Tasmania 2023 – week 2 Triabunna to Ross
Day 16
This morning’s journeying is not terribly far but when you don’t know the roads and you are unsure how long you will take at each place, being on the road for 8.00am can be a good thing. What you do get to see on this stretch is the old properties, the majestic (in my view) Georgian homes and residences as well as the smaller nondescript farm buildings, built in that glorious sandstone that looks like honey and so warm when the sun falls upon it.
Looking at the sandstone, you can see the chisel marks from where the mason, or the convict, has worked the stone. Looking at the cottage we stay in, you can see the assembly of stones, with mortar, whitewashed – assembly by convicts.
We have been blessed with some big comfy beds and this was another one. We leave Triabunna at about 8.00am and retrace a portion of the roads we travelled on 2 days ago. We return through the Coal River Wine Region and the Southern Midlands, seeing signs to towns we visited recently, which are about 70km away. Everything is really relatively close here but still quite far in time.
Our first stop is the Lark Distillery at Pontville, mainly for the gorgeous old building as I am not partial to Lark Whiskey. There are some sheep and cows quietly grazing in the yard, who take the time to look up as we venture near. It is 9.00am, opening time is noon. On getting out of the car for that photo opportunity, the air is heavy with the smells of the distillery – quite difficult to describe yet quite unique and to my nose, not unpleasant. Satisfied as to my observations of the building, we return to the main road and within moments pass some fabulous old buildings, one of Georgian sandstone, the other seemingly of a different but equally majestic and impressive construction. The autumnal colours of the drive seem to extend to the reddish-brown painted house.
We embark on the Heartlands Drive Journey, on highway 1. Our next stop is at Kempton where we see some of the fabulous black silhouette “statues” which depict the folklore and heritage of this area and the story for which can be found here: Shadows of the Past | Southern Midlands Council.
They are simple silhouettes, of which we see maybe 5. We had no idea of their existence until we rolled into Kempton, nor until after we left there. We simply admired the silhouettes.
Stop number 2 is Old Kempton Distillery at Dysart House. We are early for their 10.00am opening time so mosey through town, again admiring the old stone buildings and the old buildings generally, of that different era of building. We have a tour through their distillery set up and a tasting in one of the rooms of the house – which has lovely chesterfield sofas and armchairs, and a delightful leather smell. The house is obviously being repaired, the paint has big plaster smears. It is owned by John Ibrahim who has become heavily involved in Tasmanian whiskey. It is a huge property and was formerly a coaching inn. As we leave town, we see a rooster crossing the road. Yes, the jokes about the chicken crossing the rad were mentioned…
Our last stop for the day is at Oatlands and most particularly Callington Mill as today is a distillery kind of day. Oatlands is also an old town and well worth the stop. John Ibrahim is involved here as well. The restoration that has gone on for the town and the iconic windmill is, in my humble opinion, admirable and brilliant. The tourism that comes to these areas but also the history that stays alive is vital. Too soon we forget the past and where we came from if we do not have these reminders.
The investment here is huge with the enormous stills and set up as well as the restaurant. There are at least 4 chefs and at least a similar number of staff. Again, it is an experience. The food is superb. A tasting flight is required here too with the gorgeous names of “Quintessence”, “Apera”, “Emulsion” and “Entropy” finding their way on to my flight. Digressing, Old Kempton also have gin (the Embezzler is good) and an apple spirit (lovely syrupy clear spirit that will probably sneak up on you).
At Oatlands, we are in the Northern Midlands. The country varies from green to sandy wheat coloured country. There are lots of sheep. The air is clear and fresh.
Returning to the highway, we head on to our resting location for the evening, Ross. Tonight’s’ accommodation is a convict built cottage. It is quaint and gorgeous. It has been adapted, with a lovely barn door hiding a washing machine, the installation of a fireplace, ensuite and four-poster bed. The pace is slow. There are plenty of autumn leaves on the ground. Dinner is at the Ross Hotel and a change of fare is in order – we are in a pub and this pub has pub fare, not the refined dining of earlier today. It is still good food. We partake of a local wine (which I manage to spill on the book I bought earlier in this trip so shall have a lasting memento of it), a Syrah. I hadn’t paid attention to the changing names of wine which following from Champagne’s uprising some years ago. Syrah is similar to Shiraz and a mighty fine drop.
We have travelled about 170km today. We have passed through various eras in history. Tomorrow, we explore Ross, will visit the bakeries which have wide acclaim in travel guides and on Travelling Tasmania (there is a fabulous debate about vanilla slices and scallop pies and who has the best ones) and generally drink in the history and sadness of the Female Factory which was situated here.
