Bushwalk Australia

Having used an unusual guidebook for my recent travel in NZ, called "NZ Frenzy", I can't help but regret that the 2 major and yet simple ideas of Scott Cook, the author, aren't used elsewhere.

The first one is dead simple : an "obscurometer", telling you if the walk is very frequented (let's say Dove Lake or Crater Lake for example), reasonably frequented (the easy walks in Narrawntapu for example), quite obscure (walks like Mt Anne or Murchison) and really obscure (not even in books, like the track starting at the Trial Harbour Campground). Obscure doesn't mean unknown, every local probably knows about Mt Anne, it just means that you wouldn't meet many walkers on the track on a given day.

The second idea isn't exploited to its full potential in his book, but it's also easy and useful : which walk is only worthwhile on a clear day (because it would be mostly about the views for example) and which one is a better option for a grey and/or rainy day. I've walked Mt Murchison on a clouded-in day, with wet roots and rocks, and I wouldn't recommend to anybody in the wet. Not only because it was slippery and quite dangerous at times, but also because apart from a secluded lake and some streams, there wasn't much to see ; the views were totally blocked. On the other hand, many walks in a park like Mount Field, with its giant trees, waterfalls and lakes are great options for a grey day.

So which walks would you recommend best for a typical Tassie drizzly day ? I'll be back to Tasmania for about 11 days from March 23rd until April 2nd and I would love some tips, because I'll be around Walls of Jerusalem and the South West area (the South Coast as well as Mt Anne/Lake Judd etc...). And what NZ Frenzy allowed me to do is to prioritise, saving one particular walk for a sunny day, and having different options for grey days. And when you're flying to Tasmania for a limited period of time, that's something you need to think about.

My top rainy walks among the ones I've done would be in parks like Mount Field and Narrawntapu. The first one because of waterfalls, forested patches and lakes, the second one because of the incredible fauna and wetlands, and because walking near the coast with crashing waves nearby is never a bad thing even in the rain.

Cataract Gorge, followed by good coffee.

JamesMc

@ Amelia Espresso

Long tarns/turrana bluff, because the walk up the river valley is so nice that's it no great loss if you do t summit turrana bluff.

Hmm I was considering getting a couple of nights at a hotel in Mole Creek, so Turrana Bluff sounds like a great idea, thanks Frenchy. According to this topic : viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1599&p=13313&hilit=turrana#p13313 the road is pretty rough though, but if it's similar to the Western Explorer, then it's fine.

Yeah the road is rough, typical forestry road really. The last couple of kms, go up a small road where trees incroach pretty close however its fine to go up and you can turn around at the end. Turrana bluff is in my top 5 days walks.

Mother Cummings/Mt Ironstone/Dell tracks are a good option too, waterfalls/forest etc

Well then let's hope your other 4 are in my program Frenchy... I plan to do Barn Bluff, Mt Jerusalem (or as long I can go in a day), Mt Anne (ditto), Lake Judd, South Cape Bay, Cape Hauy (or maybe the whole Cape Pillar walk, I haven't decided yet). As for for the other 4 or 5 days I still don't know... I'm hesitating between Bruny Island, Mount William NP (more for animals and beaches than bushwalking I guess), more walks around the Cradle/WOJ area, doing Frenchman Cap or more day walks in the South West area.

Thanks Stepbystep too, I've just seen this topic : viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11945 looks like the access is almost back to normal I'll just check is the tracks are shown on my WOJ TASMAP.

Guys do you know which 25,000 map would be relevant for Long Tarns/Turrana Bluff ? Or is the 100,000 Mersey enough (I won't be venturing off track) ?

That'd be Pillans, Hallu. And yes, it would be worth getting, as it also shows quite a bit of the WoJ. And if you're wandering around Long Tarns, you will be off track.

Check out the map when you get it! They don't call this area the land of a thousand lakes for nothing

cheers

Peter

Thanks a lot. I already have the WOJ map, unfortunately its Northern boundary stops at Mersey Crag. From what I gather, turrana bluff is right next to it but isn't named on this map. I think I'll follow more or less the same route indicated in this post : viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1599 , so there's a track until Turrana Bluff, and afterwards it looks like you can have some fun amongst all the lakes, follow Long Tarns for a bit (weather permitting of course) and go back.

The track from Little Fisher River takes you up to the saddle between Mersey Crag and Turrana Bluff then down to about the middle of Long Tarns. It fades out around there and you head down to Daisy Lakes and pick your direction after that.

Have a look at http://generalstuff-gaye.blogspot.com.a ... salem.html

There are a few pics from that track but the weather was poor by the time I made it to Long Tarns so none from there. Couldn't see across through the mist/fog/cloud/rain

Great, so there's a track along a part of Long Tarns after all, even though not shown on the WOJ TASMAP, is it shown on the 25,000 Pillans map ? Thanks for the link, would you say it's doable to go to Daisy Lakes and back as a long day walk (about 7-8 hours) ? If so, I'm going to pick this, otherwise I'll just stop at Long Tarns. There's a route shared here : http://www.sharemyroutes.com/routes/Aus ... tails.aspx , it's about 8 km to Long Tarns, so I guess going there and back should be a medium duration day walk, about 5 hours with breaks.

i wouldn't give any indication on the time taken as I am slow up rises, and with a heavy pack, almost beaten by an elderly snail. There is a pad easily followed from the carpark to the edge of Long Tarns and then along that to about the middle. Haven't got the map with me but I think it is shown on Pillans. I don't recall it being very interesting from Long Tarns through to Daisy Lakes as it was wet, miserable and poor visibility. You could head up either Mersey or Turrana or both, then potter around Long Tarns before heading back. The return is faster as its down hill. You have Falls and peaks and stuff to look at along the way so I'd suggest going no further than Long Tarns and then return.

There are no tracks marked anywhere around Long Tarns, at least on my Edition 3 (1989) of the Pillans map. (Yep - so last century )

It's easy, open going, as long as you have clear visibility. If it's clagged in, that's another matter altogether,

cheers

Peter