Trans Tasmania Track

[tastrekker]

After reading the posts about Margaret to St Clair, I wonder how popular it could be to use new track development money to fill in the gaps in a potential Trans Trasmania Track. The Penguin-Cradle, Overland, Port Davey and South Coast Tracks are well established. A route via the King Williams and Vale of Raselas could work. From there a continuation could feature the upper Florentine and upper Weld valleys before climbing into the eastern Anne Range and descending to the Port Davey Track near Scotts Peak.

There are several existing tracks and routes which could be linked. E.g. Mount Rufus, Navarre Plains, King WIlliam I, Cavalier Creek & Gel River Airstrips dozer track, Raselas Track, Gordon Bend bombadier track, Saw Back Range track (road?), Weld Arch Track, Anne circuit track.

What do people think?

[Nuts]

Excellent Idea! Passing through almost continuous wilderness would make it a gem (worldwide).

(I like to look at the Eildons from affar also. One day i'll be rewarded for the extra effort getting there... To me though, as far as walking tracks go, i think there can be much more 'development' in Tassie, if it means commercialization (like the OT), so be it... using wilderness will ensure its long term protection into the future and through good and bad times. Another thousand klm's of foot track would have so little Real impact compared to a short section of road in the wrong place).

[ILUVSWTAS]

Ok my turn to pick on someone else spelling for a change, NUTS... ITS ELDONS!! no i.

I have often wondered about this, apparantly there was a proposal for something like this once, but it was shut down fast as I believe the powers that are wanted SOME areas to remain trackless. I think there needs to be a certain amount of untracked country in surrounding areas for the SW to qualify as world heritage.

I have a friend who walked from St Clair to Cockle. he did it solo, it can be done quite easily over a variety of routes, BUT certainly requires much more planning and (sorry walkingtas) FOOD DROPS!!!!!.............

The King William range is pretty user friendly, I'd say anyone who's slightly experienced would get through that range ok, it's really only the section from there to either the Vale of Rassalas or for the really hardcore (and the way my mate went) to the POW they would need to work on. If they put some sort of route through here, the rest of it would be pretty straight forward, as far as off track walking goes anyway....

[ollster]

Ok my turn to pick on someone else spelling for a change, NUTS... ITS ELDONS!! no i.

...Vale of Rassalas

It's "Rasselas", Captain Spelling Police.

I say "hells yeahs" to the Trans Tasmania Track.

[ILUVSWTAS]

Oh go and get......

I am an awful speller, lord knows I get corrected often enough, got to take my chances when I can.....

I think your 3rd in line of spelling police after Eggs and NNW sorry Oll......

[melinda]

Hey guys,
Do you argue about navigation as much as you argue about spil-eng????

[ILUVSWTAS]

You dont know the half of it Melinda... I'll post a video one day of us in the field. Although this site might be a bit soft for such viewing......

[ollster]

Hey guys,
Do you argue about navigation as much as you argue about spil-eng????

We take the "too many cheifs" approach to navigation - usually 3+ sets of GPSes and maps on any given walk. I'll leave it up to your imagination as to what end result this produces.

[stepbystep]

cheifs

LOL

[Nuts]

HAR har, yer, for a short crazy time, early in my school days they tried the 'fonetic' approach to spelling, guess its just a hang over from that... Most people up this neck o the woods pronounce them EEL dons... I knew it wasnt that, tried hard, still got it rong, oh well!
(Good idea though!)

[Nuts]

cheifs

LOL

Har, yes, i wasnt going to pick on that!

[geoskid]

Har, yes, i wasnt going to pick on that!

Ah, the mistake is attributed to Melinda, not it's rightful owner *cough*
I like the idea Tastrekker.

[ollster]

Har, yes, i wasnt going to pick on that!

Ah, the mistake is attributed to Melinda, not it's rightful owner *cough*
I like the idea Tastrekker.

LOL. And that's why "we" don't wear spelling police badges...

[melinda]

Even Melinda is now confused.
Definitely forget navigation with you guys if we can get so lost over a word!
Where is north-north-west? I'm sure she'll be able to make sense of this but I can't!

[tastrekker]

I have not walked the King Williams, Vale of Rasselas, Weld Arch or the eastern section of the Anne circuit. I would love to hear from more people who have walked these areas.

For that matter I haven't walked the South Coast or Port Davey Tracks either. I've heard the Port Davey Track is a long slog of continuous button grass. There are huge distances of button grass plains to be traversed through the major north-south valleys from the Lyell Highway to the south coast. Would this mean it's unlikely to become as popular as the scenic variety found along the relatively short Overland Track?

[pazzar]

From what I have walked in the vale of rasselas, it is in satisfactory condition, but south of the Richea Creek track is not in the best condition. It is not walked as often these days, as Lake Rhona and Gordonvale are accessed easier from Richea Creek. I think this section of a Trans Tasmania track would be fairly achievable, as it stands right now, it is fairly scrubby between the Denisons and the KW Range, nothing a bit of track work wont fix though.

[north-north-west]

Where is north-north-west? I'm sure she'll be able to make sense of this but I can't!

*shrug*
It's simple. They're men. You can't expect sense from them.

[ollster]

Where is north-north-west? I'm sure she'll be able to make sense of this but I can't!

*shrug*
It's simple. They're men. You can't expect sense from them.

OH NO YOU DI-N'T.

[Liamy77]

You dont know the half of it Melinda... I'll post a video one day of us in the field. Although this site might be a bit soft for such viewing......

thank heavens you explain this.... had a moment of bad "brokeback" flashback images!.... btw has anyone found ollsters' fungus - he seems to have lost it?!

[ILUVSWTAS]

KW is very easy walking TT. The Vale of Rass isnt bad as Pazzar said, and the Port Davey track is a mixture of mud and gravel. Which passes through buttongrass. I'd say if there was a proper track put in place the possability for views would rival the OT no problem. The SW has some very mighty mountains which are extremely rugged.

[ollster]

thank heavens you explain this.... had a moment of bad "brokeback" flashback images!.... btw has anyone found ollsters' fungus - he seems to have lost it?!

One of our crew has spent considerable time in a German sauna...

Oh, and I have a replacement for the mushroom, I just have to dig it out.

[Ultrarunner]

Interesting that the subject of a 'Trans' Tasmania Track has raised its head again.

My understanding is that the 'official' concept of a trail to cross Tasmania (from Penguin to Port Davey) has been about since the early 70's, though I am sure it would have been talked about long before this.

I really do wonder why it has never been officially finished, it would be a fantastic addition to a State that has some truely remarkable walks.

It would certainly make it easier for me

http://www.everydayhero.com.au/gary_burgess

[ILUVSWTAS]

Im pretty certain it has something to do with WH classifications.

[tastrekker]

Im pretty certain it has something to do with WH classifications.

I reckon you're correct. However, the remaining section between Lake St Clair is full of tracks. They just don't join up in a terribly convenient manner. I think WH values would be enhanced if the conveniently aligned tracks were joined up with short sections of new track.

My theory is that increased visitation via a new, well controlled track would increase pressure to rehabilitate other tracks which are no longer needed. Use of the new through track could also help to fund such remediation and result in quicker recovery of areas which would otherwise take decades to recover.

Surely the consolidation of tracks in a area riddled with old tracks would have less impact on WH values than a long new track through a truly remote and trackless area like the Eldons.

[Liamy77]

this theory works really well on the Bibbulmun track in WA

[north-north-west]

It's a brilliant idea. Just get on the track at one end and keep walking until you hit the coast at the other. No need to organise transport between walks, just at the ends.