at the train on the Don River Railway Tasmania Australia

Don River Railway

It’s sounds a bit silly if I say “I’ve always been interested in railways”, because I say that about so many things. But there is something inspiring about being onboard a train. There’s history, character, atmosphere, geography, music involved in train journeys. And Michael Palin has a series called “The World’s Great Train Journeys.” I Read more about Don River Railway[…]

Broccoli Fields Forever

Ask me 12 years ago if I thought I’d be working as a broccoli harvester when I’m 30, and I would simply have laughed at you! But there I was, aged 30, working on farms in Northern Tasmania as a broccoli harvester. Loving it. I got into it totally by chance, but through my insistence Read more about Broccoli Fields Forever[…]

Brunswick Hotel, Victoria Tavern, Glentoran v Dundee United, Bushmills and The Charlatans

My second time in Hobart was three months after my first time. And I’ll be back again next week to watch the World Cup with a Northern Irish mate. It’s a city that has grown on me, or what I mean is I didn’t like it much at the start and now I do. I Read more about Brunswick Hotel, Victoria Tavern, Glentoran v Dundee United, Bushmills and The Charlatans[…]

Jonny Blair and Dont Stop Living Campbell Town in Tasmania, AUSTRALIA

No Sign of Paddy In Campbelltown

It’s another of those small little close knit community towns in Tasmania. This one, I’ve passed through about 6 times, and lived just 44 kilometres away from it while camping up in Poatina. It’s simply called Campbelltown. Campbell is a popular surname in my home country of Northern Ireland, and one of my best mates Read more about No Sign of Paddy In Campbelltown[…]

Backpacking in Australia: The Magic of Bruny Island, Tasmania

Bruny Island is one of many islands off the coast of Tasmania. Obviously it’s Australian. Again I decided to visit there as I wasn’t sure how long I’ll stay in Tasmania and whether or not I will ever be in Tasmania again after this long stint on the island.   Bruny Island is situated on Read more about Backpacking in Australia: The Magic of Bruny Island, Tasmania[…]

“Here’s A Truck Stop Instead Of St. Peter’s – Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah”

“Here’s a truck stop instead of St. Peter’s Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah”, I have to admit that I don’t have a clue what that means. I am often confused by lyrics, and especially some of those REM lyrics from the early 90s. This particular lyric could easily have applied to my overnight stay at St. Read more about “Here’s A Truck Stop Instead Of St. Peter’s – Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah”[…]

West Coast Wilderness Railway Part Three – Searching For Gold at Lynchford

WEST COAST WILDERNESS RAILWAY PART THREE – SEARCHING FOR GOLD AT LYNCHFORD   The journey from Queenstown to Lynchford is probably around 12 kilometres. The magic had already begun as soon as we left Queenstown. We were travelling on a track through the middle of nowhere. A work of engineering genius, which had taken years Read more about West Coast Wilderness Railway Part Three – Searching For Gold at Lynchford[…]

Jonny Blair's travel blog

West Coast Wilderness Railway Part Two – Queenstown

    I had only 40 minutes in Queenstown, and although it was small, I quickly looked at what I wanted to see. In the end, just walking round the town for 30 minutes was enough time to “see” it all, if not experience an overnight stay in this quite remarkable little enclave.   I Read more about West Coast Wilderness Railway Part Two – Queenstown[…]

strahan to queenstown

West Coast Wilderness Railway Part One – Leaving Strahan

  I have always enjoyed railways and train journeys. As a kid it was spotting the different stations on the Bangor – Belfast train line. My home country of Northern Ireland is hardly blessed with a lot of train lines. I grew up about 5 miles from the nearest station, and my birthtown of Newtownards Read more about West Coast Wilderness Railway Part One – Leaving Strahan[…]

Broccoli Harvest: East Sassafras

Depending on your knowledge in life, Sassafras is either a type of tree, a type of tea, a type of soap or a village in Northern Tasmania. So where does that leave East Sassafras? And why? About 20 kilometres outside Devonport is where it leaves it. Broccoli farming being the reason why. So East Sassafras Read more about Broccoli Harvest: East Sassafras[…]