January 7th to January 12th, 2019? A six-day self-driving tour on the east coast of Tasmania, the height of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In the morning, we flew south from Brisbane for two and a half hours, and arrived at Tasmania, the southernmost island of the Australian mainland, at noon.

Hobart, the capital of Mania.

Two families and a group of six people arrived one after another. They picked up the pre-rented car at the airport and drove to the residence to meet up. They quickly packed their luggage and hurriedly packed up and set off without even having lunch.

In the afternoon, we drove straight to the top of Mount Wellington at an altitude of 1,270 meters. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was clear, and even the wind coming from the Antarctic at the top of the mountain was quiet and unassuming.

Our friends warned us in advance that the winter clothes that were necessary to prevent wind and cold were completely useless. We wore summer shirts and wandered with the wind in the desolate stone array on the top of the mountain, which was like a battlefield.

Clouds and mist wander around us from time to time, drifting and flickering, and you can even hear the breathing of the clouds and mist. We just walk lightly in the clouds, overlooking all living beings, and walk towards the end of the world, which is as vast and lonely as an illusion.

The two children led the way, climbing over stone hills one after another, slowly disappearing out of our sight and blending into the space between heaven and earth.

The tall tower pointing straight into the clouds in the distance flickers in and out, as if summoning tourists from afar.

To our surprise, in such a dry and clear natural environment, the extremely rough rock crevices are densely covered with countless vegetation and small flowers, attracting swarms of bees. Life is everywhere in the mountains.

At the top of the mountain, taking advantage of the moment when the clouds and mist dispersed, you could overlook the panoramic view of Hobart, the capital of Tassie. It is surrounded by mountains and sea, peaceful and tranquil. It seems that you have been waiting there for thousands of years. I couldn't help but exhale from the bottom of my heart: Tassie, finally we are here!!

Departing from Hobart Pier in the early morning of the second day, we took a nostalgic two-story ferry for half an hour and arrived at the long and narrow Brunyisland opposite.

For this day's itinerary on the island, we booked a local day tour early. The arrangement was quite good. The driver and tour guide Mr. "Di Gu" took us to taste the various delicacies on the island and enjoy the invincible mountains and sea.

I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, tasted the simple local customs, and learned a lot about the history of Tu'ao, which was naturally very rewarding.

The only regret is that we did not see the white wallaby, a rare white wallaby unique to this island.

In addition to well-known natural landscapes such as The Neck, the most worth seeing on the island is Cape Bruny lighthouse, the second oldest lighthouse in Australia with a history of 150 years. The dedicated staff took us to visit and explain in detail the operation of this lighthouse that has ceased operation.

Past and Present.

Imagine that since the mid-19th century, generations of lighthouse keepers living here have been engaged in this boring and rigorous work in solitude for many years, lighting up the lights for every ship passing by in the vast sea to go home.

It lights up the future and makes my heart warm.

Climb to the top of the tower and take a 360-degree circle overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The endless sea hits and slaps the huge rocks day and night, creating various strange shapes. The power of nature is shocking.

Among all the delicacies, I love the Tassie oysters that can be bought and eaten immediately from the oyster farm. Add some lemon juice and enjoy. The delicious seafood lunch is also a must-try. The most famous local leatherwood honey is a must-try, especially for those who are particular about tasting cheese.

missed.

Of course, before leaving the island, don’t forget to buy a few kilograms of cheap and high-quality red cherries in season, then return to our cabin, cook a simple dinner, and enjoy the real taste of Tassie with your friends.

It is unbelievable that in the mid-19th century, a nine-year-old boy in England would be exiled to a remote island in the southern hemisphere for stealing an apple from someone else.

My child once told me such a story when he was studying Australian history in fourth grade.

Today we drove to Port Arthur in the south to visit the ruins of the prison that the British set up in Tasmania. It is such a living textbook of Australian colonial history.

This prison was built in 1833. It was originally a lumberyard and later became a penal station for all the colonies of the British Empire in the southern hemisphere. Free labor was continuously sent here to reform and produce. The purpose of the colonists was to "reform these gangsters and villains"

"Most of the prisoners convicted of theft, as small as stealing a piece of cheese, as serious as piracy, may be sentenced to life-long exile.

There were thousands of prisoners, soldiers, officials and settlers imprisoned here.

The prison community also has a hospital, church, garden, and a library with 15,000 books (surprising, right?), etc., etc., etc., etc., on a grand scale.

There are currently more than 30 old buildings left. After the prison was closed in 1877, many buildings were destroyed by fire and vandalism, and were later developed into museums and tourist attractions.

The walking tour included in the tourist ticket will have staff introduce these dusty historical stories to you in detail. In addition, there is a half-hour curisetour where you can take a boat trip to Port Arthur and see the juvenile prison and death cemetery on the isolated island.

In addition, the design of the museum there is very unique and has a sense of history. It is recommended to visit the museum to understand the historical background before visiting.

The prison is built on high ground, with mountains behind it and the sea, and is isolated from the world.