Penguin and the Dial Ranges

Having another work-free weekend (where both of us were actually in the state at the same time), we packed up the tent to join my parents again, this time in Penguin.

After sharing lunch in their caravan, we went for a drive out to Leven Canyon. We had visited here once before in April, but the scenery was markedly different this time, with a fresh dumping of hail covering the road-side verge and low clouds over all the hills.

Hail on the grass

Still addicted to photos of fungus...

Misty and rainy canyon

At least the rain meant there was plenty of water in the river

Heading back to the carpark

We're both obsessed with trying to get the perfect shot of these tiny bell-shaped fungi

(spotting them in the undergrowth is half the challenge)

On the drive back out, we stopped briefly at Preston Falls - a quick 5min walk from the road leading to a viewing platform over the waterfall as well as the valley below (now hidden in rainclouds).

We then headed back to the caravan to dry out, and enjoyed a few rounds of post-dinner Rummy (the game, not some weird Tasmanian alcohol)

Quick roadside stop to photograph the clouds over the hills

Ryan got up early the next morning to take some photos of the sunrise (with his vantage point over the ocean being literally just outside our tent). 

After breakfast, we checked out the Penguin Markets before heading up into the Dial Ranges. Our original plan was to do a short walk in Ferndene Reserve, but after finding a questionable-looking teenager lounging in his car at the trailhead (with his ugg boots out the window), we decided not to leave our car at his mercy and drove on a bit further to walk up Mount Gnomon instead. I had read that the first part of this track was steep, but the rest not too bad, so I managed to convince my parents to tackle the climb. Either the track-notes were wrong or my recollection was a bit off, because it turned out to be a moderate climb all the way to the top (oops).

At least there were lots of pretty distractions along the way

Our objective - Mount Gnomon

Let the record show that the track is practically flat

(never mind the camera's failure to capture steep gradients)

More fungus

(I know, this is now bordering on pathological)

(Part of) the view from the top

(overlooking the ocean and the town of Ulverstone)

It was a little chilly

She had no idea...

Mossy Tasmanian forest

With still more colourful fungi

After descending back to the car, we drove back to (the now deserted) Ferndene Reserve, and went for a pretty (albeit muddy) walk along the creek to a couple of old abandoned mine tunnels. 

Lots of BIG tree ferns

And you guessed it - more fungus

Browning's tunnel - this one went back about 10 metres before ending in what looked to be a cave-in

(according to my Dad, who hid inside in the muddy darkness, waiting to ambush us when we caught up)

There was more than just moss and fungus in the forest...

Thorsby's tunnel - this one was much longer, and went about 30 metres into the hillside

Before ending in a steel grate, with a deep shaft on the other side

(this is my Dad throwing rocks down the shaft to see how deep it goes...)

The tunnel was reasonably big, just not quite tall enough for Ryan

(who is walking away with the torch and leaving me behind in the dark...)

And began with a steep scramble down a slippery, muddy bank at its entrance

Lots of stops on the way back out

(we are now officially slower hikers than my parents)

Yet another unique fungus - this one is called Geastrum, which translates to "earth star"

We dropped into the Maker's Workshop in Burnie (where hand-made paper is made)(with the paper of the day including the ingredient wombat poo...), then enjoyed afternoon tea together in the caravan before bidding my parents (temporarily) farewell and heading back to Launceston.