It's May! so time to go to Meston...

[delphin]

Hey guys!
It's May and the brown season has closed so it's time to go into Lake Meston to chase rainbows - what do people think the best route is and what time should we allow?
best = fastest / not going to kill me...

[flyfisher]

G'day Michael,
The Lake Bill track is easy after the first hill and will probably take arourd 5 hours to Meston hut.

But that first hill ---probably won't kill you but you'll certainly know you'r going up, and it's not much better coming down.It also takes you right past Lake Bill which [in season] can be good for brownies.with some good spinner action in settled weather.

You'll pass Lake Myrtle too which I hear has a few biguns.

I cant help you with the Jacksons Creek track as it's still on my "to doo" list but I'm sure you'll get some info pretty soon.

Cheers Flyfisher

[corvus]

Hey FF we must plan the Jackson's /Moses Creek tracks for this coming Summer its a few years since I did it but its on my list wish and our trip will take us past Myrtle on to Meston down to Junction and back to Mersey Forest Road start.
Gees sounds like a longish weekend but I can arrange time off if you can.
If you felt like a more adventuress longer 4/5 day trip we could sidle up over the Crater Plateau descend to Lees Paddocks and still come out on the Mersey Forest Road.
corvus

[slick41st]

Hi guys, I'm OS at the moment so no maps at hand. I've walked all different ways in but the best, fastest and easiest way is from the end of Mersey Forest Road direct to L Myrtle, then onto Meston. The track is a little difficult to pick up at first but once on it, it is a well walked and easy to follow track. Maybe when I get back I can give some approx grid references for the track. Once you use it you wont use the others again unless you want to fish Bill or Junction first. You walk through a beautifully grassed valley just before Myrtle.

I'm all for a trip but I am sitting in Dubai airport at the moment to go to Kuala Lumpur for a week, so I am at least a couple of weeks away! Let me know when.

Take a real good sleeping bag, last time I went at this time of year we had -8 degrees in the hut.

Regards, Damien

[Son of a Beach]

hmmm.... I've walked the Moses Creek track from the end of the Mersey Forest Rd to Chapter Lake and Junction Lake (and on to the Never Never). It sounds like you're describing the Jackson Creek Track which branches off from the Moses Creek track according to this topic here which includes a pretty good description of how to find it and follow it.

Sure does sound like a good way to get in to Myrtle and Meston.

[delphin]

So you know where we are going Nik? You are the official navigator then. I'll be the official cook.
Do you think I should bring the gps?

[Son of a Beach]

Wouldn't hurt to bring the GPS, for sure. But it looks like it's going to be an easy track to follow (once the turn off from Moses Creek track is found). There's a few people in that other topic who've followed the instructions there with no problems, and reported really enjoying this track, and commenting on how much better it is than the other routes.

[delphin]

That sounds great to me!
I'll organise to bring it anyway - it'll be interesting. Looking forward to some really cold fishing! actually quite excited by the prospect. So where will you wonder off to while fish are being harassed?

[Son of a Beach]

I'll have 1/2 day walks from the Meston camp site, I guess... one in the morning, and one in the evening. I reckon that for one (or maybe both) of these, I'll head up the hill to the East of Meston, as there's zillions of lakes over the other side of that ridge. Should be lots of fun exploring up there. Maybe Triangle Lake & Lake Malbena for one walk, and Lake Ball (Walls of Jerusalem) for the other, although with the shorter days, if I'd make it that far and back without a track in half a day. See how it goes on the day, I guess and turn around when I've used a little less than half my allotted time.

[flyfisher]

You're right there Corvus ,sounds like a great idea.Ill keep that in mind for summer and be in touch.
Cheers FF

[slick41st]

Count me in...... harassing fish too.

Yes it is the Jackson creek track I was describing, the turn off can be difficult to find, but it is basically a right angle diversion from the sign in book at Moses. Heaps easier track and yes much more enjoyable.

Are you still going to try and get there this month? I'm up for a summer trip, but might struggle this month unless it is the last weekend of the month.

Regards, Damien

The only tricky bit nav wise is once you have got over the hard climb on Jacksons creek track, about where you hit the creek. From memory (in the dark as well) you hit a bog, then lots of scrubby sheet rock sections, then myrtle. From what I have heard from Forestry Tas they are harvesting trees in the area between the Pine Hut gate area and Jacksons Creek currently, I don't know if this affects access to that end of the road.

[Son of a Beach]

It's starting to sound like I might be overrun by fluff-chuckers!

I suppose I should expect that, going in to Lake Meston in May.

[walkinTas]

It's starting to sound like I might be overrun by fluff-chuckers!

Look on the bright side Nik! At least you should be able to pack light and eat well.

[Son of a Beach]

Too true... there are a lot of benefits. I can go day walking from a base camp, which means I don't need to carry a (big) pack, so that's always fun. And I get to eat fresh fish each night - assuming everyone doesn't just throw them back like they have a strange tendency to do.

[delphin]

Well ok we can be a bit odd like that but in this case I'll take at least one for tea saturday...
Dan have you got track notes or a route for GPS we can look at? I thought it looked reasonably easy on the map but - well that's a map eh?
We are planning it for the 16 - 18th btw...

The above was my track notes. BTW, real men don't use GPS Mike.

[slick41st]

Yes I chuck back browns, BUT not rainbows from Meston/Youd/Junction, they are delish !!!!

Haven't got a great strike rate at Meston though, so don't rely too heavily on me.

16-18th could work for me, weather dependant. I'll be coming from Hbt so maybe Sat morning. Save me a bunk bed!

Cheers, Damien

I was in the valley a bit over the last week and Forestry Tas have the road closed at the Pine Hut Plain gate as they are harvesting from there down to Jacksons Creek area. As such Jacksons Creek is probably out of the questions as the track to take, so you might have to take the Juno Creek track.

[delphin]

I know Dan - I don't use GPS -but in this case I'm going to borrow a mates...
Using GPS turns your own navigation off and it worries me for the most part. But it is interesting...
Anyway the reason is I want to upload the data on the computer when we get home basically - to see how close it really is.