Tasmania 2023 – week 3 Deloraine to Mole Creek
Day 23
It was a crisp start at Deloraine this morning – 6 but feels like 4 at 9.30am. So, we did as you should and moved so we could warm up, walking the streets, finding a coffee then motoring on to our next destination. However, before motoring on, we stopped in at Brush Rabbit – gorgeous stop and beautiful packaging for the earrings I purchased.
Leaving Deloraine we headed to Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm, a whole 7km away. Not enough time for the coffee to settle so it was a quick walk through the shop – they have lovely raspberry moisturiser – where I stocked up, having eked out the one I bought just over 12 months ago.
Back in the car, we passed Ashgrove Cheese on our way to the most amazing store I have been in for a while – Reliquaire at Latrobe. It is an experience – the staff provide you with a map. It is worth taking the time to explore – you can explore your inner Disney and Harry Potter as well as the gentleman within with shaving equipment or ladies with earrings and gorgeous clothing. It is such a contrast of so many things, including a range of Tasmanian spirits, cider and beer. Fabulous!
Spreyton Cider was the next stoppage – tasting paddle because, well, you are there and you should.
We then toured through to Sheffield, the home of murals – walk the streets and count them, there are so many of them. The Epicurean Café was simply delightful and we saw the town icon Ludo with Pedro, his Alpaca, walking down to wish a patron at the café a happy 100th birthday. I heard Ludo say that his goal is to make people smile – he certainly achieved that. Pedro walks like a dog and is trimmed like a poodle – I heard him explain the reason but cannot remember what it was – and is a gorgeous dark brown colour. Quite a character.
The drive should be a short one, but it was via lots of backroads with a little backtracking as we had initially thought to do some Falls – ah nope, rain and we were not up for traipsing about in the wet stuff.
Mt Roland is a pretty impressive backdrop as we are driving through this region. It holds your attention as you move through the roads, particularly the backroads, not sure about the main highway. We arrive at Mole Creek and our accommodation, about 110km after starting out. We have a lovely big room and bed, with fabulous wall fitted heaters, and a quaint en suite with fitted sink. There is a lovely guest lounge and a simple breakfast of homemade muesli, local yogurt and milk awaited us in the morning. The evening was spent downstairs at the bar, enjoying a tasting paddle and a supplement then some pretty tasty nibbles – which had a healthy inclusion of chilli in them.
This countryside is quite something. The hedgerows never cease to amaze me – the time taken to grow the hedge then sculpt it, as high as it grows. The cows munch contentedly on the field grasses and the sheep seem pretty happy too. It seems to be a more simple life here.
