The final Work contract.In Tasmania of course.

[drron]

I walked about half way down the trail then turned and walked back. I the walked the deadman's knob circuit. A little boring with quite a bit of suburbia on view.
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even a VA flight into LST.
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And casurinas covered with male flowers.
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[drron]

To finish off I drove down to the boat ramp on Lake Trevallyn. Quite a nice spot. An area for swimming plus a water skiing area.
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As I was taking the pics an older fellow on a bike rode up and started quizzing me on Tasmanian geography. I could tell he was getting a bit disheartened as I could always say -yes I have been there.He decided to end the conversation when I told him not bad for a Queenslander. but he did have a lot of info on the local area such as the nice looking property atthe end of the lake.
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Most of the properties best land is under the water. hydro tasmania offered the owner irrigation water for free instead of monetary compensation. the owner accepted, plante a few thousand oak trees and the property is now known as Tamar valley truffles. They have some interesting products you can buy on line.

Tamar Valley Truffles Home - Tamar Valley Truffles Tasmania

Tamar Valley Truffles is one of Australia's leading producers of the black Périgord winter truffles creating an exciting range of truffle products.

www.tamarvalleytruffles.com.au

 

[drron]

There was a little rain after I got back to my digs. Rewarded with a rainbow.
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I also have a nice night view.
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[drron]

Sunday and I was off wine tasting. When i came out the plover family was back. The 3 young were nearly the size of their parents. Mum recognised me and came down the hill and the rest followed.She gave the one note call in response to my feeble attempts at plover talk. i haven't heard any other plover make the call so i knew it was the family that had been here before.
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I was off to Rowella but first a stop at the Exeter Pie shop for one of the few scallop pies i have had this trip.
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A good scallop pie with 7 scallops of fair size.

 

[drron]

Driving into Rowella there are lots of vines.
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Then you come to an Air BnB on the property I am heading to.
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Turning into the estate a magnificent driveway flanked by elms but with a couple of magnificent gums heading the rows.
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Grapes on either side.
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[drron]

The place I am at is Waterton Hall.Part of the main building is the last Convict built estate in Northern Tasmania.The original land grant was initially granted in the early 1800s but it wasn't until the 1850s that Waterton Hall was built. I parked outside the renovated convict built barn.
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Outside is a ticket office from the Longford racecourse. The oldest continuously operating Racecourse in Australia.
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Longford Racecourse Details & Map | Tasmanian Turf Club

Longford Racecourse, Tasmanian Turf Club. All the details of the racecourse including a map of the race track

www.progroupracing.com.au

A pair of magnificent old gums that were recorded when the land was first settled.Though to be ~ 350 years old.
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The majority of the large trees on the property are elms which have cost megabucks to keep alive.
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The house in the distance.
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[drron]

The winery is only open for cellar door sales on some summer days with a pop up cellar door. Not on days there is a function so it basically means this never happens on a weekend. They do how ever have a tour of the winery with tasting and snacks some days.Normally costs $65. i however was on a special because I paid with a Tassie Government voucher of $100. I got the tour plus a bottle of their 2018 shiraz.
Although these tours are for a minimum of 6 today there was only 3 of us. The others were the viticulturist for Moorilla's northern vineyard on the Tamar and his partner. The Tamar vineyard produces 85% of the Grapes for Moorilla wines.It made for a very interesting couple of hours.

We started in the barn where we tasted their 2018 reisling with some parmesan bikkies from Beaconsfield plus walnuts from the next door property..So the barn with the original shingle roof as it was covered in the early 1900's.
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The only leak occurred under the bell tower which was added in the 1900 changes and has a bell from the original Launceston fire Brigade building.
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A map of the property and plantings.
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The first owners who started the winery only planted Reisling,Shiraz and Viognier. Very different to most Tasmanian vineyards. The current owners have planted pinot noir and chardonnay.The first vintage was 2021 but they have not been released.
When the vineyard was being planted the dug up lots of these -
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It is a very old huon pine irrigation system.
When a function centre this addition has a full commercial kitchen plus food and wine storage.
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And the bell tower.
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[drron]

Now to the house.
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Great views even from the front.
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[drron]

We now walked around the house.
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The chapel.
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The site of the Laundry. It was moved and is now part of the AirBnB on the property -The Nest.
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Part of the servants quarters.
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We didn't go into the house as it is now the private residence of the owners. However when trying to research the history of Waterton Hall I found a You tube video of it's appearance in 1991 as it was coming to the end of it's time as a Vinnies home for homeless men and boys.

Obviously a lot diffent now especially the upper floor which had no electricity with hot showers because of wood burning.

 

[drron]

Fruit and veggie gardens.
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And the side of the house.
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[drron]

The views to the river.
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In the early days the only reliable well was down this bank. The servants had to carry water up every day.
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The back of the house.
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The side of the house is actually the original house.
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The Catholic Church bought the house in 1946 and in 1951 the St Josephs Waterton Hall boarding school for girls between 6 and 12 opened.This article gives the history of Waterton Hall whilst in Catholic hands.It also has a picture of the house in 1951.

https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/tas/TE00098

From 1978 to 1991 it was the St. Vincents home for homeless men and boys. During that time a murderer hid there for 18 months as well it ended up getting mentions in the Tasmanian government inquiry into Institutional abuse.

The first grapes were planted here in 1999 presumably by the Catholic Church as the original vineyard owners bought the property in 2002.The present owners took over in 2015.

 

[drron]

Behind the tree is the school building.
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Then headed off downhill to the boathouse.
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In the days of the girls school the students were brought down here every afternoon in summer for a swim - rain,hail or shine.

 

[drron]

We were here for a more pleasant past time.A glass of their 2018 shiraz and cheese and sourdough.
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An interesting rock.
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So peaceful sitting here.

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But all to soon it was back up the hill to the school.
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[drron]

Then our last stop in the old school building where we tasted the viognier - it was really nice. accompanied by chocolate brownies and some beautiful huge Hillwood strawberries.. the feature of the room was a full size billiards table. Walter Lindrum reportedly played on it. but in the it's a small world scenario it came here from the Kawana Bowls club just under aKm from our place.
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Great views.
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[drron]

Time to leave so the walk back to the barn and my car.
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The gums at the start of this day are really huge when you get up close.
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It was a really good experience.The 3 wines tasted, all 2018 vintage, were really good though unusual for Tasmania. Reisling, shiraz, viognier.
Here is some information about Waterton Hall and it's wines.

Visit Us

We have tastings available of our cool climate award winning wines in our newly refurbished Waterton Hall Barn, Rowella Tasmania

www.watertonhall.com.au

Liquorland | Buy Beer, Wine, Spirits & Ciders at Great Prices

www.gasworkscellardoor.com.au

Waterton Hall wonders

Tamar Valley vineyard Waterton Hall produces Tasmania’s first, and probably only, viognier. But there’s a second quirk. #BelindaEvans #chardonnay #GlennJames

www.therealreview.com

Can thoroughly recommend the tour and the wine. Would make a good AFF meet up.maybe the lunch option.

 

[drron]

Leaving the Estate the property over the road needs a little loving.
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And another view of the nest which is available on several booking platforms.
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NEST@Waterton Hall, Rowella, Australia

Situated in Rowella, 47 km from Launceston Tramway Museum and 48 km from Queen Victoria Museum, NEST@Waterton Hall offers barbecue facilities and air...

www.booking.com

The walnut orchard.
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And lots of grapes.
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[drron]

Heading back towards the Batman Bridge you drive up one side of a large bay which appears to be the continuation of the Tamar after it passes under the Batman bridge.
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Some large homes built for the view.
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And the old lighthouse which marks the point that the river does a 90 degree turn.
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[drron]

A little past the lighthouse is an old church.
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And a connection to the day before.A memorial to a fellow who died on the construction of the Trevallyn dam and his Grandfather who died at sea.
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[drron]

There is a strong whirlpool as the river passes under the Batman Bridge. As with several bridges it it a favourite spot for suicides. Tghe local legend is I am taking the first 2 photos at the place where the bodies come to the shore.
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[drron]

A little food interval.Two meals at Me Wah. First when I ate alone. Char sui followed by spicy salt squid. Both delicious.
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The next time with mrsdrron. Shared entrees of char sui and Peking duck.
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Then our favourite truffled mushrooms and braised E Fu noodles with blue swimmer crab.
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