Experience our colonial past at Tasmania’s Woolmers Estate

Ever since I was young, I have loved visiting historic homes. There is something that hits me when I think about the people who have lived inside the walls across generations – and wonder at the lives they led.

In Australia, despite the beauty and opulence many of these homes display even today, there is no doubt that life would not have been easy – particularly for those young families colonising a new country.

I also think it is important for children to learn about the past and I hope my children will develop a love of history. So, on a recent trip to Tasmania, we made the detour to visit Woolmers Estate.

The beautiful Italianate villa at Woolmers Estate

This beautiful colonial pastoral property is not important just for its buildings. It is significant because it was built using assigned convict labour.

I had not realised that most convicts sent to Australia were actually assigned to provide labour to settlers in exchange for food and clothes.

Established around 1817 by Thomas Archer, Woolmers Estate is located just outside Longford in northern Tasmania (about 10 minutes from Launceston Airport).

This building was a water pumping station, powered by draught horses, allowing for water to be pumped from the Macquarie River.

Featuring a grand residence and formal gardens, as well as a woolshed, blacksmith’s shop, stables and coach house, it really is a country estate that incredibly remained in the hands of the Archer family until 1994.

In what I personally thought was a fairly sad ending to the story, Thomas Archer VI did not marry and died a childless bachelor in 1994. He left the property to the Archer Historical Foundation and the next year, the site was opened to the public.

Today Woolmers Estate is a World-Heritage listed convict site where you can see, eat and even stay. It is also home to the National Rose Garden.

Woolmers Estate is home to the National Rose Garden.

We opted to pay a bit extra for the guided homestead tour, which allows you to see inside part of the homestead, including the exquisite dining room. The tour, led by a descendent of another branch of the Archer family, was passionate in his story-telling.

Like the fact the original Thomas Archer, who was a large man, had his bedroom window enlarged before he died so his coffin, which could not have fitted through the narrow doorways, could be easily removed from the room.

Built and extended upon over 6 generations, including the Italianate front added in the 1840s means the main house is full of beautiful furniture and interesting artefacts.

The dining setting features the Archer family crest & leaves one wondering how nerve-wracking washing up must have been for the servants. No hiding a broken dish here.

And this is not just look-at history, as my two children found out when they were allowed to sit on a very strange-looking buffalo horn chair.

With the escorted tour now over, we were free to wander through the out-buildings, including what is believed to be the oldest operating woolshed in Australia.

The woolshed is the oldest operating woolshed in Australia.

We also enjoyed a scrumptious rustic lunch on site at the Servant’s Kitchen (the kitchen is open from 10am-3pm). Highly recommended.

Today Woolmers Estate is one of 5 convict sites given World Heritage status as part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property. The other properties you can visit are:

Brickendon Estate

Brickendon Estate is just down the road from Woolmers Estate.

Cascades Female Factory

Coal Mines Historic Site

Darlington Probation Station

Darlington Probation Station on Maria Island

Port Arthur Historic Site

More information on Woolmers Estate, including family friendly accommodation.

Family friendly ghost tour impresses younger visitors

Despite her bravado just a couple of hours before arriving, Miss 8 dug in her heels and refused to enter the cottage to hear of the haunting tales being told within.

“No mummy, no mummy, no mummy,” she said as she clung to my hand, before turning and running along the veranda, back to relative safety outside the property fence, where she could once again be brave.

We were at Port Arthur on one of the new summer attractions – the family friendly ghost tour. Now, don’t let the name fool you. Despite being held in early evening, when the sun continues to light the grounds, you will still hear tales of convict era murder and death – and their related hauntings.

However, for older children, it is a perfect combination of history and horror that will intrigue. In fact, Mr 11 was in his element and almost overwhelmed with excitement and bravery. And for many younger children on our tour, what they were hearing went over their head.

Port Arthur, Australia’s best preserved convict era penal settlement, is about a one and a half hour drive from Hobart. The ghost tour is icing on the cake for this must-visit tourist attraction.

With her soft, dare I say haunting lilt, our guide, Bridie, was the perfect person to lead our tour. She started by asking for volunteer lantern bearers to take up positions in the start, middle and end of the group.

With Mr 11 unable to do this role (over 18 years only), Hubby bravely volunteered and ended up in the middle position – ably assisted by Mr 11. First stop was the iconic church. I won’t give away the tales told, but you WILL start expecting to hear or see something.

The church at Port Arthur – beautiful by day, hauntingly beautiful at night.

Next was the parsonage (the third most haunted building in Australia), where the front female lantern bearer refused to enter the house by herself to check that all was okay for us to follow. So, hubby & Mr 11 volunteered to do the honours and went in ahead.

“When I opened the door, I had a sense of dread and nervousness. I did not want to go in there by myself, ” Hubby said.

“It was hair-raising – I couldn’t look at the house because of the stories they’d said about seeing ghosts in the window,” Mr 11 added.

Miss 8 (right) and her cousin were too scared to enter the parsonage.

Staying outside with Miss 8 and her cousin, who got caught up in Miss 8’s fears, I am once again blown away by the beauty and majesty of a site that has seen so much violence and heart-ache.

On this tour, we learn about the hard lives that not only convicts lived, but those who serviced them (and their families) – and how those hardships may have led to the many hauntings experienced on site.

Walking through Port Arthur on the family friendly ghost tour

Next at the junior medical officer’s house, we learn about the playful child ghosts and the sad woman who searches for her stillborn child, who she was not buried with because the baby had not been. Such brutal times they were.

We then walk down to the basement, where we hear a haunting tale that also turns out to be one of the funniest stories of the night.

Our last stop is the model, or separate, prison. This place is the most oppressive of the tour. Here convicts were imprisoned in total silence and never referred to by name. Many went crazy.

It is a fitting place to end the tour, as we make our way back past the imposing penitentiary ruin to the visitor’s centre where more people wait to take part in the later ghost tours, that will take place in darkness.

The family friendly ghost tour runs at 7.30pm until 26 January.  And in true convict-era family friendly fashion (thank-you Port Arthur Management), a family ticket ($65) consists of 2 adults and up to 6 children aged under 17 years.

P.S Miss 8 was not scarred by her experiences on the ghost tour. However, she did sleep with me that night. Not that she needs much of an excuse to want to do that anyway!

Learn more about the family friendly ghost tour and other summer activities and make a booking.

If you are planning to stay the night, check out family friendly accommodation or Port Arthur Accommodation.

New App will help get your kids on track these holidays

When I read about a Sydney mum’s new App to help enhance children’s experiences while museums, galleries and local attractions, I was interested to know more.

Just like me, Philippa Shelley Jones, got an idea while on holiday with her children. Visiting Westminster Abbey with her three children, she was impressed with an activity program rewarded them with giant gold chocolate coins.

Five years on, she has launched Kid Tracks, a unique new App to engage children in sight-seeing via mobile devices.

Kid Tracks is an App which offers tailored multiple-choice activity ‘Tracks’ for museums, galleries and local attractions in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

Philippa said she developed the app with two things in mind.

“The first was that children, whether we like it or not, are driven by incentive. The second was that, whilst some cultural and historical sites have activities to keep the children occupied, there is nothing linking them all together with some sort of cohesive set of activities.

“Both of these factors become particularly significant in those places some kids might consider ‘boring’, but which their parents want to see, such as historical houses, galleries, and National archives and libraries.

“So Kid Tracks was born – an incentive based children’s activity App which I created and developed to link all historical and cultural landmarks together under the umbrella of an ‘across the board’ approach to sightseeing.”

Children download ‘Tracks’ (.99c each) for each site visited and then use their device on site to answer simple, multiple-choice observational questions.

An example of a question in Old Melbourne Gaol would be: What sort of hood was worn by prisoners held in solitary confinement when outside their cells? (Cell #11)

A digital ‘pet ‘accompanies them on their way around and responds excitedly with a correct answer and despondently with an incorrect answer. At the end, reward points are awarded (in the form of ‘feet’), which accumulate along a trail with each site visited, ultimately earning them certificates and prizes.

Philippa said various other incentives are offered via the website.

“I am providing some major prizes these school holidays which will be notified via the website and the Kid Tracks Facebook page, things such as Smiggle vouchers, Luna Park passes and iTunes cards.”

The App, which is free to download, currently covers over 50 sites in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney and is being expanded all the time. ‘Tracks’ include attractions like Questacon in Canberra, historical houses like Vaucluse House in Sydney and museums like the National Sports Museum in Melbourne.

“I’ve also included galleries, walks and even on-off events –  such as Sculpture By the Sea, a two week event in Sydney,” Philippa said.

The Kid Tracks App is available now in the App store for iPhone, iPad and iPod. For more information visit www.kidtracks.com.au

Leave your excess baby baggage at home and hire it on holiday.

I am about to tell you a true story. Some of your might be able to relate to it.

My husband is Tasmanian, which means we have done a fair bit of travelling across Bass Strait. One Christmas, to save money, hubby had gone across with our car on the ship & I was flying with the two children.

I can’t recall their ages, but Miss 8 was in a baby car restraint. This had not been sent across with the car as I needed it back in Melbourne. Anyway, I proceeded to check-in and made the flight to Hobart – only to realise on arrival that the baby-seat was still strapped into the car in Victoria.

It is not a good feeling as you kick yourself for being so stupid, then stress about all the accidents you are going to be involved in during the short drive from the airport to where you are staying.

Luckily for new mums these days, travelling is made so much easier by the variety of baby equipment hire available, much of it targeting the travel market.

Forget spending the first day of your holiday at op shops trying to find a baby-seat (I can attest to the fact this is not fun). Arrange to have what you need waiting for you at the other end.

Hire for Baby has franchises around Australia and can help with the hire of a range of baby equipment, including car seats, cots, prams, highchairs and even some play equipment. They even have roll-away beds, perfect for older children.

As a special pre-Christmas offer, anyone who books and pays for their holiday equipment before 30 November, goes into the draw to win $100 cashback on their hire.

With the summer holidays approaching, it is great incentive to get booked now.

Break your journey and experience family fun in Dubai

It’s that time of year again when Australian travellers are spoilt for choice with a wide range of 2014 earlybird airfares now on offer to Europe. But for families, choosing the right airline to travel such a long distance is almost as important as the holiday itself.

As any parent knows, flying with children can present some challenges, especially when travelling for almost 24 hours straight. So why not break the journey?

Dubai offers the perfect stopover for you and the kids to pause and recharge before continuing your journey. Emirates offers flights to Dubai and beyond daily from five Australian cities, with flights touching down at the Emirates hub, a purpose-built facility created to transform your travel experience with faster boarding and great facilities on both sides of your journey.

Dubai is an ideal family destination. Think endless sunshine, azure water, fine beaches, super-sized shopping malls and out of this world attractions and you’ll get an idea of what the city is all about. It’s one of those destinations your kids will not be able to get enough of.

Family-friendly accommodation in Dubai

As you’d expect, there are numerous five star resorts and hotels in Dubai – but there are still plenty that won’t break the budget.

If your stay in Dubai is long enough to need somewhere to rest your head, but short enough to make you wonder whether it’s worth finding a hotel, then you should try the Dubai International Hotel. Located at the airport, you can be off your plane and checked in before you know it. The contemporary, clean and comfortable hotel is a great place to lay your head for a nap between flights and it’s completely hassle free. You can also hop on a quick city tour to check out the main sights before you need to board your next flight.

If, however, you have a few more days to spare, it’s worth finding a place to stay that is central, so you can make the most of the city attractions. You may find the flexibility of a serviced apartment suits your needs the best as they offer great value for money. You get more space than a hotel room and you can cater for yourselves from the local supermarket if you’re on a budget, or eat out at different places if you fancy experiencing what Dubai has to offer.

Pearl Marine Hotel Apartments are located about thirty minutes from the airport and offers great views of the waterfront. Close to plenty of restaurants and shops, it’s an ideal spot to choose as your base. With options of studio apartments through to three bedrooms it can cater for larger families without the costs of purchasing multiple hotel rooms. It has a pool and WiFi, so you still get the sort of facilities you’d expect from a hotel, just with more freedom.

The Ascot Hotel Apartment is another apartment option. Located in central Dubai close to the main attractions, the serviced accommodation is both affordable and convenient. There’s a café on site and you can order room service, which is great if you want to relax after a long journey.

If you’d prefer to stay in a hotel, the Premier Inn Dubai Silicon Oasis is a trusted brand that offers affordable accommodation. It offers a free shuttle to the beach and shopping malls, and has a rooftop pool so you can kick back and relax between theme park visits.

Family fun in Dubai

Dubai could easily entertain your family for a fortnight – there’s so much to see and do, no matter how old your children.

You can learn about the country’s history, tradition and nature on a cultural tour or a desert adventure (where older kids will love sand-boarding).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are also many man-made attractions to experience:

Aquadventure – this enormous water park has 42 fun-filled rides. Brave the near vertical slides that catapult you into shark-infested lagoons, experience your first uphill water rollercoaster, ride the 1m high rapids on the tidal river that runs through the park, chill out on the beach or play in the splash park with your little ones.

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo – this 10-million litre tank is the largest suspended aquarium in the world and home to thousands of aquatic animals. There’s a 48m walk-through tunnel providing amazing views under the tank. Visitors can take a glass-bottomed boat ride or try a cage snorkelling experience. For the adventurous members of your family, there’s even a shark dive.

SEGA Republic – this giant indoor theme park contains 14 adrenaline-fuelled rides and over 170 of the latest amusement, video and arcade games including motion simulators, classic games and competitive tests of skill. This place will have the kids entertained for hours.

Ski Dubai – an indoor ski slope is probably not what you expected to find in the desert city, but Ski Dubai has created perfect conditions to hit the slopes. Whether you want to take lessons or brush up your skills, a day here will be a hit with the whole family. Throw snowballs, try your hand at snowboarding and indulge in big mugs of hot chocolate. When you’ve finished, take off the woolly hats and thick coats and step out into the beautiful sunshine.

Wild Wadi Water Park – located next to the stunning Burj Al Arab, Wild Wadi offers 30 rides and attractions for all ages. With huge pools, wave machines, sun decks, slides, rides and surf simulators, you certainly won’t get bored.

Find about these places and more and start planning your Emirates flights and Dubai stop-over now.

Beyond Bali – an Australian family’s adventures in Java

I love travelling with my family, but I am not a highly adventurous traveller. Luckily for us, my mate, Michael Birt, is. Last year he took his family beyond Bali – in this special guest post he tells us all about it –

There’s so much more to Indonesia than Bali, yet many Australians go there year after year and forego the opportunity to travel more widely in this diverse and interesting country that’s close to Australia and easy to get around.

It’s a way to escape Bintang singlets and pushy souvenir sellers and revisit some of the adventure of your backpacking days.The best part is you can get there easily as part of a Bali holiday or without going to Bali at all.

The land content of our five days in Java for five people –mum, dad and kids aged 9. 11 and 13 – gave us change out of $1000. Buses run from Bali to Java and even join Indonesia’s rail network, but time was against us so we took a 55 minute Garuda flight to Surabaya in a very new 737.

Several airlines fly from Denpasar to Surabaya where we were met by our guide Salim and driver Mat from Bromo Tour, one of many companies that take people to the active volcano, Mt Bromo.

Michael’s family with their Mt Bromo guide

About two hours from Surabaya, Mt Bromo is a 2329m high volcano which last erupted in 2011. Places to stay on the mountain range from basic backpacker and home stay accommodation to three star hotels.

We took two rooms at the Cemara Indah Hotel which is right on the crater rim and from where you look down to the Sand Sea where small tornadoes of volcanic sand spin across the moonscape.

For the sunrise tour you leave your accommodation around 3.30am and drive up a steep road as far as the jeeps can go. You then walk or ride a horse up the next stage and there’s a short, sharp climb to the viewing point where you can watch Mata Hari – eye of the day – rise in the east and illuminate several volcanos emerging out of the darkness.

Mr Bromo – an active volcano that last erupted in 2011.

Back to the jeeps and into the caldera and the climb of Mt Bromo. Before driving across the 8km-wide Sand Sea wrap your camera in a sarong as the grit and ash will get in to it. You can walk or ride a horse part of the way to the foot of the 210 steps up the side of Mount Bromo.

Walking the rim of Mt Bromo

It’s still only about 6am and the air is thick with the smell of sulphur, but your trusty sarong again comes into its own, this time as an air filter. It’s steep, but worth the effort, however if you get asthma it might be worth carrying a puffer.

Once at the top the crowd spreads out along the rim and it’s still not even 7am, but you’re up and ready for breakfast…it’s been a big day!

Back in Surabaya the Dutch-colonial Majapahit Hotel could be no different to the accommodation on Mt Bromo. For us, used to camping, motels and fibro holiday houses, there was quite a lot of ‘How good is this?!’ when we got to our room.

The hotel has manicured gardens, a day spa and a beautiful pool and while you are in a major city, the sound of the outside world rarely encroaches. Because of time constraints we only stayed one night which is a great shame. It would not be hard to stay a week and just relax.

The next leg was across Java by train to Yogyakarta. Surabaya railway station is a short taxi ride from the Majapahit and while there are some English-speaking ticket sellers keep your Indonesian phrase book handy.

The excellent Man in Seat 61 website is the world railway traveller’s friend and it’s a great source of information when you’re in unfamiliar territory. I bought our tickets at the station the afternoon before we travelled, but you can also buy them online.

We took the very comfortable 7.30am train for the three-hour journey across central Java to Indonesia’s second biggest city, Yogyakarta where we found a taxi for the half-hour drive to the World Heritage Borobudur temple.

We stayed two nights at the Sariswati Hotel which has a lovely pool, gardens and restaurant. Surprisingly it was very quiet as most tourists bus in from Yogyakarta.

While unfortunate for the hoteliers, a side-benefit for those who do stay is that once the ‘out of towners’ leave you can wander the streets of this quiet town.

Borobudur is a Buddhist temple and was built in the ninth century. Rediscovered in ruins in the early 19th century Borobudur is open for pre-dawn viewing, however later in the day, though hot, is not so busy.

Borobudur – a Buddhist temple built in the 9th century and re-discovered in the 19th century.

Each level of the temple is covered in engravings showing the difficulties of the earthly life, but as you go around and up towards statues of the Buddha, you are heading toward nirvana, the supreme state of consciousness.

We had a late afternoon flight back to Bali so had time to visit the Hindu Prambinan temple back in Yogyakarta. Only a short drive from the airport it’s set in an enormous park filled with shady trees which would be a popular local attraction and a nice place to ‘blob out’ on a travelling rest day.

The Prambinan Hindu temple in Yogyakarta.

Each temple is dedicated to a particular god and many still have an image of him/her inside.

Our trip to Java took five days but it could have been done more quickly or more slowly. We really only scratched the surface, but it gave the kids an insight into a new culture and the knowledge that you could have a good time without resorts and fun parks.

We saw few western tourists in Java and it was a nice change from the annoying aspects of Bali. People were always friendly and while our Indonesian was minimal there was always someone who spoke sufficiently good English who would help.

As a family we learned to get on while on the move and it brought as closer together. It was a shame we only had five days…

Spotlight on our nation’s capital

As the dust settles on our most recent Federal election (no political comment offered or requested), Canberra is currently shining in all it’s glory for the annual spring Floriade. This year, the colourful event is celebrating the capital’s 100th birthday. It is just one of many reasons to take your family to discover our nation’s capital.

I think of Canberra as an educational experience for families – but one that is both interesting and fun. And in a bonus for those on a budget, there are a number of places that offer free entry. The only problem you will have is that with so many places to visit, you will have to work out which activities appeal more.

 

WHAT TO DO

National Museum of Australia: As well as learning about Australian history, including our rich indigenous heritage, there are hands on experiences for younger visitors. There are guided tours (fee) but general admission is free, making it a great place to visit for those on a budget.

Australian War Memorial: Learn about our military involvement in conflicts throughout the ages. The Discovery Zone, which is the memorial’s educational space for school groups, is also open to the public from 12.30-1.30pm on weekdays and on weekends and school holidays. Admission is free and free guided tours are also available.

Parliament House: Visit the home of Australian democracy. Free guided tours are available and when Parliament is sitting, more politically enthusiastic families can sit in on question time.

CSIRO Discovery Centre: The CSIRO Discovery Centre offers an interactive journey through CSIRO and Australian science history. Science is presented in an entertaining way to demystify it, and educate people of all ages about the world of research and innovation. Only $20 for family of up to 5.

Questacon: The National Science and Technology Centre makes science fun. See the spectactular science show, In addition to exhibitions, including awesome earth and mini Q, especially for pre-schoolers. special events run throughout the year. And if visiting before 11 November, check out the exhibition, Do sea monsters really exist?

Australian Institute of Sport: Go behind the scenes at Australia’s premier elite sporting precinct. You might catch some of Australia’s top athletes in training, and because every tour is guided by an elite athlete, you’ll get to ask plenty of questions.

National Dinosaur Museum: The National Dinosaur Museum was started in 1993 and has grown from a small collection to the largest permanent display of dinosaur and other prehistoric fossil material in Australia. With 23 complete skeletons, and over 300 displays of individual fossils, the museum continues to grow.

National Zoo and Aquarium: If your children love animals, check out the National Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo offers a number of animal encounters (fee and bookings required) as well as a ‘Zoocation’ school holiday program. The aquarium is being renovated and will have major construction works throughout September (2013)

Cockington Green Gardens: A fascinating display of miniature buildings set within beautifully landscaped gardens. Cockington Green Gardens first opened in 1979. The park is constantly growing, with work currently underway on Canberra House, the first building constructed in the Australian Houses Project.

The Great Outdoors: Canberra is not just about being indoors. In addition to Lake Burley Griffin and its surrounding parklands, you can also visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens, see aboriginal rock at in the Namadgi National Park, spot rare rock wallabies at Tidbinbilla Sanctuary and visit the national arboretum  with its nature themed pod playground.

LOCAL EVENTS:

September/October: Floriade

October: Canberra Nara Candle Festival

March: Canberra Balloon Spectacular

Where to stay: See Family Friendly Accommodation

More information: Visit Canberra,  Events ACT

August Update

Feeling “blah”

A couple of weeks ago, I told my daughter (Miss 8) that I felt “blah”. I should have  known better as that has now become her favourite phrase, “Mum, I feel blah”.

But the fact is sometimes we do feel like that and 18 months after my website went live, I hit a wall. Trying to turn it into an income-earning business that will allow me to leave paid employment, as opposed to it being an extremely time-consuming hobby, is difficult.

Competition in the on-line travel field is so strong and I am just a small fish amongst a sea of giants from around the world, who have millions of dollars to promote themselves. So, I went through a couple of weeks of feeling disillusioned. I felt sorry for myself – I felt “blah”.

But the beauty of having a passion for what you do, is that you get over it. I believe in what I am doing and how it is, and will continue, to help more families discover the very best in family friendly accommodation.

So, I am re-motivating myself. This weekend, I cleaned up my desk and updated my ‘To Do’ list so I can make a fresh start.

This Thursday, I am off to see Russell Howcroft from the Gruen Transfer (amongst others) speak at the Small Business, Big Marketing event – part of Victoria’s Small Business Festival. I am really looking forward to hearing from such positive and enthusiastic people.

And soon, I aim to have some great new properties to showcase – as well as continue to promote those wonderful property owners and managers who have already come on board and supported me and my vision.

Media coverage

During my recent trip to the Sunshine Coast, I met the lovely Jennifer from Northwind Apartments at Mooloolaba. Jennifer had contacted me earlier this year after she discovered my website during a Google search.

As well as running the apartments, Jennifer is passionate about her community. So, she joined with me in pitching an article to the Sunshine Coast Daily. I was so happy when the paper decided it was a great story for their business section.

I was also asked to write an article for Yahoo about holiday activities for a range of budgets.

And just last week, my latest contribution for Mouths of Mums, planning for a holiday on a budget, was posted with some lovely feedback and comments.

On my own blog, anyone interested in Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit has to read about our visit to Hobbiton earlier this year.

After a weekend away – organised by the lovely blogger, Claire Hewitt, I had a bit of fun talking about our family’s competitive table tennis obsession. If you have any family holiday quirks, leave a comment.

Coming up
I am really excited about speaking at the Australian Regional Tourism Network Convention in October. More about that next month.

And given it is almost September, don’t forget to start thinking about the Christmas school holidays. Get in early and book your flights (or in our case, Spirit of Tasmania) now as the prices will only increase. You should also start your accommodation research now, as you will find many popular places may already be booked out.