Since the Roaring 40s were not packing too much of a punch, we walked around the beach fringing the harbour taking in the extent of the waterway. Ocean Beach, directly facing the fury of the winds is a 30 km long stretch of white sand. The waves were breaking all the way in and rips had formed, showing up the sandbars and gullies - not a place for a swim, even if you could brave the temperature!

We poked along small roads and at the end of one were rewarded with an extraordinary little settlement on a bay in the harbour, with old shacks all made of corrugated iron, and dozens of similarly clad dunnies. A couple of locals invited us to check out the waterfront where they were looking for seals - we saw two. The seals are attracted to the output of the numerous pens where trout and salmon are bred all over the harbour. The locals speculated that the seals were here because a pen may have been breached the local fishermen were also getting some good catches of salmon!

We had read of a 4WD track south of Queenstown, the Bird River Track, that seemed worth a look so we followed the dirt finally turning off onto a side track that was once where the railway had gone in decades past. The track was narrow and we hoped no-one else was coming back. We squeezed through narrow cuttings with only centimetres to spare on each side and over built up gullies. The slope was naturally very gentle and the going not too challenging at all. But the scenery was sublime, towering trees and lush rainforest. At the end of the drivable road, a National Parks hut held information about a walk from that point to the old harbour town of Pillinger. Here too was a bridge over the Bird River, all made of unrottable Huon Pine and still original. It was now late in the afternoon and we did not have the time to do the whole return walk so we walked along the old railway track for about an hour and returned to the car. Superb walking, and again not another soul to be seen.

As the boat trip leaves early in the morning, we needed to be back in Strahan for the night. The local golf club makes a few dollars by allowing campers to stay there and use their facilities. Unfortunately they didn't provide showers but a thoughtful local council does! The best, and free, hot showers ever (and any shower seems great after a few days camping…) there for the taking in a new block right in the middle of town! Just brill.