Bushwalk Australia

Hi All. Off for our annual trip on ANZAC Day week. PLanning to do the Junction Lake Never Never, Kia Ora and Lees Paddocks trip again. Have done this a few times over the years. Two questions, what's the best option for crossing if the water levels are up at Hartnett. ANd, Where is the best spot to pick up the route from Kia Ora to Lees Paddocks. LAst time we started scrub bashing down the creek but I hear there is a pad nowadays. Many thanks in advance.

Last time I did it, I walked south towards Ducane from Kiaora,for about 300m there was a small cairn, headed down there. That was last Apr so the cairn may have gone.

Have a look at http://www.openstreetmap.org, the track from Kia Ora to Lee's is marked accurately.

Mafeking09 wrote:what's the best option for crossing if the water levels are up at Hartnett.

Hi Mafeking - I've attached a pic of one crossing point on the Mersey. I think this is the so called Chockstone, and from memory it is located between Fergusson and D'Alton Falls. (Sorry my memory is hazy ) We walked down valley through open-if-steep myrtle forest on the Cathedral Plateau side of the river, by-passing Hartnett. We had no problems stepping over the river here, although there's a decent drop to the raging torrent beneath

cheers

Peter

Awesome input as always. Love the idea of the "low level" crossing. I had a look at the open stream link but it opened in England! Ill suss that out.

Mafeking09 wrote:Where is the best spot to pick up the route from Kia Ora to Lees Paddocks. LAst time we started scrub bashing down the creek but I hear there is a pad nowadays. Many thanks in advance.

I haven't had the pleasure of walking that route yet, however, there are some very good track notes in "Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park" by John's Chapman and Siseman. Very detailed. May be worth checking out before the trip. Looks like an interesting route though!

I'll be up in the Walls Anzac Day weekend, hope you have a great trip!

Heya, yep that's the little bridge or chockstone across the Mersey. It's [u]just [u] downstream from Fergusson falls, before the narrow gorge above D'Alton. I visit it regularly as I work in the Park. It would make a much better crossing than Harnett if there's a bit of water (which there is now that it's started to rain again).

The Never Never is such a delight, enjoy!!

Jen

whynotwalk wrote:

Mersey Gorge.JPG

Mafeking09 wrote:what's the best option for crossing if the water levels are up at Hartnett.

Hi Mafeking - I've attached a pic of one crossing point on the Mersey. I think this is the so called Chockstone, and from memory it is located between Fergusson and D'Alton Falls. (Sorry my memory is hazy ) We walked down valley through open-if-steep myrtle forest on the Cathedral Plateau side of the river, by-passing Hartnett. We had no problems stepping over the river here, although there's a decent drop to the raging torrent beneath

cheers

Peter

Does this info mean that this fragile area (chock stone) is going to be loved to death now as I doubt many of those mosses and ferns will survive the death of hundreds of boot prints
corvus

HI all. Just back. Awesome trip. Track from Jackson's Creek to Junction V poorly marked nowadays. We struggled to follow it after Chalice Falls. Never Never Pad from Junction excellent. Kia Ora to Lees - excellent Pad now. Will keep replies off main board for those interested in route. Thanks for all your help - awesome.

I am of interest in the Kia Ora - Lees pad. Where is the start? Thanks in advance.

corvus wrote:Does this info mean that this fragile area (chock stone) is going to be loved to death now as I doubt many of those mosses and ferns will survive the death of hundreds of boot prints
corvus

I agree corvus, I don't think it would survive a lot of people walking over it.

We stayed high and crossed at Hartnett as we have done before. Having passed through the Never Never and then enjoyed the Kia Ora exit The OL track is really in poor shape and the crowded huts a bit "close". Great night at Junction. What a shame the fireplace is filled in. On our first visit 20 years ago we sat out a sleeting, snowy day and night there around the fire yarning. It was magic. Had a night like that once when we missed the ferry and staggered up the lake to Echo POint in pitch black. Arriving to find the fire going and shared a cuppa with Ozzie Ellis and his mate.

sthughes wrote:Have a look at http://www.openstreetmap.org, the track from Kia Ora to Lee's is marked accurately.

How do I go about getting this track to export so I can enter it into my GPS ?

Genesis

Kia ora haerei mai ...
Have a look at equipment/techno/osm thread instructions are there... only you cant just do a trk, it's the whole of tas in one