Here we are....

....at the end of our first day in Tassie, sitting around a toasty fire, listening to the wind howling (outside...thankfully) and to Ali, one of the long term residents of Poatina. She is introducing us to the people and purpose of the community where we are blessed to be for the next few days. Right from when we drove into town a couple of hours ago, people on the street were waving to us, greeting us and welcoming us into their community. She is reminding us of the importance of 'community'..... of getting to know each other, caring for and serving each other. 

What a great way to begin our journey of 'community' as Year 9's in Tassie. Although..... perhaps after two days packed into buses and squeezed into tiny boat cabins, perhaps it is about continuing our journey of 'community' rather than beginning it! But I'm getting ahead of myself....back to the beginning of the day. Our 5:45am wake up call introduced us to a glorious sunny morning in Devonport. At the risk of spoiling the start of a great day, we descended upon a 'famous Scottish restaurant' for breakfast. For 1 person in the group, it was a chance to replenish 'supplies' lost overnight as a result of the 'gentle' rocking to sleep.

Good morning!

The first time we got to stretch our legs was in the town of Sheffield, the town of murals. This town was on the verge of 'dying' before it was rescued by a group of artists painting the town's history on walls all around the town. Since that time, many tourists make this town an important part of their itinerary, helping to keep it vibrant and alive. Our kids have made their own contribution, many using the opportunity to purchase souvenirs and gifts to take home.

From Sheffield we headed up the mountain to Cradle Mountain National Park. By this time, we knew why we had to bring all our 'winter woolies'! Hotdogs warmed our tummies, while the extra layers warmed our bodies. After lunch we were taken on a (very informative) tour of the area, trying to catch a glimpse of the famous landform despite the low cloud.

Dove lake with Cradle mountain in the fog behind...

Layering up!

Hotdog!

We did get to catch a glimpse of some snow.....

It doesn't take much snow to make a snowball.... 

.....and have a fight!!

Some of the action....

Learning about the World Heritage listed site

Some of the amazing Tassie scenery...

...and more of the same

....but so different!