By His Grace — Our Tasmanian Adventure Begins

Sunday – Tuesday: 8-10 March

Saying Goodbye to Wonderful Friends
Sunday morning in the Riverland brought one of those bittersweet moments that travel sometimes brings — saying a warm goodbye to our wonderful friends Warren and Desiree May, who we’ll be missing greatly on this trip. They are such lovely company and we will genuinely miss having them by our side on this leg of the journey.

An Unexpected Blessing in St Arnaud
We had a long day’s drive and had been quietly hoping to pop into the Bible Museum in St Arnaud along the way — but by the time we arrived, it was nearly 6 pm, well past its 2 pm Sunday closing time. We were a little disappointed, but then something rather lovely happened. A kind lady who we spotted at the entrance and asked her if we could have one of the brochures that was at the door, without any hesitation, she warmly invited us in and offered to show us around personally. It was such a generous and unexpected gift! The museum turned out to be a truly fascinating place, and we left feeling grateful for her gracious hospitality. Sometimes the best moments are the unplanned ones.

Family Time in Ballarat — and Getting Bubsie Sparkling Clean!
We arrived in Ballarat that evening and it was so lovely to spend time with family there on Monday — a real highlight of the trip. With the Spirit of Tasmania departure on the horizon, we also had some important preparation to take care of. Tasmania has strict biosecurity rules (no dirt allowed onto the island!), and since we’d been travelling on a few dusty back roads, we wanted to make absolutely sure Bubsie and the trailer were spotless. We gave everything a good thorough clean — wheels, trailer, and car — and felt very satisfied with the result. Bubsie was gleaming and ready for her big adventure!

A Mechanical Hiccup — But We Got There!
Just when we thought everything was in order, the clutch that had only recently been fitted decided to give up on us — the bearings broke! It wasn’t the news we were hoping for, but we took a breath, assessed the situation calmly, and got things in motion. We arranged for the necessary parts to be sent directly to Tasmania, and lined up a mechanic to take a look once we arrived later in the week. As for getting Bubsie back into the trailer — well, that took a bit of creative thinking and good old-fashioned teamwork! We rolled her down the hill to get some momentum up, then had some kind helpers push those back wheels up over the trailer gate so we could strap her down safely. Crisis managed — onwards to Tasmania!

Smooth Sailing on the Spirit of Tasmania
We overnighted in Geelong that afternoon to be fresh and ready for the early start. Loading began around 7:20 am and by 8 o’clock we were settled onboard the Spirit of Tasmania with a warm breakfast in hand, watching the dock grow smaller as we pulled away. What a moment! We spent a peaceful morning on the phone tying up the last of our Tasmanian plans, did a bit of reading, and simply enjoyed the rhythm of the sea. The crossing was wonderfully calm — just a gentle side swell — and we arrived feeling refreshed and excited for what lay ahead.

Tasmania at Last — and Dear Friends Waiting to Welcome Us
We pulled into Devonport just before 7 pm and after clearing quarantine at around 7:30, made a quick stop for groceries before heading to the campground. And what a heartwarming welcome awaited us! Stuart and Margy Barons, the lovely caretakers at the Devonport campground, greeted us like old friends — because in many ways, they are. There was even a special connection: Glenda had attended high school in South Australia at the very same time Stuart was there. Catching up with them felt like the perfect way to begin our Tasmanian chapter. We went to bed that night feeling happy, grateful, and very much at home.