Beginning a little differently on this occasion, I met Ted and Rosie in Triabunna after they’d spent a couple of quiet days on the east coast, including time on Maria Island. What may seem an unusual starting point simply came down to aligning their travels with my availability. When a tailored itinerary is needed, this kind of flexibility is all part of an attentive experience.

Time with Ted and Rosie unfolded in two leisurely segments, with overnights spent in rural locations. The first was a three-day, two-night journey that included a day in Mt Field National Park and finished in Hobart. After enjoying a couple of days at leisure in the city, we set off again for a two-day, one-night stay on the Tasman Peninsula, exploring its natural, scenic and historic features.

Our route combined familiar highways and quiet backroads through farmland, eucalypt forests and rural townships. Travelling at an unhurried pace, Ted and Rosie enjoyed a glimpse of Tasmania beyond the obvious, taking in picturesque scenery while noticing birds that came into view along the way.

Throughout the journey, we explored, paused at a variety of habitats and hotspots for birds and wildlife, taking time to scan what each location revealed. Our days included the simple pleasure of watching a wide variety of animal species go about their day with serendipitous sightings across forest, farmland and coastline and up-close encounters with sanctuary-based wildlife. There were moments shared with echidnas, wallabies and wombats on land, platypus in lakes, wrens, robins and honeyeaters among the trees, raptors soaring overhead and seabirds, seals and dolphins while cruising the waterways – just to name a few.

As the five days together ended, it was clear that what lingered most were the shared moments and time spent admiring what unfolded around us – and a cup of tea whenever it was desired. Ted and Rosie later shared in a text message, “We both thoroughly enjoyed our encounters with the special wildlife of Tasmania” – a feeling I wholeheartedly echo.

Here are some snapshots of some of the scenes, animals and birds I photographed along the way. As Ted & Rosie are non-photographers, my photos have become part of their collection of memories and have been shared with their agreement.