Date: 17th February 2022
Travelled: 130 kms from Franklin to Southport and back, Tasmania.
Visited: Franklin, Dover, Southport and Geeveston
Stayed: Franklin Camping Grounds, $10, S43.09296, E147.00920 ย
Budget: 20 days @ $0 per day.
Our first night in Franklin was a little eventful. About 1am we are awoken by some flapping noises, itโs obvious the wind has picked up. Thirty minutes later itโs much worse and I look out the window to see our neighbours struggling to get their awning in. Obviously itโs pitch dark, another 5 minutes pass and the voices are getting louder as does the banging so I get up and turn on the Jaycoโs external lights which are akin to the night courts at Wimbledon.
So I go outside and see if theyโre OK. His wife says thanks for the lights but they are finally getting it in now. Makes little sense to me, whatโs the point of double tie downs, braising struts and anti-flap kits, if itโs windy your better off to just put it away before you go to bed. I never leave an awning out overnight even if itโs not windy.
So we lay in a little longer than normal this morning. We plan to use Franklin and its campgrounds as a base for the next couple of days to explore the Huon Valley. Today we drive the Huon Hwy to Southport before returning to Franklin when where done. Just to be clear our map and GPS refer to the Huon Hwy the local tourist signs call is the โSouthern Edgeโ.
We stop in a lovely rest area on the edge of Geeveston for breakfast with a view of the bay. The road south is reasonably easy driving.
Cherry, apple and stone fruit orchards line the road south. 
Hardly any traffic but a surprising number of trucks. 
Southport, Tasmania, Australia
More road kill 
Dodging swans 
The beach at Southport.
Scooting straight through Dover we arrive in Southport an hour later. Southport is Tasmania and Australiaโs most southern town, although it is more a village from the looks of it. There is a popup coffee stall on the beach but thatโs about it, just a scattering of houses and a general store we see as we drive out.
We continue on a few kms to Hastings Caves. We tried to get tickets for a cave tour a few days ago but once again they are sold out a week or so in advance. But they have a thermal pool here so we thought why not.
Another picturesque drive 
The NP office 
The thermal pool wasnโt quite what we expected, it was only lukewarm but fun.
Having got our $4pp (seniors) worth we had a hot shower, Pam washed her hair for 10 minutes and we set off backtracking north. You can drive another 20 kms south to Cockle Creek from here but the road is gravel. If we were driving a car or someone elseโs motorhome we would do it, but not in ours.
Our next stop is Dover and time for a leg stretch so we have a walk around. Dover is a more substantial town with a population of around 500 people. There are some large work vessels here associated with salmon farming.
Dover, Tasmania, Australia
The Cenotaph 
The Rose Garden 
Dover Community Church circa 1866 
Post Office now Cafe and Bottlโo 
Dover done we continue north and return to Franklin and the campground. The campground has filled but we snag a good spot and settle in. Itโs a prawn salad tonight and Pam has authorised some chips from the chipper just up the street.
The wind is rising so weโll baton down the Jayco before bed tonight and we note all the awnings are already away tonight.
Michael + Pam
