Tuesday 1st September 2015
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| Garretts Bight |
I wanted to do a longer walk today as I had not been on one for quite some time. This walk turned out to be longer than I was anticipating, but still, was very enjoyable. The normal way to walk to Garretts Bight is to drive down Narrows Road from Strathblane, past the fish farm and start on an old 4WD track. This is only a couple of hours walk although it can be extended by walking along the coastline. I seemed to have chosen the opposite and ended up walking for 8'20".
I intended to drive to Caterpillar Road just out of Strathblane and follow this until I came to a locked gate, which I was sure would be along there somewhere, and walk from there. What I had not anticipated was the locked gate was right at the start of Caterpillar Road!! This necessitated going to plan B. I drove down the highway a short distance and parked off the road in a clearing.
I set off up an overgrown slippery track, and missed a track that I should have taken and ended up doing a sort of dog leg. It did not matter that much and I noted my error on the return trip. After meeting a good road I continued south to an old logging track and up this until it ran out. I then had to bush bash for a short distance before meeting Caterpillar Road, crossed over it on to another road and began the uphill climb. It was a steady ascent to the high point on the walk. It was a great day and the birds were singing. I heard a couple of lyrebirds. The forest along here was quite nice even though most of it was regrowth.
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| Road on the descent |
I passed a large quarry on the descent, a logging coup and caught a glimpse of Port Esperance through the trees.
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| Logging Coup |
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| Port Esperance |
After about two and a half hours of walking I had my first glimpse of the dam on Stringers Creek. This apparently supplies water for the Tassal Fish Farm. I reached a point on the road near the dam and headed across country to try to get to the dam wall as I had to cross it to attain the track on the other side. This proved to be a little hairy as I came to a vertical drop. Luckily I had been taking it carefully. I reassessed and headed further north and to the downstream side of the wall. From here it was easy to get up on top of the wall, which I crossed.
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| Stringers Creek Dam |
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| Stringers Creek Dam |
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| Stringers Creek Dam |
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| Stringers Creek Dam |
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| Below the Wall at Stringers Creek Dam |
I continued on along the track on the eastern side of Stringers Creek where there were great lengths of poly pipe, large and small. Some pipes were over 500 metres long as there were markings on the side of the track, and some of the pipes appeared to have been in the sea because of the evidence of marine growth. I passed the second dam, downstream from the first, and located the track to Garretts Bight.
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| Poly pipe along the track |
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| Marine growth on the pipes |
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| Second Dam |
The Garretts Bight track was quite wet and muddy but I reached the end in good time and climbed down to the sea availing myself of the two fixed ropes situated there. I checked the anchors and ropes before using them and all appeared sound. It would be impossible to access the beach at this spot without using the ropes as the ground was very wet and slippery. I stopped here for lunch and enjoyed the view. I did not have time to walk around to the actual bight which was a bit further around the coast.
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| Scott Point |
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| Scott Point |
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| Rope on the access to the beach |
I did not stay long as I had a long walk back and was not looking forward to the uphill on the way.
I took a quick diversion to check out The Pines, which is a nice area on the coast where there are large pine trees.
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| Modern convenience at The Pines |
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| The Pines |
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| The Pines |
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| Port Esperance |
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| Port Esperance |
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| The Pines |
On the way back, just before I reached the high point on the walk, I met a Forestry guy checking the roads. We had a chat and he offered me a lift back down. I gracefully declined and continued on. Thankfully it was mostly downhill from here and I eventually reached the car. I was quite tired and grateful to finally finish.
This was an interesting and enjoyable walk. I dare say it would be a fairly easy bike ride for those enthusiasts, but starting from the gate on Caterpillar Road and riding to the dam. From here it would be difficult to get the bike down and across the dam, but I am sure some carry their bikes across some rough terrain.
Distance: 28.8 kms.
Time: 8'20"
Ascent: 1130 metres
Click here to download GPX file.
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