Sunday, February 5th .....

It was overcast this morning and, even though the weather forecast says it will be hot, I decide it’s a day for a walk. I might feel warm but I won’t get as sunburnt as I would on a sunny day. There’s a nice walk along the North Esk River which should suit me fine so I pack some fruit, a bottle of water and a couple of muesli bars, grab my hat and I’m off.

The walk starts at Hobler’s Bridge where I can park the car. It’s also the site of Launceston’s Sewage Farm. Every time I go past, I’m aware of a smell and a number of local residents have complained about it. There’s no smell, says the Council. Our technicians have taken measurements and have assured us that there is no smell. So there! I suppose they’ll use the same technicians to measure for what they call ‘fugitive odours’ from the new pulp mill they’re supposed to be building at Bell Bay. Say ‘there is no smell’ often enough and you might come to believe it even though everyone’s nose says something different.

I hadn’t realised that there were several options but I chose the track which headed north-west and joined up with another track which would take me close to a place to get a coffee. The track was good and took me about an hour to get to the cafe where I could have a bite to eat and head back to my starting point. There were a few people on bikes, mostly being quite neighbourly but, as I was approaching one bend, a bike with a blue-jumpered rider shot around the corner, straight towards me. “Heads up!” he yelled as if that would make a difference. I had seen him but did he expect me to jump out of his way? Sadly, my jumping days are over but, happily, he missed me.

On the way, I discovered a black rhino in the back of a truck but failed to see the big sign which told me that it was parked outside a garden which was open to the public today. I did see it on the way back and wandered in for a look. The fact that the sign said free entry today makes me think that you normally have to pay. What a place and I had no idea it even existed. It looked brand new as if someone had taken $5million a few years ago and set out to build this paradise. It turned out to be a beautiful garden with a nursery attached.
I wasn’t interested in buying a Weeping Apple tree for $88 but I did enjoy walking around the garden which was a mish-mash of English, Tropical, Thai influences.

It was easy to spend an hour wandering around and checking out the Organic Vegetable Garden, and the Frog Pond and the various statues, including a Buddha. A very good find, and I can’t understand how I’ve never heard of it.