Arthurs Lake walks?

[greensbeach]

Anybody aware of any Arthurs Lake walks? I am going up there next Tuesday (Setp 16) for a few days with my girlfriend and her son and children and I don't fish.

[tim]

Gday

The general area up there is very heavily tracked (vehicle wise) for forestry, fishery and hydro access, and most of these tracks would make for uninteresting walking. There is some however some interesting stuff laying around in the bush, and a heap of wildlife. If you have access to a car (read: 4wd) you can keep yourself pretty busy just nosing around.

As far as walking goes, I have always wanted to climb up to the top of the range which runs to the east of the highway along the plateu between Arthurs and the climb above Poatina. It hangs right on the edge of the tears, and the views would have to be awesome. I have no idea if there are formed tracks up there or not, but it doesnt look that far off the road about 20 min north of the turn off into Jonah Bay (top spot, by the way), and the going seems to be predominantly light scrub and scree.

Hope that helps, but perhaps someone else has more knowledge of the are from a walkers perspective.

PS - the western lakes, west of Bernacchi Lodge on Lake Augusta and about 1 hr (?) from Arthurs by road make for interesting walking, with plenty of pencil pines, water and huts scattered around.

[greensbeach]

Thanks tim

I do have a 4WD so I shall take your advice.

[tastrekker]

If you can find yourself a copy of "The Abels" it describes 'trackless but not too difficult' walks up Mt Penny West and Mt Patrick on Arthur's eastern shore. The latter requires access through private property. The book has details of who to contact but they could be well out of date.

Sandbanks Tier is the highest point in the area just to the north of Arthurs. This huge ridge of boulders is a little back from the edge of the Plateau and is also described in "The Abels".

2 other 'Abels' in the book which are a bit further afield are Millers Bluff and Parson and Clerk. These are accessed through private property in an area east of Arthurs called The Den. It is possible to 4WD from Arthurs, down past Woods Lake to The Den but it's quite an epic trip. My in-laws did it a while back and it took several hours in a Land Rover. There was much scratching of paintwork and traversing largish rocks involved. A good map would be essential for this one.

I also like the Hydro Road that heads to west from the Poatina Hwy just as it starts to descend off the Tiers. This road has a locked gate after a couple of kms but the remainder of the road would make a good, level (but long) walk that takes you quite close to Drys Bluff.

I noticed in the paper recently Arthurs is so low, it is close to splitting into the 2 original lakes. It may soon be possible to walk straight through the middle of the lake!

[tim]

Trekker,

I keep hearing about that book. Is it still in print?

Wouldn't advise walking through Arthurs though - some seriously variable water levels on that bad boy. It suprises me that it is down that low though - that is a bad sign. It is usually held pretty close to full, varying only by around 1-2 meters from memory. But then, I havent been home in a while, and probably havent been into Arthurs for 18 months or so...

[tas-man]

Trekker,

I keep hearing about that book. Is it still in print? <SNIP>

Bill Wilkinson who compiled "The Abels" guide Vol 1 in the early 1990's, is currently working on Vol 2 which covers the "Abels" in Tassie's SW. The Abels Vol 1 and the "Abels Guide" have been long out of print, but pop up second hand if you try the online second hand book search engines. I believe that Vol 2 may be out in time for this Christmas, and that there may be a reprint of Vol 1.

[billshep]

Hello Greensbeach, You can access Parson and Clerk from the Little Lake, near Gunn's lake (drive in the Gunn's Marsh hydro road from Jonah Bay turnoff) by using old 4wd tracks up Poacher's Creek. Alternatively you can drive in via Paradise Plains on the east side of Arthur's. This requires a permit, which used to be available through the Triffitt family at Flintstone.
I have walked along the Sandbank Tiers from the Poatina highway to Scotchbob's Creek on the Gunn's Marsh hydro road . It was fairly scratchy with lots of sprengalia and low scrub, don't wear shorts! Ideally you need someone to pick you up at the Arthur's end.
The best walk is Brady's Lookout which you approach from a Hydro track near the top of the Poatina highway under Mount Blackwood.

I have found these tiers to be scrubbier than further west on the plateau, look for good grassy leads where the drainage is poorer in the little valleys between the tiers, or logging and 4 wd tracks.
cheers, Bill

[slparker]

I did the walk to Dry's Bluff through the hydro gate last summer... It's quite a long walk, although not difficult. Interesting hydronautical works up there, don't know what they're for - presumably to feed Arthur's lake, there's a pump shed at the end of the road. I would recommend taking a mountain bike from the Lake road gate to the end of the access road. The walking is quite tedious on the access road. Stick to the eastern aspect of the plateau and you'll miss a lot of the scrub on the way to Dry's Bluff. It's a bit snakey in summer so don't forget the gaiters...

BTW I have the Abels book and its a beauty - one walk I'm definitely interested in is Miller's Bluff: I looked on google maps and there appears to be access via 'Miller's Bluff Road' which presumably goes up to the fire lookout. From there it looks like a steep walk up the ridgeline to the summit.

Does anyone have any experience on this walk or this road? If it's a goer I might combine it wih a MTB ride and walk next summer...

[ILUVSWTAS]

Is that a different way up to Drys? Other than going through Mr Browns property?

[flyfisher]

To access Millers bluff, I have seen very specific instructions on where to go and where not to go, and the landowners and their servants can get a bit "funny"if you do anything without permission.
ff

[ILUVSWTAS]

Landowners and their servants?? Sounds a bit scary, So the people mentioned in the ABELS book is still relevant? I really should give them a call sometime and ask about access.
Thanks FF!!