Monk Bay Circuit

Wednesday 11th March 2015

Monk Bay

Some friends accompanied me today down to the Tasman Peninsula to do a circuit walk including Monk Bay. The walk starts at the Coal Mines site in the Lime Bay Reserve on the most northern section of the Tasman Peninsula.
We set off from the Coal Mines parking area and walked down to the coast where the ruins are situated. As my friends had not been here before, I suggested that we complete the walk first and check out the ruins on our return.

Plunkett Point

Plunkett Point

Iron Stone Point

Ruins at Plunkett Point

We walked along the coast to Plunkett Point where there are some ruins and then followed the track to a fire trail where we again headed to the coast where there is a small isolated beach which is very nice. We stopped for a short break before walking back up the fire trail to the track once more. This was followed to Ironstone Point where it crossed Ironstone Point to end up at Monk Bay. The water was quite calm and very clear. A great sight.

Monk Bay

Ironstone Point

We walked along the cliff tops for a short while before descending to the beach at Monk Bay and then walked along the beach until we could not go any further. We then climbed back up to the track which followed the cliffs around to an obvious point. We walked out to the end of this point where there were many birds.

From Nameless Point

North from Nameless Point

Nameless Point

Whitehouse Point

From the point the track went around to Whitehouse Point, and as we rounded the point we ran into a strong wind coming from the north west. It was completely different to the eastern side where it had been quite calm.

Looking towards Green Head

Lime Bay

Looking back towards Whithouse Point

 The track carried on to Lime Bay where we picked up an overgrown track and began the return. We found a log to sit on for lunch but we immediately overrun with mosquitoes. Consequently we did not linger too long and set off once again. As I was walking along the track I had a close encounter with a tiger snake. Luckily it quickly slithered off into the scrub.
Now, I had intended to walk up to Mount Stewart through the scrub but the snake incident had put one of my companions off that idea. We just carried on along the track back to the Coal Mines area where we had a look at the ruins. My friends are interested to return to the area to have a good look. A couple of hours are required to properly inspect the site, alone.
This is a great walk with fantastic coastal scenery as well as the historical ruins.
Distance: 14.6 kms.
Time: 4'30"
Ascent: 320 metres
Click here to download GPX file.

Coal Mines Ruins

Coal Mines Ruins

Coal Mines Cell

Sloping Main

Friday 25th October 2013

Sloping Main Beach

After a couple of months of walking up mountains I decided that it was time that I did a coastal walk again. I do love the beaches in Tasmania and thoroughly enjoy getting back to them when I can. I chose Sloping Main as I had not been to that particular beach before.
It was very windy at home and I was expecting plenty of wind where I was going but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. The drive down took exactly 2 hours, and I was kitted up and ready to start just after 0800. The walk start was at Gwandalan Park in Sloping Main Drive and the first 3.3 kms. was entirely along Sloping Main Beach, which was pleasant to walk on, as the sand was quite hard. I came across a couple of people walking dogs and two guys fishing off the beach. They had driven their 4WD down onto the beach via a boat ramp which is about halfway along the beach. I suspect that this could be an alternative starting point.

Mount Wellington from Sloping Main Beach

There were good views of Mount Wellington and Sloping Island, and, as you can see from the photos, the wind was not too bad, with only a gentle swell rolling in. After about 40 minutes I reached the northern end of the beach and followed a track heading up the bank of a creek to eventually meet up with a vehicle track. I was now in Lime Bay Nature Reserve. I walked this track for 3.6 kms. to arrive at Lime Bay. It was a most pleasant part of the walk, though nice forest and so very quite except for the birds. Along the way I passed Sloping Lagoon where it is possible to turn west and head along a track on the southern side of the lagoon to come out on Lagoon Beach, thus shortening the distance a little. See info at Everytrail on the Green Head walk.

Track through Lime Bay Nature Reserve

At Lime bay I had a sit down and a snack and watched the sea birds feeding on the shoreline. It was very peaceful and totally sheltered from any wind.
I then found a track leading off the beach to meet the Lagoon Beach walking track which I followed. After clambering over the dunes at the end of the track I came to the beach about halfway along the length of the beach. Here it was blowing rather fiercely and quite cold. The beach was followed in a south easterly direction towards Lobster Point, and, at a convenient point before the beach ended, I exited the beach by climbing the dunes and walked through a little scrub to meet up with a vehicle track. It was then just a matter of walking this track to Lobster Point where I took shelter from the wind and had an early lunch.

Lagoon Beach and Lobster Point

I tried to find a track that was shown on the map that supposedly ran along the coast back to Sloping Main Beach, but could find no evidence of its existence. As I did not feel like scrub bashing, I backtracked slightly and continued on the vehicle track. I wanted to check out Whalebone Beach, so after a time I headed into the scrub and walked back to the coast and met up with a vague walking track which went past Whalebone Beach(a very nice little beach) and eventually back to the vehicular track. I then walked along this and down to Sloping Main Beach and along the beach, finally arriving at the car at about 1300.
A most enjoyable walk.
Distance: 18.7 kms.
Time: 5 hours
Ascent: 270 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Sloping Lagoon

Lime Bay

Sloping Island

Lagoon Beach

Lobster Point

Whalebone Beach

Looking towards Sloping Main

Burdens Marshes and Sloping Main

Mount Stewart Circuit

Sunday 22nd July 2012

Mount Stewart Summit

Mount Stewart really does not deserve to be called a mountain as it is only 135 metres above sea level, but that is what it is called. Actually the main section of the walk is from Lime Bay past Monk Bay and up then up to Mount Stewart to complete a circuit.
To reach the start drive out to Lime Bay on the Tasman Peninsula and park anywhere, really.
I started walking at 0920 after the 2 hour drive to get here. The first part was along the beach in an easterly direction to the rocks at the end where I picked up a faint track that followed the coastline around. It was easy walking with lovely water views.

Beautiful clear water

The water was exceptionally clear as I walked around Whitehouse Point and then to a nameless point where I walked out to have a look. It was great as the sea was so calm. Continuing on I reached Monk Bay and descended to the beach and walked along it to the southern end.

Pile of shells on Monk Beach

There were a few piles of white shells washed up on the beach. Near the end of the beach I found a convenient place to climb up and walked across country through the bracken fern to pick up the track to Ironstone Point. I carried on in roughly a south westerly direction to meet a service road which I followed down to a lovely little beach with low sandstone cliffs.

Cliffs on the beach at end of service road.

From here I walked west for 1.5 kms. on the road to the Mount Stewart ascent track. This was a gentle ascent  to the top. At the summit are remains of what was once a signal station ( just a few piles of bricks, really) but never the less quite interesting. Mount Stewart is the remains of an extinct volcano. After admiring the view I walked down the northern side through tall bracken fern to find a fire trail. A short deviation right followed before turning onto another track. I walked this right back to Lime Bay and instead of walking along the beach, followed the track back to the car.
This was a very enjoyable walk with no major ascents and great coastal scenery.
Distance: 13.2 kms.
Time: 3'45"
Ascent: 350 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

East end Lime Bay

Looking back at Lime Bay

On eastern side

Nice little deserted beach

Track to Mount Stewart

Mount Stewart ruins

Lime Bay from Mount Stewart

From Mount Stewart

Green Head

Tuesday 10th May 2011

Green Head

To reach Green Head, drive down to the Tasman Peninsula and at Taranna turn onto the B37, follow to Premaydena and turn onto C341 and drive to Lime Bay. Park anywhere in the large parking area.
I started the walk at 0800 and walked up a vehicle track for about 0.8 kms. before heading into the bush and up over Black Rock Hill. I soon found a pad that ran right around Green Head to Lagoon Beach.

Green Head

The walking was easy and the only climb was Black Rock Hill, and that was miniscule. The pad was easy to follow and just past the northern tip of Green Head I descended to the beach. It was a little tricky getting down to the beach but I managed it okay.

Green Head

After climbing back up I continued on and climbed down to a couple of the larger beaches and walked along them to finally arrive at Lagoon Beach.

One of the larger beaches

Lagoon Beach is a nice flat beach with white sand and I walked along it before exiting over the dunes to find a track that ran around beside the lagoon.

Lagoon Beach

I chose to walk around the southern edge of the lagoon but it would have been just as easy to do the northern side.

Entering the lagoon area

As I walked around I came across some large water filled ruts where some idiots had been driving 4WDs. It is so disappointing when people do stupid things like that. Vehicles are not supposed to be here!!

Someones stupidity

After finding a track on the eastern side of the lagoon, I followed this back to the car.
This was a very enjoyable walk with great coastal scenery and is a quite flat and easy walk.
Distance: 10.6 kms.
Time: 3'09"
Ascent: 240 metres
Click here to download GPX track.

Green Head

From Green Head

Green Head

The Lagoon