The Long Way Home - The Happy Optimists

30/10/2025

Bay of Fires Tasmania 🩵💚 🦭

The Gardens and Binnalong - WoW

Rock and Rockpool Sealife Paradise

The coastline opens to a breathtaking sweep of white sands and crystal-clear water, shifting from turquoise shallows to deep cobalt blue. Scattered along the shore are giant granite boulders, rounded…. smoothed by centuries of wind and tide.

Each one smudged with burnt-orange and rust-red tone, created by a lichen that thrives in the salt spray. This natural pigment, part algae, part fungi, paints the rocks in fiery hues that seem to ignite under the sun.

Interestingly, the name wasn’t originally about the rocks, it came from a shipsighting, who recorded traditional land keepers campfires along the shore. Like ‘A Bay of Fires’

The sealife - mutton birds - seals, playing Dolphines - whales off the shore.

It’s here, between the green of the land and the blue of the sea, that Tasmania reveals her masterpiece, a living contrast of elements, light, and time.

I hope the pictures inspire you to go. They are only such a small capture of a gorgeous journey.

H30ML⭕️♾️⭕️

27/10/2025

Everyone said Do Mona! And Oh MONA you do not disappoint. Museum of Old and New Art Hobart

From light into the darkness of shadows, to the light and dark of humour and controversy.

The wall of V is gone - 😔 yet there was so many wild moments of Oooooo and ahhh and even OH MY! It’s like a playground for the mind - to think or not to think became the question - occasionally we also had to U turn and revisit a certain few to deal with the ethical lines lol - like art of Defication Processing 💩- interesting- but….. 🤮 or imprisoning a bonsai tree to see it it screams 😭….

I loved this art Sidney Nolans Serpent is SPECIAL ! The work and faces and size WOW
And those Drop Bears 😁😂 the Black and white room that made your balance waiver - awesome experience- next time we want 3 days to go slow and listen to each one one the self touring O app

Some fun facts

You must have the App to enter - you can also book ‘experieces’, buy your tickets and get a self guided tour with ‘The ‘O’’ app.

🎟 Ticket / Admission Costs
• For non-Tasmanian visitors (i.e., from interstate or international):
• Adult: AUD $39 
• Concession (healthcare, pension, senior, student): AUD $33 
• Ages 12-17: AUD $17 
• Ages 4-11: Free entry (proof of age not required) 
• Ages 0-3: Free entry 
• For Tasmanian residents (locals):
• Adult: A $5 deposit (refundable after visit) 
• Under 18s: Free 

📌 Note: These fees are museum entry only; getting to MONA (e.g., via ferry) may incur additional cost.

🕒 Opening Hours
• MONA is open Thursday to Monday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm from October 31 2025 otherwise before then Friday to Monday
SO CHECK


It’s a BIG day of walking so be comfortable and bring nibbles and water!

Have fun and prepare to be shocked lol in a good weird way

23/10/2025

Tasmania North West is so worthwhile.

So many wonderful places to see on this incredible Island. We drove from Launceston out Evendale- to Lulworth, George Town both sides of the Tanmar, town hopping all the way up to Stanley - top spots for us - Deloraine, Penguin Mole Creek - even Mersey Bluff WOW very beautiful places, and Stanley and the Nut stunning.

Yes it’s cold, yes it’s raining, yes it’s windy - but it’s also stunning and incredible interesting to wander and explore.

23/10/2025

One of our stops - Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden

So many wonderful places to see on this incredible Island. We drove from Launceston out Evendale- to Lulworth, George Town both sides of the Tanmar, town hopping all the way up to Stanley - top spots for us - Deloraine, Penguin Mole Creek - even Mersey Bluff WOW very beautiful places, and Stanley and the Nut stunning.

We stopped at Emu Valley Rhododendron
Garden which was stunning, an easy meandering walk - as you can see the place is beautiful.

Entry to the Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden is
Adults: $15
Concessions: $13
Members and children: Free
Hours: Open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, except for Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Whens the best time to visit - typically spring, to late September to mid-November, to see the peak rhododendron and azalea blooms. However, we imagine the gardens are beautiful year-round.

You can purchase plants, and there is Rosetree Cafe that serves homemade food, including home-baked treats, light lunches and traditional Devonshire teas. They also offer homemade soups, sandwiches, and barista coffees.

Or bring your own picnic to enjoy in the gardens they really are lovely.

TOP TIP: when it cones to flowers - this region has much to offer. Do your own research, with so many beautiful flower farms - you might also get lucky and see the tulips around this time of year (Oct) too.

17/10/2025

One more sleep and Tassie here we come
🙌🏻
What’s your top tips for road tripping
Tasmania?

10/07/2025

🐝 😎

29/05/2025

How wild and crazy is this- 🙌🏻

24/04/2025

Macquarie River and 2 great Free camps

The beautiful Macquarie River and Free camps Ponto Falls and a very small tucked away freebie with only enough room for 2 big van, but swags and off road campers… this is a winner if silence in nature is your thing. From Geurie, jump onto Old Dubbo Road and head to Brilbral Reserve. The roads better from that way rather than Dubbo which is loaded with eeeerrrrs.

We are so lucky to have areas provide us with these beautiful places.

Thanks Dubbo Wellington Region ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

24/04/2025

🌿 Wandering Through Dubbo’s Tranquil Treasure - Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden

⭐️⭐️Top tips. ⭐️⭐️

💫Check the map out at the front! Make sure you see all the Gardens!

💫Take a picnic and water enjoy the beautiful space

Tucked away in the heart of Dubbo, we stumbled across something truly special – the Dubbo Regional Botanic Garden. A peaceful, beautifully curated haven, this garden offers more than just plants – it’s a journey through culture, connection, and calm.

Set just off Coronation Drive in East Dubbo, the garden is made up of five distinct spaces, each with its own flavour and purpose:

Shoyoen Japanese Garden – An exquisite reflection of friendship between Dubbo and its sister city, Minokamo. Picture koi-filled ponds, traditional wooden bridges, and delicate maples whispering in the breeze. It’s serene, soulful, and absolutely stunning.

Sensory Garden – Created to engage all five senses, this space invites you to slow down and tune in. The textures, scents, and sounds here feel like a meditation in motion.

Wiradjuri Garden – This deeply respectful space honours the Traditional Custodians of the land. With native plants significant to the Wiradjuri people and a design that echoes the region’s rivers, it’s both grounding and inspiring.

Biodiversity Garden & Oasis Valley – Together, these areas showcase the diverse native flora of the region, with shady walking paths perfect for quiet reflection or a breezy stroll.

The entire space is free to enter and open daily – a true gift to the community and travellers alike. We are planing visits over the years as the seasons change and the gardens grow.

If you’re passing through Dubbo, don’t miss this.
It’s the kind of place that gently wraps around you, reminding you to breathe, connect, and just be. We’ll definitely be back – and next time, with a picnic rug in tow.

Have you visited? I’d love to hear what you enjoyed the most.

29/03/2025

How good are these!

No more glass bottles in the caravan.

Customisation of our 'The Standard Squeeze' bottles turned out awesome.

The Standard Squeeze