Tumbledown Point via Lousy Gully

Thursday 25th July 2013

This was to be an exploratory walk as I had not been to Tumbledown Point before, and, as it turned out it was quite a circuitous route that I ended up taking. If anyone has a better way , please let me know.
I left home early and it took just over 2 hours to get to the start point on a dirt road off Stormlea Road at Stormlea. The drive down was through the fire devastated area from earlier in the year and it was good to see the trees regenerating and the rebuilding of peoples homes going ahead. I had been down not long after the fires and the change was very noticeable.
I had done the first part of the walk previously because it also goes to Salters Point, which is a good walk in itself. I headed off through a forestry gate and followed the road until it became a fire break, then up to the top of a hill where a track leads off on the left. This was followed for about 1 km. to the top of Moonlight Hill where there is a junction marked with a sign "Salters Point" left, "Lousy Gully" right. I turned right and soon the track deteriorated to a very overgrown condition, mainly with grass and small shrubs, but it was not that difficult to find. I walked along this track for about 2.5 kms. until a better road was reached and then turned left and followed this for 2.7 kms to the end of the road. I was getting close to Tumbledown Point but could not locate an easy access. After a bit on searching I found an old overgrown track on the right of the road and walked along it for about 500 metres and then went across country in a westerly direction to the point. From here there were good views of Bruny Island, Mount Wellington, Wedge Island etc.
I decided on an early lunch and sat and enjoyed watching the swells break over the rocks below. There were a few birds screeching overhead and a lone boat out to sea and it was quite relaxing just sitting there. After the break it was just a matter of retracing my steps back to the car which I reached at 1.45pm.
Distance: 18.9 kms
Time: 5'20"
Ascent: 650 metres
There is a map and gpx file at Everytrail
Click here to download GPX track.

Signpost

Small Bay at the end of the better road

Bruny Island

Wedge Island

Tumbledown Point

Tumbledown Point

Tumbledown Point

Looking North

Mount Wellington

Tumbledown Point

Bracken Ridge Trail

Saturday 20th July 2013

With the forecast of rain in the afternoon, I decided on a fairly straightforward walk close to home so I could finish early. Bracken Ridge Trail turned out to be the one.
From Judbury I drove up Bermuda Road, then on to Bermuda Link Road to the start of the walk on Bracken Ridge. The first 3.5 kms. were not really impressive as the road travelled through logged, burnt and replanted areas. After this it improved somewhat as the track changed to an old 4WD track through nice forest. As this descended to Southwood Road  the Ta Ann veneer mill came into view. There were good views of the surrounding mountains. It was then along Southwood Road to the bridge spanning the Huon River where I took some photos and then reversed direction and headed back to Edwards Link Road where I took a quick diversion to check out the Arve River which was flowing quite well. I then walked along Southwood Road for about 2.5 kms. to pick up the Williamette Creek 4WD track.This is a track set aside for four wheel drivers to test out their driving prowess. The track was okay to begin with but deteriorated to a pretty bad state in some places with deep water filled ruts which made the going rather slow. I could have done with 4WD walking up some of the hills as they were very slippery.
The forest in this section was very nice and the birds were singing well. After about 2 kms. the track emerged on to a good forestry road which I followed back to the car except for a minor deviation to an old track for the last 500 metres.
This was probably not a favourite walk but it was okay as I wanted to get a feel for the area.  I had not been there before and this provide a good introduction.
Distance: 15.2 kms.
Time: 4 hrs.
Ascent: 500 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Mountain Views

Logged Area

Logged Area

Entering Nice Forest

More Mountain Views

And More

4WD Track on the Ridge

Huon River

Huon River

Arve River

Arve River

Williamette 4WD Track

Williamette 4WD Track

Big Lagoon Beach

Saturday 13th July 2013

I left home in the dark this morning and arrived at the start of the walk on South Cape Spur 1 at 7.45am. There was some slight misty drizzle falling but that did not last long. I headed off to the sounds of lyrebirds through a forestry gate and was soon walking through nice forest. After about 3 kms. another forestry gate was reached and beyond this the track deteriorated to become an old 4WD track which has been seriously eroded because of overuse and by people making extra tracks over time. Thankfully, this area is now closed to vehicles, so, hopefully, the country will regenerate to some degree. The tracks were filled with water in lots of places but it was possible to walk the whole distance without getting wet feet.
After 1'45" Big Lagoon Beach was reached and followed north east to the point. Along this beach were quite a few live crabs, and of course plenty of flotsam and jetsam. Once the point was reached, I rock hopped around to the beach on the lagoon side and walked back south west to the end of the beach where there were some good sitting rocks for a lunch break. It was so peaceful looking out over the lagoon and the surface of the water was like glass.
I then tried to follow a track back to the outward leg but it was full of water and the scrub was too thick to bash through so I backtracked down the beach a short distance and cut across the peninsula to the ocean side. I arrived back at the car at 2.05pm.
This was an enjoyable walk, the beaches were very nice and deserted and I saw no footprints on either of the beaches. It probably would be very difficult if not impossible to walk the beach on the lagoon side if the tide was high but it should not be a problem to cut across to the ocean side at any stage as the peninsula is quite narrow.
Distance: 23.4 kms.
Time: 6'20"
Ascent: 215 metres
There is a map and gpx file at Everytrail.
Click here to download GPX track.

4WD Track

4WD Track

Big Lagoon Beach

Crab on Big Lagoon Beach

Big Lagoon Beach

Headland

Headland

Looking across the narrows at the headland

Beach at the Headland

Eagle soaring high

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon

Snow on Mountains in the distance

Disused bridge on 4WD track

Knocklofty to Junction Cabin

Sunday 7th July 2013

It was 3 degrees at home this morning and the drive up to Hobart was treacherous as the roads were extremely icy. I made it to the start of the walk in one piece, after having seen the evidence of some cars sliding of the road, and set off about 8.20 am.
The track went across the reserve and then I deviated to the top of the quarry to get some photos of Mount Wellington covered in snow. I then walked back to the track and then downhill, through a gate and met up with the Newtown Trail. This was followed for a couple of kilometres to the Main Fire Trail via Noahs Saddle. This trail looked quite steep from a distance and it proved to be so as I huffed and puffed up to the top. I wanted to see if there were any views of Hobart from the top of Brushy Hill so I turned right at this stage and walked to the top of the hill, but alas no views. It was then back to the Main Fire Trail and then steeply up the Old Farm Fire Trail to Junction Cabin. As I reached about 500 metres the snow started to appear and by the time I reached the cabin it was quite thick and crunchy underfoot. It was 5 degrees here at the cabin.
I took some photos , then headed down the Old Farm Fire Trail on the southern side to the Main Fire Trail again. It was then a matter of walking down the trail to Mc Robies Gully and up the other side to the Newtown Trail, thus forming a loop. I then walked back along this trail, with a few deviations, to the car, which I reached about 1 pm. I saw more people than I was expecting, but I think this was because the road up the mountain was closed and everyone was walking or cycling up to check out the snow.
This was a good walk with great views of Mount Wellington and it was a pleasure to tramp through some snow again.
Distance: 13.4 kms.
Time: 4'40"
Ascent: 870 metres
There is a map and gpx file at Everytrail.
Click here to download GPX track.

Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington

Mount Wellington

Old Farm Fire Trail to Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin

At Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin