Penguins, Waterfalls and Caves

Wednesday was a bit of a drizzly day, but it was the middle of winter in Tasmania, so we couldn't let a little bit of wet weather deter us!  Today we were going to have lunch with my Auntie Lyn.  She is my Mother's youngest sister and my favorite aunt.  Auntie Lyn lives in Penguin.  Since we were last in Tasmania, all the towns now seem to have something tacked onto their names.  Latrobe is the platypus capital.  Penguin is all about......well, penguins!

This penguin has been in the park at Penguin since I can remember.  I think there used to be penguin eggs around its feet, but I could be wrong!!

I have never seen a penguin crossing sign anywhere but Tasmania.  If someone has seen them somewhere else, let me know!

The more you look at this penguin, the creepier it gets.  The eyes.....they follow you......creepy penguin eyes.

The penguin doesn't get very much respect from its fellow birds.

Apparently, not respect from anyone.  Who thought this one up?  That's one big Santa suit.

Once again, not the best picture.  I had to crop this one from another set of photos as well.  This is my Auntie Lyn.  She is my Mother's only surviving sibling.  My Uncle Wilton died during WWII, Auntie Val died a couple of years ago and my Mum died 11 years ago.  Auntie Lyn is the kindest, most fun loving person you would ever want to meet.   She had the most delicious stew made for us and......Tim Tams for dessert!  It was wonderful catching up with her.  She showed Jim and the kids photos of the family and she filled us in on all the family gossip.  Her Grandson, Brett, popped in while we were there.  I used to babysit him way back in the dark ages!

After lunch we took the scenic route to Gunns Plains.  My parents used to own a farm there, it was before I came along, but the kids wanted to see it.  I had only been there a few times and it was when I was a little girl.  My family gave me wonderful directions......1/2 way down Gunns Plains hill, or 1/2 way up depending on which way you are going.  Around the big curve by the black stump.......you know what I mean.  We didn't find it, but we saw some beautiful scenery.  I love the dirt in Tasmania, it is a nice rich red.

The kids wanted to look at the Gunns Plains Caves, but we were a little early for the tour, so we went and looked at a waterfall that was close by.  Jim, Joshua and Jessica went and looked, Sam was asleep in the car, so I stayed with him out of the rain.

It was a very windy, narrow road to the waterfalls.

We were in a big car.

Jim drove a little fast.

We survived.

Inside the caves.

I didn't go down the caves, have seen them hundreds of times and Samuel was still asleep.  

 They are now run by the State Parks, but when I was a kid, they were privately owned and my Dad knew the person who owned them.  We would often take people touring around the area and my Dad would go knock of the guys door and he would come and take us down the caves.

We drove back down to Ulverstone a different way and I was able to point out a lot of different places that had played a part in my life growing-up.  The house I had grown-up in had changed quite a bit.  I had a huge playhouse in the back.  My Dad had built it for me, it had working lights and a working oven.  It was gone.  That made me sad!

Staying in Ulverstone bought back so many memories.  Going to the movie theatre on Saturdays.  It cost 50 cents to sit in the balcony and that is where my friends and I always sat because if you sat on the lower level, people would throw stuff off the balcony and it would land on your head - chewing gum, yuk!  For 10 cents you could get ice-cream and a mixed bag of lollies during intermission.  The movie theatre was made a grocery store quite some time ago, so we would then catch the train and go to Devonport to see a movie.

My friends and I would ride our bikes everywhere.  We had such fun.  It was a different time, it was safe to let your kids go out all day and run all over.  If I ever did anything wrong, my Mum would know about it by the time I arrived back home.

Everything changes.  Some things were the same and some things will never be the same, but it still feels like home and it is good to see the people that love me.

Sally-Ann