THURSDAY 2 DECEMBER     WHITE BEACH

I did our washing in the morning – before the park got busy at the weekend. It included our bed linen, so I had to turf John out of bed!

That done, we drove to Waterfall Bay, north of Port Arthur, and just around from Eaglehawk Neck.  We went via Port Arthur, where I picked up my photos. The shop there did an excellent job on them.

Waterfall Bay was reached by road – unsealed of course. The views from the car park at the road’s end were of vertical, high cliffs – quite giddy making! The cliffs on this eastern side of the Tasman Peninsula are amazingly high.

From the car park, we followed the slightly rough walking track around the Bay, south, to Waterfall Bluff. In places the track was very close to the cliff top edge – that sort of drop really makes me tense! We crossed a series of little streams, which became waterfalls as they plunged over the top of the cliffs – hence the name, I guess.

From Waterfall Bluff, there was a good view south to Cape Hauy, with its distinctive island stacks.

We went back the same way – the whole walk took us about 90 minutes.

From the same car park, we then walked the other way – to Patersons Arch, on a properly formed path, which was easy going. The Arch was really a cleft or cave in the steep cliff face.

The walking path was made really pretty by lots of wildflowers, including orchids. John saw a big tiger snake on the path! A one-snake walk! This jaunt took us about 40 minutes, return.

At one stage, on the path, we heard a ripping, tearing noise – it was a little group of black cockatoos, demolishing a tree in their search for grubs.

We got back to camp in time for me to get in the washing before it got damp in the late afternoon.

Tea was leftover barley pilaf from last night.