Tasmania (continued!)
 

Do you think we should start a new one? As it is virtually impossible to find out the information you are looking for in a thread this long. And it does get a bit much people asking the same old questions all the time.:huh:

Re: Tasmania??
 

we could update the wiki pages

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Category:Tasmania

Re: Tasmania??
 

might be a good idea as the OP didnt even get to Tas :lol: you would have to get a mod to close this and start a new one. You will always get people asking the same questions though.

Re: Tasmania??
 

cripes first time i've been on there, clicked on discussion and it started a thread WTF have I done :eek:

erm aside from that theres not much info on there is there :rofl:

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi all just to let you know we are back in Tassie. Well half of us that is. Any way got a fully furnished flat that is quite good. Flight was good (Emirates) but i would love first class travel. Those seats look sooooo comfy. Had a little hassle getting my phone on via Telstra but they did sort me out. I forgot just how friendly the people are here. Just feel like i have not been away. A good feeling.

Bad news on our house not selling due to poor service by an estate agent not turning up to meet viewers. Looks like we have lost a potential buyer. With the current UK economic climate i am gobsmacked by the lack of care by them, oh well. So it's back to us being apart again until the house sells or we win the lottery. So it's a year ago today i first landed in Tassie but not been here a year. I left the UK in rain and floods and got here to loads if rain, typical eh. But it's getting better weather wise. Looking forward to the summer.

Hi Cathy sorry to hear about your house not selling. We nearly gave up too to be honest. But after loosing out to NZ due to our house not selling we had to give it another shot. I hope later on you do get what you want. We had to come back due to my sponsored visa. I either came back or give up Oz for good. Last go at it this time i recon. I agree about most people not looking at Tassie. I did not set out to come here at first. It was a job offer (got dropped in it by a NZ employer) and i am glad i did come to Tassie. Very much over looked. There are so many Brits here as well as mainlanders who just love it here. Not too hot or too cold. Any ways i will keep you up to date as much as i can. Good luck to every one trying to sell their house.

Re: Tasmania??
 

Wahoo welcome back to Tassie!!! Shame it's not the whole family though, I can't imagine what it must be like for you to be separated for such a long time. I hope it works out for you this time around.

If your down our neck of the woods in 3 weeks time, drop by and join in the party celebrating our 1st Year in Tas, your most welcome. And that goes for anyone else on here, although I am aware that Possums and Lenmil are way up North.

Kerry
x

Re: Tasmania??
 

thank you :thumbup: yep a little far for us to drop in :lol: have a good one :)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Welcome back to Tassie :thumbup:

crikey we have some shocking weather, cannot believe it and looks like its on its way again... just in time for the footie final!

its a really crap situ for you to be in Lenmill, I really do hope you get a buyer soon :)

where abouts in northern Tas are you?

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi Lenmil. Glad you made it safely back to Tas. :thumbup:
As you know already - keeping my fingerscrossed that you get that buyer soon!
Please do keep us uptodate as to what's happening... we all wish the best for you and your family and that you're all reunited soon.
Cathy :)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Wish we could join in with the celebrations.....maybe we'll get a chance by the time your 2nd anniversary arrives! :D

I can't believe that this time last year we were planning our validation trip to Oz. :( I know Andy certainly never expected for us to be having another UK christmas this year...;)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi All, has anyone been to the Bay of Fires on the North East of the Island? Someone has asked me what it's like there - but we never ventured up that way when we were over last year....
:)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi Cathy

We briefly visited this area on our trip last year, the Bay of Fires is stunning. We would like to go again for a weekend and combine with Mt William National Park which looks good.
I think Teabag is going to that area over Christmas, so maybe she knows it better.

Sam

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi Cathy

Yes it is beautiful, St Helens is the nearest town about 10 mins away so could either stay there and take trips out or there is accomodation over there.

There is and excellent restaurant called Angasi, also do accomodation

http://www.angasi.com.au/

there is a north east tassie website, not that much info on it to be honest but heres the link

http://www.netasmania.com.au/

other option is camping if they like roughing it!!

:)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi Sam, Hope you had a good weekend? thanks for that - i'll have a look at Mt William and send my friend some details...

:)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi - thanks Kay. :) so it's near St Helens, i've often looked at properties for sale in St Helens on realestate.com.au - it's got a lovely bay there hasn't it? :thumbup: i couldnt consider living there though as i think it was too far from any of the places that Andy could potentially work and perhaps a little too quiet for me - although it looks lovely. Thanks for the links - i'll pass them on. My friend is based in Sydney but is considering Tas as a holiday destination for next year. I dont think she'd be up for camping though....
Restaurant looks lovely - i've just had a nose at the menu - "garlic butter cob loaf", "pork with roasted baby parsnips", yum yum.... Not so sure about the Oysters etc - but i think that might be because i've never tried them "properly" if you get what i mean! and i never realised people actually ate Abalone - silly me just thought they were used for the shells!
Abalone and mother of pearl are my favourite jewellry items... I have loads of stuff made out of both - including trinket boxes etc - and i've been a bit worried i might not be able to ship these - so i think they're going to come with me in my suitcases when we eventually move.
Did i tell you guys that Andy bought a 8 berth tent with his 40th birthday money....im still not sure he'll convince me to go camping next year but you never know....depends on how many creature comforts he gets between now and then! :lol:

:)

Re: Tasmania??
 

I meant to say as well.....i imagine that restaurant doesnt have any prices on it's menu because it's expensive???? ;)

Re: Tasmania??
 

no it is far too remote to live there we are remote enough but another 80k to St Helens, also has a lot of bush fires in that area.

nice for a visit, personally wouldnt spend more than a couple of nights, depends what they want. reckon if your friends are touring the island that would be enough. lots to discover around the place but if they havent been to Tas before i'd recommend they move over to the north west, cradle mountain and over to the west, Straun is beautiful..did you get over there?

well Tas and seafood go hand in hand. most places, up here at least, have lots of seafood on the menu. I like oysters if they are cooked but wouldnt consider eating a raw one.

Abalone is very expensive, people around here have made a hell of a lot of money out of them, most are exported but the industry is not good at the moment as they are battling a disease.

we are very lucky as we have some indigineous friends and they are allowed to fish for anything :lol:

ah camping, we are being badgered to go in november, locals here tend to camp out at Tomahawk or Ansons Bay ...can't say its me to be honest. Wouldn't say no to a winnebago though :lol:

gives review and prices on here http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/...asi_restaurant

not that bad really LOL compare it to the UK and its ridiculous, and cheap compared to Sydney :lol:

Re: Tasmania??
 

I'm ashamed to say that we only visited the Hobart area's on our visit - and ran out of time (only had mon-fri on the island) to see very much.... We did love what we saw - but seriously regret not having seen any of the East coast and the Northern area's. In hindsight we would have rather spent 2 weeks out of the 3 week trip in Tas and only a week with Andy's relatives in Perth!!! :lol:

I do enjoy seafood - i'm just not that struck on Oysters (but i have only tried them once). I will eat mussels etc (Andy loves anything like that) - but i'm always a bit wary of getting food poisoning from them! I know you should discard any that dont open once cooked - but i'm still a bit wary! I love any fish though - with my Dad always having been into both freshwater & sea fishing - i've eaten everything in my younger days from eels to flounders to carp as he was always bringing something home in his bucket, and apparently i ate a raw sprat once when very young when he was gutting them - except he hadn't got around to gutting that one - he'd only cut the head off!!!! Most of the time what puts us off eating fresh fish etc is just the cost - i'm always shocked by the prices on the fresh fish counters in the supermarket here - it has to be a treat - otherwise we'd love to eat fresh fish a couple of times a week if we could.... is it much cheaper to buy fresh fish and things like crab over there?

i tell you what - you two buy a winnebago - and then if Andy insists we go camping once we're in Tas - i'll then ring you and borrow it!!!! Actually, truth be known i'll probably enjoy it if i do go - but it would probably have to be on a site - as i'm not sure i could cope without a proper toilet/shower for very long otherwise!

Cathy :)

Re: Tasmania??
 

ah you've got plenty of time to look round when you get here :)

I never thought I would eat an oyster but someone persuaded me at a party, they were called Oyster Kilpatrick cooked with bacon & worchester sauce and they were really nice!

there was also a wigwam of prawns, never seen so many prawns! they had skewered them on wooden sticks with a wedge of lemon on the end, then fashioned a wigwam out of them, propped up with lettuce in the middle, then drizzled sauce over. Great centre peice for a party :thumbup:

Seafood is cheap, not seen crabs? crayfish & scallops seem to be most popular up here. Flake (gummy shark) and flathead are the most common fish at our chippy, nice enough but miss a good bit o battered cod and real chips :lol: & MUSHY PEAS :thumbup:

yeah thats fine you can have the winnebago anytime, I'll be in the hotel :rofl:

Re: Tasmania??
 

Yes, we are camping at St. Helens this Xmas, at Doras Point, it is a conservation area with flushing toilets and cold showers. There is a public shower at the St. Helens Marina so will probably use that every second day, and use baby wipes the other day, or a bucket wash.

We just went to Port Arthur for the weekend, what a stunning place it is. Just beautiful, atmospheric and so sad/tragic all mixed in together!!

Re: Tasmania??
 

fantastic place isnt it, agree with your sentiments.

did you do the ghost walk? spooked us as we were staying in the hotel on the grounds and had to walk back in the dark :blink:

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi

We are hoping to go to Port Arthur at the weekend depending on the weather.
We have wanted to visit for a while but were waiting for the clocks to change to give us a bit more time to the day, as its a fair drive.
Did you take your children and did they like it too, my 10 year old son is easy to please but the 12 year old daughter is at the stage of not liking anything we do!

Sam

Re: Tasmania??
 

Sounds different - the Oysters cooked with bacon & worcester sauce. I guess if people are used to such an abundance of sea-food you must become creative with it!

I guess you'll be heading for the fish&chip shop when you visit the UK then for a cod/mushy pea fix! :lol: :lol:

Re: Tasmania??
 

I have seen some stunning pictures of Port Arthur on various sites - certainly does look very atmospheric. :thumbup:

Re: Tasmania??
 

When do the clocks change? so what time is it getting dark over there at the moment ? Is the weather starting to get warmer for you guys yet?

Your daughter sounds like a very normal 12 year old to me! ;) I recall groaning at whatever my Mum&Dad used to suggest we do.... it's the age when it is not trendy to be seen out with "the family" :lol: Probably like most kids though - once you finally persuade them to go somewhere they do actually enjoy it! :)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Hi Cathy

The clocks went forward an hour last Sunday, so its now light until about 7.30 pm (ish) The length of the days was difficult to adjust to when we first arrived, we had left the UK kust after the longest day in the UK, to have it getting dark by 4.30pm here! So it's very nice to see the days getting longer again now, definitely makes you feel brighter when the sun is shining and you can sit outside.:)

Sam

Re: Tasmania??
 

too right :thumbup:

Re: Tasmania??
 

Well in one of my periodic visits to the Tassie thread I found the discussion about the thread being too long, needing new people etc. So I've split it, hope I've picked a reasonable enough place :o
Hopefully it'll get a new lease of life now and pull in some new posters.

The previous thread is HERE

==============================

I'm now longing to be down there again having read about the fish and chips and Coles Bay and Port Arthur and Cradle Mountain...the island is so dear to me its like a second home, so I guess in a way I'm homesick :wub:

http://www.rosebay.tased.edu.au/camera.htm

Re: Tasmania??
 

Thanks Pollyanna. :)
Nice to see you popping in on the thread again as well... i know you miss the place from previous posts/comments you've made....
Are you planning on returning to the Island at all ?

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/...e1a7078d33.jpg

I have met so many people here who call Tassie Australias best kept secret. Even when we flew back in just a few weeks ago i got talking to a Brit who lives in the UK an Tassie too. Nice. I must admit myself that i never considered Tassie as you just tend to think of the mainland. It's a shame it really is, but then again there would be too many people here otherwise. An old school mate i just got talking too is thinking of moving here to retire. He has been here many times and loves it. He has been in Oz over 20 years. Maybe it's the weather is too cold for some. Fine to me but then i am used to the North East weather.

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/...d162f61025.jpg

Kind of like the UK in a different way. Should add more.

Re: Tasmania??
 

Thanks Pollyanna:)

You'll have to pay us a visit in little old Tas soon:thumbsup:

Sam

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

Nice piccy, how are you settling back in?

Hope you get some good news soon with your house in the UK.

You're right about many people not considering Tas but maybe that's their loss and our gain. We've had a few ups and downs in our first 3 months but still feel that Tas was the right place for us.

Sam

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

Only for visits I think, can't see The Bloke moving there, hes too much of a Qlder. I was back last year for a long weekend, which was stunning.......I came back with far too much luggage having blitzed the souvenir shops again, as I just love the wooden stuff, and I put on a horrible amount of weight by eating far too much :D
I was there the weekend Myers burnt down, very sad watching it burn, from a ringside seat in the New Sydney pub in the next street up. I'm sure the fire was nothing to do with the heat caused by pulling my credit card in and out of my pocket so often!!


I think too many people see it as wet and cold, they don't realise it can be seriously hot and sunny too.
Lovely pic, I met some wonderful penguins on the beach up there once :)

Re: Tasmania??
 

Won't be this side of Christmas, but I'll be back :thumbsup:

Not a fab picture quality-wise but I came across it while scanning a load of old ones last week. Taken on finals for Hobart on my first trip in 1999.
The best final approach in the world :)

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

Looks great, not been to Hobart yet but will soon as i can. So many Tasmanians tell me Launceston is better than Hobart and vice versa, so i have been to Launnie but not Hobart. When i do i will spill the beans. :D

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

There's a very strong north-south split, very English! Bit like the beer, northerners swear by Boags, but us southern types prefer Cascade :D

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

Cathy we are spending a night here tom night

http://www.hawleyhousetas.com/

then on sat we are having a night in Wynyard, going over to the tulip festival info here if you want to look

http://www.bloomintulips.com.au/

will let you know what it was like :thumbup:

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

hey, yes the 11.5 yar old daughter loved her visit to Port Arthur! The 9 year old did too. We did the ghost tour but 9 year old burst into tears 1/2 an hour into it so I had a spooky walk back to the visitors centre with her and then we had to wait for the other two to finish. But all in al, it was a great weekend!

Re: Tasmania (continued!)
 

Port Arthur is so atmospheric isn't it, even in the daytime. Definitely deserves a re-visit some time :) The amount of history in that cove is just phenomenal.