Trial walk over show day weekend

[kmcgreg]

Hi, I have been posting in the equipment section as I assemble all the gear we need to start doing some multiday walks in Tassie. We are a family of four and have walked many places before including high altitude in the Himalayas. We have two teenage girls ..14 and 15 years.
We however have neglected Tasmania and are keen to explore it.
While we have walked for 2 weeks solid before, they have been from hut to hut.
We have done some minor overnight camps.
Our aim is to build up to do the Southwest walk. We have booked the OLT for January and plan on doing as many sidewalks as possible and want to avoid the huts. We have walked to Pine valley and the labyrinth from Lake St Clair before and loved it.

So my question is we have all have new gear..new packs, sleeping bags camp stove etc.
I have been thinking of doing a three night camp on the Hobart show day weekend. This will give us a chance to see how we go gearwise and make some adjustments for future trips. Weather can be crap on this side of Xmas ..heck this Tassie weather be crap any time!
Any suggestions for interesting locations that aren't too extreme to start with?
We will be driving from Hobart.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Walls or Freycinet??

When you say your aiming to do the Southwest walk... which one do you mean?

[kmcgreg]

South coast track is the one I meant. Would also like to do a lot of smaller walks as well.

[alanoutgear]

How about the Blue Tier? It's been a few years since I visited, but it's a great place (or was then). It's north west-ish of Swansea.

[ILUVSWTAS]

It's north west-ish of Swansea.

St Helens......

[Ent]

Hi

Probably the best would be Frenchmans as chance to check out the gear and endurance with huts as a backup. Also condition you to mud.

Cheers

[ILUVSWTAS]

Hi

Probably the best would be Frenchmans as chance to check out the gear and endurance with huts as a backup. Also condition you to mud.

Cheers

A rare smart comment there, if planning the South coast track, you need to be ok with deep mud. The Loddons will give you a fraction of an idea as to what your in for. You spend hour upon hour wading in mud along the South coast.

[kmcgreg]

Thanks for the great comments and suggestions. Where in the blue tiers? I love the area.

Walls would be good too.
I will leave Frenchmans cap til after Xmas.

[alanoutgear]

Yes, sorry, St. Helens, not Swansea. We had the TASMAP (1:25000 I think) of the area, drove up to where the old mines were, and headed off for a couple of days. We didn't walk big distances but it is remote, spectacular, and fairly safe for a shakedown trip. I'll try and find my map.

Another suggestion is Maria Island for a few days.

[kmcgreg]

Well I think we will try Walls of Jerusalem if the weather looks favourable. Never been there so I am excited to check it out. My new MSR Windpro ii arrived today from the uk. Pity we can't get them in Australia.
Need to go get a map of the area. Looking forward to hiking...the first trip out since walking in the Himalaya about 6 months ago. Hopefully it won't be as cold ..we were in -25 and had cramp ons.

Might write a trip report if I get some time.