Southport Lagoon

Friday 10th November 2017

Southport Lagoon

The walk today was not supposed to be at Southport Lagoon. I had planned to do a circuit walk to Pebbly Beach and part of that walk would have been in the State Reserve and part in the Lagoon Conservation Area. This would have entailed walking along the Ida Bay Railway for part of the walk.
I parked near the Ida Bay Railway station as usual and was immediately challenged by a guy from the station who said that it was not a walking track along the railway line and I could not go there, even though there are National Parks signs indicating that it is indeed a walking track. There is some issue with a person injuring themselves and claiming compensation. Instead of getting into an argument, I decided to let it go and walk down to the Lagoon on the 4WD track.
I called in at the National Parks office in Huonville on the way home and I am waiting for clarification on the issue.
Note: Due to legal reasons it is now not permissible to walk down the railway line.
I set off up the road to the Lagoon Track and parked just at the start. I had not been on this track before, but from researching it, I knew it was supposed to be for high clearance 4WDs only, so I decided to walk it. I started walking and was waiting for it to deteriorate but it was a good road. I debated whether I should turn back and get the car but kept walking. That was a big mistake. The road was good and my standard clearance 4WD would have made it to the end of the road easily. The road is good enough to drive in about 2.0 kms. in a 2WD car and walk from there. When I did finally reach the beach there were a couple of guys just preparing to head out in their boat fishing and they only had standard clearance vehicles.

The walk in on the road is about 6.0 kms. and is pretty boring as is most road walking. When I reached the beach I set off in a northerly direction around the coast. It was a little muddy in places but easy walking. I soon came to a creek and instead of walking upstream to find a crossing, I just waded across. It was only knee deep.

Island of no name

Creek

Creek Crossing

I kept going around the coast and had to walk in the water a various places but it was not deep. There were a few sandstone formations but nothing spectacular.

I could hear the fishermen celebrating so they were obviously catching something. They were chasing flathead, they told me. I carried on to a point were I thought I had probably walked enough, being mindful that I had to walk back.

After and early lunch I started heading back, but headed inland where I knew there were button grass plains, which usually provide reasonable walking. This proved to be the case and I also had beeter views of the lagoon from up slightly higher.

This was not a bad walk despite the 12.0 kms. of road walking and if I come this way again, I will know that I can drive all the way in and then probably walk over the other side to Lagoon Beach.
Distance: 17.3 kms.
Time: 5"30"
Ascent: 400 metres
Click here to download GPX file.

Southport Lagoon and Southport Bluff Beach

Saturday 18th June 2016

Southport Lagoon Entrance

 Note: Due to legal reasons it is now not permissible to walk down the railway line.
We parked at The Ida Bay railway station and set off walking along Ida Bay Road to meet the railway line at Donnellys Gate. There is always the option to catch the train down to Deep Hole at Elliott Beach and walk from there, but as there are only two trains a day during winter, this would not provide enough time to do the walk that we did. The walk to the lagoon would be possible but probably not much else. See Ida Bay Railway for information.
The distance from the start to Deep Hole is about 6.5 kms. and that is mostly along the railway line, either beside the tracks or between them, and is easy walking. We stopped at the graves beside the track at Ida Bay and then carried on to Deep Hole for a snack stop at the shelter at the end of the line.

Ida Bay

Elliott Beach

Looking across Southport Narrows to Southport

From Deep Hole we walked down to Southport Lagoon. The track was quite wet from recent rain but easily negotiated. The tide was low so walking along the beach was easy and negotiating the rocks around the point at the Lagoon entrance was okay as they were not too slippery.

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon with Moonlight Ridge in background

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon

Southport Lagoon

We could hear the surf as we approached the entrance and along the rocks near Southport Bluff Beach we stopped for lunch.

Ocean side of the Lagoon entrance

Ocean side of the Lagoon entrance

From Bluff Beach

Bluff Beach

Bluff Beach

We then carried on to Bluff Beach and found the marker for the access track and proceeded to walk back to Deep Hole and then the car. By the time we reached the car we were both a bit weary, but not too bad, after walking about 24.0 kms.
See previous post here for more information.

Southport Lagoon and Southport Bluff Beach

Sunday 9th June 2013

Note: Due to legal reasons it is now not permissible to walk down the railway line.
 It was an early start today and I arrived at Ida Bay just as the sun was rising. Having parked near The Ida Bay Railway Station I set off walking right on 7.30. This walk can be done two ways. Either commence your walk at the station as I did or catch the Ida Bay Train to Elliott Beach and start the walk from here. This would be the way to go if time was limited. The distance from Ida Bay to Elliott Beach is about 6.5 kms each way.
The first section of the walk was on a old road and after a short distance it met up with the railway line and this was followed all the way to Elliott Beach. At about 1.8 kms. from the start I came across three graves of the Tyler Family at a railway platform overlooking Ida Bay. The line was followed to Elliott Beach where there is a shelter for the rail passengers and turn around for the train. The walking track started from here and lead down to Southport Lagoon. There is a junction on the track to Southport Bluff Beach so note this for the return trip. The Lagoon beach is a still water beach and quite pleasant with good views of the mountains across the water.
I then walked the beach in a southerly direction to the rocks and began a quite long section of rock hopping around the point to eventually end up at Southport Bluff Beach. There were a few boats out fishing and three somewhat keen surfers catching a wave. The Bluff Beach is open to the weather so there were some reasonable waves. I walked along the beach to the Bluff hoping to check out the monument for a shipwreck up on the top, but unfortunately the area is quarantined due to the presence of a rare plant. Undeterred I backtracked down the beach trying to find the exit and eventually located it about halfway along and marked by a pole. This track was followed back to the previously mentioned junction and then back to Elliott Beach where I had lunch sitting on the rocks by the water at the end of the railway line.
Once I was refreshed it was back along the line where I happened to meet the train which was packed with passengers, most of whom gave me a wave. The rest of the walk was uneventful although I kept an ear open for the train coming up behind me and eventually reached the car about 2pm. The walk is about 24 kms. in total if doing the entire trip or about 11kms. if catching the train, and or course each beach could be done individually. Overall a pleasurable walk.
Distance: 23.6 kms.
Time: 6'30"
Ascent: 240 metres
There is a map and description at Everytrail
Click here to download GPX track.

Sunrise

Rail Line

Southport Narrows

Shelter at Elliott Beach

Rock Hopping around the Point

Evidence of someone's misfortune

Southport Bluff

Ida Bay Train