Quamby Bluff

[naturelover]

We went up Quamby (for the first time) a few weekends ago. Pretty ridiculous to live so close and persist in climbing mountains that involve several hours’ drive in each direction. So, I declared it a ‘driving holiday’ Sunday. We set out after an early breakfast, were at the top by 8, before the day’s glare or heat had had a chance to get into action, and still had plenty of time in hand for the rest of the day. The only bad part was the lack of a nice place to have coffee in Deloraine. I had in mind a nice café, sitting in a cool garden replete with flowers and birds, sipping cappuccino with savouring croissants …. Nothing doing. No garden, no croissants and cafes lacking in charm. Back we went to our own espresso machine and pastries from our cache in the freezer.

This forum was very helpful, as some reports mentioned missing the main track, which alerted me to the possibility of doing so, which meant that I didn’t.

Here’s a photo of nice early light from the top.

[stepbystep]

It's a nice mountain. I like the way it sits off the plateau. Deloraine has good coffee if you look

[ILUVSWTAS]

Deloraine has good coffee if you look

Really? Please share.....

[stepbystep]

Deloraine has good coffee if you look

Really? Please share.....

Deloraine Deli lhs as you drive s2n, more than acceptable

[taswegian]

second the Deli, and good tucker IMO

The Maracoopa Cafe http://www.marakoopacafe.com.au/ is a good spot also for Coffee, Hot chocolate and nice tucker.
On way back from The Walls if heading east.

The views are fantastic sitting under The Tiers.
Once I watched for what seemed like hours on a drizzly misty day as the steam drifted about in the hills.
So a garden experience and a view and good coffee.
Perhaps worth a visit Naturelover?

[ILUVSWTAS]

Cheers! I always stop at that frog (?) cafe. It's alright... but alright at best

[corvus]

Do they cater for non Coffee drinkers as in providing a real Leaf Tea alternative
corvus

[Chris]

Do they cater for non Coffee drinkers as in providing a real Leaf Tea alternative
corvus

Not sure about leaf tea, but they do a good Soy Chai. The coffee must be good too, as it always satisfies a coffee fanatic of my acquaintance. Pretty good bonuses to go with the drinks, and very good for lunch. No garden certainly, but sitting outside watching the passing traffic can be pleasant.

Villarett Gardens (just off the highway near Elizabeth Town) has a delightful garden, but no idea of the quality of the tea or coffee - have always stuck to water or wine there.

Excellent vanilla slices at the Frog cafe.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Excellent vanilla slices at the Frog cafe.

they are pretty good at ET as well.

[tigercat]

Good Coffee in Mole Creek on the way to or from the Mersey or Cradle.

[taswegian]

Yep. Mole Creek Guest house was good couple times we called in.
Coffee very good.
Wife enjoyed her best Anzac outside her own kitchen.

[naturelover]

Taswegian is perfectly correct there. The Mole Creek Guest House provides exactly the kind of experience I wanted - wonderful setting; great food and coffee, and very friendly service. The owner gave me a tour of her garden last time I was there. However, as I commented that I am sick of driving (which is why we chose Quamby Bluff for that day's climb), I was unlikely to go 'backwards' and drive further to get my coffee. Deloraine is a delightful place, but lacks what I particularly wanted.
I am acquainted with the Deli thanks, but my original posting did refer to cafes with charm, and I don't count that one. I guess a part of our various responses to cafes depends on whether we're wanting a coffee as drink, or a coffee as experience. On this particular day, I was chasing the latter.
There are possibly nearly as many different definitions of "good coffee" as there are members of BA. I reckon we're far more likely to agree on what constitutes a good mountain

[taswegian]

Yes we drifted a bit!
Got sidetracked, by the coffee thingo.
You described an idyllic collection of things. Probably a rare thing.
Deloraine can't match that.

What must have been fantastic was to be sitting up on that great mountain at 8 am.

[stepbystep]

Meh, Quamby is over rated now Weld, that's a REAL mountain

[tigercat]

SBS, I disagree
Quamby is a wondeful 1/2 day/family mountain, Weld was described as suitable for peak bagging maschists in a recent HWC newsletter!
Cheers C

[taswegian]

SBS spends toooooo much time in the backblocks (lucky him)

From the 'front' it's impressive.
From behind not so, and the walk if undertaken from below, not halfway up would be a bit more of a challenge.
Also on the top, like many mountains probably could be said to be 'pretty ordinary'.
Just the views that have that 'wow' factor.

Quamby certainly dominates the landscape and does it well.

[stepbystep]

SBS, I disagree
Quamby is a wondeful 1/2 day/family mountain, Weld was described as suitable for peak bagging maschists in a recent HWC newsletter!
Cheers C

Haha I knew someone would bite, but anybody that's been to Weld couldn't possibly disagree. Weld would be one of the best 1 night walks in the state with stunning forest, camping and views. The same could not be said about Quamby! A touch masochistic as a daywalk perhaps

I was just picking up on naturelover's comment with my tongue firmly in my cheek.

I reckon we're far more likely to agree on what constitutes a good mountain

Quamby is a lovely walk on a very nice mountain.

[north-north-west]

Meh, Quamby is over rated...

2 points for an easy tracked half-morning walk. Way over-rated.

[doogs]

Meh, Quamby is over rated...

2 points for an easy tracked half-morning walk. Way over-rated.

+1. Drys Bluff is a far better walk which is alomst next to Quamby..

[Hallu]

Just did Quamby Bluff today, as the sky finally cleared this afternoon. I'm not sure if it's because of the amount of rain on the last couple of days, but some markers are missing on the plateau at the end, and it's definitely wet. It took me about 3h45 total when Chapman says 3h. With wet roots and rocks, it's impossible to do 3h. It's a nice walk for sure, with nice views at the end, but compared to many other fine walks in Tasmania, it lacks wilderness (the view are mostly farmland) and some open terrain (most of it is under forested areas apart from the boulder fields). Not much wildlife too, just some yellow-tailed black cockatoos and a sneaky pademelon. So it's strange to see it amongst Tyrone Thomas' favourite walks, alongside the Walls, Barn Bluff or Tarn Shelf.