The Tasmania Trail as an Introduction to Tasmania

[Strick]

At the end of September I will be emigrating to Tasmania from the UK. To my shame, although I've spent nearly 2 years in Australia if you add up all my visits together, I've never actually been to Tasmania

I am really intrigued by the idea of arriving on the 'Spirit of Tasmania', getting off the boat in Devonport and beginning the Tasmania Trail, all the way to Dover. I've done a lot of long distance hiking in the past, so the length of the walk is not as issue, but I have read some negative feedback about the walk, especially on John Chapman's website, he does not really recommend it on account of the fact that it's: multi-use, outside of the National Parks and often on minor roads.

However, I'm pretty sure that 'minor roads' in Tasmania are not the same as minor roads in England and I wouldn't expect mountain bikes and horses are exactly flying by either, especially in late September, but I am ready to stand corrected. It's not a problem for me that the trail misses the highest elevations of the state. What I really like is forest and it appears that much of the trail traverses dense bushland, which always gives me more of a feel for wilderness than Alpine scenery.

I'm not sure how much of the trail goes through Agricultural land? I'm cool with a bit of this, but don't want to come away with the feeling that I could have been in the Yorkshire Dales.

So, I suppose I'm saying that I realise the Tasmania Trail is not the greatest bushwalk in the state, but for someone who likes extended hikes and would like to get an overview of Tasmania as a whole, could it be for me and what kind of conditions could I expect to encounter?

[sthughes]

I don't know where the TT goes in the south but in the north:

I've only done a little bit of the TT but I'd say as a walk it would be terribly boring. Lots of road bashing etc that on a bike is ok, but on foot.....

Penguin Cradle Trail then Overland Track would be an awesome start. But the PCT is a hardcore way to start unless you are experienced in track finding and navigation.

[MrWalker]

The Tasmanian trail is intended for horses and bike riders who want to go somewhere off the main roads. Although it is obviously possible to walk all the way it is not a choice for many walkers because there are so many other good walks. If you want to go that way I suggest you ride a bike.

However, if you are determined to cross Tasmania on foot then it has the advantage of keeeping you mostly off main roads, it's not very difficult, you can stop at shops every now and then, and sometimes find comfortable accomodation nearby instead of camping every night. It goes through quite a lot of farmland and forest but not very much wilderness, although there would be a lot of native bush along the way.

As a camping trip it would be very dull compared with almost any other muti-day walk available. If I was doing it as a walk I would arrange for someone to pick me up at the end of each day and take me home to a comfortable bed, so I could have a light pack and walk at a reasonable speed and get it over with as quickly as possible.

[Strick]

I see the Tasmania Trail is like Canberra. I've yet to find an Australian with a good word to say about it!

I think I am addicted to long trails, especially ones with a coast to coast element, as they seem to have particular logic about them. At first glance, Tasmania is a bit like NZ in that it has a host of shorter trails but few long ones. I understand that it's always possible to acquire a good map and link the shorter trails together and I expect this is what many bushwalkers do.

I'm also not a fan of multi-use trails personally. I suppose I am thinking about my personal situation as being new to the state and needing an introduction, even if I sometimes have to go on the road and share the trail with bikes and horses. I never need much of an excuse to take some time and go bushwalking. I'm also thinking that I might not have such an extended time off again for a few years so should grab the opportunity at the beginning.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[MrWalker]

I replied initially based on two walks on short sections of the Trail and a quick look at the website. However, I do have a copy of the book desribing the Trail and I have just been browsing it, wondering if I might walk the Trail, in sections, once or twice a month.

If you really want to step off the Ferry in Devonport and head down the Trail it will give you a reasonable idea of quite a lot of Tasmania, since it runs almost from one end to the other. You could get a quicker feel for the place spending the same time travelling by car, but you might well get to know it better on foot.

Since you like long trails and particularly coast to coast you will probably enjoy the walk, but don't feel you have to do it all at once or start on the day you arrive.

[walkinTas]

I am really intrigued by the idea of arriving on the 'Spirit of Tasmania', getting off the boat in Devonport and beginning the Tasmania Trail, all the way to Dover. ...could it be for me and what kind of conditions could I expect to encounter?

Hopefully you already have a copy of the guide book. The trail is not a single bushwalk. Its more a collection of walks, multi-purpose tracks and trips, with some road sections in between. The website and the guide will give you the best idea.

If you plan "getting off the boat ...and beginning the Tasmania Trail", then you might have to spend some time working through the guide and planning gear, food, campsites etc. The trail goes past a lot of little towns but that doesn't mean it will be easy to buy walking supplies.

[Strick]

I haven't obtained a copy of the guidebook yet, I won't be arriving til October. I have emailed them to find out when the 2012 edition will be coming out. I never walk without the relevant maps and books.

Thanks for all the good information. I see that enthusiasm for the track has not increased markedly since John Chapman updated his pages. Nevertheless, I will probably go ahead and do it anyway due to my particular situation..

[matagi]

I have not done the Tassie trail, but two years ago, I sent a friend down it on his mountain bike (he wanted a challenge, I suggested the trail). He had the most wonderful experience, and was blown away by the helpfulness and friendliness of the people he encountered on the way.

Ignore the naysayers, approach it with a spirit of adventure and go do it, I say!

If you like, I can ask my friend for the notes etc. he used for the trip - parts of it cross private property and some landowners deliberately try and obscure access. Let me know if you're interested.

[Eremophila]

I've thought about it, being a newcomer to Tassie it kind of appeals. I'd have to investigate the route a bit more.

I think if you were from overseas, it may be a good way to see the place, if you like long and not-too-difficult walks.

[Strick]

Thanks for the considered opinions.

I can understand everyone's view. I'm not too keen on multi-use trails myself, having seen horrendous erosion in England and jumped out of the way of flying mountain bikes in California. If it's multi-use, then by definition it's not a bushwalking track.

But I want to see Tasmania as a whole, not just cherry pick the best bits, after all, I won't be a tourist - well not for long anyway. I'm aware that the little question of making a living will rear its ugly head soon enough and I might never have the time again to consider a trans-Tasmania walk.

I suppose there is a romance in what I'm proposing, which seems lost on some. However, I do bring a measure of bushwalking experience having hiked the Bibbulmun Track twice, as well as the Larapinta Trail, Great North Walk, Great South West Walk etc. I am aware of ways in which walkers commonly come by supplies!

See you in September!

[sthughes]

I don't think the Tassie Trail will show Tassie as a whole, in many ways it's a showcase of the least interesting parts in my opinion. I mean it misses all the good bits completley. It misses the west coast, the east coast, the heritage areas in the midlands, Launceston and all the Tamar Valley area, the south west, Hobart and "The Channel" etc, the Tasman Peninsula... Even the route through the highlands is in the least appealing part of the highlands that exists. On the other hand you start in East Deconport so things will only improve after that! In many ways you are going to do the opposite of cherry picking the best bits and instead cherry pick all the worst bits! There are several niceish bits on the TT, but nothing really good that comes to mind. If you still like Tassie at the end, you'll love it when you see the good bits!
Maybe walk to Sheffield (Railton to Sheffield is a nice section), then hitch a ride to Cradle, do the Overland Track, then join back up with the TT at Bronte Park (Bronte is a hole btw). That would at least give a taste of the good stuff and skip a lot of the most boring stuff. But it might not satisfy your lust for forests. Having said that, most of the roads and trails used for the Tassie Trail were created so we could either chop down the trees or build a dam and flood them!

Sorry in advance for sounding a bit pesimistic, it's a great trail....on a bike.

[tassierambler]

I've cycled the trail twice, the last time at the beginning of last year (in sections), and really wouldn't recommend it to a walker for all the reasons mentioned above - especially as many of the bush sections you're looking forward will disappoint (logged, plantation etc.). However if you want to get an idea of what it's like you can visit my blog (http://tassierambler.blogspot.com.au/). There's a Tasmanian Trail menu on the left hand side which has an index of entries on the trail which will give you a good idea of what the trail is like. There's a google map of the trail which I put together at http://www.tassietrails.org/tasmaniatral if that's of any use.

Have you considered starting on the penguin - cradle trail instead (http://www.nwwc.org.au/penguincradle.php) and then continuing on down the Overland Track ...

[MrWalker]

I think doing Coast to Coast walks is a bit like peak-bagging. You don't score half points for Mt Ossa by getting to Pelion Gap, so the purist peak-bagger will finish the climb even if the top is in cloud. Similarly, doing bits of the Tasmanian Trail and skipping other sections won't count as a real Coast-to-coast walk.

I suspect this is the wrong forum to discuss this walk since almost everyone reading it knows of more interesting places to go. But if you like long walks and are happy with a lot of different farms and trees rather than jaggy cliffs and mud then it is a reasonable thing to do.

I notice Tassierambler doesn't recommened walking it, yet he has cycled it twice. So it can't be totally dull.

[Claude]

A quick point of view , of have done alot of the trail North end on horse back it was ok, as far as walking it I would find it a tad boring alot of the trail has not been maintained now and has been either logged or is in with plantation, just be mindful of the private property access!!!

[Strick]

A couple of people have mentioned problems of access across private property.

Is this common in Tasmania? I don't think there's an equivalent of the liberal open access and wild camping laws that pertain in Scotland and most of Scandinavia, where you can pretty much pitch camp wherever you like if it's out of range of a house, but how are things in practice and is there a move to improve access to private land?

Do most landowners take an indulgent view of a stray bushwalker, or could I expect a good pitch forkin' or worse??

[gayet]

Safest option is to always ask first. Then you can be given permission or not.

[MrWalker]

Do most landowners take an indulgent view of a stray bushwalker, or could I expect a good pitch forkin' or worse??

You don't have automatic right to access private property and you certainly should not camp on private property without asking the owner, unless it is a designated TT campsite.

The Trail uses a lot of private property by arrangment with the owners. But sometimes they get annoyed by damage caused or gates left open (or closed when they should be open) and withdraw permission to use their land, or a new owner doesn't like the idea of people going through. So check the website before setting off even if you have a current guidebook. Even then changes might occur on the way, but the number of changes to the route is not very high in any given year.

If you stay on the route and there are Trail makers then there should be no problem going through and you can assume the owners are friendly. But plan ahead for campsites and ask permission before using a non-designated campsite on private land (if you can find the owner, some properties are quite large even in Tasmania).

[MrWalker]

I wondered if Strick is still planning to do this walk.

His comments inspired me to try to walk it as a series on day walks over the next year. So far I have done three days (85km).
It is a very nice cross-section of the parts of Tasmania where people live, covering farmland (of all sorts), forests (very old and very young trees, plantations, regrowth and old growth) and bush (on farms and public land).

So far I have not met any cyclists or horse-riders on the trail and most of the roads don't have many cars either, so it's a pleasant quiet walk on good quality tracks.