Choose a diary entry31/03/2004 - Retrenched! 02/04/2004 - Farewell Lunch 03/04/2004 - Preparation 1 04/04/2004 - Preparation 2 05/04/2004 - Packing 06/04/2004 - Sydney to Hobart to Mt. Field NP 07/04/2004 - Tarn Shelf, then into the Southwest 08/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 1 - Up Alpha Moraine 09/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 2 - Lake Cygnus 10/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 3 - Lake Oberon & Square Lake 11/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 4 - Lake Oberon to Lake Cygnus 12/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 5 - Lake Cygnus to Junction Creek 13/04/2004 - Western Arthurs Hike - Day 6 - out to Mt Field NP 14/04/2004 - Back to Hobart for resupply and on to Southport 15/04/2004 - Southport, Hastings springs, Cockle Creek 16/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 1 - Cockle Creek to South Cape Rivulet 17/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 2 - South Cape Rivulet 18/04/2004 - South Coast Track - Day 3 - back to Cockle Creek, then Hobart 19/04/2004 - Hobart to Lake St. Clair 20/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 1 - to Vera Hut 21/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 2 - Tahune Hut and the Summit 22/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 3 - Tahune Hut to Vera Hut 23/04/2004 - Frenchmans Cap Hike - Day 4 - out to Derwent Bridge 24/04/2004 - Derwent Bridge / Lake St. Clair to Hobart 25/04/2004 - R&R in Hobart 26/04/2004 - Hobart, buying a new Camera 27/04/2004 - Hobart to Port Arthur 28/04/2004 - Port Arthur Historic site, then to Fortescue Bay 29/04/2004 - Tasman Trail Hike - Fortescue Bay to Eaglehawk Neck 30/04/2004 - Eaglehawk Neck to Hobart, Targa 01/05/2004 - Hobart R&R, Salamanca Markets 02/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 1 - to Wombat Flat 03/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 2 - to Mt. Ramsay 04/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 3 - Mt. Ramsay to Huskisson River 05/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 4 - Camped at Huskisson River 06/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 5 - Across the Huskisson 07/05/2004 - Tiger Trails Tarkine Hike - Day 6 - Out, then to Strahan 08/05/2004 - R&R in Strahan 09/05/2004 - Dissapointing Gordon River Cruise 10/05/2004 - Strahan, R&R, Preparation for Overland Track 11/05/2004 - Strahan to Lake St. Clair 12/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 1 - Lake St. Clair to Pine Valley Hut 13/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 2 - the Labyrinth and Acropolis 14/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 3 - Pine Valley Hut to Kia-Ora Hut 15/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 4 - Kia-Ora Hut to Mt. Ossa to Pelion Hut 16/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 5 - Pelion Hut to Windermere Hut 17/05/2004 - Overland Track - Day 6 - Windamere Hut to Cradle Mountain Village 18/05/2004 - Sick!, Cradle Mountain to Launceston 19/05/2004 - Recovery 1 20/05/2004 - Recovery 2 - Doctor, and Cataract Gorge 21/05/2004 - Recovery 3 22/05/2004 - Recovery 4 23/05/2004 - Recovery 5 24/05/2004 - Launceston to Bicheno 25/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 1 - the Hazards to Cooks Beach 26/05/2004 - Freycinet Hike - Day 2 - back to Bicheno 27/05/2004 - Exploring Bicheno 28/05/2004 - Bicheno to Launceston 29/05/2004 - Exploring Further in Launcestion 30/05/2004 - Cataract Gorge 2 31/05/2004 - Launceston to Liffey Falls to Deloraine 01/06/2004 - Trowunna, Devils Gullet, Walls of Jerusalem National Park 02/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem Hike - Day 1 03/06/2004 - Walls of Jerusalem - Day 2 - Out, then to Hobart 04/06/2004 - Mt. Field NP, Styx Valley & on to Triabunna 05/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 1 06/06/2004 - Maria Island - Day 2 07/06/2004 - R&R in Launceston 08/06/2004 - Flying Back Home

Tasmania Diary

 

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Wednesday, May 26, 2004

Freycinet Hike - Day 2 - back to Bicheno

While having breakfast, I was saved the trouble of checking if it was Gaye's tent nearby, as Gaye recognised my tent and boots, then saw me as she walked past. We talked for an hour or two, as I was packing my gear, and then while we were sitting on the beach in the morning sun. She had been diving on the east coast, and was doing this hike in a few more days than me – she'd camped at Wineglass Bay, and was camping two nights at Cooks Beach, and was doing a day walk to Bryans Beach, before walking out tomorrow. Some of the diving sounded great, with seahorses and leafy sea dragons.

We said goodbye again at about 9:30, when I headed off up Cooks Beach. At the end of Cooks Beach, the track went into dry Eucalypt forest, which had occasional views of Mt Freycinet. It continued through the forest, crossing a few creeks, before emerging at the Hazards Beach campsite (which has a toilet). From this campsite, the walk was along Hazards Beach, which was covered in seaweed. The water was a beautiful colour – olive green in the waves, clear light olive a little further out, aquamarine still further out, then rich navy blue after that. There was a fair bit of wind, and the sun reflected off the sand causing some glare, especially with the otherwise overcast sky.

Hazards Beach is much longer than Wineglass Bay beach, and I felt like I was walking along it forever. Consequently, I nearly missed the turnoff to Wineglass Bay. ( I would have, if I hadn't looked up at just the right time). The track between the two beaches travelled in Eucalypt forest for about half an hour, bypassing the nearby swamps. I sat on Wineglass Bay beach and had some lunch, as rain swept in from the west – fortunately not heavy. I sat and read my book for a while, as the bus came at 3:45, and I preferred waiting some of the time there than at the carpark. After about an hour, I was getting cold, so I started back up and over the Hazards.

The climb was steep and tiring, partly because I couldn't be bothered stopping to take my raincoat off. There were quite a few more day trippers about today, probably as it was later in the day. I briefly went to the lookout again, then descended back to the carpark. It started sprinkling rain again at the carpark, and continued on and off until the bus arrived an hour and a half later (I read in the meantime).
After getting back to Bicheno, I got a hamburger and chips for dinner and watched a little TV before bed.

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Thursday, May 27, 2004

Exploring Bicheno

Yesterday I'd booked 2 nights stay at the hostel, and had decided to check out Bicheno today.
After breakfast, I started out right near the hostel, by climbing Lookout Rock, which is a rock topped hill overlooking most of Bicheno. It was quite pleasant sitting up there in the sun for a while, until the wind came up, and sapped the warmth.

I descended down the other side of the hill, and found myself near the blowhole, which I went to. It was quite spectacular, even with the very small swell that was coming in. Occasionally a larger wave came in making it shoot water about 3 or 4 metres up. The blowhole was one end of a walking track around the Bicheno foreshore, which I decided to follow. It was not very well marked in places, but led around the rocky shoreline to "The Gulch" which is the harbour for Bicheno, and is between Governor Island and the rocky coastline. From there, the trail led around a headland, still on rocks, until it reached Waubs Beach – a pretty little beach.

As I discovered, the rest of the walk is not worth doing, but not knowing that at the time, I walked on, going through weed infested low bush, with only occasional views of the sea. After some time, I came to Redbill Beach, which is the other end of the walk. I walked back along the roads, and stopped to get some fruit, a frozen pizza and extra topping supplies. I had thought about doing a local penguin tour, but at $18 it was fairly expensive for something I'd seen before.
I finished reading my book and went on another short walk before having my pizza for dinner.

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Friday, May 28, 2004

Bicheno to Launceston

The bus from Bicheno back to Launceston came at 8:30, so I got up and packed early. The bus came, and this time I sat near the front, and didn't get thrown around as much, but I think that was partly because there were many uphill, slow sections. Arriving back at Launceston, I walked over to and checked into the Launceston Backpackers.

After getting some lunch, I felt like a movie, and went and saw "The Day after Tomorrow", which was good, but a bit chilling, since we know climate change is happening, but have no idea about the exact effects it could have, and are doing nothing to stop it. The scenario they paint may not be what happens, but there's a chance that it is exactly what will happen.
I chilled out at the hostel for the rest of the afternoon. After dinner, I played a little piano, which quickly drew some attention.

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Saturday, May 29, 2004

Exploring Further in Launcestion

Today, after breakfast, I headed out for a walk, and after a while, decided to follow the North Esk from Royal Park. There were several people rowing sculls on it, but otherwise, everything was pretty quiet, as it was Sunday. After a while, I got to a bridge and crossed it over into Inveresk/Invermay. The area was fairly spread out commercial stuff on one side, and on the other side was the Museum/Arts Centre, and a stadium.

After getting a snack, I went back to the museum, but decided that I didn't really feel like museum stuff, so didn't go in. I did soon discover however that it's grounds were an old historic railway yard, with walkways through it. I recrossed the North Esk on the railway bridge, and soon came to the city park where I watched the monkeys for a while.

After getting some lunch, I returned to the hostel, and relaxed fo a while trying to figure out what I was going to do over the next few days. The manager of the hostel came into the lounge, with a copy of Matrix Revolutions that he'd just got for the hostel, and so I watched that for a couple of hours, till it was almost dinner time

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Sunday, May 30, 2004

Cataract Gorge 2

This morning was taken up by domestic stuff – namely washing clothes, and as I had to wash my jumper and thermals, as well as both pairs of pants, I was confined to my sleeping bag while it happened, to stay warm.
I got some lunch at subway, which was nice, as it had good salad, which I haven't had very much of while I've been away. After lunch, I decided to go up to Cataract Gorge again, and maybe go further this time.

Taking the easier north side track, to First Basin, I soon realised that the water was way lower than last time. This is probably explained by the fact that last time I saw some kayakers at Kings Park before I did the walk, so the dam was releasing water to make a good white water course. This time the water was very sedate, and it would have been difficult navigating a toy boat through some sections, let alone a kayak.
From First Basin, I followed the south bank up to the old power station, which was mildly interesting, and climbed the opposite bank to return via the other route. By the time I got back to the hostel, I was a bit tired, hungry and thirsty, and ready for dinner, which I cooked at the hostel.

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