Hiking South East Tasmania

Saturday, 20 July 2013

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

Entering Nice Forest

More Mountain Views

And More

4WD Track on the Ridge

Huon River

Arve River

Williamette 4WD Track

Sunday, 14 July 2013

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

Big Lagoon Beach

Crab on Big Lagoon Beach

Big Lagoon Beach

Headland

Looking across the narrows at the headland

Beach at the Headland

Eagle soaring high

Southport Lagoon

Snow on Mountains in the distance

Disused bridge on 4WD track

Monday, 8 July 2013

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

Old Farm Fire Trail to Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin

At Junction Cabin

Junction Cabin

Thursday, 27 June 2013

Sherwood Hill Conservation Area

Thursday 27th June 2013

A couple of days ago I drove up to the end of Knights Road in Huonville to check out the access to Sherwood Hill Conservation Area. There was a forestry type gate with a "Private Property" sign on it so I checked with "Parks" and they reckoned that it was a gazetted road so walking access would be permitted as long as I stayed on the road until I reached the reserve. Having sorted that out I decided that today would be the day for an exploratory walk in the area.
I found a good spot for the car and commenced walking at 8.00 am. It was a very foggy morning but I was soon clear of the fog as the road climbed quite steeply through open forest. The road was an excellent gravel road (for access to the power lines) and I followed this for 1.5 kms. where a 4WD track went off to the left. This was taken and it soon leveled off and headed north east. The walking was easy and the track was not hard to follow. At 3 kms. from the start the track went back north west from one boundary of the reserve to the other. There were great views to the north west around to the south west from here. At 4.8 kms. from the start there was a small rock outcrop which proved to be a good spot for morning tea with some nice views as well.
After a break the track was once again followed until I noticed an old track off to the right which seemed to be heading in the right direction for a short cut. In hindsight I probably should have stayed on the main track, as once I crossed Skinners Creek the track became hard to discern so I scrub bashed uphill to meet the outgoing leg of the walk. From here it was a short hike back to a knoll of rocks I had noticed on the way out. Of course I had to climb to the top and check out the scenery, which was quite good. It was then downhill to meet the main power line track and then uphill as I wanted to check out access to the western part of the reserve. This proved to be far from ideal as it was mountain goat territory and a rather threatening sign on a gate and security camera deterred me from going any further to get to the ridge I was seeking. Another day.
From here it was back downhill to the car.
It was a very enjoyable walk with better scenery than I had anticipated.
Distance: 11.2 kms.
Time: 4'30"
Ascent: 750 metres
Click here to download GPX track.