After an early arrival, we had to go through quarantine. Why did no-one warn us that we would lose all our fruit and vegies brought over from the mainland??

We had been told that breakfast at Anvers, just south of Devonport, was the thing to do. Actually just about the only thing at Anvers is the chocolate factory and they are open for breakfast. We shared a traditional, and tasty, croissant with eggs, bacon and cheese, but finished up with wicked waffles with cream, ice cream and chocolate sauce…(we didn't need to eat again till dinner).

We decided to explore the area to the east of Devonport and moseyed through some small villages to Port Sorell. Still heading east we crossed the Rubicon - literally! The Rubicon River actually exists here and forms one side of the boundary to the Narawntapu National Park. We walked along the beaches and on some of the tracks and were amazed by the abundance of small wallabies and pademelons which leap across the path in front of you - oh, and the red-bellied black snake sunning itself on the track too. This windswept coastal park has some terrific campsites but it was far too early in the day to settle down so we decided to start the journey proper around the island by heading towards the north-west and west.

Through Deloraine, to which we will be returning later to see Russ's cousin, Alison, and through some beautiful countryside brought us to Mole Creek, so named because the early settlers of the region thought the platypus was in fact a mole. The streams hereabouts apparently abound with them and though we checked out many of them, we have yet to spy one in the wild. We were told that it is breeding season and that makes them doubly shy, but maybe we'll see one before we leave.

The countryside is green and lush and, if it weren't for the eucalypts, you could swear this was England. Even the little villages have an English feel to them. Just before Mole Creek itself we ventured along a walking track to Alum Cliffs. One minute the surrounds are rolling green countryside, the next you are surrounded by high mountains, thickly wooded and it seems you have just entered the remotest wilderness. The cliffs themselves are spectacular with a mind-blowing vista down the valley the rushing river from a platform perched over the void. Amazingly though, David called us and here we were in this natural wild area with full mobile reception!

The Mole Creek pub has a grassed area out the back and we joined two motorhomes for some free accommodation. This meant of course that a few drinks in the pub with the very friendly locals was in order (it was the end of Melbourne Cup Day so everyone was nicely primed). After the horrendous night at the BP and an OK night on the ferry, the peace and quiet of this little backwater village meant a fantastic night's sleep!