Bushwalk Australia

interesting news article
and venture.
shouldn't be too difficult compared to that list of over 8K hills overseas

http://www.themercury.com.au/in-depth/8-in-8-in-8.html

Sometimes one mountain just isn't enough.

Tasmanian Andrew Hughes will spend eight months travelling around Australia climbing the highest peak in each of the eight states and territories.

And his transport? A bike, a kayak and his own two feet.

The mountains he will climb are:
Tasmania: Mt Ossa (1617m)
Victoria: Mt Bogong (1986m)
NSW: Mt Kosciuszko (2228m)
ACT: Bimberi Peak (1913m)
Queensland: Bartle Frere (1622m)
North Territory: Mt Zeil (1531m)
Western Australia: Mt Meharry (1253m)
South Australia: Mt Woodroffe (1435m)


Andrew will blog live on themercury.com.au every week during his journey.
Join him here.

[check the photos of our top hills]

I was thinking of posting this a while back.
Have been following Andrew's journey the past 7 or so months (he's currently on the last leg - en-route to Mt Ossa, then finishing in Hobart before the end of October)

You can read back through the 8-month journey on his site - its a great read if you have the time.
http://www.expeditionclass.com/

this guy was in the last Wild mag, about his kyaking trip around PNG

Yup.
He's also walked from Penguin to Lune river.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Yup.
He's also walked from Penguin to Lune river.

You know how long it took him?

Trying to find the link to it, took just under 50 days... I have the article here but will keep searching and put the link up if I find it!

A Tasmanian teacher is in the country to embark on a 4,000km sea kayak expedition to raise awareness about climate change. He plans to travel 800kms down the Fly River to Port Moresby and then around the north-east coast to Papua / Irian Jaya. Follow his trip by visiting -- http://www.expeditionclass.com -- the site will be updated by satellite phone. The paddler, Andrew Hughes, is no stranger to outdoor adventure. In 2002 he and his brother James walked the length of Tasmania in 50 days, while in 2006 he paddled nearly 5,000kms from Hobart to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

If anyone wants a copy PM me with your email address and i'll forward it on!

I seem to recall that they both set out for Lune R but only one of the brothers made it. (was an article in Wild at the time) One of them also rode a bike around oz, one worked for Craclair and the other had a guiding business going for a while. Adventurous those Hughes's, I worked with one of them but always get confused which, or how many they are, or if they are related to the other Hughes's i've met

Yeh one had his appendix out the day before they were meant to head off. Met up with him at Lake Rhona

ILUVSWTAS wrote:He's also walked from Penguin to Lune river.

I'd be really interested in the route he took.

I've never been able to figure which route is best after you get to lake St. Claire. Obviously one could just walk down the road, but that's hardly bushwalking the length of Tasmania.

No route is easy from there!
A friend of mine went down the KW's then down the POW then down the Franklands from St Clair. took him 28 days.

andrew took a similar route but went from the KW's to the Denisons then to Rhona where he collected a food drop.... ( i wont go there) then he paddled the gordon in a canoe they stashed in preperation. then he went down the franklands etc etc....

ILUVSWTAS wrote:andrew took a similar route but went from the KW's to the Denisons then to Rhona where he collected a food drop.... ( i wont go there)

OMG food drops! I looked at just that route. The trackless bit from KW3 to Rhona looks very hard. Nice to know it can be done. Getting from Rhona to the WA looks reasonable but I don't know if all those tracks still exist.

How does one get from the WA or EA to the south coast track?

From Rhona to the WA? thats tough, unless you walk along the gordon road then scotts peak road, but going down the POW and Franklands is all untracked country! Plus you have to go thru the Spires just to get to the POW. POW has been described as the hardest ridge top traverse in Chapmans SW tas book!

From KW3 to Rhona there is an old track and 2 old airstrips but it is fast overgrowing apparantly.

From the Arthurs to the Southcoast track one can take mckays track to the port davey track then to melaleuca. They did plan to go out via the old river, but got a bit over that idea due to the brothers recent operation.

However along the south coast track they went out over the southern ranges, which is much harder than continuing along the south coast track.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:However along the south coast track they went out over the southern ranges, which is much harder than continuing along the south coast track.

That means going up PB from the western side. Much harder indeed

This guy sounds like a Forrest Gump to me.. hahaha

Just got word of a slideshow of Andrew's ride-walk-paddle trip round Australia.
Thought I'd post it here in case anyone is interested.

Hobart Slideshow 8in8in8

If you're in Hobart, you are happily invited to the 8in8in8 Slideshow.

Stanley Burbury Lecture Theatre
UTAS Sandy Bay Campus
Wednesday 2nd December
Doors open 6.30pm for 7.00pm start
Entry by donation on the door

Photos on the (very) big screen from the seven month bicycle, kayak and walking journey around Australia. All money raised will support the 2010 adventure learning project through Expeditionclass.com. Filling kids heads with adventure.