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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Sunday, April 11, 2004

Western Arthurs Hike - Day 4 - Lake Oberon to Lake Cygnus

(Easter Sunday)
It rained lightly most of the night, but thanks to the platform, we didn’t get too wet. It was still raining when we got up, and packed our stuff, although surprisingly, there were still reasonable views.
We had decided that we should go back to Lake Cygnus today, as the track notes indicated that the track was very rough and somewhat dangerous from here on, and we didn't have enough supplies for to make the hike a loop.
It stopped raining, but was still cloudy whilst we were climbing the steep section back toward Square lake. The mountains were still very impressive and beautiful, even with no sun, and at one point on the return to Lake Cygnus, we could see Bathurst Harbour, and beyond it, the ocean.
About halfway back to Lake Cygnus, we met a group of about six hikers out for a day walk from Lake Cygnus. We wouldn't have the camp to ourselves this time.
When we got to Lake Cygnus, we set up on one of the wooden platforms with another network of ropes, so that we were away from the other people. It rained again during the evening and night.

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Monday, April 12, 2004

Western Arthurs Hike - Day 5 - Lake Cygnus to Junction Creek

Today we got up and the sun was shining, just catching the tops of the mountains on the western side of Lake Cygnus. It was very pretty.
We laid our stuff out on rocks and bushes again to dry, and managed to almost completely dry everything before we left around 10:00.

The views south were excellent during the climb from Lake Cygnus. At the top of the climb, we saw views we hadn't seen before due to the previous bad weather. The views across the ridges of the end of the range were quite beautiful, with alpine meadows strewn with glacial boulders. We also saw Lake Fortuna, which we hadn't seen before, and saw the surrounds of our camp site for the first night.

The walking was still very muddy over the tops, and soon we came to the top of Alpha Moraine. There were great views of the plains, surrounding the mountains, and Lake Pedder from the top and during the descent. The descent was hard and slow due to the greasy slippery mud. On the few sections where there was a rocky path our speed increased by a factor of two or three.
While we were coming down the moraine, we saw a big Wedge Tail Eagle cruising back and forward across the side of the moraine, slope soaring. It came over to us briefly and seemed to be checking us out.
At the bottom, we met a group of three headed for Lake Cygnus, which we didn’t think they would reach before dark. We then had lunch at a small stream.

Heading into the mud again, we covered about 20 minutes before Jennifer realised here sleeping mat had gone missing (it had been strapped to the outside of her pack). she went back to the lunch spot, but couldn't see it there, so had to decide to carry on without it, as it could have been anywhere. Just before this I did something similar, discovering that a pair of socks which were so muddy that they had to be strapped to the outside of my pack had gone missing.

After about another hour of slogging through the slippery mud, we made it to Junction Creek again, where we planned to stay the night.
The camp site was in a grove of trees where there was no mud. Fortunately there was heaps of dead plant material for Jennifer to "MacGyver" an insulation pad out of.
For the first time on the trip we got a sunset, which beautifully lit the Western Arthurs range in the distance.
Jennifer and Gaye were virtually in ecstasy when I produced some M&M's and later a big block of chocolate which I shared with them today, it was pretty funny.

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Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Western Arthurs Hike - Day 6 - out to Mt Field NP

We got an early start today and were hiking by 8am. It was a bit depressing going back into the mud again, but at least it would soon be over. There was low cloud / fog enveloping the track for about the first hour, until the sun burned through. Once that happened, we could see the jagged peaks of the Western Arthurs in the distance.
The mud continued for another couple of hors until the improved part of the track, and soon we saw the first road, then heard the first car, and knew we were back in civilisation. (Relatively anyway – the Trail head is still a long long way from a town)
Soon we came to the end of the track where we had started six days before. We signed out of the track, and had a rest and some food and beer from Gayes car, then went about trying to wash off enough mud to allow us to get into the car.
There were beautiful views of Lake Pedder and the Western Arthurs as we drove back toward Mount Field National Park. We went a little past the national park however, to Westbury to get a lunch of burgers and chips – yum!
We then went to the Celtic Café just outside the national park entrance, and had some coffe before heading into the campsite. We had planned a routine / roster for the washing / showering / setting up, so that we could keep use of the washer and dryer. It all worked and we were soon feeling like new people. I cleaned my boots at a tap, and was amazed by how much mud came out of them and my socks.
After we were all clean, we went to the local pub which was pretty dodgy. There was a mean, scary looking bloke in the bar, - we went into the dining area instead and drank beer, ate chips, talked and watched TV until the late hour of 8:30 when we went back to the camp and went to bed.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Back to Hobart for resupply and on to Southport

We all went into Hobart early today. Gaye wanted to get the car checked, since the suspension was still making strange noises, and we all needed more food. I also needed some thongs or sandals as my boots were still soaking wet, and I wanted something to wear at campsites after a day walking through mud.

We left Mount Field about 8:30am and went to a café that Gaye liked in Hobart. She then dropped Jennifer and I off and took her car to be checked by a mechanic.
Jennifer and I went shopping together for a while, but then split up whilst she used the internet and I looked for sandals. After an hour of looking, I found that Tasmanians don’t seem to wear sandals much, at least not at this time of year, as virtually the only ones I could find were very expensive ones in camping stores. I eventually bought a $40 pair of slip on type sandals, but after wearing them for a while, I found that they were really "slip off" type, as that’s what they did. I think I'll have to put some tape on them to make them grip my feet better.

Jennifer & I then met up at the supermarket to buy food, and caught a convinient bus back to the city. We walked to Salamanca Place where we met Gaye again. She said the mechanic had checked over the suspension, and said nothing was wrong, so it must have just been bottoming out occasionally due to the huge amount of gear in the car.

After a quick beer, we got in the car and headed south, we intended to go to the Hastings hot springs, then down to Cockle Creek where Gaye was thinking of doing and overnight walk along the first day of the South Coast Track.
We left Hobart about 4:30 and were going to camp at a campsite shown on our map near Dover. We couldn’t find the turnoff to the campsite, there were heaps of tracks, but all were barred with a gate due to logging.
It's frightening how much logging is going on in Tassie, I've seen more logging trucks here than I've ever seen in my life. Even in the middle of Hobart city you can see the trucks going past.

Since we couldn't find the camp site turnoff, we continued to Southport, where there was a caravan park. It only cost us $5 to camp for all of us – cheaper than Mt Field, which was $6 each. By this time it was quite dark.

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Thursday, April 15, 2004

Southport, Hastings springs, Cockle Creek

The sky was clear when we woke this morning, and the sun was shining. we packed slowly to let things dry again, but as we did the weather changed, and by the time we were almost ready to go, it started raining.

We drove the short distance to Hastings 'hot' springs, where it was $4.40 entry. They had a pool filled from the springs. It was a big disappointment, the pool was not hot, it was barely warm at all. After swimming for only about half an hour, we got out and had long hot showers, and sat in front of a big fireplace.
When we left, we went briefly back to the pub at Southport, which also ran the caravan park we had stayed in, to get some beer.

We then drove south to Cockle Creek. There were more areas of logged forest on the way.
The Cockle Creek area is very pretty. It is a calm bay with a narrow white beach running around it, and a few houses and several camp grounds on the shore.
We picked a campsite just a few metres from the beach, inside the Southwest National Park.

It rained again briefly as we set up our tents – The Tasmanian weather seems to be very changeable – often with several short rain showers as well as sun, cloud and wind in one day. I had a snooze while Gaye and Jennifer read and went for a walk.

The sky was very clear in the evening. We drank our beer, ate dinner, and stargazed – I saw a satellite go past.
there were several pademelons hopping about – We'd also seen them at Mount Field National Park, and Lake Cygnus. They are cute, but shy.
It was quite cold at night, causing our tents to become saturated with condensation.

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