For whatever reason we’d never visited the far northeastern corner of Tasmania. With COVID-19 confining us to the state, but government control measures allowing us to move freely within our island state boundaries, we decided it was the time to head in this direction.
We stayed in a cottage on the Ringarooma River in the town of Branxholm. It’s quite close to the former tin-mining town of Derby which has recently boomed as a mecca for mountain bikers. It suited us to stay in a quiter place yet have access to the amenity that Derby now provides.
On our first day we sought out the ruins of a tin mining site called Anchor Stampers which has mostly been reclaimed by rainforest. After lunch at the Pyengana dairy farm we visited St Columba Falls.
Next day we drove into the far northeast corner of Tasmania.
First stop was the lovely Tomahawk Beach, where the Furneaux Islands feel almost within touching distance.
We pushed on to Musselroe Bay, stopping for a picnic lunch and checking out the bird life.
The Mount William National Park covers a large area from Musselroe Bay south to Ansons Bay. We had a little taste by visiting the ‘Top Camp’ campsite. It’s a gorgeous spot and we’ll make time for a longer stay sometime in the future.
On our way back to Branxholm we stopped at Little Blue Lake, near South Mount Cameron. It’s a remnant of tin mining operations in the area. The colour is spectacular, though the water is definitely not for drinking or swimming.
