Casmanian field naturalists’ Club. 
Easter Camp-out to Wineglass Bay, Freyeinet 
Peninsula, 1909. 
By E. A. ELLIOTT, Hon. Secretary. 
In 1906 the club first visited the 
Schoutens (comprising Freyeinet Penin¬ 
sula ond Schouten Island), when an 
Faster camp of some 42 members was 
formed. Everyone was then so well 
pleased that it was decided to again 
visit this locality. 
The Easter of 1907 found members at 
South llruui Island, while in 1908 they 
went to Maria Island, and in drawing 
up tiie syllabus for the present session it 
was unanimously decided to go to some- 
part of the Schoutens during 1909. 
With a knowledge of the locality, and 
also bearing in mind the large and in¬ 
creasing number of members in the 
club, the committee had little hesita¬ 
tion in chartering from Messrs. Holy- 
man and Sons the steamer Koonookarra. 
It was made evident at the outset that 
many of the lady members wished to 
go, and to this the committee agreed. 
The original intention was that all the 
ladies should sleep on the vessel, but 
it was urged that bad weather might 
compel the steamer to leave the camp 
site, and seek shelter elsewhere, and as 
the ladies preferred to hove a camp on 
shore, arrangements were made for this 
to he done. 
An early forecast as to the number 
of those who would go was about 60, 
hut as the. date of departure drew near, 
and the trip was made widely known, 
the number rose until the full strength 
of the party, including the cooks, etc., 
was 85. This probably forms a record 
for a private camping party in Tas¬ 
mania, and that the whole function was 
a complete success—not a single hitch 
occurring—proves on how firm a base 
the Field Naturalists’ Club is establish¬ 
ed. 
Midnight on Thursday, 8th April, 
found the members on board the Koo¬ 
nookarra, and a few minutes later the 
vessel started on the trip. The East 
Bay Neck Canal was passed in the early 
grey of Good Friday morning, and the 
sun rose while steaming through Black¬ 
man’s Bay. The weather was beauti¬ 
fully fine, and everyone enjoyed the run 
to Alaria Island, where a stay of half 
an hour was made, and two members 
were picked up. From here it was 
found to he rather a long way to May- 
field station, on the mainland, where 
two more joined the party, and a supply 
of fresh milk and cream was received. 
From thence, about 1 p.m., the course 
was shaped almost due east for Schouten 
Passage. 
As we drew near to Schouten Island 
most of those on board seemed pleased 
that the original idea of camping there 
had been abandoned in favour of Wine¬ 
glass or Thouin Bay, which lies on the 
eastern side of Freyeinet Peninsula. 
This Bay forms a break in a most for¬ 
midable sea front of rugged red gran¬ 
ite mountains, which, viewed from the 
ocean side of the peninsula and island, 
show high cliffs, absolutely void of vege¬ 
tation, going sheer down into the sea, 
and having hold water of 40 fathoms 
close to the face of the cliffs. Granite 
peaks and boulders jut, from the midst 
of vegetation on the hills (the highest 
being Mount Freyeinet, over 2,000ft.), 
and form scenery of great beauty— 
scenery of another type to that which 
generally prevails in Southern Tas¬ 
mania. How richly coloured are these 
purple hills, caught in the rays of set¬ 
ting sun. surrounded by the sea of blue 
and green, and fringed at ocean’s edge 
with seething surf. Pencil, brush, or 
camera cannot carry them away, there¬ 
fore lot many come to soo them in their 
natural beauty, might, and grandeur, 
for then only can their charm be under¬ 
stood. 
Wineglass Bay lies between Mount 
Hazard on the north and Mount Frey- 
cinet at the south, and has a fine beach 
of white quartz sand from one to two 
