We have been immersing ourselves in ‘old’. Yesterday morning, before leaving Stanley, we went to Highfields, the original homestead in the area. This was built by the Van Diemen Company in 1824 when they brought out a team of people and 5000 sheep to establish their company in Stanley, then known as Circular Head.
The old home fell into disrepair before being taken over Parks and Wildlife and is being restored over time and its elegant Regency design, convict barracks, barns, stables, and a chapel were once surrounded by a large ornamental garden.
We stayed the night at Latrobe and this morning drove to Launceston. This was through beautiful country with sheep, cattle, poppy fields (Tasmania grows 50% of the world's poppies that are used for medicine), berries and potatoes. We had a lovely time tasting and buying yet more cheese and a big 2kg bag of strawberries for $5 - they are huge and delicious.
At Launceston, we drove up the high high hill and then down down down the other side to Cataract Gorge and, after a good look around the city, we continued on through more dear little old towns, one, Evandale, holds a penny
Some of the old buildings at Highfieldsfarthing race each year.
On then to Woolmer Estate, yet another old homestead from the 1820’s (old by Australian standards). This was continually owned by the Archer family from 1821 to 1994.
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