OBSTACLE COURSE

O is for Osborne

Lake Osborne, that is. Today's destination. O is also for Old Kermandie Track. This was the original track from Geeveston to the Harz area before all those roads were put in. We started from the end of Bennett's Road, making it a much shorter walk.

In the early days, a trip into the Harz definitely required overnight camping. Hikers who felt they had to carry too much could hire a packhorse, but if today's adventure is anything to go by, that would not have been a great help. Because

O is for Obstacles

Here are some of them.

Things to climb over

Things to struggle through

Things to crawl under

Mud. Lots of mud. In some places corduroy had been laid, but this has its own perils, being very slippery when wet. Which it usually is – that's why it's there.

There were creeks to cross;  usually there were a few strategically placed stones

In a couple of places there were nice little bridges

This is what the new footbridge replaced: the forest is not kind to the works of man

There were a few rocks to step up and there was some definitely anti-pedestrian vegetation.

 However, there were some absolutely beautiful views through the forest. I took far too many photographs.

O is for "Oh – wow!"

a cry which immediately had  cameras appearing in every hand and photographers jostling for position to get the perfect shot.

 Most popular today were climbing heath (Prionotes cerinthoides) and various fungi.

Some tree trunks grow their own little forests of lichen, climbing heath, mosses, ferns and fungi.

coral fungi - bright orange and pale pink

young celery-top pine

baby ferns are so cute

There is a pretty little waterfall behind all this vegetable entanglement – and it was duly photographed, too.

Despite all these distractions, we eventually came to an old hut site where some of the party elected to stop for lunch. The rest of us were determined to carry on to Lake Osborne.

Another ten minute's walk brought us to the Hartz carpark, where we took advantage of the comparatively luxurious facilities before continuing on.

It's only a kilometre or so from the carpark to Lake Osborne and the track's much more civilised. No mud and fallen trees for all those delicate tourists, thank you!

And lunch at a rather windswept Lake Osborne which, I'm happy to note, nestles at the foot of the Devil's Backbone.

Photos - 2015 Glover Prize

Home from the partying to open the 2015 Glover Prize exhibition. This is Australia's richest prize for landscape painting, and I was one of the 42 finalists selected from almost 300 entries. I didn't win, but my painting sold and the organisers treated us artists very well. Here are the photos to prove it:

a moody sunset shot to set the scene

The Falls Pavilion at Evandale is a great venue

red dots make me very happy

 Next morning we were treated to breakfast beneath the oak trees. The organisers were somewhat taken aback when everyone arrived on time at nine thirty, demanding coffee. "We thought people would be wandering in in dribs and drabs until eleven!" Jane protested. Didn't they understand about artists and free food?

Breakfast over, we had a brief photograph session in the exhibition hall before driving out to Deddington.

artists admiring John Glover's grave at Deddington Chapel

A warden of the Deddington Chapel gave us a talk on Glover's life and displayed copies of paintings and drawings relating to the man himself and the local area, then we drove out to Patterdale to inspect the Great Man's house.

Patterdale Farm as it is today - alas, the lovingly-tended gardens Glover painted are long gone and the house stands empty, awaiting renovation.

Mills Plains - Glover Country from in front of the house

Some of the 2015 Glover Prize finalists at Patterdale Farm.
Organiser Jane Deeth third from right.

So that's it until next year.

More about John Glover: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/glover-john-2102
or http://www.arteducation.com.au/artist-biographies/john-glover

"After the Mine", oil on canvas 91 cm x 91cm

Mother wins again!

The City of Clarence Australia Day Citizens Awards Recipients

 Senior Citizen of the Year 2015 is Mrs Joyce Jones of Lindisfarne. Mrs Joyce Jones has contributed to the community for over 60 years. Mrs Jones is a founding member of the St Aidan’s popular charity shop the “Little Shop” and the Women’s Guild and has been a member of the Eastern Shore Meals on Wheels since 1952, where she is still involved. She is an active sportsperson and was one of the early members of Orienteering Tasmania, and competed as recently as 2012 in the Australia Championships. She was also a founding member of the Local Walking Group “Hikers and Pikers” in the 1970s, where she is still an active member. 

 These are only a few of the things she has done, but the Award Committee probably had to trim the list a bit. The most important thing of all, which didn't get a mention, is that she's my Mum. We're pretty proud of our Mum, and are delighted that the rest of the world - well, the local Municipality, anyway, agree that she's amazing. Here are some photos from the award ceremony.

with the Mayor of Clarence, Doug Chipman, and Australia Day Ambassador Leigh Carmichael

Congratulations from the Vicar (Rev Sharon Green)

the Cheer Squad

family

And here are a few earlier ones, just for fun. I'll spare you the video (for the moment).

1926

2013

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A Day out with Tasmania's oldest Orienteer

When Joyce turned 90, they gave her a cake

OK – let's hear it for Joyce!