Tasmania is a region of diverse and wild beauty. Sea cliffs, big ocean, rare rock formations, tranquil rivers, glacial tarns and alpine mountains. This is the edge of the world. Framed by the rugged figure of Mount Wellington and the flow of the wide River Derwent, with wilderness lingering nearby, it’s cultural and dining experiences that thrive in Hobart, Australia's second-oldest city, is where most of the Tassie locals live.
Taking a shore excursion from the Silver Nova, we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary that was established in 1981 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife, and where Greg Irons, the director of Bonorong, has put together a new kind of wildlife rescue program dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and preservation of native Australian animals. Bonorong actively participates in various conservation projects, contributes to breeding programs, research initiatives, and advocacy for the protection of Tasmania's wildlife, and became Tasmania's first veterinary hospital dedicated to taking in animals hit by cars, attacked by other animals or orphaned or sick. With no wildlife rescue service operating out of business hours, Greg set up Friends of Carers Wildlife Program, the first community run wildlife assistance service in the state that arranges free training on basic wildlife rescue, transport and temporary care, and provides Bonorong with a database of willing people on call, and has amazingly enlisted more than 200 volunteers.
After Bonorong, we visited the charming historic town of Richmond, located half an hour northeast of Hobart. Renowned for its well-preserved 1820s Georgian architecture, Richmond boasts Australia's oldest bridge, and the oldest operating Catholic Church of St John the Evangelist. A popular, scenic spot, known for its bakery, local cafes, and proximity to the Coal River Valley wineries, the town was a former 19th-century convict station and military outpost, offering a glimpse into colonial life through preserved sandstone buildings, heritage walks, and the nearby Coal Mines Historic Site.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a large mob of free-roaming Forester kangaroos
Visitors can hand-feed and interact with these gentle, rehabilitated kangaroos,
which also enjoy chest scratches and a snack or two
As a private sanctuary, Bonorong cares for orphaned and injured wildlife,
with many being rescues that cannot be released back into the wild
to these darling little creatures
providing this cunning little carnivore with hope for the future
While the Tasmanian emu went extinct around 1865, the emus at Bonorong are mainland emus
and serve as ambassadors for the species
and affectionate with human interaction, often following caretakers
sounding like raucous laughter
to be released back into the wild
that was brought in by a person who found it in their garden, abandoned by its mother
and depends on donations and visitor entries
on her knee, to keep the little one warm and secure
as it was officially opened in 1837
The Tasmanian Lavender Company on Bridge Street
The smell of lavender was intoxicating
