Trip ideas for spectacular scenery

[samT]

Hi,
I'm a long time lurker but haven't posted until now and would like to hear your opinions on some trip ideas.

Bit of background info first. I am friends with a few exchange students at the moment (here till June) and have been taking them around to see some of Tasmania's best sights. So far we have done:
Cradle Mt
South East cape
Hartz Peak
Mt Field West

It is starting to reach the stage where besides a few other obvious places we should go (Freycinet, Bruny, etc.), I am unsure of what would be the next good trip to do. I only have day walk experience, although I have done some pretty big days, so I haven't yet been to any of the places that require a multi-day walk. We were thinking of a multi-day trip (3-5 days) around Easter and I would like to know what you would recommend we should see for maximum 'breath taking' scenery. I was considering Acropolis/Labyrinth or Frenchmans Cap or even the Walls of Jerusalem (I'm guessing it will be really crowded though). Just throw your ideas out there, all help is appreciated. Thanks!

[north-north-west]

Anywhere you go during Easter will be busy, and the better tracked places like Frenchmans, Anne or the Walls even more so. Of course, the reason places like that are so popular is because they are some of the most beautiful areas.
Going into Pine Valley and the Labyrinth gives you plenty of options for daytrips from a basecamp. It's not only the Acropolis, you can also do Walled Mtn, Lake Elysia and the DuCane Range, the Minotaur and the Guardians. Some of those would be longish days but as long as you're all prepared for the possible conditions, that shouldn't bother you.
The Anne Circuit has pretty spectacular scenery but may be a bit of a step up for your first multi-day trip.

[biggbird]

Pretty much in agreement with NNW. Anne is beautiful, but definitely harder than things you have done previously. Frenchmans would be ideal, but will definitely be busy. Same goes for Pine Valley, though as NNW said there are plenty of options from there! You could consider the Tyndall range on the west coast, but it probably doesn't require too much more than an overnighter. Maybe Cathedral Mountain, making a circuit with Mt Rogoona? A trip in to Lake Oberon would be pretty special for those who haven't seen too much of Tassie. Same goes for Lake Rhona. You could head in to New Pelion hut and do a few of the surrounding peaks, including Ossa.

Out of all of those, my vote would probably go to the Anne Circuit or Lake Oberon as the most spectacular. Lake Rhona is probably the single nicest place to stay though, just an amazing spot. Hope you have a good trip wherever you end up!

[NickMonk]

If this is your first overnight trip then I suggest Pine Valley or the Walls. Frenchmans is fantastic but more physically demanding than the other two options. The Walls is probably the place I'd take them.

[pazzar]

Lake Rhona will be swarming over Easter. I'd avoid it at all costs, despite how beautiful it is. I heard a report of 38 campers up there on the last long weekend! It cannot sustain those kind of numbers if the environment is to be considered.

I think the Labyrinth would be the best place to visit. You can easily avoid crowds by just walking a bit further. The Tyndalls are amazing too, and the track is pretty good up to the plateau.

Another option could be Mt Murchison and Lake Sandra. I rate Murchison as one of the best day walks in the state, and I have camped on top too, but the more common campsite is at Lake Sandra.

[Tortoise]

I think the Labyrinth would be the best place to visit. You can easily avoid crowds by just walking a bit further. The Tyndalls are amazing too, and the track is pretty good up to the plateau.

While it won't be like Lk Rhona, I know quite a few people who plan to camp in the Labyrinth this particular Easter.

If you go to the Tyndalls, make sure you go to the top of the Lake Huntley cliffs (fantastic) and Mt Geike as a day walk +/- The Chin. But it's lousy up there in bad weather, and you'd be best with a GPS and know how to use it - especially to find the track back down again if the mist rolls in. It's mainly off-track when you get to the top of the plateau, but easy off-track. Probably better to do an on-track walk first, though. But the Tyndalls are a treasure where you'd usually have the place to yourselves.

[Tortoise]

Maybe Cathedral Mountain, making a circuit with Mt Rogoona?

You could head in to New Pelion hut and do a few of the surrounding peaks, including Ossa.

Camping on Cathedral is still one of my all-time favourites, with a grandstand view of the Overland Track and far beyond, with tiny little ants down there on the OLT. Again, maybe not for a first overnighter, as no track up top, need to be able to handle route-finding in minimal visibility.

So my vote probably goes to New Pelion via the Arm River Track. You can base camp and do some speckie walks, and iron out any gear issues. Oakleigh is one of my favourites, looking down onto tiny rock gardens from above the spires, grandstand views. There' now apparently a boardwalk across the plains, so nobody else needs to sink waist deep in liquid mud. You could also go for Ossa +/- Pelion East, depending on weather. (The latter is often clear even when Ossa is completely clagged in.)