Ross Bridge at sunset
I took a pretty big detour to head up to Ross, which is nearly in the middle of Tasmania. I had seen pictures of the famous convict-built bridge and wanted to see it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed. The tiny town (pop. 272) feels completely different from anywhere else I’d been in Tassie and there is loads of history to see. I stayed at the Man O’Ross hotel, which was built in 1825, and it definitely added to the atmosphere.
The bridge is certainly a highlight of the town. It was built in 1836 with excellent craftsmanship and intricate carvings. There are also lovely churches and bakeries.
On my way back to Hobart I stopped at Oatlands, which is home to the Callington Mill. Built in 1837, the mill is still operational today and is the only tower mill of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
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- Sign to Hobart on Ross Bridge
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- Ross Bridge, built 1836
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- A gorgeous church in Ross, Tasmania, built 1885
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- Sunset from the hill in Ross
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- Convict-era stables with the Uniting Church in the background
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- Another view of the bridge at sunset
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- The Callington Mill in Oatlands
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- The Callington Mill in Oatlands
A Yank without a Chain 
Your photos look gorgeous. I’ve always wanted to visit Tasmania, was it everything you expected it to be?
Definitely! It was my favorite state in Australia. Beautiful, great food, nice people, not too hot, inexpensive. The big downside is that aboriginal culture has been almost entirely eliminated, which is really depressing.
Oh Wow, I didn’t realise that. That’s a shame. I’ll have to visit soon before it is completely gone.
Well they’re trying to preserve whatever’s left – the damage was done a long time ago. There’s a museum in Hobart that has a really interesting exhibit on the war.