This blog needs to catch up on the last couple of days. Such has been the pace!

Bothwell camping ground

Before leaving Deloraine we again visited the Visitor’s Centre  to pick up a postcard. Allthego asked the staff there whether they knew any ‘Pedleys’ in Deloraine. After walking around a cemetery the day before and coming across this name it had  hit allthego that this was the surname of his maternal grandfather’s sister. The lady in the centre said ‘Yes’ there were lots of ‘Pedleys’ around. After a bit of chat the name  ‘Joe’ spurted out and again allthego  caught on and recalled this as his grand-uncle, Then later the name ‘Win’ was recalled as his grandfather’s sister and Joe’s wife.

We had these names at home and hadn’t brought them with us.

The lady at the visitor’s centre was then able to point us to this Raspberry place where the day before we had bought the chocolate coated raspberries. It turns out that this raspberry farm together  with a largish dairy are owned by a branch of the Pedley family. After getting some directions and a phone call we set off for the dairy farm where we spent a few hours (and lunch) with one of the daughters of Win , My grandfather’s sister, and her husband. It was a really interesting chat and run through my Tasmanian relatives. She had a very detailed family tree of the Thomas clan (my paternal grandfather’s family) of which she gave me a copy. Enough of this stuff though.

This held us up a bit and we were late away from Deloraine, As a result we did not make it to Mt Field National Park and instead set up at Bothwell. Also a bit of luck because as we found out the next day it bucketed down at Mt Field. A lot calmer at Bothwell though where we had a couple of good nights hidden behind the information centre. Still rained a bit but a few sunny patches.

This big old tree at Russell Falls came down in the middle of the day during January 2013. The ranger said it made a great big noise!

Horseshoe Falls in MT Field National Park, a long exposure, but plenty of water

Leanne and umbrella descending Russell falls (no I didn’t ) , its the name of the falls!

Bothwell’s main claim to fame is that it was established in the 1820’s by a group of Scottish emigrants. One of these family’s established the Ratho Golf course in 1822. It is the oldest recognised course in the Southern Hemisphere. A round of golf is $15. The course layout is apparently much the same as it was in the 1820s. A feature of the greens is that they are surrounded by fences to keep farm animals out and a gate to let the golfers in to sink the putts. Allthego put some time in on the tricky 9th green.

Down at Mt Field NP it just rained and rained and there were torrents of water coming over the Russell Falls. Umbrella’s took away most of the direct wetness, but it just filled the air.

Lucky we hadn’t reached here to camp.

Allthego putting another one down on the 9th at the Ratho course, Bothwell

We have moved on and now at Huonville for a few days.