Tigers & Devils & Scenery, Oh My!

[Elfy]

Time to leave the beaches behind and head inland to Cradle Mountain. Not only does Cradle Mountain have amazing scenery, Wendell said that lots of devils live there, too!



It was a long drive and while driving on unsealed roads is more scenic, its much bumpier. Becky said her hair may never recover. I swear I saw a devil run into the undergrowth by the side of a winding mountain road, too!



The view from our balcony. Is this place cool or what?



Cradle Mountain is a lot chillier than our previous coastal stops, and the drive was tiring, so Becky and I snuggled up under a blanket on the couch with snacks and watched TV.

[davidd]

That jungle scenery looks exciting! What a place to ex.plore!

That said, the room looks very comfortable and inviting. Perhaps the ex.citement and ex.ploring can wait.

[Goblin]

I'm LOVING all of these travel photos! I'm happy yall are having a good time!

[werepuppy]

That view is just amazing!

[neon_jellyfish]

Right now, I seem to be most responsive to words 'blanket' and 'snacks'...

[Lejays17]

Thanks all, we are glad you are enjoying the travel photos. Even though Elfy is doing most of the thread, it’s a combination of both of our photos.

Davidd - our wild areas are “bush” not “jungle”, especially in the south where it doesn’t get warm enough... you can easily lose yourself in it though, once you leave the paths/roads.
The room was very comfy, we were fortunate to be able to get it when we booked - there are 3 hotels up there, and this was the last “room” available when we booked. (It’s actually a 2-bedroom self-contained cabin).

Neon - blanket & snacks were definitely welcome that afternoon. I’d done a lot of driving that day, and was very tired.

Goblin - thanks. We had a great time (on,y 2 more days to go with the trip photos now).

Werepuppy - it really was. You look out over it and can imagine you are completely alone up there

[Elfy]

A day to elore the natural wonder that is Cradle Mountain!



It was a gorgeous day, but a little chilly, so Becky and I rugged up. I just love Becky's woolly hat. I wonder if she'd knit me one?



Hiking doll style!




Cradle Mountain has everything: rocky peaks.



Shaded trails 



Clear water



Waterfalls 



Moss covered valleys. Everything a nature lover could ever want.







Back in the chalet, while chilling on the balcony we had a visit from a local. It's a small type of kangaroo called a pademelon.

[davidd]

I had never heard of a pademelon until you mentioned the term in your posts a while back.

How is pademelon pronounced? Pa-DEM-a-lon? PAD-a-melon? Something not even close to what I've tried to convey?

And "bush," not "jungle." Derrr... I knew that!    Although the dense foliage certainly looks like a temperate jungle. The way the girls are dressed suggests it is a chilly temperate jungle in what I presume is the mid-autumn season.

Is that a trace of snow near the top of the rocky crag?

[Elfy]

I’ve always said it paddymelon. Parts of Cradle Mountain are referred to as rainforest, but totally different from a tropical rainforest like up north. It snowed a bit the day we arrived, so yes, some of the higher peaks do have snow.

[Alliecat]

Oooo, all such lovely scenery. I love the mossy valley, and the waterfall, and the lake. It looks like a wonderful place to hike. And the girls have such cute outfits too.

Right now, I seem to be most responsive to words 'blanket' and 'snacks'...

Always!

[Elfy]

As this was our last day in Tasmania we had to make it count.





Apart from my possible roadside glimpse we hadn't seen any devils, yet, so our first stop was Devils at Cradle. It's a Tasmanian devil sanctuary! We got to see live devils! They're kind of like puppies, very cute. So why are they called devils? Apparently its because when the first Europeans to settle in Tasmania heard them fighting and calling at night they thought they sounded like devils. They are pretty noisy.






The sign says they bite, so what does Becky do? Sticks her hands over the side for a better look! Honestly!



These are quolls. They have them at the sanctuary, too. There are 2 types of quoll, the tiger or spotted quoll, which also occurs on the mainland, but is more numerous in Tasmania. The other, larger one is the eastern quoll, which is extinct on the mainland, but still occurs in Tasmania. Like the devils, the quolls are marsupials, but look more catlike. They're not exclusively arboreal, but are very comfortable in the trees. They also like to perch above prey and then drop onto it. They're the original drop bear.





We dropped into the Ashgrove Cheese Farm and had our picture take on one of their painted cows and then onto Devonport for the ferry back home.



Goodbye Tasmania! We've had a wonderful time on your magical island.



"So, Amelia, what was your favourite bit of the trip?"

"I dunno Becky, you?"

"Can I say all of it?"

"Yeah, me too! Goodnight Becky."

"G'night Amelia see you back at home."

[Alliecat]

Aw, such a cute ending! That cow is pretty cool. And the little devils and quolls are cute. I like the picture of Becky leaning over the fence. The one of them waving goodbye is a little sad. It isn't easy to leave a magical island! Glad everybody had a great trip. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.

[davidd]

The pile of little devils snoozing in the sun is so cuuuute! And the quolls are quite amazing with all those nearly perfectly circular spots! They look like cartoon critters!

That Becky; you have to keep a close watch on her, I see!

As Aliecat says, the sleepy time photo is an adorable way to wrap up the story! I wonder if the girls are dreaming of the trip that just wrapped up, or of their next one?

[neon_jellyfish]

Breathtakingly beautiful nature and unbearably adorable animals!!! Tasmania is truly enchanting place.

[dargosmydaddy]

So cute! neon_jellyfish picked the perfect word-- an enchanting trip all round!