Hobart Old and New

Richmond is one of the oldest towns in Tasmania, only half an hour's drive from Hobart. I stopped there for most of the day yesterday. With its many very old buildings and English style gardens, it is a delightful little town. At this time of the year, as the Autumn leaves turn, it is beautiful to stroll through the area and savour the sights and smells of the town.

The Catholic Church is the oldest church in Australia still in use  and stands on top of a hill (of course!).  I think the Richmond bridge may have been convict built. It is an interesting structure as its symmetry gives the impression of a reflection of the water below. Several buildings date from the 1830s and give a solid established air to the town.

Over the past fifteen years one of the creative visionaries of the area has put together a model of Old Hobart Town.  He used maps, plans and historical records to recreate Hobart so it is an authentic model of the city in miniature. Among the buildings are hundreds of figures, all in proportion, living life as it would have been - although embodying the quirky sense of humour of the builder. Trees have been planted and developed through bonsai techniques to be appropriate size and shape. The attention to detail is incredible with fallen logs, grazing animals and even my granny - a buxom lady driving a horse and cart.

A  couple of weeks ago  I met up with some ladies from the Red Hat Society and I am now in Hobart staying with Zudi who has made me very welcome. On Friday I am meeting with the Red Hatters for lunch. I came prepared with a purple outfit and a red fascinator. I have my name badge which has my name and also my royal title, Lady Loquacious, Dowager Duchess of Dismal Decrepitude. I may be falling apart but I'm not reluctant to admit it.

Today I caught the Hop On Hop Off double decker bus for a tour of the city. It was interesting to see so many of the miniature buildings in their modern setting. The ticket is valid for three days which is sensible for sight seeing. I did the circuit then roamed around the town for quite a while, rather than having to race through a lot of activities in one day. Tomorrow I will go back and see a couple of things which really appealed to me.

Government House

Zinc works

Museum of Old and New Art MONA

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The forecast is for good weather for a few days so, all going well, I will zip across to Queenstown and Strahan on the weekend. I made the most of a fine day to empty the van, wash everything and sweep out two weeks of sand and dried mud. I also shoved under the seat several things that I don't expect to need. I packed in Brisbane in Summer so much of the clothing I brought is far too light. It is hard to pack for a different season at the best of times but clothes for a Queensland Winter are not suitable here.