The Tahune Airwalk is an experience that should not be missed when you visit the southwestern part of Tasmania!

After spending the night in the Tahune airwalk lodge and then having a couple of goes on the Eagle Hang Glider across the pristine Huon River the family and I set out on a guided tour of the Tahune airwalk.

Prices (as at October 2012)

Times of Operation:

Daily: 9am – 5pm November to March
Daily: 10am – 4pm April to October
Christmas Day: Closed

Address:

Tahune Forest Reserve,
Arve Road, Geeveston TAS 7116
Phone: +61 3 6295 7172
Toll Free: 1300 720 507

Travelling Distances:

Hobart to Geeveston: 60 km
Geeveston to Tahune: 29 km

Hobart to Tahune Airwalk: approx 2.5 hours drive

Tahune Airwalk Circuit: approximately 45 minutes to complete

Map:

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When you book your tickets for the Tahune airwalk in Tassie be sure to ask if there is a guided tour that you can be a part of. We were blessed to have a lovely man named Ian take us on a guided tour of the airwalk and we learned so much fun and interesting information that we would have otherwise missed out on.

Ian took us through all a lot of interesting facts about the local area including the clearing of timber and the different types of tress in the southern forests of Tasmania.

The views from the airwalk itself, some 22 metres above the forest floor, were amazing! We got to throw some coins onto the wishing tree beside the metal airwalk and then watch as our coins knocked further coins to the ground below. These coins are then collected and sent off to the Make-A-Wish Australia charity.

Around towards the end of the Tahune airwalk is the cantilever itself, which is 37.5 metres above the river bank down below. This cantilever is supported by two metal cables that run back and attach onto the metal frame of the main airwalk. The wind speed is monitored (you can see this towards the end of the video above) whenever the wind gusts begin to get stronger. If the wind gusts surpass a certain level then the airwalk needs to be closed to the public until the wind speeds weaken.

We had a fantastic time on the Tahune airwalk and can not recommend it highly enough! It is our aim to one day return and again stay in the Tahune airwalk lodge and experience the airwalk once again!

The Eagle Hanggliding is located near the Tahune Airwalk in the Tahune Forest in South-Western Tasmania. It is about a thirty minute drive from Geeveston and about two and half hours drive from Hobart.

Greg, Tehillah and I stayed the previous night in the Tahune Airwalk Lodge and so did not have far to go in the morning to the hang gliding.

We got up and after breakfast, we checked out of the lodge. We then went over to the Tahune Airwalk customer service desk and paid for our tickets on the eagle gliding.

Tristan then met us and told us where to go for the Eagle Hang Gliding. Tristan drove his ute down the dirt track and the three of us walked down the hill.

When we got there, Greg decided that he would go first. You can see from this video below that Greg had a great time and enjoyed his rides of the cable hang glider.

After Greg, Tehillah and then Leanne had their goes.

Leanne took her camera on the ride with her and so was able to capture the perspective of the rider, while enjoying the hang glider experience.

You can hear from Leanne laughing what a wonderful time she had. It was an absolutely Awesome experience!

Greg videoed Leanne to show the perspective of the cable gliding from the ground.

The views are absolutely breathtaking. The pristine, flowing Huon River below the cable and the bridge to the airwalk off in the distance.

While sitting underneath the hang glider the rider also has the ability to swing around in a 360 degree turn to take in and enjoy the views in every direction. If you prefer, the rider can just sit still and enjoy the view from the one position. The choice is totally up to each individual rider.

Tahune Eagle Hang Gliding Address:

Tahune Forest Reserve,
Arve Road, Geeveston TAS 7116

Eagle hang gliding was a great experience and something that we hope to be able to do again one day.

Without hesitation we highly recommend Eagle Hang Gliding to others who may be considering a visit to the Southern Forests in Tasmania. A once in a lifetime opportunity for many people, this is something that you do not want to miss out on!

Location:

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Tahune Forest Reserve Aerial View:

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In our next travel post we will take you on our relaxing and exciting walk on the Tahune Airwalk, as our guide, Ian, showed us the natural beauty and features around the airwalk.

So until next time, Remember to Enjoy Life and Enjoy going Hang Gliding!

Leanne Annett <><

We enjoyed the walk back to the carpark after having our tour through Newdegate cave and were then greeted by a Black Currawong bird that came and sat on our car side mirror.

Prices (as at October 2012)

When we got to the Hastings thermal springs we took in our picnic bag to have our picnic lunch. Behind the Hastings cave visitor’s centre is a lovely garden setting around the thermal pool.

There are picnic tables outside on the grass and also several picnic tables under cover with lovely wood fires to ensure that everyone keeps nice and warm.

Before we went into the thermal pool we had a lovely stroll along the Platypus walk. We had hoped to see some platypus, but unfortunately just saw the flowing streams. The landscape was tranquil and relaxing, with the brown water flowing around the bends in the stream and the tree branches lying across and in the water.

Greg was the first one to get into the water and he found it slightly cold. When I asked Greg how the water was he answered, “Tepid.” Even though he comes from New Zealand originally, Greg is now acclimatized to Queensland weather and gets cold easily.

I was next in the water, while Tehillah videoed. Honestly the water was a lovely temperature. It was not hot, but it certainly was not cold. Tehillah then joined us and the all three of us had a nice swim and relax in the thermal pool.

The outside temperature was just less than 15 degrees Celsius, so when we got out of the water we made a quick dash to the showers to warm up and change into dry clothes.

After our shower and before leaving, we went into the undercover area to warm ourselves in front of the wood fireplaces. We discovered that there is also an electric BBQ near the tables for guests to use and cook a yummy hot lunch.

On our way out we stopped in the visitors’ centre and spoke with Jenny. She shared with us how she had grown up in the area around Tahune. As a child she used to come and swim in the hot spring when it was just in the bush and locals were the main ones who knew about it.

She said that the water in the spring actually flows down from the surface through the dolomite rock and is heated as it descends due to the friction. As the water returns to the surface it is further heated from the friction and comes out in a few places as springs along the Lune River flood plain.

The Hastings thermal spring was opened to the public in 1939, the same year that the Hastings cave was opened to the general public. It used to have a pebble base in the thermal pool and the water was at around 34 degrees Celsius.

In 1993, the bacteria levels in the spring were found to be too high. So a decision was made to remove the pebbles and concrete the pool.

The water was then taken, filtered and then put through a UV system to disinfect the water. This may have reduced the bacterial levels, but it also reduced the water temperature from 34 down to 28 degrees Celsius.

The Hastings thermal springs are still lovely and warm, just not as hot as they used to be. In fact, Jenny told us that it was good that we came in winter as the pool is packed with visitors in the warmer months.

Location:

Hastings Thermal Hot Springs Address:

Hastings Cave And Thermal Springs
754 Hastings Caves Road, Hastings TAS 7109

Location:

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Hastings Thermal Springs Aerial View:

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When we left the Hastings Cave we drove north to Geeveston and then inland 30 minutes to the Tahune Forest Airwalk.

In our next blog post, we will have a look at the Airwalk lodge where we stayed over night.

So until then, Remember to Enjoy Life and Enjoy a relaxing swim with friends!

Leanne Annett <><

After buying our tickets at the Hastings Cave Visitor Centre we drove the 5 km down the gravel road to the cave parking area.

We then enjoyed a lovely walk through the beautiful Tasmanian forest to the entrance of the Newdegate cave. There were lots of ferns of all varieties and sizes.

Hastings Thermal Springs & Cave Prices (Oct 2012)

A group of people were gathering there and so we all waited for the tour guide to arrive. He began by telling us that there were 245 steps inside the cave. The stairs are all of varying heights so care must be taken when walking up and down the stairs in the cave.

There are multiple caves around this part of Tasmania Southern Forests, but the Newdegate cave is the one open to the public. In fact it is one of the most visited public caves in Australia.

The entrance to the cave, that is still used today, was found back in 1917 by a group of timber workers.

Then in 1919 the entire hillside was made into a cave reserve and in 1939 it was opened to the general public. Since that time it has seen many thousands of visitors and tourists through its entrance.

The rock inside the cave is dolomite.

Water comes into the cave and drips from above when it rains outside. Then if it rains up in the mountains the water flows down Mystery Creek and into the Hastings cave.

In the cave there were many different stalactites and stalagmites. We were not allowed to touch them, as they would become damaged.

There was one section in the cave though where there was a large flat stalagmite that we were able to touch as we walked passed. It was smooth and very cold to the touch.

Greg, Tehillah and I all enjoyed the tour walking through the cave. It was really interesting seeing all of the varied structures and shapes and sizes.

The colours when the tour guides torch was shone through some of the stalagmite and stalactites were truly beautiful.

At the entrance of the cave the guide showed us a few Tasmanian crickets that live just inside the cave entry. There was also a Tasmanian cave spider at the cave entrance too. The guide said that the spiders live all throughout the cave.

Location:

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Hastings Newdegate Cave Aerial View:

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Our next blog post will take us back down the dirt road to the Visitor centre for a swim and relax in the Hastings thermal spring pool.

Until then, Remember to Enjoy Life and Enjoy a Fun Tasmanian Holiday!

Leanne Annett <><

We awoke Sunday morning on our third day in Tassie to another gorgeous sunrise! We certainly were blessed with the weather each day.

We packed up everything for 2-day adventure trip and set off from Wyndham, Seven Mile Beach to drive across the south west of Tasmania.

You can watch this video to see some of our trip, starting with the lovely sunrise and then heading off over the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent River and on towards Geeveston and Hastings.

The view of Mt Wellington was nice and clear as we drove over the Derwent, unlike yesterday when it was up in the clouds.

Hobart To Hastings Aerial View:

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We continued through Hobart, down Davey St and on towards the Huon Valley. We made a short stop at the Casino and Entertainment centre for quick look.

It was really lovely seeing the reflections of all of the boats moored next to the casino. We also had a great view from a different angle of the Tasman Bridge over the Derwent again.

After we had taken some nice photos here we were about to set off when we saw a beautiful rainbow starting on Mt Wellington and then arching up into the sky towards the direction that we were headed. It was like a sign that God was going before us to bless us with a wonderful day.

We continued on and drove through Huonville, Geeveston and Dover. We even veered a little off track to check out the small seaside town of Southport, since we are from the Gold Coast and also have a Southport.

Along the way we went past a group of twenty or so kayaks heading south westerly down the Huon River. They were really paddling hard and moving at a good speed. You can see them in the video above and the photo below.

Then around noon we headed off down the dirt road into the Southern Forest of Tasmania towards Hastings.

In our next post we will get out tickets and head off for our tour of the Newdegate cave at Hastings.

So until then, Remember to Enjoy Life and Enjoy a Drive in the Country!

Leanne Annett <><