Look! It’s a Kangaroo! No, it’s a Wallaby!

Today was our first full day in Tasmania, or “Tassie” as the locals call it. We started early in the morning with a stroll through quaint Launceston and then through Cataract Gorge, a lovely trail along the Tamar River.

The gorge is right on the city’s edge, and it’s a wonderfully preserved natural area. While there, we came upon what we thought was a kangaroo and excitedly snapped several photos to show people like you. So you can imagine our disappointment when some locals brushed it off with, “Ah, it’s just a wallaby.”

A what? A quick visit to Wikipedia says wallabies are smaller versions of kangaroos. In some parts of Australia, they’re considered pests. Regardless, it’s not something we see every day in Newbury Park ... and besides, check out her little Joey in the pouch.

We then headed for the Tamar Valley wine region, a journey that was capped with a delightful chat with Shane Holloway, the owner and winemaker at Dalemere Winery. Too bad it’s so cost prohibitive to ship wine home from here ... or we’d be sending pallets.

We’re now relaxing in our home for the night on at Platypus Park Country Retreat, on a farm in Bridport on the north coast. Our hostess Gina Scott has been warm and wonderful.

A few other pix from the day ...

The Cataract Gorge on the edge of Launceston

The view outside Jansz Winery

The view inside Jansz Winery