Day 6 – Thursday, 2nd October  2003

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The Penny Royal Gunpowder Mill is Launceston’s premier tourist attraction. [Info] We arrived before opening time, so the chief lolly maker at Gourlay’s Sweets  (a part of the complex) entertained us. He turned boiling sugar, water, liquorice flavour and colour into a hard sucking lolly. Looked like very hard work, pulling and turning the cooling mass on a large hook then pulling, cutting and rolling through shaping rollers. 

We then inspected a working waterwheel mill and a windmill from which the view was lovely. [Photo1, Photo2, Photo3] All of them were kept in excellent working condition. Hopped on the Penny Royal Tram that took us to the main attraction. When we entered we saw a sheer blue/grey cliff wall with a waterfall acting as a backdrop to a scene taking you back to colonial times. 

Into barges we climbed to float into a darkened tunnel where we learnt about how gunpowder and canons were made. Man’s ingenuity for creating weapons of mass destructions knows no bounds. While we were on the barge a call came through from the Spirit of Tasmania about a cabin upgrade going home. Beauty, out came the credit card and the deal was done.  

Afterwards we enjoyed a short tour on a replica sloop, in the Penny Royal Lake, it had small cannons on board, which were fired with small charges for effect. Also, the operators lit charges ashore on two canons, one of which saw service at Trafalgar (two centuries ago).  

This place also had a miniature Fort Dennison and the biggest rainbow trout we have ever seen in the beautiful ocean green water of the lake. (Kept green with food colouring to hide the leaves and debris on the bottom).  

It was only a short walk from Penny Royal to Launceston CBD; the girls needed a shopping fix. All the major stores were represented and generally the heart of town is well kept. We had lunch in the park opposite the Launceston Tafe on the banks of the Tamar River. A well kept area with lovely views of the water, sailing boats and houses. 

The next stop was Perth (no not WA) where the main claim of fame is the Honey Factory. We tried sone free samples (we are cheap skates) and bought some Leatherwood honeycomb. If you haven’t ever eaten honeycomb, you are left with a mouthful of wax, once the honey has dissolved, which you can keep as a memento or throw away.  

Longford is 5kms away from Perth where Sam bought a new streetlight from a craft shop for the BBQ area. The owner is from NSW and never used it for his BBQ area at $25 it’s a BARGAIN! 

The next town Evandale really looked like a colonial town in excellent condition. [Photo1, Photo2] One of the earliest water towers is still standing. [Photo, Info] Evandale is famous for holding the Guinness Book of Records for the most number of penny-farthing bicycles ridden arms in arm at once, 69, in 2001. [Pamphlet] 

Back home again mum ironed the washing while the rest of us went to Woollies to buy dinner. Foccacias (we put smoked ham, semi sun dried tomatoes, cheese, olives and marinated mushrooms) and salads and left over Chinese from last night. As long as you have a Woolworth’s near by you can eat like kings.