Bushwalk Australia

Hi there. Just wondering if anyone knows of anyone who has walked or rafted down the New River from Lake Geeves to the Coast? Any old wild articles, personal experiences or advice on its accessibility/ raftability would be great. Thanks , Carl

Hi Carlos,
Three members of the Launceston Walking Club attempted a private descent of the New River in December 2001, which almost ended in tragedy, and the story was told in Wild's Autumn Magazine No. 104. John McLaine, who wrote the article, is a forum member and could give you more information, but he has not been active here for a long time. In November 2005, he paddled up the New River almost to the point where he was injured, as part of a trip to climb the Provis Hills.

Details from WILD.COM.AU search:
Title: The Valley of Horrors (Feature)
Author: John McLaine
Publication: Wild Issue 104 (01 Apr 2007). Page(s): 42-46.
Description: Bushwalking and liloing trip account of an attempt to descend the New River, from Farmhouse Creek to New River Lagoon, which almost ended in tragedy, including map; New River Gorge, Crest Range; exploratory trip; evacuation; history
Location: Australia, Tasmania, South-west

Page 44 has a map of their trip which I have scanned for you, but you will have to get a copy of WILD 104 or read it in your local library to get the full story.

there was another article in Wild #24 which describes a trip down an unidentified SW tas river. While it doesn't specifically mention New River, if you know the area, it doesn't take much to work out this is where they went

Title: The Lost River (Feature)
Author: Chris Sharples
Publication: Wild Issue 24 (01 Apr 1987). Page(s): 32-35.
Description: Liloing an unidentified river in South-west Tasmania; rafting
Location: Australia, Tasmania, South-west

Personally, I have done the section from the Salisbury junction down to the lagoon as part of a Vanishing Falls trip. This section of the river is very easy in normal conditions. It's a pleasant stroll through open rainforest until 3km from the lagoon where you need to take to the open placid river again because of (very) thick scrub. Once you hit the lagoon, it's an easy wade all the way down to the coast

Thanks scrub master for that reference. I just dug out my copy and read it again over coffee . . . . a good read, that I only vaguely remembered from 22 years ago I was also intrigued by the Wild Ideas article on light weight walking, which I have posted to that "other" thread.

Scrub master.. did you make it to Vanishing Falls? I'd love to see some photos of it if you're willing.

Wow, thanks heaps for the info guys, really helpful starting point. I'll look those articles up. Sounds like a painful, hard-going, but alluring challenge. Particularly if the river's up when you're in the tight stuff. Might have to give some serious thought to this one.
Thanks again
Carlos

Managed to scrounge that 1987 Wild issue out of a box in the basement and I think you're right. It does sound like the new river, particularly comparing with the 2007 article. Looks like an amazing voyage.
Thanks again for the tip-offs guys. Very helpful.

The ranger for the area (Grant is his name, at the Huon station) rafted the River with a mate in the 80s. PM me for his number if you want it. I've been keeping in contact with him as we're doing an expedition the other way - New River Lagoon to summit Federation. By all accounts its not easy!

Friends of mine did a trip down the New River in the early eighties. They went in via the Farmhouse Ck track, and then over what they called "The Craycroft Hills" (and what others call "Tam O'Shanter", or the "Whiz Range" (which I think is the original name given to it in the early 60's) - and is now called "The Crest Range" on the recent maps) - then down the New. They had lilos - but encountered a lot of logs - and so didn't really use the lilos until they got to near New River Lagoon - where scrub on the side made the lilos very handy indeed. It seemed a quite straightforward trip - but then they had a little earlier just done a trip over Pear Hill - Mt Riveaux - Mt Picton - Bob - Bob Knobs - Vanishing Falls - Bisdee - VC - PB (side trip) - then out via Pindars etc - so any other trip would probably be easy after that one!

Dave

As mentioned earlier, i've been keeping in touch with the Ranger, and I didn't know about logs in the upper sections but he did seem eternally grateful for the lilos towards New River lagoon, as the scrub either side is pretty horrible. From the gorge area of New River down to the Salisbury R junction takes only a few hours by lilo apparently, and down to New River lagoon from there only about a day. The river flow is pretty minimal by then but the channel is very deep, so make sure you stay on the eastern side of the River in that part to avoid having to lilo the western part of NRL as well.

It's achievable if you're fit enough. Difficult above Gibraltar Ridge, easy below. NOT RECOMMENDED for any but hardened off-track travellers experienced in Tas. conditions. The Crest provides a very valuable service; if you don't like the look of it, back off and try something easier. There are far better craft available for this style of travel now. Check out Alpacka Packrafts.

I'm the person who had the near-death on the New in 2002, documented in Wild in 2007. I'll be paddling the New for the third time this summer.

j.

Sorry I only check this board about once every six months. I will try to watch these threads for the next few weeks.

Just come from there (if you haven't already heard!) so hit me up if you want info for the section from NRL mouth to where the river turns NW (roughly New River Gorge).