Mt. Wellington Descent. The bike tour started at the top of Mt. Wellington where we saw all of Hobart and the surrounding areas. After a few pictures and gearing up with helmets, gloves and wind-jackets we mounted our bikes and were on our way. It was a beautiful, winding, steep, and sometimes scary ride down, but our guide Andy talked us through the whole way, stopping to explain strategy before the tough parts. Near the bottom of the mountain we stopped in the gardens of the Cascade Brewery for juice and biscuits. We had a quick, easy ride through the city and ended by the Elizabeth Pier.
After conquering the land above Hobart it was time to explore the sea below on The Hobart Paddle by Freycinet Adventures. We met our guide Adam in Sandy Bay where he set us up with the latest in Kayaking fashion gear and slid Dara and I in our double kayak in to The Derwent Estuary. We paddled along the shoreline with the group and even passed through the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Finish Line. Adam got us some fresh fish and chips that we ate from our kayaks parked in the Victoria dock at the city's waterfront and then we paddled home towards the beautiful sunset.
The next day we joined Par Avion for a wilderness tour of the southwest coast. Our guide Anna flew us in a tiny plane over Hobart, Tasman, Bruny and other surrounding Islands and in to The South West Tasmania World Heritage National Park. We landed at the small Melaleuca Inlet landing pad in an area that you can only get to by a small chartered plane or a 10-12 day hike. It was unreal to be so far away from civilization, there was not a sole around as we explored the area that Dara noticed resembled Jurassic Park. We walked up to a river with a boat waiting that Anna would take us around in for the day still in disbelief that the scenery around us was real and untouched. Dara agreed with me that it felt just like getting on a Disney ride, only this was real! We spent the day cruising around and stopping off for a few hikes, snacks and lunch while Anna gave us the history of the area and the only family to ever inhabit it and pointed out the rare trees, birds, and even some bugs.
Early the next morning Dara and I were a little delirious from exhaustion and full of laughs on ABC Hobart Radio with Andy Murhead. This was our second time on the show and we invited all the residents of Hobart to knock on our door if they saw Geoff around town and a few have come by since.
After a hearty breakfast we set out to hike above the trees at the Tahune Airwalk. Next door we stopped by the Eagle Hang Glide where we got some great pictures as we zoomed over the Huon River hundreds of feet in the air.
It's been non-stop fun and adventure, but the people of Tassie continue to stand out as the highlight of our trip.
Watch the video of our adventures on land, sea and sky!
