East Coast Tas 2025

[austastar]

Hi
  Well it’s been ages since we did any trips of mention, 2019 if I recall. Life gets in the way of fun sometimes, as well as aches and pains from seriously over estimating my ability as an earthmoving machine.

Our track and back

We stopped with family at Triabunna overnight before moving up the coast to Bicheno for a weekend of music, swimming and eating.
A fat weekend as some describe it.


Swimming in the Dennison River.

There were blackberries on the side of the road, so..
.

went into


this


and became this.


and some music was played.

We stopped in at Little Beach for a while, recent floods have trashed the estuarine flats and Council have restricted vehicles to the hard stand.


The beach is still much the same, with the lagoon shifting its outflow at the whims of tides and weather.

After lunch at St Helens we headed up to Goulds Country and stopped on the Lotta Recreation ground.


Away from the trees with the possibility of falling limbs.


]The only traffic was locals and the odd mountain bike shuttle bus.


Man ferns are every where.


Misty rain made for a damp morning.


The facilities are somewhat rustic.

Further up the road is a short walk through what looks like pristine rain forest, but it is actually the forest repossessing an area ravaged by some thousands of miners working with mostly hand tools.




A simple shelter is at the start of the short stroll.


Lots of lichen cover the ground.


I think this is moon creek, once used for sluicing the tin ore.


The remains of a sluice.

Heading back to the Tasman Highway we stopped for another short walk around the Myrtle Forest track.


It is only a short walk.


Well worth the stop.


Even met a fun guy.


There are the usual information boards along the track giving a bit of history and botany.

Next of course is the Welborough Pub.


It is quite iconic, camping out the back and good meals served by friendly staff.


So much easier to get to these days.


The Chinese links are strong here.


And this is a small Parmy.

Then it was on to Moorina.


It is a fossicking area on the Weld River with camping on what was once a small mining village.


Unfortunately the internet has lead the unwashed masses to this area, once covered with 50mm of lush moss, but now worn down the solid granite base.


The river is a source of sapphires and black spinel in abundance.


Some trying their luck.


I like the river just as it is.


Constant scratching at the banks for gemstones has initiated erosion when the water is high.


With acres to camp in, two fossickers has to cap right next to us. And its a wizz-bang! Grrr!


I do like the bird life here.













I do suspect the bird song is not as noticeable as it was in previous years, but that could be seasonal.


Next was over the hill to Derby

With a short stop off for a stickybeak at the Chinese cemetery. Tourism Tas started to make a lot of "On the trail of the tin dragon" to promote the extensive Chinese influence on the area from St Helens through to Launceston and bring in big dollars from the newly rich Chinese. It seems to have fizzled out.


There is a Chinese urn there but little else apart from a large structure covered with information that was severely weathered and very hard to read. It is interesting to me so I photographed the main bits and used Google to convert image to text, which it did remarkably well. It was verbose and repeated similar text on many pages.
I fed this into Gemini Ai and asked for a summary.
Thus:
8<-----------------------------------------------
This collection of texts describes the history of Chinese miners in the Moorina area of Tasmania, particularly during the late 19th century tin mining boom. Here's a summary:Key Points:

• Chinese Immigration and Settlement: Chinese miners, primarily from Guangdong province, flocked to Moorina after the discovery of tin in 1874. The 1881 census recorded 874 Chinese residents in Tasmania, nearly all working in the tin fields. Their population peaked at around 1,000 between 1887 and 1898, outnumbering Europeans in the area during that period. By 1915, only about 30 remained.
  
  • Mining Practices: The alluvial tin mining method attracted individual miners, including many Chinese. Some worked for European businessmen, while others operated under a "tribute" system, sharing their earnings with syndicates or mine owners.
    
    • Cultural Practices: The texts highlight several Chinese customs:
      
      • Ancestor Worship: The memorial and oven were built to facilitate traditional practices for honoring the dead, including burning paper offerings. The desire to be buried in their homeland led many to exhume remains and send them back to China.
        
        • Religion: Shenist temples (often called "Joss Houses") were common in Chinese settlements. These temples housed a variety of deities and figures from Chinese folk religion, reflecting the complex religious landscape of China. At least five such temples existed in the area, with one in Moorina.
          
          • Food: The pig held symbolic importance for the Chinese, representing prosperity and wealth. The presence of pig ovens in archaeological remains points to the significance of pork in their diet and culture.
            
          • Moorina's Significance: Moorina, originally known as Krushka's Bridge, became a crucial distribution and transport center due to its location. It was a more important town than Derby during the 1880s. However, its importance declined with the arrival of the railway in Scottsdale.
            
            • Social Dynamics: While a general attitude of tolerance existed, some Europeans struggled to accept the different customs of the Chinese miners. Newspaper articles and correspondence reveal debates surrounding Chinese immigration and cultural practices. Some Europeans attempted to "Christianise" the Chinese population. The text also mentions a perception of lawlessness in Moorina before the arrival of the Chinese, suggesting their presence brought a degree of order.
              
              • Decline: The depletion of tin reserves and immigration restrictions in 1887 led to the departure of most Chinese miners. Some remained, while others returned to China, often with increased wealth.
                
              The texts provide a glimpse into the lives and experiences of Chinese miners in 19th-century Tasmania, highlighting their contributions to the mining industry, their cultural practices, and the complex social dynamics of the era.
              8<-----------------------------------------
              I would have done so much better at school with this sort of technology.
              
              An how, off to Derby to camp by the river, a shower and a meal at the Pub.
              But no!
              Mrs had a dental emergency, a tooth that was to be worked on in a week or so decided to split AND the weather turned FOUL, so we up stakes and head home.
              
              
              Yep, hail, thunder and snow. I felt sorry for all the mountain bikers out on the trails, returning absolutely sodden and plastered with mud.
              
              Cheers

[JimS]

Thanks Austastar

Really enjoyed your commentary and photos.

Cheers
Jim

[Foo]

A goodly write up. 

I'm yet to visit Tassie and it's on my bucket list before I become carbon as or worm food. 

Foo

[Rowlie]

Thanks for the history and pics. I am a bit concerned though about the Tasmanian didgeridoos in pic 7. Definitely a problem with using AI in the design specs I reckon.

Rowlie

[Fizzie]

Last anybody heard from him , Spada was supposed to be heading down there this year

Our track and back

What program are your maps from?

The facilities are somewhat rustic.

What are they like inside

Next of course is the Welborough Pub.

Looks like you must have had it to yourselves!

With acres to camp in, two fossickers has to cap right next to us. And its a wizz-bang! Grrr!

Of course they did! They just didn't want to feel lonely out there in teh wilderness, & thought that you'd want some company as well! 

[austastar]

What program are your maps from?

What are they like inside :

Looks like you must have had it to yourselves!

Hi,
     Maps are Gia, great program for Apple, Android and any web browser. Will synchronise across all 3 once on line.

Dunny was very spidery, there is another more modern one.

About 4 vehicles camped most nights, more than 40m away in another clearing.
Cheers

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Fizzie]

Hi,
     Maps are Gia,

In case anybody else is looking & can't find it, it's actually Gaia!

https://www.gaiagps.com/

[Bird]

Like seeing things like the remains of a sluice. how well they thought things through in those days