K Col Track at Mount Field
Posted: Wed 20 May, 2020 5:56 pmK Col Track Upgrade - Mount Field National Park
(Part of report by Adrian Blackman Secretary of the Friends of Mount Field)
The Friends of Mount Field are pleased to announce the completion of their most recent and most ambitious project—upgrading the K Col track between K Col and The Watcher in the Mount Field National Park. Construction of a top quality boardwalk there now allows walkers to traverse this fragile and valuable place in comfort while no longer causing environmental damage. The project, which took four years from conception to completion, was largely funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund. Major expenditure included purchase of timber and other materials, cost of helicopter transportation, and employment of professional track makers.
Mount Field National Park is Tasmania's 3rd most visited national park and attracts almost 200,000 visitors annually. For many walkers the most scenic and attractive part of the park is the Tarn Shelf with its many small glacial lakes and alpine vegetation, some rare or endemic. Fagus (Nothofagus gunnii), Tasmania’s only native deciduous tree, occurs in the area and entices numerous viewers during autumn. There are two Tarn Shelf circuit walks—the longer one involves traversing the Rodway Range via the K Col track. In recent years with increasing use, part of this track between K Col and The Watcher (a mountain) had become significantly degraded with serious damage to plants and soil. Erosion by water (rain- and snow-fall) had exacerbated the problem. Walkers made the destruction even worse by widening the track in their attempts to avoid water and mud. The length of this part of the track is 1.7 km and about half of it was in poor condition; these damaged sections were spread out over various locations along the way.
More details, including the full can be obtained from the FOMF webpage
(Part of report by Adrian Blackman Secretary of the Friends of Mount Field)
The Friends of Mount Field are pleased to announce the completion of their most recent and most ambitious project—upgrading the K Col track between K Col and The Watcher in the Mount Field National Park. Construction of a top quality boardwalk there now allows walkers to traverse this fragile and valuable place in comfort while no longer causing environmental damage. The project, which took four years from conception to completion, was largely funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund. Major expenditure included purchase of timber and other materials, cost of helicopter transportation, and employment of professional track makers.
Mount Field National Park is Tasmania's 3rd most visited national park and attracts almost 200,000 visitors annually. For many walkers the most scenic and attractive part of the park is the Tarn Shelf with its many small glacial lakes and alpine vegetation, some rare or endemic. Fagus (Nothofagus gunnii), Tasmania’s only native deciduous tree, occurs in the area and entices numerous viewers during autumn. There are two Tarn Shelf circuit walks—the longer one involves traversing the Rodway Range via the K Col track. In recent years with increasing use, part of this track between K Col and The Watcher (a mountain) had become significantly degraded with serious damage to plants and soil. Erosion by water (rain- and snow-fall) had exacerbated the problem. Walkers made the destruction even worse by widening the track in their attempts to avoid water and mud. The length of this part of the track is 1.7 km and about half of it was in poor condition; these damaged sections were spread out over various locations along the way.
More details, including the full can be obtained from the FOMF webpage