It was prudent to try some trout fishing in the central highlands as we made our way south to Hobart. There’s so many lakes to choose from that it’s almost impossible to make a decision, so we went in alphabetical order starting with Arthurs Lake. Unfortunately, where we were camped, the lake was too shallow and weedy to fish without a boat. We drove around and found a suitable spot on a little bridge crossing a small creek on the edge of the lake but it produced no trout.

With a deadline to make it to Hobart for Taste of Tasmania festival, we had to miss all the other lakes from B to Z. With my final cast at Arthurs Lake I decided it was time to partake the last beer out of a carton I won in a bet. The beer had been hauled all the way from Perth to Tasmania. Drinking beer won in a bet is the most delicious beer on Earth. Thanks Nathan!

Hobart is a nice city. Easy going, slow paced, picturesque and lots of beautiful old buildings. A highlight for me was the Cascade Brewery beer school tour. For 15 buckeroos I learnt how to brew beer and got 3 schooners of delicious beer. Then I went to the Cascade Hotel for more beer but those weren’t included in the tour. Next we checked out the summit of Mount Wellington and did some hiking around its slopes. It was a chilly 7 degrees celsius along with a huge windchill from the 400km/h winds. That’s in the middle of summer.

Ever wondered where your used engine oil goes? It’s used to make art! Nice work everyone who helped make that oil black. You’re artists!

My favourite exhibit at Mona is the shitting machine. You put food in one end and it produces this smelly brown shit-like substance at the other end. I didn’t get to see it actually have a movement but I like what it symbolises – modern consumer culture. Mind numbing mass consumption. Cut out the humans and you’re left with this machine. Who needs middle men? Actually this machine probably has a higher level of consciousness than some consumers.