30 May 2023 - Berinsdale (sic) to Seaspray

Up betimes to visit the local Bairnsdale pharmacist to obtain more drugs, but not before attending to other urgent business!

 The Prop - assiduously attending to matters of business

The Prop remembers a time, in his salad days, when the only drug the Prop thought he needed was available at the Travellers Rest Hotel. 

Nowadays various medical men prescribe all manner of potions and compounds which may or may not be efficacious but which, generally speaking, cost a good deal more than a few beers. 

Judging by the roaring trade the Bairnsdale Chemist Warehouse was doing today, the value of pharmaceuticals sold each day probably exceeds the value of alcohol sales. (Admittedly, some portion of the value of the sales of the former is probably due to the chronic over-consumption of the latter.)

Next, we filled the Tadpole with the least expensive fuel we have so far encountered. - $1.71.9/litre!

(For the benefit of Fife Taff, that's about 91p/litre!)

Unleaded 91 - cheaper than chips?

(When we left Tassie the same fuel was around $2.20/litre but prices seem to have dropped everywhere.)

Resupplied, we set a course for the delightfully-named small coastal village of Seaspray. 

The most direct route to Seaspray takes one through Stratford, on the Avon River. Despite the apparent coincidence, the locals seem to have settled for Stratford rather than Stratford upon Avon. Well done!⁸

Then comes Sale (presumably named after the town of Sale in Trafford, Greater Manchester, UK)

In his youth, the Prop's paternal grandfather worked as a shopman in a store operated in Sale (Vic) by his mother's sister (i.e., aunt ) and uncle. He returned to Tasmania early last century to operate the general store at Bothwell, first in partnership with his brother and later, on his own account. 

The general store at Bothwell, Tasmania. Probably looks nothing like the shop in Sale. 

Also to be found in Sale is the magnificent Criterion Hotel, a feature of which (apart from the cold beer) is the iron lacework.

The Criterion Hotel, Sale

Extensive iron lacework - probably purchased on Sale!

Seaspray is aptly named. No doubt, it acquired the name on account of the effect of the strongish on-shore winds that blow with some regularity. 

A panoramic view of Bass Strait at Seapray. Lots of beach, lots of wind and lots of seaspray

The general store at Seaspray - probably also looks nothing like the shop in Sale

Boisterous winds - sculpt sands and spread spray 

Observation deck partially submerged in sand - not so many steps to climb

Between the Seaspray Caravan Park and the beach runs Futcher Street. The Prop made enquiries about how this street got its name. It does not seem that Futcher is an occupational name (e.g., an incompetent butcher). On the other hand, the word does seem to have an accepted meaning: see;

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Futcher

Futcher, an unusual name, an unusual word!

The Tadpole at Seaspray Caravan Park - probably also looks nothing like the shop in Sale!

Perfick!