A Trip Down Memory Lane in Deloraine, Tasmania

Happy New Year! Wow it's been a few weeks and it feels like forever since I've updated the blog. We were lucky really and didn't have to go far over christmas and new year was spent having a quiet BBQ with friends at the shack. That said, like usual, I've been doing stacks...

Recently I decided to go visit my Dad and the rest of my family who still live in the house I grew up in. Usually when I take these trips I stop in to see Dad and then drive straight home to Launceston. However on this occasion, it was just Ewan and I and we had no other plans, so we decided to go into Deloraine town and have a little re discovery of the "ol' home town".

First thing that struck me is just how pituresque the town is. Of course when I lived there, I never noticed such a thing and couldn't wait to move away. Now days though I can appreciate why my Dad loves living there and has no intension on ever leaving.

This house is next to my old primary school and even though we all freaked each other out with our stories about the ghosts that lived there, I always had a secret fascination for it and would dream about doing it up. It still looks like how I remember. The family who live there haven't touched it in 30 years!

Then we drove past my first boyfriend's old house. I remember it had the most magnificent apricot tree in the back yard, not that I ever actually went there, our relationship was limited to hiding notes in each others tote boxes but never actually speaking or going near each other! Ahhh, 11 year olds!

Now days there are so many funky little shops and restaurants in Deloraine that were never there when I lived in the town. This little fabric store was filled with the most awesome and contemporary fabrics. I was in somewhat of a mecca!

And this home wares/gift shop is one I plan on returning to when I know if I'm having a boy or girl (second child). They had the loveliest quilts and crochet baby rugs just to name a few favourite things I found (and for a great price).

The town only has a population of 2000 people approx. so it's not particularly big but they certainly have plenty to offer the passing tourist. This restaurant called Reds is AWESOME. Perfect Italian cooking and lovely atmosphere. A restaurant that you would not expect to find in such a small town.

I had to show you this building. This is a classic example of the buildings that line the main street. This is the side of the local hardware store would you believe. I love how the town still feels like a little country village from the early 1900's.

And last but not least, and possibly the motivation for me going through the town is that Deloraine has a great little Tip shop at the entrance of the refuse depot.

So quirky and interesting, such a good place to have a rummage for a bargain. They even have a "museum" of things that they have found at the tip over the years.

This was my haul although I could have taken home much more (but reserved myself). The grand total of my spend...$2! Break the bank stuff, not! 

Most of it was for the shack but this lovely little flower dish I put to good use at my home in Launceston. I usually have the box of sea salt sitting next to the oven but now I have it in the little flower dish which looks much nicer.

Cute don't you think? I really love it.

So my trip down memory lane was so much fun. Deloraine is one of those little towns that I would recommend everyone go and discover if you have a free day (it's only a 30 minute drive from Launceston). You can sit next to the river and eat fresh pastries from the bakery, eat at Reds restaurant. Bike ride along the river bank, shop in the galleries and craft shops or rummage through the op shops and of the course the tip shop.

There are heaps of other things to do depending on the time of year. For example, the town annually holds Australia's biggest craft fair in the first weekend of November. It's set up all over the township in many of the historic buildings and halls. You get ferried all around by the local school buses. It's an annual event for my family, we love it! There are also cheese factories, salmon farms, raspberry farms, and all sorts of other produce to discover at the cellar door of properties within the Deloraine vicinity. For more information on the township of Deloraine and what things to do when you're there, you can go to http://www.discovertasmania.com/launceston_tamar_and_north/towns_and_places/deloraine