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Thursday, 28 December 2017

Bellettes Point

Wednesday 27th December 2017

Bellettes Point
Bellettes Point is located on the Forestier Peninsula and I parked at the large car park at Dunalley Beach about 2.0 kms. south of Dunalley. This was an exploratory walk as I had not stopped in that area before.
I headed off along Dunalley Beach in a southerly direction to the rocks and around the point to Carlisle Beach. It was a beautiful day with sunny skies and light wind.

Dunalley Beach

Dunalley Beach

Around the rocks

Carlisle Beach
Next was around a grassy headland and an unnamed beach and on to Wiggins Point. Here there was an old unused foot pad that went around the point which provided a break from the rock hopping.

Wiggins Point

Unnamed Beach

Wiggins Point

Heading around to Wiggins Point

From Wiggins Point

Smooth Island

Heading around to Dunbabin Point
From Wiggins I rock hopped around to Dunbabin Point. It was all quite easy going as long as one does not have an aversion to rock hopping.

Towards Dunbabin Point

Smooth Island

Nice unnamed little inlet

Dunbabin Point

Dunbabin Point

Bellettes Bay

Bellettes Point and King George Island
I rounded Dunbabin Point and then on to Daltons Beach before rounding another small point and on to the main beach at Bellettes Bay. This was a long sandy beach, and as I had arranged the walk to coincide with an outgoing tide, I could walk across the sand flats.

Heading to Daltons Beach

Dunbabin Point from Daltons Beach

Bellettes Beach

Bellettes Point from Bellettes Beach
After a stop for a snack I walked around to Bellettes Point which was nothing startling, just more rocks. I immediately turned around and began heading back.

Bellettes Point and King George Island

King George Island

Bellettes Bay
I intended to walk back along a road thus avoiding all the rock hopping. I had checked out the maps and there appeared to be a right of way just near Daltons Beach. As I was heading back there I stumbled across a birds nest with a couple of eggs in it. I think it was a gulls nest.


I found the track/road that I was looking for and started walking back. There was a fence along the road and I was not actually sure which side of it I should have been on as it was clear either side. It is the access track to Daltons Beach so I think it was okay. I reached the Arthur Highway and walked back to the car, thus eliminating all the rock hopping and making the walk shorter and easier.
This was an interesting walk with lots of rock hopping.
Distance: 13.8 kms.
Time: 3'58"
Ascent: 180 metres
Click here to download GPX file.




Monday, 18 December 2017

Adamsfield

Sunday 17th December

Saw Back Range
 Some friends expressed an interest in walking in to Adamsfield so we decided to do it today. Adamsfield was a mining town established around 1925, and is where osmiridium was mined by various methods up until the 1960s. There is very little left of the town now as most of it has been reclaimed by the bush or burnt down in bush fires.
It was quite a long drive for us from Judbury but we started early and reached the start at 0915. The start is reached by driving towards Strathgordon and at 3.8 kms. past the Scotts Peak Dam turnoff, take the Clear Hill Road. Drive 17.8 kms. on a 2WD road to the walk start. The last couple of kms. are a bit rough but okay for 2WD.
We walked along the Adamsfield (Morley) Track for about 1 km. to the first items of interest, Clarks Huts.

Adamsfield (Morley) Track

At Clarks Huts

Morleys Mansion

Morleys Mansion

Clarks Huts

Clarks Huts


We checked out the outside of the huts before fording the stream and carrying on towards Adamsfield town. It was all easy walking on a good track. Just past Clarks Huts we found a great shelter shed and BBQ which was a great spot where we had lunch later.

 
About 3.6 kms. from the start we reached the site of the township where there is little to see except for a few relics.

The town was 100 metres up the foot track to the left of this sign
Around here was rain forest type country with lots of tree ferns but once past the township it opened up into more button grass type landscape. We did see a wombat crossing the track but I was not quick enough to photograph it, only capturing its rear end.



Now that the country was opening up we started to get views of the surrounding mountains.




The track carried on to the open cut mine where we could see what we assumed was some black osmiridium ore on the ground. There were a few relics in this area but not a lot.






We wandered around the mine for a while before climbing back up to the track where we had great views of the surrounding countryside. The scenery was spectacular as it was such a great day. we could see Lake Gordon in the distance.






We kept going up the track and then along Packers Spur to a mine a short distance up the track. This was our destination point. There were good views from up here also.








After turning around and heading back we had lunch at the previously mentioned shelter and returned to the cars.
This was an excellent walk on a good wide track and the views were spectacular.
Distance: 13.6 kms.
Time: 4'40"
Ascent: 360 metres
Click here for GPX file.