G’Day!

It’s been a while since I last posted, and I apologize  for the gap, but I’ve been away.  Not just away with the faeries, as is so often the case, but away.  My son, Adam, is visiting from Adelaide (South Australia) and we have just returned from a delightful Wilderness Retreat.  We actually used the opportunity to recharge our batteries and even do some work.  Adam is currently editing my novel — more about that experience in the next post — and we found Corinna the perfect place for a writer’s retreat, not to mention a good dose of craziness.  The Crazies being us, I hasten to add.

Actually, it’s a perfect place for just about anything.  Except maybe shopping.  (If your idea of a great day out includes a visit to WalMart, find another Blog.)  It truly is a wilderness experience.  Just getting there is evidence of that.  The road to (and from) Corinna is a long, narrow, dusty, mostly-one-lane dirt road, but who cares?  Some of the potholes are epic, but if you’ve got good suspension, and your car does too, you’ll be right.  It mostly winds its way through beautiful forest for about an hour and a half driving in from Waratah, (a whole ‘nother story!) and a bit less driving out to Zeehan.   It’s the same road, actually, but is interrupted by the Pieman River, and a two-car ferry to get you across to the other side.  ($20)  Zeehan, incidently, is the closest population center to Corinna.  It’s said to be about 53 km (+32 miles), but take my advice and drive straight on through, whether you are coming or going.  Especially if you’re hungry.

Once at Corinna, you’ll see that there is nothing else there.  The facilities include the pub, which has an inviting verandah just outside the bar, and a very good restaurant, a number of cottages (tourist accommodation), a smallish-but-attractive camping area, a few historic cottages (the purpose for which was unclear, except they looked historical), the aforementioned ferry, a rack of kayaks for hire, and a boat dock for the Arcadia II, which provides the Pieman River Cruise.  Plus, in addition to the kayaks and cruise, there are several walking tracks of varying length.  But for me, the joy of the place was not so much what there was to do, but just the peace and serenity and beauty of the place.  Mind you, when I’m at home I also enjoy and fair amount of peace and serenity and beauty.  But hey, what’s wrong with being spoiled?

Our cottage (all of the cottages, I think) was equipped with a small kitchen, so it is possible to do all of your own cooking.  But why would you? I ask.  This is a holiday, after all.  But if you do want to cater for yourself, you need to bring all your provisions   We didn’t, but were happy to eat lunch and dinner at the restaurant.  The food was excellent, but we were usually defeated by the very large portions.  They don’t do breakfast, so that much you need to do yourself.  All (14) of the staff were wonderfully friendly and helpful.  They clearly enjoy being there too.

Our cottage was cozy and comfy, and had a verandah that stretched the full width across the back of it, only meters from the edge of the forest.  A glorious outlook.  Not surprisingly, the place was powered by solar electricity, gas heat, and rain water (though the river was also a source of some water as needed).  Just think: no TV, no telephones, no hair dryers, no oven.  We were asked to limit our usage of electricity, as you would expect, but that was surprisingly easy to do.  There was a gas heater and a gas stove, comfortable furniture (!). . .  what more could you want?  I’ll sure be going back.  Adam is already looking forward to when my next book needs to be edited . . .  He reckons I should be able to do at least one book a year.

And just so you know, there was also a warning “Do not leave your shoes outside; the devils will eat them.”              MM