Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion.

Forum rules

Tasmania specific bushwalking discussion. Please avoid publishing details of access to sensitive areas with no tracks.
Post a reply

Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 7:26 am

My understanding is that dogs are not permitted in most national parks in most of Australia. The following is questionable at best.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-06/ ... a/12733558
"Miniature fox terrier Biscuit has climbed more mountains than many humans.

"Her little legs have carried her to the top of 14 of Tasmania's Abels — mountains 1,100 metres or higher that are separated from other peaks by drops of 150 metres on all sides."

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 7:38 am

Lophophaps wrote:My understanding is that dogs are not permitted in most national parks in most of Australia. The following is questionable at best.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-06/ ... a/12733558
"Miniature fox terrier Biscuit has climbed more mountains than many humans.

"Her little legs have carried her to the top of 14 of Tasmania's Abels — mountains 1,100 metres or higher that are separated from other peaks by drops of 150 metres on all sides."

I'm not sure what is questionable. The article specifically says that the dog does not climb Abels that are in national parks. That's why the owner has climbed a lot more Abels than the dog has done.

Given the dog's ability to find its way off the mountains, it could be classified as a guide dog and given permission to enter national parks. :)

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 8:21 am

Biscuit doesn't go into National Parks guys, obviously. This was made clear in the article. A fair few Abels exist on either former Forestry Tasmania/STT lands or reserves.

Cheers, Ben.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 8:51 am

The key point is a bit weasel worded: While Biscuit is not allowed on national park walks, she often accompanies her owner on treks into the high country

Its sloppy reporting... not something parks would be happy with as it may encourage some to push the boundaries or misinterpret the article.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 9:05 am

A lot of the NE Abels aren't in NPs, for instance - Arthur, Ben Nevis, Barrow, Maurice, Victoria and Albert, Saddleback, Tower Hill ... Sandbanks would probably be OK. St Valentines and Tor are probably OK. Patrick and Penny West are on private land so that would depend on the landowner, but they were pretty relaxed about things like that when I contacted them. Parson and Clerk - again, maybe; not sure about restrictions in that zone. Rats Castle and Wild Dog are in the WWHA and there are restrictions on dogs up there, but not sure how they apply. But that's nine definites, five probablies and three maybes, which gives you more than the quoted fourteen.

Now I'm trying to think what you could and what you couldn't with a dog. It's not just the NPs, there are other reserves in which dogs are not allowed. I took mine up all the peaks on the main part of the Wellington Range, but that was back around 1980 and rules were different then. Definitely not allowed now.
Are Hobhouse and Wentworth Hills in WWHA or NPs or CAs?

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 9:33 am

Hobhouse is within a NP, while Wentworth Hills isn't.
There's a picture in the article of them approaching Mt Beecroft which is in a Nature Recreation Area from memory.
A few peaks on the west coast might be alright for dogs as well.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 10:30 am

north-north-west wrote:Patrick and Penny West are on private land so that would depend on the landowner, but they were pretty relaxed about things like that when I contacted them. Parson and Clerk - again, maybe; not sure about restrictions in that zone.


Penny West is Forestry/STT. The area surrounding the summit of Parson and Clerk is Conservation Area/PWS, but if you come in from the west it's Hydro, area around Poachers Creek is (seemingly) Crown Land.

Unless I'm mistaken all Central Highland Conservation Areas are dog-free except where freehold properties sit within the CHCA. We can have dogs at our shack (under effective control) however cats are a no-no.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Tue 06 Oct, 2020 8:37 pm

The whole 'dogs on bushwalks' thing just riles me up regardless of whether they are NPs or reserves. Leave them at home. What were fox terriers bred for again? oh, hunting that's right...

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Wed 07 Oct, 2020 5:50 am

lefroy wrote:The whole 'dogs on bushwalks' thing just riles me up regardless of whether they are NPs or reserves. Leave them at home. What were fox terriers bred for again? oh, hunting that's right...



Yeh I do agree. I've always had dogs in my life and I love them. But the bush and mountainous areas are for our flora and fauna.
Even the scent of a dog is enough to make some animals abandon their homes and areas out of fear.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Wed 07 Oct, 2020 6:25 am

On the flip side, people have been taking dogs with them well over a century and before that there were Tigers. Whilst its still legal to hunt with dogs, not every dogs a killer and I for one really enjoyed reading about Biscuits adventures.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Wed 07 Oct, 2020 7:35 am

I saw the report that said that Biscuit did not go into national parks. I was unsure if there was a general ban on dogs in national parks. My concern was that others may see the report and thus be encouraged to take dogs into the bush, perhaps into national parks, and that dogs in some wild places are not advisable. I do not know where to draw a line.

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Wed 07 Oct, 2020 9:27 am

Graham17 wrote:On the flip side, people have been taking dogs with them well over a century and before that there were Tigers. Whilst its still legal to hunt with dogs, not every dogs a killer and I for one really enjoyed reading about Biscuits adventures.


As a tangent, it's been interesting to read various posts elsewhere regarding people - usually solo female walkers - bemoaning how they can't take their dog along on many walks because it gives them an extra feeling of security out on the trails. A different perspective, though not one I feel trumps the need to protect fauna in such areas.

As a past owner of two Jack Russells I personally wouldn't want the stress of keeping a dog safe in the bush. Would be like taking a toddler, but far worse ;-)

Re: Fox terrier climbs Abels

Thu 08 Oct, 2020 6:03 pm

Tassie wildlife are no more or less scared of dogs than they are of humans, it's a perpetual load of ol cobblers. That said they have no place we have chosen not to allow them. That said, good luck trying to find a reliable resource for access to some reserves.
Post a reply