Notes of a six day trip to the West Coast and North-West Tasmania
| 7.00am | Prayer at home |
| 7.40 | Office to collect seminar materials, diary updates |
| 8.00 | Good run along the Brooker Highway out of Hobart |
| 8.30 | Petrol New Norfolk. Hearse with coffin slows the trip between Gretna and Hamilton. Radio has extended coverage of Malcolm Turnbull and the PM at war over OzCar and the fake email. Is the hearse symbolic of the end of a political career?
Signals flashing warning of ice and slippery roads. Much fog and frost. Very little traffic, only work vehicles and all slow. Tarraleah Golf course is white with frost. |
| 10.40 | ‘The Wall’ at Derwent Bridge. Last Sunday at St Mark’s Bellerive I was encouraged by parishioners to stop in at this sculpture exhibition. Entrance of $7.50 was amply rewarded by a stunning exhibition of wall to ceiling wood carvings of pioneers in the Central Highlands by Greg Duncan. Link to more info. |
| 11.00 | Time for my Argentine mate’ (herbal tea). Stopped just out of Derwent Bridge at a sunlight tourist spot. Surrounded by King William Range, Mt Rufus and on this now bright and sunny if still chilly day, a fine view of Frenchman’s Cap. Interesting signage by Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service ‘This is the East-West Divide’ tells a wonderful story:’By foot, car or chair?’
‘Surveyor Colin MacKenzie Pitt (whose memorial stone sits nearby) was the engineer in charge of constructing the Lyell Highway (1926-32) along which you have comfortably travelled today.’ ‘It took 200 workers 2 years to complete the road, with many accompanied by their families living in tents and timber shacks along the route. Prior to the highway construction, access to the west was along rough tracks, including one cut in 1840 for the Governor Sir John Franklin to travel overland to Macquarie Harbour. His wife, Lady Jane, accompanied him on the inaugural journey, which took 20 days with Lady Jane carried partway by convicts on a purpose built blackwood chair.’ A sketch by D. Colburn Pearce: Courtesy TMAG of Lady Jane being carried in her chair highlights the ease of my journey which I considered to be slow on this chilled winter’s day taking me 5 HOURS! My thermos was now empty, my mate’ finished, I return to the car and spot two red roses lying side by side at the edge of the tourist platform. What is their story? Surely of love?! Curiosity wins. I stoop and pick them up. Morning dew covers the outer deep red petals. No perfume. Probably from yesterday. They are beautiful. So unexpected. I am on a journey of love; sharing and learning of Jesus’ love with the Westcoasters and NW Tas. The two roses are an encouragement to me. I take them to the car and place with my Bible and some notes for a talk this evening. The roses will surely have a part to play in the talk?! Descending the winding road into Queenstown I pray that the wealth of God’s love in Christ will be sought with the same vigour as the wealth of the mines. Westcoasters are a hardy bunch. Who else have public facilities with cold water and in this weather do their ablutions with the icicles that emerge from the cold water taps? Never let it be doubted: Westcoasters are tough. I’ve been there! |
| 2.00pm | St Luke’s Church Hall Zeehan. Commence one-on-one meetings with members of the Ministry Support Team. |
| 6.00 | Dinner at the Senior Citizens’ Centre with Mayor Gerrity, Deputy Mayor and about 35 in attendance. Jim cooks up my favourite, corned beef, – an abundance of food. I speak on ‘The Church in your Community’ commencing by showing them the two red roses and my finding of them. This leads on to the God of love who made us in love for love.As we are leaving a sparkling 94 year old with a twinkle in her eye hands me the two red roses wrapped carefully in order to preserve them for me to give to my wife. How good is that?! I give her a big hug. God is love indeed. ‘The Church in your Community’ is alive and well. |
