| Biographical Non-Fiction posted August 9, 2013 | Chapters: |
...15 16 -17- 18... 
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The story of my trip to our Southern Island State in 1966.
A chapter in the book Geoffrey's Musings.
A Visit To The Apple Isle
by Sankey
On the first morning of the May School Holidays, in 1966, I
was so excited that I awoke at four o'clock.
Finally arising at 5.30, I found Mother making a final check
that all was ready for my holiday. This would be my very first time away from home. Or at least so far away and alone from anyone I knew.
My sister, who had offered to take me to Sydney Airport at Mascot, arrived
at eight o'clock; and soon after nine we left home
for the airport, which we reached at ten.
I walked across the tarmac and boarded the plane which,
in a few minutes, taxied to the end of the runway.
We sped along it until, suddenly, the ground
fell away from us as we climbed to 25,000 feet.
After about half an hour the tall chimneys of
Port Kembla Steelworks could be seen through
the window and some 40 minutes after this we were jolted
about as we passed through clouds on our descent
to touch down at Essendon Airport in Melbourne.
Another aircraft was alongside us when we
landed, so all we had to do was board it and we
were on our way to Launceston.
We flew across Bass Strait, and touched down at Launceston at
two o'clock. There I was met by the people with
whom I was to stay for the next 9 nights.
During my visit I went to inspect the Hydro-
Electric Commission's underground power station
at Poatina.
Further up the mountains we visited
the Great Lakes where it was freezing cold. Water
from the lake runs down the mountain through
a large pipeline to the turbines at the power station
and empties itself into a river at the foot of the
mountain.
This supplies the water for Launceston
as well as electricity for Launceston and the surrounding districts.
On another afternoon we were taken for a 'Mystery Tour' to one of the great attractions in the area "The Cataract Gorge".
As an aside:
This was May in Tasmania, where each morning we got up to see a quarter of an inch of ice on the host's car windows!
All this to add the afternoon tea that day was NOT cocoa and buns, ie WARM!
They gave us a soft drink (soda) and ice-cream! Brrrr!
I also toured to Hobart, where
I had hoped to go to the pinnacle of Mount Wellington, but bad weather prevented this.
On Sunday, May 22nd, I flew back to Melbourne,
then came on to Sydney in a fan jet travelling at
41,000 feet.
Although I didn't actually see where
apples were growing, I really enjoyed my visit to
Tasmania.
On the first morning of the May School Holidays, in 1966, I
was so excited that I awoke at four o'clock.
Finally arising at 5.30, I found Mother making a final check
that all was ready for my holiday. This would be my very first time away from home. Or at least so far away and alone from anyone I knew.
My sister, who had offered to take me to Sydney Airport at Mascot, arrived
at eight o'clock; and soon after nine we left home
for the airport, which we reached at ten.
I walked across the tarmac and boarded the plane which,
in a few minutes, taxied to the end of the runway.
We sped along it until, suddenly, the ground
fell away from us as we climbed to 25,000 feet.
After about half an hour the tall chimneys of
Port Kembla Steelworks could be seen through
the window and some 40 minutes after this we were jolted
about as we passed through clouds on our descent
to touch down at Essendon Airport in Melbourne.
Another aircraft was alongside us when we
landed, so all we had to do was board it and we
were on our way to Launceston.
We flew across Bass Strait, and touched down at Launceston at
two o'clock. There I was met by the people with
whom I was to stay for the next 9 nights.
During my visit I went to inspect the Hydro-
Electric Commission's underground power station
at Poatina.
Further up the mountains we visited
the Great Lakes where it was freezing cold. Water
from the lake runs down the mountain through
a large pipeline to the turbines at the power station
and empties itself into a river at the foot of the
mountain.
This supplies the water for Launceston
as well as electricity for Launceston and the surrounding districts.
On another afternoon we were taken for a 'Mystery Tour' to one of the great attractions in the area "The Cataract Gorge".
As an aside:
This was May in Tasmania, where each morning we got up to see a quarter of an inch of ice on the host's car windows!
All this to add the afternoon tea that day was NOT cocoa and buns, ie WARM!
They gave us a soft drink (soda) and ice-cream! Brrrr!
I also toured to Hobart, where
I had hoped to go to the pinnacle of Mount Wellington, but bad weather prevented this.
On Sunday, May 22nd, I flew back to Melbourne,
then came on to Sydney in a fan jet travelling at
41,000 feet.
Although I didn't actually see where
apples were growing, I really enjoyed my visit to
Tasmania.
was so excited that I awoke at four o'clock.
Finally arising at 5.30, I found Mother making a final check
that all was ready for my holiday. This would be my very first time away from home. Or at least so far away and alone from anyone I knew.
My sister, who had offered to take me to Sydney Airport at Mascot, arrived
at eight o'clock; and soon after nine we left home
for the airport, which we reached at ten.
I walked across the tarmac and boarded the plane which,
in a few minutes, taxied to the end of the runway.
We sped along it until, suddenly, the ground
fell away from us as we climbed to 25,000 feet.
After about half an hour the tall chimneys of
Port Kembla Steelworks could be seen through
the window and some 40 minutes after this we were jolted
about as we passed through clouds on our descent
to touch down at Essendon Airport in Melbourne.
Another aircraft was alongside us when we
landed, so all we had to do was board it and we
were on our way to Launceston.
We flew across Bass Strait, and touched down at Launceston at
two o'clock. There I was met by the people with
whom I was to stay for the next 9 nights.
During my visit I went to inspect the Hydro-
Electric Commission's underground power station
at Poatina.
Further up the mountains we visited
the Great Lakes where it was freezing cold. Water
from the lake runs down the mountain through
a large pipeline to the turbines at the power station
and empties itself into a river at the foot of the
mountain.
This supplies the water for Launceston
as well as electricity for Launceston and the surrounding districts.
On another afternoon we were taken for a 'Mystery Tour' to one of the great attractions in the area "The Cataract Gorge".
As an aside:
This was May in Tasmania, where each morning we got up to see a quarter of an inch of ice on the host's car windows!
All this to add the afternoon tea that day was NOT cocoa and buns, ie WARM!
They gave us a soft drink (soda) and ice-cream! Brrrr!
I also toured to Hobart, where
I had hoped to go to the pinnacle of Mount Wellington, but bad weather prevented this.
On Sunday, May 22nd, I flew back to Melbourne,
then came on to Sydney in a fan jet travelling at
41,000 feet.
Although I didn't actually see where
apples were growing, I really enjoyed my visit to
Tasmania.
I believe the "fan jet" mentioned was probably either a Boeing 727 or maybe an earlier model. I was 15 when I wrote this originally. First time away from home all alone.
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