Creek crossings on the route from Lake Ada to WOJ

[bmskoh]

Hello

I'm planning to walk WOJ in early May and need advice from you experienced walkers.
I'd like to take the route from Lake Ada to WOJ this time and gathering information now. According to maps it seems like a lot of creek and river crossings will be involved on the way to WOJ. I think it will be very helpful to know what sort of crossing I should expect. Is it mostly like boulder hopping? or wading into thigh deep water is unavoidable? I'm considering to walk via Lake Fanny and Powena creek, or Lake Antimony and Bernes Valley.
We are not really well experienced but still have done a few walks in Tassie so I know what kind of weather I should expect at the time of the year. My wife won't be able to wade in that freezing water in such a cold weather

Thanks

[rolfex]

Hi. I walked in this area in late March. Unless Tassie gets some decent rain in the next few weeks, I expect conditions in May to be much the same as I encountered (but the water will be colder!). Between Ada and WoJ, the big creek is Powena, and it looked difficult to cross. However, there were many crossing points with rocks high above the water level, so it posed no problem in practice. I crossed just north of Lake Fanny along a use-trail beside the creek: -41.8411, 146.3603 deg or UTM 55G 446890 5367660 (GDA94). If you go via Lake Antimony and Bernes Valley, you’ll also have to cross Powena Creek around Lake Antimony, but I found no rocks to cross on and the wading depth was close to knee deep. I also couldn't find a dry crossing of Pine River near Lake Ball, and the crossing depth was again close to knee deep. None of the other creeks posed any problems at all, including crossing Pine River between Silver Lake and Lake Antimony. Hope that helps!

[Graham51]

I have been to The Walls via Lake Ada, Lake Fanny many times and never had any problems crossing the rivers. Unless there is significant rain I reckon you should be okay. I have also returned via Pine River valley - Lakes Solveig, Sally, Antimony - and over the years the track has begun to get a bit overgrown in places and is a little hard to follow but even so it's not hard to figure out. It's a lovely way to get in there and significantly less driving if you are going from Hobart.

[north-north-west]

Number of options from Ada to Walls.

If you follow the track in to Fanny, you can then climb up onto the Great Pine Tier and follow that until you pick up the Jerusalem track near Jaffa Gate. (I think it's Jaffa ) Only creeks are small things, easy to find a dry foot crossing. Route does involve a fair bit of dodge and weave to avoid scrub and cliffy bits but it's much more fun than the Bernes Valley route.

[bmskoh]

Thank you very much for all the fantastic reply. It definitely helps!
I can be more confident now. I'm leaning to Lake Fanny route rather than Antimony.
rolfex, how was the road condition to Lake Ada? I've been Lake Ada only once to fish before. There were quite many pot holes but it was still driveable with my 2wd then.

[flyfisher]

You will most likely find the gate locked at the end of the fishing season-end of april. Gate is at Augusta dam.

FF

[bmskoh]

You will most likely find the gate locked at the end of the fishing season-end of april. Gate is at Augusta dam.

FF

That seems to be bad timing for me as I was going to walk right after the season.
I'll ask PWS when exactly they are closing the gate. Thanks for the info!

[flyfisher]

Parks Mole creek phone 03 63635133

Best walking I've found is to cross Powena creek just before lake Fanny then head left around the end of the lake then uphill, following the open leads that are shown on the 25k map. Good luck, lovely area.

Flyfisher

[rolfex]

Bmskoh, the road to Ada was in superb condition when I was there last month, I didn't notice any potholes in a 2WD. Hope you find the gate open!

[flyfisher]

An easy way to go.

[chickenman]

12

[bmskoh]

An easy way to go.

This is fantastic! Thank you very much.

[tastrekker]

Early May was a bit soggy. How did you go bmskoh?

[Mechanic-AL]

Early May was a bit soggy. How did you go bmskoh?

I would be interested to hear how things went too.
I returned yesterday from Dixons Kingdom. Had plans to go much further but the eastern end of Lake Ball was pretty much under water. I think a few people may have under estimated just how much rain fell up there earlier in the month.
I had an awesome blue sky day in the snow on Saturday ( 21st ) but it di'nt last long .With plenty of melting snow and a bit more rain I cant imagine anything will improve around that area too soon.