(Tassie Trip) Day 8 – Stanley

December 8, 2015
stanley, tasmania, australia

Usually I publish my Tassie Trip posts on a Wednesday for Wordless Wednesday but for this one there was no way I could keep my words to a minimum, let alone wordless!  I was totally enamored with Stanley and therefore have quite a bit to say.  It’s taken me a while to get this post ready for publishing because I took SO MANY photographs and therefore have had many to pour through to decide which ones were most worth editing and including and then of course there was finding the time to edit.

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After having lunch at Wynyard we set off towards Stanley where we finally arrived mid-late afternoon.

A bit about Stanley:  It has a population today of around 481 people. In 1825 the Van Diemen’s Land Company was granted land in north-western Van Diemen’s Land, including the Stanley area. Employees of the company from England settled in the area in October 1826.  It was named after Lord Stanley, the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in the 1830s and 1840s, who later had three terms of office as British Prime Minister.  Today Stanley is a tourist destination and the main fishing port on the north-west coast of Tasmania.  The most distinctive landmark in Stanley is The Nut, an old volcanic plug discovered by the explorers Bass and Flinders in 1798, who named it Circular Head.  Tourists regularly travel to Highfield (a farming region on the north west of the township) to view the picturesque northern beaches with The Nut in the background.  The port on the southern side of The Nut is also a regularly used fishing spot.

This place absolutely stole my heart.  I loved it here.  It’s tiny.  It’s quaint.  It’s unique.  It’s special.  It spoke to me!  What did it say?  It said “Min, you could so live here. Well you at least need a longer stay here!”  How sad that we had so little time here.  We were due to leave again the next day – probably needing to be gone by late morning in order to reach our next destination before dark.

We walked up to the base of ‘The Nut’ (a fascinating geological rock formation at the base of which is the township of Stanley) with the intention of catching the chairlift to the top for a walk around the plateau and of course so I could take some 360 degree view photographs.  Hubby was concerned we were short on time and that the chairlift operating hours would not allow us time to get up there, walk around, take photographs, and then catch a chairlift back down.  So, we didn’t go to the top, planning to do it in the morning.  Sadly, it was pouring with rain in the morning so we never got to the top of The Nut!  I was so disappointed.  I will most definitely have to go back to Stanley!

We stayed at Touchwood’s ‘The Studio Cottage‘ and were very ‘touched’ that there were beautiful hot muffins wrapped up in a tea towel still hot from the oven awaiting our arrival.  We made a pot of tea to accompany the muffins and boy were those muffins delicious! 

The cottage was very roomy and cosy and contained everything you would need plus more!  The only down side to this cottage was that, though it had a lovely view out to the beach and water, it wasn’t particularly private if you opened the blinds on the windows because the Touchwood Cafe and Craft Gallery were out there and clientele seated at tables (indoor & outdoor) would be able to see in to the cottage if the blinds were fully open.  We were only staying one night so it wasn’t a problem, but if I were in Stanley for a longer stay I think I would seek alternative accommodation.  Here are some pics that I took with my phone.

1. The Cottage Bathroom 2. The Cottage Lounge area, and 3. Stone Wall - Convict Built

1. The Cottage Bathroom 2. The Cottage Lounge area, and 3. Stone Wall – Convict Built

1. Cottage Bathroom - showing the gorgeous skylight, 2. A sideboard in the kitchen area, and 3. The hot from the oven muffins awaiting our arrival

1. Cottage Bathroom – showing the gorgeous skylight, 2. A sideboard in the kitchen area, and 3. The hot from the oven muffins awaiting our arrival

bed, cottage, stanley, tasmania

The Cottage Bed

Stanley Post Office

Stanley Post Office and Phone Box

We had dinner that night at Xanders Restaurant.  Oh my gosh – I highly, highly recommend that you eat at this place if ever you are at Stanley.  Note that you must book – it is that popular – even in such a small little town!  People come from all over to eat here!  Though we were there at night and it was dark, should you eat there during the day – the outlook is stunning!  The food, service and ambiance was absolutely superb!  Afterwards, it was just a short stroll up the street back to our cottage.

If you’ve read to this point, it would be quite obvious by now that I was very taken with Stanley.  It felt a bit like stepping back in time.   I felt like I had discovered a very special secret little village in an absolutely stunning part of the world.   Here was this gorgeous village settlement at the base of ‘The Nut’ surrounded on both sides by water and the most beautiful beaches.  I loved the architecture of the cottages and shops and those are what I was most drawn to photograph.  Here are some of the photographs that I managed to take on the afternoon we arrived, in the very short period of time we had before it got dark.  There are quite a few – I was like a woman obsessed – I loved the place!  Note that many of them really need to be seen at full size for the beauty of this place to be fully appreciated.

Images at Full Size 2

the nut, stanley, tasmania, australia

the nut, stanley, tasmania, australia

stanley, tasmania

stanley, tasmania, australia

Stanley, Tasmania

rooftops, stanley, tasmania, Australia

stanley, tasmania

stanley, tasmania, church street

church street, stanley, tasmania

geraniums, church street, stanley, tasmania

hotel, stanley hotel, stanley, tasmania, australia

touchwood, stanley, tasmania, australia

garden, flowers, church street, stanley, tasmania

alleyway, stanley, tasmania, australia

chimney, rooftop, stanley, tasmania

cottage, stanley, tasmania

flowers, stanley, white flowers, tasmania

cottage, stanley, tasmania

cottage, stanley, tasmania, australia

crayfish pots, crayfish, stanley, tasmania

church street, takeaway, stanley, tasmania

church, church street, stanley, tasmania

the nut, cafe, store, stanley, tasmania, australia

wildflowers, flowers, stanley, tasmania, australia

The next Tassie Trip post I’ll be sharing more photographs from Stanley – but the majority will be from our visit to Highfield House (a different Highfield House than the B&B we stayed in of the same name in Launceston).  This Highfield House is a historic site that offers a historically accurate vision of a gentleman’s home and farm of the 1830s.  It sits on a hillside overlooking the lands the manager would have once controlled, with views across to Stanley, The Nut and Bass Strait beyond. Find out more and see some fabulous photographs (if I do say so myself) in the next Tassie Trip post which will probably be published at some point during January 2016.

Meanwhile, here’s where you can catch up on our Tassie trip so far:  Day 1 – Hobart, Day 2 – MONA – Hobart, Day 3 – Richmond, Day 4 – Port Arthur, Day 5 – Bicheno, Day 5 – Wineglass Bay, Day 5 – Sleepy Bay, Day 5 – Cape Tourville, Day 5 – St Mary’s, Day 6 – Bay of Fires: Binalong Bay, Day 6 – Bay of Fires: The Gardens, Day 6 – Pyengana Cows, Day 6 – St Columba Falls, Day 7 – Launceston – where we Stayed, Day 7 – City of Launceston, Day 7 – Launceston’s Cataract Gorge, Day 8 – Deloraine and Devonport, and Day 8 – Penguin and Wynyard.

On Friday we’re off to Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast for a week’s holiday, so there will probably only be one more post from me for 2015, somewhere in the week prior to Christmas.  Until then, stay safe and may the Christmas spirit be with you!  🙂

Ciao for now,

Min-Signature

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT
&
I decided after all to cheekily link up with
My Little Drummer Boys and Steph’s Joy for #WordlessWednesday
(apologies ladies for all the words!)

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24 Comments

  • Reply Amy @ HandbagMafia December 8, 2015 at 7:56 am

    Tassie is gorgeous. Love Bicheno and Pyengana- did you stop at the pub with the “beer” drinking pigs? amazing place!

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 9:55 pm

      We went to Bicheno and Pyengana but I don’t recall going to any pub with beer drinking pigs!!

  • Reply Ingrid @ Fabulous and Fun Life December 8, 2015 at 8:38 am

    What an amazing historical town! I love all your photos – I felt myself relaxing and just breathing again, looking at them!

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 9:56 pm

      It’s such a special spot. I am going to have to go back for a longer stay. I loved it that much. So glad you like the photos – thank you! xo

  • Reply Sally@Toddlers on Tour December 8, 2015 at 12:02 pm

    I visited Stanley many years ago and what I remember is the lovely quaint little town with some tasty little gourmet foods.

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 9:57 pm

      You are lucky to have been there! It is definitely a quaint little town. Unfortunately I wasn’t there long enough to experience the tasty gourmet foods – apart from the awesome dinner we had at Xanders restaurant! xo

  • Reply Vanessa December 8, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Oh I want to host a writing workshop there. It looks like the perfect place.

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 9:58 pm

      If you host a writing workshop there, please make sure I am on the invitation list coz I will be there in a heartbeat!! 🙂 xo

  • Reply HUgzilla December 8, 2015 at 5:20 pm

    OMG that phone box is divine! It’s so funny, I haven’t been, but everyone I know who has been to Tassie comes back absolutely raving about it. I can honestly say I have not met one person who has come back saying “It’s crap” or “Meh”. Looking at some of these pictures it’s not hard to imagine why…

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 10:00 pm

      I know! That phone box! When do you ever see phone boxes like that except in the movies?! I agree, I only ever hear good things about Tassie and now I know why. I totally fell in love with the place. It suits me. Lots of wide open space. Lots of gorgeous nature. Cooler climate which I prefer … and so much more. I think it has to be seen to be believed. xo

  • Reply Emily December 8, 2015 at 8:43 pm

    Gorgeous pics, Min! Wow, to be in a place for one night and think you could live there. Sounds amazing. (And seriously, this still could have been a WW post. So many beautiful pics!) #teamIBOT

    • Reply Min December 8, 2015 at 10:02 pm

      Thanks Em. Yep Stanley had something about it that made me feel peaceful and happy. A small unassuming village type vibe. Beautiful location and outlook. Adorable cottages. Access to gorgeous produce. I at least would like a longer stay there one day! 🙂 xo

  • Reply stephanie@stephsjoy December 9, 2015 at 1:04 pm

    Oh MIn, you just managed to take a few photos! LOL! I’ve never been to Stanley before, certainly a place that I hope we get to see. Gosh there are so many on the list, will probably have to live vicariously through photos! x

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:28 pm

      Yeah just a few Steph! LOL These are actually just a fraction of the shots I took at Stanley! If you ever go to Tassie, make sure you fit a trip to Stanley in – it is like nowhere else I have ever been. Very special. 🙂 x

  • Reply Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit December 9, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    I can see why you love it so much! I can’t believe you managed to wait so long to show the pics.

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:29 pm

      It’s a gorgeous place. I still have SO many Tassie photo’s to get through yet. More to come! LOL

  • Reply Janet aka Middle Aged Mama December 9, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    We loved Stanley too, though you stayed in a much more stylish place than we did back in 2001. We camped in our car (a Falcon station wagon) at a local campground – yes REALLY!!! So sad you didn’t get to go up the chairlift and to the top of the Nut, it’s a beautiful spot. Have a lovely holiday down the coast xxx

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:30 pm

      I didn’t realise you’d been to Tassie Janet. Camping in a car at a campground can be fun … romantic even! Yes I am annoyed that I didn’t get to the top of the Nut but I will one day! Back from the coast holiday now and it was wonderful – just what I needed. 🙂 xo

  • Reply Trish December 11, 2015 at 7:51 pm

    I’ve been loving your Tassie adventure photos and commentary.
    I can’t wait to visit again. It’s been over 20yrs.
    I loved Stanley when we went there pre digital cameras – I must dig the photos out.
    Thanks for linking up Min #WW

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:32 pm

      I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my Tassie adventures Trish. Still more to come yet! I think you would have to be strange to not love Stanley – there’s something so unique and special about it. I’d love to see your photo’s from over 20 years ago! 🙂 xo

  • Reply Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields December 13, 2015 at 7:35 am

    We visited Stanley many years ago. By the looks of things it hasn’t changed much – still beautiful, still quiet and still quaint.

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:33 pm

      Beautiful, quiet and quaint are perfect words to describe Stanley Lyn! 🙂

  • Reply PatrickC December 14, 2015 at 11:34 am

    Min, what an extensive and excellent selection of photos. The ones of your accommodation are lovely. I especially liked the photo of the bed, by having the lamp on you cast a nice comforting glow over the room, making it inviting and comforting. I loved the phone box as well, such a rare sight these days.

    With your scenery photos you really convey the charm and beauty of Stanley. The third and fourth photos showing the houses, sand, water, green hills and sky are post card material. In the fourth, the church just commands attention. I am quite taken by the fifth photo the red roof, the chimney and fence and the seventh one with the picket fence and the “palm” tree. Its a hard choice to pick my favourite photo but photo twelve with the weathered seat, heritage green sills and the stone work is a really special photo exposing the history of the town in one glance. The other two that challenge it as my favourite are the fifteenth photo of the corrugated iron roof with the chimney reaching for the sky and the twenty-second which is the photo of the church with its gothic arches all at different angles. The entrance, half hiding the door and at 90 degrees the window.

    You are very talented Min, you should consider creating a coffee table book of your journey. Your writing compliments your photos. I’m sure that there would be many interested in it.

    Merry Christmas,

    Patrick

    • Reply Min December 21, 2015 at 8:37 pm

      Patrick, thank you for your attention to detail when looking at my photographs and providing me with your feedback. It’s so appreciated. It’s always interesting to hear which ones others like best. I think I will in fact make a coffee table book of my Tassie journey – including all my favourite photographs. I’ll have to investigate options on how to do it as I’ve never done it before but I will do it – once I finally finish editing all images! Merry Christmas to you too and best wishes for a happy 2016. 🙂 xo

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