South Cape Bay - 7th November 2010

South Cape Bay - 7th November 2010

Had a nice walk to South Cape Bay. This fellow was happily munching ants along the track and was quite unconcerned about me, at least until the camera's flash became annoying.

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Lots of interesting flotsam on the beach, including this sponge.

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Stormy weather had washed up large mounds of kelp, which makes for interesting foregrounds in photos at least.

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I wondered about harvesting some pieces to see if I could make some of those lovely water-carriers and other items the Aboriginal ladies make. Then of course I remembered it's a national park...

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There were quite a lot of dead shearwaters around. I've also seen significant numbers on Fortescue Bay Beach.

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Stormy weather had altered the beach quite a lot. There was lots of exposed rock and sand had been stripped from most parts of the beach.

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The Tasmanian Laurels (Anopterus glandulosus) were in flower along the track, noticeably in the old sand dunes behind the beach.

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Hartz Peak and Mount Snowy - 6th November 2010

Hartz Peak and Mount Snowy - 6th November 2010

This walk connects Hartz Peak and Mount Snowy south of the main peak, with some off-track and route walking. It provides great views while traversing along the ridge. Emily and Arthur Tarns are features of the return walk. The walk starts with a standard ascent of Hartz Peak. It is advisable to carry extra water, as you are unlikely to find any until descending to Emily Tarn after the ascent of Mount Snowy.

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The route then heads along the ridge to the south. The first part of the ridge consists of buttresses, and you need to descend to the right/west to boulder-hop around their lower ends. If tempted to climb back to the ridgeline, you'll get a good view and there are some good cliffs to look down, but you need to get past a good few buttresses before the ridge-top is easily navigated. There is no need to do any rockclimbing or even actual scrambling at any point going in either direction. If you find that you need to, you've missed the easiest way and can either proceed if comfortable, or go back a bit and find an easier way. Eventually the ridge starts to drop steeply towards the Hartz/Snowy saddle. There is a little scrub here and you may have to wade through some scoparia, but it's pretty easy to tell where you're going. Descend to the saddle. Note that from this point you can walk along the south ridge to Adamsons Peak. I gather it's a bit dry and scrubby, and it would be best to get some directions from someone who knows the best way.

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From the saddle there is a cairned route up Mount Snowy. It's occasionally indistinct, but basically head for the big scree patch and there are cairns up the middle of it. You'll know when you're at the top - it's the highest bit.... Good views of Hartz Peak from here, as well as the ranges to the south. Descend again to the saddle.

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From the saddle there's a cairned route which drops off to the right/north and heads for Emily Tarn. This passes through alpine shrubberies which can be a little moist underfoot at times. The way is also occasionally indistinct. In clear weather you can see Emily Tarn though. (Maybe when it's foggy, people who haven't done this walk before might be advised to leave it for another day actually.) Emily Tarn is lovely, with the cliffs and crags of Hartz Peak ringed above it, and with a great view of Mount Snowy. There are good spots to put up a tent here, but please don't take lots of people there, it's pretty fragile. Oh, and there aren't LOTS of tent sites, certainly not together.

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The return track continues around the right of the tarn and then climbs to a cushion-plant lawn in a tiny saddle between Emily and Arthur Tarns. This bit is definitely moist underfoot, and is becoming a little degraded. The track descends slightly to Arthur Tarn which sits perched above a steep drop and can be very visually attractive. Below Arthur Tarn the track drops down the outlet creek, and winds down a little before entering the creek bed which it follows for a couple of hundred metres. You need some navigational smarts below here, keeping a lookout for cairns and tags. The track then undulates across the plateau to return to Ladies Tarn. As a useful guide in clag, it would be a good idea to have marked Ladies Tarn in your GPS to give you something to aim at. The track has some apparent false leads in a couple of places. If the track peters out, backtrack a little and cast about for another route. This plateau walk can be wet to very wet underfoot, and will boots will probably be most comfortable. The track emerges just above Ladies Tarn, and you turn right to retrace the walk to its beginning.

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Hartz Peak - 24th October 2010

Hartz Peak - 24th October 2010

Very nice day for a quick climb up Hartz Peak, with a cool breeze and continual sun.

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Dauntless Point (Mount Brown/Crescent Bay) - 10th October 2010

Dauntless Point (Mount Brown/Crescent Bay) - 10th October 2010

I've been impressed with Dauntless Point, as seen from the southwestern cliff on Mount Brown. The point sits to the west of Mount Brown, south of Port Arthur. This walk starts at Remarkable Cave, and follows the same track as the Mount Brown and Crescent Bay walk(s). Description of that walk here. Walking to Dauntless Point didn't look too hard, so this was the aim. The point itself has a pretty impressive cliff, maybe 100m high, and sits below the cliff of Mount Brown, which is about 170m. You can sit right on the highest point of the Mount Brown cliff and look down to the sea - it seems close to vertical from the top, but it's always hard to tell whether a cliff really is vertical from above - for me anyway.

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Walking to Dauntless Point involves climbing to about the 100m level up the normal Mount Brown track (I went a bit higher actually) and then sidling back on steep sloping rock, boulders and scrub to the northwest and then west. There's a sort of saddle between Mount Brown and Dauntless Point, which drops very steeply (and dangerously, with loose pebbles and gravel) into a gulch to the south. I think Dauntless Point could be approached from the north directly, but there's a fair bit of woody scrub, and there may or may not be a clear path. Sidling round Mount Brown wasn't too hard. From the saddle, you climb easily onto the highest point and then beyond, with occasional pushes through bits of scrub, and a couple of points where the track is very close to the impressive cliff. With the wind blowing it was interesting, but not too problematic. I think those who don't like heights would have problems, as the cliff falls away in a clearly visible slope from several spots. The views of the cliff on Mount Brown are superb. There comes a point where the scrub thickens and the slope steepens significantly, and I didn't go all the way out to the end of the point. Maybe next time.

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This cliff on Mount Brown's southwestern side is about 170m tall. The picture above doesn't really do it justice, but a tall person would be 1/85th of the height of the cliff. You can stand on the highest point visible in this picture, and would be visible in a picture like this,but very tiny. The cliff appears to slope outwards from that highest point, but is then basically massively undercut. There is a big sea cave at the base of the cliff, and the whole cliff sweeps inwards to it. The (guessed) 4m swells were making a good show as they rushed inwards. The dynamics of the water rebounding from the cave suggested that it is reasonably deep. Mount Brown must one day collapse at this point - and indeed to cut the cliff as it is already there must have been significant collapses in the past. Anyway, the view is pretty impressive.

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Note: there is no marked track to Dauntless Point, there are no safety features or warning signs, and the whole area has numerous huge cliffs which would be fatal if toppled off. Use this area at your own risk. Keep children close.

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Cape Hauy - 9th October 2010

Cape Hauy - 9th October 2010

I went back to Cape Hauy in better weather, and among other things clambered down at the end of the cape a fair way. This provides a good view of the Candlestick, showing the size of it very clearly.

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The forest was full of flowers, very pretty.

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Hartz Plateau - 2nd October 2010

Hartz Plateau - 2nd October 2010

With the need to unexpectedly spend a second Saturday afternoon watching football, I was keen to take some exercise in the fresh air on Saturday morning. The day looked clear and sunny, so I headed up to Hartz with the hope that the snow would be light enough that I could get to the top and back and then get home in time to see the Mighty Pies thrash St Kilda. The snow was a little deeper than I'd hoped in many places and required care, but it wasn't too bad - occasionally knee-deep, usually ankle- to shin-deep. If I'd got there an hour earlier, I'd have confidently set off for the top. I stopped at Ladies Tarn, from where the deep snow on the slopes above was clearly visible. I'm not very good at low-friction activities, so I'm slower than some in the snow. Also decided my gaiters absolutely need throwing out and replacing. However, with the sun out and only light breezes it was very nice. Two groups arrived as I was heading off, and I reckon they probably went to the top.

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Fortescue Bay Photos

Fortescue Bay Photos

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Cape Hauy - 18th September 2010

Cape Hauy - 18th September 2010

This walk was supposed to be up Mount Wellington, and six of us turned up. By popular choice, we decided to avoid the forecast showers, and overcrowding by Hobartians wanting to play in the snow, and head for the peninsula. The walk was a little moist at times - on the return we had some actual soaking rain - but I found it enjoyable. The views were improved by occasional bursts of sunshine, dramatic mist and squalls, and quite wild seas generated by the "Australia-Sized" storm which has passed by and is now ravaging New Zealand. More photos at Picasa.

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Fortescue Bay - Dolomieu Cliffs - 12th September 2010

Fortescue Bay - Dolomieu Cliffs - 12th September 2010

I haven't done this walk for about 20 years. It's normally labelled as Canoe Bay and Bivouac Bay, which are passed along the way, but the aim should be to walk on beyond Bivouac Bay and up onto the cliffs just north of Dolomieu Point, which give grandstand views of the rocks at Thumbs Point and Cape Hauy.

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The walk starts at the Fortescue Bay carpark, and heads north along the beach. The creek flowing from Fortescue Lagoon has been flowing strongly with recent rain, and may need to be waded. (On the return it was nearly narrow enough to jump given the lower tide.) At the north end of the beach, the track climbs a little into the forest. The walking is easy and pleasant, and the track meanders through the forest for a while before descending to Canoe Bay. Here a sunken steel boat now serves as a large perch for cormorants, but is said to have been a breakwater for fish processing works which formerly operated here. A very rough 4WD track (Canoe Bay Track on the 1:25,000 map) intersects the walking track just before it arrives at Canoe Bay. This track apparently heads off uphill and joins Fortescue Road.

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The track continues beyond Canoe Bay, crossing the substantial creek on a good suspension bridge, and contouring around the north side of Canoe Bay. The track then climbs about 110m quite steeply over the headland and descending again to Bivouac Bay. Here there is a toilet and camping area, with water available from the creek - apparently permanent.

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The track then continues around the head of the bay across the creek, and climbs 100m to cross Dolomieu Point and emerge on the cliffs just north of the point. There are several good lunch spots within a few minutes of the top of the hill where you can sit on flat rock at the edge of the cliff with spectacular views. This climb at the end is very well worth it.

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Crescent Bay and Mount Brown - 15th August 2010

Crescent Bay and Mount Brown - 15th August 2010

To round out the Tasman Peninsula weekend, I did Mount Brown and then walked on to Cresecent Bay. See previous exploits, which include a map. The cliff on the south-western side of Mount Brown remains a "high"light. The shape of the top of the cliff means people like me with borderline height-tolerance can securely sit with a leg, or even two, dangling over this 170+m cliff without feeling insecure. It gives a great vertical view to the sea, and back towards Remarkable Cave across Dauntless Point. Mind you, this is where I misplaced Phil for a few slightly concerning minutes on a walk a while back. The photo here is of Cape Pillar from the Mount Brown trig, with The Blade in clear view protruding at the right. Mount Brown affords great views of both Cape Pillar and Cape Raoul, along with their related topography, as well as of the whole of Port Arthur.

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Crescent Bay is superb, although not necessarily a nice safe swimming beach. The waves break beautifully at times, but the beach falls away quite steeply. Looks good for fishing. In the middle of the beach is this rocky outcrop, with a big dune that drops steeply behind it. The rocky outcrop looked to me like a metamorphosed mudstone or similar, which shows the obvious signs of salt water weathering. It's really quite interesting. David Leaman confirms in "Step into History in Tasmanian Reserves" some of my inexpert assessment, but adds a lot more information.

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This is Mount Brown as seen from the northern end of Crescent Bay. The cliff is on the far side. Crescent Bay's most notable feature is its tall dunes. There were people sliding down the dune in the middle of the beach on sandboards and other items. I'll do a blog about sand dunes sometime soon, but they didn't seem concerned about their use of the dune in this way. Other people do the same down the dunes at the northern end at times too. I don't know really, but I do know the dunes at Crescent Bay have been there for 20 years, and don't seem to have diminished. Perhaps the wind restores them. I see there are some track notes for this walk here.

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Cape Hauy - 14th August 2010

Cape Hauy - 14th August 2010

Had a trip down to the Tasman Peninsula and took the opportunity to wander out to Cape Hauy on Day One. This is a good walk, and I've put it up on here before (here and here). The starting point is Fortescue Bay, and the track is easy to follow. The walk undulates quite a lot, and although no individual hill is more than medium-sized it's a good bit of exercise after you've climbed and descended a few times. Views are great and the cliffs spectacular, although the light was a bit flat the other day for photography.

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The sidetrack to the Monument Lookout (on the way to Mount Fortescue) is well worth the short diversion, and provides a very airy view of the bay stretching south to Cape Pillar. Note that there are many opportunities for falling off cliffs along this track, so younger members of the party should be supervised appropriately. In particular, the flat spot at the end of the walk is basically surrounded on three sides by 120m cliffs sheer to the sea, which makes a great place for lunch but not for wandering about carelessly. The Candlestick and Totem Pole, both goals for climbers, are located at Cape Hauy, and while they are visible from the top of the Cape, better views are available by descending steeply (and very carefully) to the northeast along obvious pads and tracks along the edge of the cliffs towards the sea.

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Cape Hauy, the Lanterns, the Candlestick and the Totem Pole are all visible from the lookout above Pirates Bay. This is reached by turning left along the old highway before commencing the steep descent on the new highway towards Eaglehawk Neck. The views across the bay are worth the diversion.

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Hartz Peak - 17th and 19th July 2010

Hartz Peak - 17th and 19th July 2010

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Had a couple of walks up Hartz Peak last weekend, actually hoping for good photographic light, sun on snow etc. It wasn't too bad, but while Huonville and elsewhere had pretty good weather, it was cold, windy and often cloudy at Hartz. Nevertheless, it was nice to wander about, and the snow and ice was quite attractive.

There were some people out in the most horribly innappropriate clothing. They only went to Lake Esperance, and I think they found it rather uncomfortable. The bald man with no hat in the icy and occasionally wet wind was obviously uncomfortable. His daughter (well, I hope she was his daughter) was in fashionable, around-town gear. They were a bit uncommunicative when I passed them on the track.

Here are a few photos from the weekend at Picasa.

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Hartz Peak - 26th June 2010

Hartz Peak - 26th June 2010

The BoM provided their usual pessimism-laden forecast. The weather station at the Hartz Mountains was tending to bear this out early on, but the sun came out in Huonville. The weather observations showed slow improvement, so after an early lunch I headed up there. It was chilly but dry with a cold breeze, and the sun came in and out making for a pleasant walk. Hat and gloves were a must though, and after pottering about on the summit and nearby taking photos, my hands were cold enough to need the second pair of gloves. Later I would find that the highest recorded "apparent" temperature for the Keoghs Pimple weather station was around -5.5 Deg C. No idea what it would have been in the strong breeze blowing from the west high up on the peak. Nice views though, with a bit of ice and snow making for interesting surroundings.

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The views from Hartz Peak are really very impressive. With a bit of cloud and rain about, Saturday wasn't the clearest, but the southern ranges were quite obvious. Here are views from Mount La Perouse, through Pindars peak, Mounts Wylly and Victoria Cross , Precipitous Bluff and the Ironbound Range. This last is the largest obstacle along the South Coast Track, and can be seen in this photo as the range in the far (and hazy) distance to the right of centre with the pyramid on its top. The south coast track crosses this range, climbing most of the way to the top.

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Mount Picton lies across the Picton River valley from Hartz. In this valley forestry operations continue, most especially below Hartz on the western slopes where they cannot be seen from this vantage point. Some of the forests being harvested were excised from the national park. My view is that these forests should not be harvested, but instead amalgamated into the surrounding national park and World Heritage Area to complete the contiguous protection of the upper Huon catchment areas. These forests are worth more protected and standing than mulched up for export to Asia as woodchips. The good thing about the weather on Saturday was that it concealed the forestry scars high on the slopes of Mount Picton, usually visible from here. This view is of Mount Picton across Hartz Lake.

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Hartz Peak - 1st May 2010

Hartz Peak - 1st May 2010

Ian Cartmel had some visitors from his Slimfit Group in Frankston who were looking for some exercise. He chose Hartz Peak for them, and invited some locals to join them. A good walk ensued. Some cold breezes cooled the party on the summit and in the early part of the descent. The views were Ok but not as clear as they are at times. Phil "entertained" us with some old jokes at the summit, then proceeded to jog down most of the mountain. Not bad for a bloke of his seniority. But crikey Phil, the hat's appalling. Looks like something from Braveheart, or maybe When The Boat Comes In...

If you Slimfit blokes get sent a link to this, you can see some other photos around Hartz Peak here. Rollover for explanations of the photos.

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Hartz Peak - 5th April 2010

Hartz Peak - 5th April 2010

Had a cool walk to Hartz Peak over Easter. The Mountain Rocket (Bellendena montana) had entered its red fruit phase.

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The mountain tops were mainly shrouded in cloud, but it did have some gaps which provided some views to the Picton Valley, Mount Picton and even Precipitous Bluff and the Ironbounds very briefly.

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The lack of views at any great distance meant I tended to look more downwards for photography subjects. Here is some lichen on dolerite.

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The later afternoon was de-hanced by several of those now notorious Easter Forestry burns. These burns resulted in days of smoke pollution hanging around the Huon Valley from Mountain River to Southport. Idiots!

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South Cape Bay - 3rd and 6th April 2010

South Cape Bay - 3rd and 6th April 2010

Walked out to South Cape Bay a couple of times, mainly because the first walk was quite rainy and squally, and I wanted to photograph tiny baby bluebottles which had been on the beach the first time and were difficult to photograph due to the wind, rain and state of the tide. ie. The waves were trying to wash over me and the camera when I crouched down to photograph them, and the wind was blowing the rain sideways. There are enough other descriptions of the South Cape Bay walk (for example here) that I won't dwell on it here.

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There were tens of thousands of these tiny bluebottles on the beach the first time I walked there. probably the best place for them one part of me thinks, nasty little things. However, they must have some sensible ecological role, so I suppose we have to put up with them. These little things were maybe up to a centimetre across and washed in their thousands to around the limit of the waves as I walked along the beach. When I returned a few days later, they were gone.

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The waves were quite large on both visits, making quite an impressive sight across the width of the bay at times. I didn't see anyone surfing, but there were some people arriving with surfboards as I left the first time.

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This kelp bed made an interesting image with Lion Rock behind. However, the waves were sweeping a long way up the beach and then receding around 75 metres. This kelp was at the far seaward limit of the movement of the water, so I had only seconds to get this shot before the sea returned. It would have been thigh-deep or more here immediately after I got this shot.

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Lion Rock, with convenient foreground driftwood.

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I thought this little boulder was interesting - pink granite on this beach dominated by dolerite and sedimentary rocks. There must be some granite somewhere then surely. Just not sure where. I don't see any obviously on the geological map I have, but it's a very small scale map. Maybe some surfer carried it here from Coles Bay...

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