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Ailsa's Cross Stitch
Designs in counted cross stitch from a Tasmanian country garden.

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We visited this gracious homestead while at Stanley in October 1998 and found the history of Highfield absolutely fascinating. In 1831 it was decided that Circular Head would become the headquarters for the Van Dieman's Land Company. Edward Curr, the chief agent, built a substantial homestead for himself and his large family between 1832-1835. Highfield is constructed of stone and features a deep verandah with elegant decorative work and large French windows. The original gardens were laid out in a manner befitting a gentleman's residence but are now in need of a lot of attention. A chapel as well as numerous barns, stables and cottages were built on the property and the estate remains remarkably intact. It's an ideal setting for a romantic country wedding. Highfield enjoys magnificent sweeping views of The Nut and the township of Stanley (to find out more about Stanley have a look at the Coffee and Tea Room design). In 1914 Highfield was aquired by the State Government and is now administered as an Historic site.

Convict Ruin at Highfield. The ruins of the Convict Barracks can be seen from Highfield House. They were built from 1834 and occupied from 1836. In July 1832 there were 41 convicts assigned to the Circular Head establishment, a number which rose to 73 in 1833. The Barracks were built by the Van Dieman's Land Company to house their assigned convicts. The convicts were withdrawn in the 1840's and the company turned its attention to attracting tenant farmers to the property. Only ruins can be seen today but it's an imposing structure and solidly built. There was misty rain falling the day we visited the ruins and we were impressed with the history and atmosphere of the this place (the grass really is brilliant green).

The Coffee Shop and Tea Rooms Stanley. Les and I spent a relaxing and romantic weekend at this delightful fishing village at the beginning of October 1998. It was a special weekend to celebrate my fortieth birthday. Stanley is extraordinary due to its incredible natural beauty. It's called The Edge of the World and is where the cleanest air in the world is recorded. The heritage of the area has been lovingly restored and preserved. Being there is like stepping back in time and the whole town represents the simplicity of yesterday. Stanley is situated directly on the waterfront beneath the famous Nut overlooking miles of pristine sand and safe swimming beaches. The Nut could be described as one of the geological wonders of the world and it was very exciting riding the chair lift to the top. Stanley can be windswept, wild and wonderful as well as peaceful, serene and romantic. Tourists may enjoy golf, fishing, scenic walks or quiet meanderings through the township's historic streets. We enjoyed afternoon tea at the Coffee Shop and Tea Rooms. The striking purple flowers alongside the building are called Echium and are abundant in the area as they thrive in poor, sandy soils. All in all, Stanley is a very special place and we wish to visit again soon.

Duck at the Door. This is our cheeky white duck, Vivien, who is always on the lookout for food. I saw her one day perched on our barn door silhouetted against the darkness of the house interior and I thought I must do a cross stitch design of that one day as it has a certain humour about it. Her friend Tom (who really should be called Tomasina) isn't as pushy as Vivien but they do try to get into the house regularly looking for a free feed. Our cute little dog Charlie sees it as his job to keep an eye on these birds and shoo them away so there are lots of games and chasing around the garden. Tom and Viv (named for the movie of the same name) live a contented and sheltered life by our stream alongside the two donkeys, two goats and a mare. They are terrific at eating snails and keeping our garden pest free. This design is more intense than my previous ones as the whole design area is stitched. There is a lot of backstitching as well as lots and lots of french knots for the camellia and rhododendron flowers. This design captures a delightful moment in our life here on the farm.

Path to Crater Lake. This is a scene we treasure as we have spent many hours bush walking at Cradle Mountain National Park. Crater Lake is within the National Park. The path winds through autumn foliage leading us to Crater Lake. There is a gorgeous rustic boat shed beside the lake nestled amongst the trees in the centre of the design. If you look closely you can see its roof line. The eucalypt trees appeared to floating above us. It was a cool day and the crater wall was barely distinguishable through the mist in the background. The unique endemic Deciduous Beech (Nothofagus gunnii) provided a warm, spectacular blaze of colour and added a richness to the scene.

Honeymoon Bay at Freycinet National Park has pink rocks lining the crystal clear water. In the background are The Hazard Mountains framed against the brilliant blue sky. Freycinet National Park was formed in 1916 and has been loved and appreciated for its breathtaking natural beauty by Australian and International visitors ever since. No wonder Queen Elizabeth dropped anchor to enjoy a barbecue at Wineglass Bay while sailing on the Britannia during her last visit to Tasmania. Wineglass Bay is over the other side of The Hazards from Honeymoon Bay and is considered one of the most beautiful bays in Australia. Les and I spent a glorious weekend here in February 1997 to celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary. The weather was glorious and ideal for bushwalking, eating good food, drinking sensational wine and relaxing in hot spas after a long walk. We stayed at the Internationally acclaimed Freycinet Lodge which has won many Tourism Awards mainly due to its environmentally friendly construction and operation. You can't use your mobile phone in these parts so being here is like stepping into a timeless and peaceful world. Louisa Ann Meredith, a noted colonial poet and naturalist painter lived at Swansea (a small town in the area) for a brief time and wrote this description after a day spent picnicking at Freycinet in the 1840's. She wrote: The sea here was so perfectly translucent and the white granite sand at the bottom so bright that ... a whole world of strange and exquisite things were clearly visible ... silver-glancing, filmy-finned fish ... gigantic sea-stars spreading their large arms out, purple and red; and shells and more fish, glancing and darting to and fro ...the huge granite-cragged peaks seemed to rise higher and higher as we neared them.

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