Tasmania, Australia - Launceston, Devonport, Penguin and The Nut

 A glorious autumn afternoon greeted me on my arrival at Launceston.  A bit weary after rising at 2.30am to fly firstly to Melbourne and then onto Launceston I checked into my hotel and set out on what I thought would be a gentle walk to perk myself up. The first thing I noticed about this town of around 90,000 was the number of lovely old houses and buildings lining the streets.  They really added a certain charm to the place. I wandered into City Park, bemused by the enclosure of well cared for macaque monkeys at the entrance, stopping for a while to enjoy their antics. They had been a gift from the city of Ikeda, Japan in 1981 to mark their sister city relationship with Launceston. The park  glowed golden in the low autumn sun with shafts of sunlight filtering through the large trees. 

 In the centre of the park is the most ornate drinking fountain I have ever seen. It was erected in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

 I left the park hoping to find a pleasant restaurant or bar on the edge of the river but instead took myself in the wrong direction and ended up in a light industrial area with an elevated railway track blocking any view.  Oh well, them's the breaks, as they say.  Having walked a fair distance by then I simply headed back to my hotel for dinner and a rest.

The next morning it was time to meet my Intrepid Tours group to set out on a 9 day tour titled The Best of Tasmania.  At 8am we gathered in the hotel lounge, a super group of really interesting and friendly people.  I could see this was going to be a fun trip.  Our guide, Stacey, arrived,  bubbly, very knowledgeable, capable and friendly and an amazing driver to boot. Packed and ready we headed off to our first stop at the pretty coastal town of Devonport.

Devonport ( pop 50,000) is a port town and the gateway to Tasmania for The Spirit of Tasmania ferry from the mainland of Australia. As I have written in previous blogs, I love light houses so was very happy that we made our first stop at the Mersey Bluff lighthouse.  It towers majestically over the ocean offering, as all light houses do, a safety beacon for passing ships.  Just down the hill from the light house is the Tiagarra Cultural Centre where we were to have a cleansing ceremony and learn about the culture of  the Palawa/ Pakana people, the indigenous Tasmanians of the North West region.

As we gathered around a fire pit, welcome since there was a freezing cold wind, we had our faces dabbed with customary markings in ochre by the cultural centre guides.  We were then given branches of eucalyptus leaves to put in the fire and smoke ourselves in what is a traditional cleansing ritual. From there we moved into the cultural centre for a very interesting tour led by guide, Erin. Erin was articulate and I learnt a lot about the life, art and customs of the Palawa/Pakana people.  I would highly recommend this tour.

 (Note: the ochre sets solid and is hard to remove, have wet wipes at the ready)

At the cleansing ceremony

Back on our bus and heading west along the northern coast our next stop was at the town of Penguin, which, as you would imagine, rejoiced in the theme of penguins with punny names on shops and pictures and statues of penguins scattered about.   It is another pretty coastal town where we stopped for lunch, most of our group heading to the Penguin Brewery for a meal and a local beer After lunch  I took a walk along the beach admiring the many different coloured stones and pebbles washed up on the shore.

Left: Penguin themed rubbish bin in Penguin

Driving onwards we spotted a giant monolith rising from the ocean. This was the 143 metre high volcanic plug called The Nut, the story is that it was so named as it is a hard nut to crack and we were going to climb it, well some of us were, the rest of us took the easy way and opted to get to the top by chair lift. I was one of the chair lift riders and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. As I passed over the incredibly steep path to the top I had no regrets. The view from the top was spectacular, 360 degrees of sea and land.  I joined one of our group and we took the 2 kilometre walk around the flat top and down into a bush clad valley.  Hundreds of tiny birds accompanied us flitting from tree to tree.  It was delightful. After sailing back down in the chair lift I spoke to some who had walked up the path, they said it was so steep they had to cling to the railing all the way for fear of sliding down the hill. 

Great view from the chair lift

Panorama from The Nut
Below:  Our happy crew with The Nut in the background

After a short drive around the delightful small fishing port of Stanley we headed off to our accommodation  at Smithton, where we had our first group dinner. This had been a fabulous day and a great start to our trip.

Right: Stanley at the foot of The Nut

The Joy of Hiking

 I have always been a keen walker.  I love nothing better than getting out in the fresh air and exercising either with friends or on my own.  It has been a favourite pastime my whole life.  For the last 30 years I have walked around 5 kilometres twice a week with a good friend.  We have enjoyed solving the problems of the world, if only!, catching up on news and gossip while maintaining our fitness and keeping healthy.  When I travel overseas and visit new cities I have been known to walk for several hours a day taking in the sights and attractions. One day  I walked  all over London (25,000 steps) stopping for only short coffee breaks. And a few years ago I did a three day hike with friends around Bank's Peninsula on the South Island of New Zealand and another time climbed to the top of Mount Taranaki with the same friends. However, I have never really got into serious regular hiking.  It wasn't until a friend of mine suggested I join Auckland Global Trekkers, the hiking group that he leads, that I started to do some proper hikes and I'm loving it.

Mt Taranaki.  It was a hard slog but we got to the top.

Initially I felt a bit intimidated by the high level of fitness of most in the group since it has been a good  few years since I did those larger treks, but I needn't have worried. I've managed to keep up with others on the hikes I've done and because each has a difficulty rating I have chosen ones that I think best suit my ability.  The great thing is that I have been to places I had always wanted to go but didn't want to go to alone.  I wrote about the magnificent Putaruru Blue Springs hike in a previous post (find it in my search box) and a couple of weeks ago we went to Motutapu Island which I see daily from my suburb but had never visited. It's been so much fun to finally get to both these places with a great group of companions to share the experience with. 

The group hikes every Sunday in  both Auckland and other places around the North Island much further afield.  They also take overseas trips during the middle of the year which are primarily for hiking but also for sightseeing, dining and enjoyable companionship. This is a really well organised group. The founder and leader, Christopher Grant, does an amazing job of planning each hike with an assistant who plans the mid week hikes.  I am in awe of the time and care Chris takes in this.  It is no small task to come up with weekly hikes and to plan and co-ordinate the overseas trips. Health and safety is always a priority  and Chris has a willing band of helpers who carry walkie talkies and both lead and follow the group. Day hikes can consist of up to 50 hikers, the midweek hikes have much smaller numbers, people from all walks of life come along so there is plenty of interesting conversation to be had.  Every hike ends with a purely optional social gathering at a pub or bar, making for an excellent feeling of camaraderie amongst fellow hikers. 

So far I have done only three of the full day hikes and none of the overseas trips but I have done quite a few of the shorter midweek hikes around my city of Auckland.  They have been a delight, taking routes across the city, through parks, by rivers and bush and traversing places that despite living in the city all my life I have never been before. The beauty of these short hikes, approx 3 hours long, are that they start at 5.15pm so can be joined after work and are a great way to exercise and unwind before heading home. 

Auckland Global Trekkers ready to hike the Putaruru Blue Springs

We are always open to, and warmly welcome, new members.  Even if you are just visiting Auckland come along and get to see interesting and beautiful parts of the country you would be unlikely to see otherwise while enjoying the company of friendly locals. You can find Auckland Global Trekkers on Heylo.com see if there is a hike you'd like to come on and join us.  

Cafes with interesting decor - Fun places to visit

Cafe culture is alive and well in New Zealand.  Everywhere you look there are cafes and most of them are smart, chic and, to be honest, pretty generic in design.  The style of choice seems to be concrete, industrial, sleek and modern.   Some make a nod to individuality with added shelves holding interesting artifacts or pot plants and/or wall art however generally they are out of a playbook of cafe design. I'm always happy to have coffee in these cafes, however, just for a bit of fun I like a visit to cafes with a difference, cafes which take on a theme and are unique in design.  A visit to these types of cafes is like a bit of escapism from the everyday world.

Here are a few that I have found around Auckland and I have added one of my favourite cafes from Wellington as well.

Divine Patisserie, Ormiston Mall, Auckland

You can't help but smile when you enter Divine Patisserie.  The pretty pink flower theme is carried right through from the decor to the chairs and china and even to the take away cups.  You can choose to sit in a semi private booth completely lined with pink roses or under the branches of a delicately blossoming tree in the centre of the cafe. Even on a wet, miserable day you are transported to spring. Their selection of divine cakes and pastries certainly befits their name.

Left: One of a few rose covered booths

Circus Circus  447 Mt Eden Rd, Mount Eden, Auckland

This cafe with, as you would expect, a vibrant circus theme, is a bit of an institution in Mt Eden. Opened in 1995 and very popular, especially with locals - it is often hard to find a seat - The circus theme is everywhere you look from the exterior striped awning to the menu to the clowns, jugglers and circus animals hanging from the ceiling or perched on ledges.  It's a family friendly fun place with plenty for children to look at while you enjoy your coffee. The cafe extends into a large house next door with a covered outdoor seating area. Circus Circus becomes a restaurant in the evening. The food is good and service is outstanding. 

At Circus Circus acrobats, clowns and trapeze artists hang from the ceiling and a lion roars from the top of the food cabinet.  Even the menu has a circus theme.

Shamrock Cottage, 73 Selwyn St, Cockle Bay, Auckland

Shamrock Cottage dates back to 1847 when it was opened as The Royal Hotel. It passed through a number of hands before being restored and opened as the present tea rooms in 1969.  It is a Category 11 listed historic building and to have coffee or tea in this elegant, old world setting truly is a step back in time. The building was first named Shamrock in 1894 by Captain William Daldy, a famous Aucklander, after the first schooner he commanded and it is absolutely charming.  There are three small rooms where you can enjoy your morning or afternoon tea plus a spacious rear garden complete with the original well, there are also a few tables on the front verandah. The original design and decor has been maintained as much as possible which is an important part of its charm. You can order light meals and there is plenty of cabinet food to suit all dietary requirements.  High teas can be organised on request. Shamrock Cottage is a favourite of mine, I love to stop there when I'm in that part of Auckland.

The Breakfast Club,  Shop 703 Botany Town Centre, Chapel Rd, East Tamaki, Auckland

Harking back to the good old days of drug stores or, as we called them in New Zealand, milk bars, the Breakfast Club, one of a chain in Auckland, entices you in with its bright, pink neon counter. It has a really buzzy, cosy diner vibe. The walls are decorated with an interesting mix of iconic pictures of film stars and musicians, giving you plenty to enjoy looking at and enjoy remembering. Ahhh those were the days!  The Breakfast Club is popular with all age groups, some of the pancake creations are eye boggling and the day I visited there was a queue waiting to get in. Good coffee and tasty cabinet food.

Smith the Grocer, Old Bank Building, Lambton Quay, Wellington

I've always loved this cafe and make a point of a visit whenever I'm in Wellington. Using an old grocery store theme and decorated with old scales, tins of vegetables and photos of interiors of 1930s grocery stores, the vibe is nostalgia. Set in a truly lovely historic building in what was once a courtyard but is now a covered atrium this is a step back in time, there is just such a good feeling about the place.  The ceiling is very high and an elevator (not accessible from the cafe) to higher floors can be seen moving up and down within the cafe.  There is a choice of three different areas to sit.  If you want a quiet intimate place you can go down a couple of stairs to a dark and quiet room or you can sit within the bright and bustly main room, my personal favourite.  If you love people watching you can sit outside in the elegant, beautifully preserved mall. The food and coffee are good. 

                                                            Below: The lift shaft going up through the cafe

                             Looking out into the beautifully restored Old Bank Mall

Junk and Disorderly, 164 Balmoral Rd, Balmoral, Auckland

If you enjoy fossicking among curios, antiques and junk then Junk and Disorderly (don't you love the name?)  is the place for you. Located in a large warehouse, with a good sized off road car park, the shop is overflowing with "stuff", it's a mind blowing treasure trove.  For afficionados it's the place to spend a good few hours picking and poking.  After all that time you are certain to need a pick me up so conveniently located in a corner of the shop is a coffee counter. In keeping with the shop it is decorated with memorabilia and a large collection of old mugs and biscuit tins of various shapes and styles.  The coffee counter wasn't open on the day I visited, it is open only from Wednesday to Sunday.

The Junk and Disorderly coffee counter certainly carries the antique store vibe.  Seating is outside.

The information in this blog is correct as at February 2026.