February 28, 2024

Day 8: Bay of Fire to Launceston


Today was a travel day here in Tasmania. We continued from Bicheno up the east coast and eventually made our way to Launceston in the north. Although it was a long day drive, there were many highlights along the way.

The east coast of Tasmania is a rugged, beautiful coastline. As we drove north from Bicheno. we stopped for lunch in Binalong Bay. This is very close to the Bay of Fires. We ate at a small eatery and enjoyed pub food on the patio, while enjoying  a wonderful shoreline view.  I also got to try a new Tasmanian beer., James Boag. It was yet another delicious Aussie beer. 









After lunch , we made our way a bit further north to the Bay of Fires. This unique part of the Tasmanian  coastline  is where the rocks are covered in bright red/ orange lichen. 

Many people are under the mistaken belief that this red/orange lichen is the reason that the bay got its name. However, the bay got its name back in the late 1700s when an English explorer sailed into the bay and saw the campfires of the Aboriginal settlers, who lived on the bay.  

The rocks and the lichen present a stunning scene. You can scramble out over the rocks and enjoy the surf, and the little crabs that live there. We spent a bit of time exploring the beach, and dunes that are in the area .





After leaving the Bay of Fire, we made our way towards Launceston. We made a stop at the Little Blue Lake which is near Derby. 




The lake gets its deep blue colour from mineral deposits found  at the bottom of the lake. The lake is the result of mineral mining that took place nearby. You can't swim in the lake due to its high mineralization, but it's brilliant to see. 

The ride to Launceston was long, but you get a sense of the country side of this special island. Between the hills and small mountains, numerous farms are to be found. Most of these are either sheep or cattle farms, and they seem to stretch for many acres. We finally arrived in Launceston in the late afternoon, and checked in to our cute cottage. It was another fun day.











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