A few days in Devonport – Day 1

3rd April 2022 – Getting there

Most packing had been completed before today. The trailer was pretty full and the last items were carried out and placed in the car – just before the rain came. A day of wind and rain – an omen for the trip?  The weather radar says it will clear up. The forecast for Devonport is not too bad for the next 3 days. It WILL be OK!! (won’t it?)

Sue and I drove to Devonport arriving about 1.30pm after a quiet trip. The Bass Highway wasn’t too bad for once with most drivers happy to stick at the speed limit.

I had plenty of time to set up before dark. We changed the clocks from Summer Time yesterday, turning time back so our internal clocks now have to get used to the changed daily schedule. 

First we got the tent up then unloaded the contents of the car into the tent so Sue could head off home. 

After she left I continued the set up. I only brought along the tent plus fly sheet this time, leaving at home the sides and front. Thank goodness – that meant there weren’t too many tent pegs to bang in!  I must admit though I also brought along a stretcher bed, two tables, the grub box, a food box, a small fridge plus the kitchen sink!  Quite sophisticated base camping. 

Colin arrived, safely delivered by his daughter and her partner in their Ute.  We chatted while he set up and I fussed about rearranging my set up, locating things and generally making myself at home. Soon I realised I had left my phone charging cord in the car – which was now back in Longford!  I will have to search for an Apple charge cable tomorrow as I really need the phone for Ride with GPS, book reading, blog note taking and, last but not least, actual phone calls. 

The weather gradually improved as the afternoon went on and by 5pm was very nice indeed. There was time to brew up a meal on the Trangia before the cool wind had us retiring to our tents by 6.30pm. I was able to watch the sunset inside, out of the wind. 

Earlier in the day, while setting up, we had noticed loads of animal scat in the grass.

As the evening darkened the marsupials came out to eat and play (plus, I presume, poop). Colin spotted a Bennetts Wallaby and we both saw a number of Pademelons. I saw a small hopper while walking to the Amenity block – potaroo or bandicoot? Identification came later.

Sitting tapping out these notes I noticed that there was a lot of traffic noise coming up the hill to the tent. Then I remembered Devonport is known as the ‘Hoon Capital’ of Tasmania. What with that, the nearby railway and the Spirit of Tasmania set to sail shortly, it could be a noisy night.