Roads to access Higgs Track

[juney]

Good morning all, I am visiting Tassie for a few months of bushwalking and driving a Tarago. Is the road to the Higgs track going to present any difficulties? How does it compare to the road to the more common entry point to Walls of Jerusalem( can't remember the name, the trail head that goes up to Trapper's Hut)? Love Walls, it's my all time favourite hiking place. Cheers

[Son of a Beach]

Should be fine for a 2wd. Just take it slow over the rougher bits. I've usually gone in with 2wd station wagon and it's never been bad enough to worry about. It's not quite as good as the road into the usual Walls of Jerusalem track, but not too much worse. A few more large rocks poking up through the surface, and a few more places gouged out by stormwater. But nothing too severe.

The first part is very good. Last part is the worst.

[teak]

I drove up Westrope Rd. that leads to Higgs track this morning and the road has been recently graded and is in good condition. In fact it is now much better than the Mersey Forest Rd. to walls of Jerusalem.

[juney]

Thanks for the replies. My plans to hike for a few months have gone pear shaped with all the rain and strong winds. I've ended up booking the ferry back to the mainland in 10 days and will come done again some other time. I wonder how many people are continuing to hike in areas such as the Arthurs, Walls and Cradle with the weather the way it is at the moment?

[MrWalker]

I suggest day trips to waterfalls if the highlands are are too snowed under.
The north of the state is a bit calmer than the south at present.

[Hermione]

This is pretty routine Tasmanian weather for almost any time of year, I've certainly experienced similar in both December and February of previous years. I think a lot of people still go walking, though probably not in the Arthurs. Where were you actually wanting to walk? There's probably a couple of low level tracks where you'd be less exposed, Lees Paddocks for example, still great scenery (if the skies clear long enough) and an easy sheltered walk in (if doing this you should ask permission from the owner, someone on here will likely know how to contact him).

[flyfisher]

Don't think permission is required for Lees paddocks. Happy to be corrected.

FF

[Hermione]

I though it was private land so kind of polite to seek permission. Also we aren't Tassie locals so I guess I was particularly concerned with doing the right thing as it were.

Last edited by Hermione on Fri 13 May, 2016 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Hermione]

Oops that post isn't very well worded, I didn't mean to imply that locals were more likely to do the wrong thing!

[Tortoise]

Don't think permission is required for Lees paddocks. Happy to be corrected.

FF

This sign is there now:

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[north-north-west]

Presumably that means you can walk through without permission, you just can't camp on the privately owned bit . . . Yes?

[Tortoise]

Presumably that means you can walk through without permission, you just can't camp on the privately owned bit . . . Yes?

Correct. i just checked with Grant. We only need permission if we're going to camp there (I think it includes the area around Waddleys) or use the hut.

[flyfisher]

Thanks for the heads up Tortoise. I haven't been in there for 3 or 4 years.

FF

[Tortoise]

No worries, FF. Got a surprise to see the sign when we came through. I can understand - if it was my family's hut, i'd want the option of having it to ourselves when we went in. I'm grateful that they're happy to share it with us most of the time.

[flyfisher]

[quote="Tortoise"]No worries, FF. Got a surprise to see the sign when we came through. I can understand - if it was my family's hut, i'd want the option of having it to ourselves when we went in. I'm grateful that they're happy to share it with us most of the time.

I agree, they are very generous. I have slept in Wadleys once but have camped near it a few times. One of my favourite places, that whole area.

Flyfisher.

[Lost]

Abit of history on Lees paddocks http://www.simoncubit.com.au/paddocks-dreaming

[MrWalker]

I was up Westrope Rd on the weekend and thought I should give an update for anyone planning to go there.

The road is good to the Higgs Track carpark and OK for 2WD to Western Creek Track carpark. But just past there is a landslip and a road closed sign just after the Western Ck carpark. You would not be able to easily turn around past the sign, so if going to Syds track, just park near the road closed sign and walk up.

The landslip has narrowed the road to barely car width, with a big drop on the edge, that could get worse if cars did try to squeeze past. You could ride a bike up if you don't want to walk.