 Bushwalking or Hiking?
(General information)
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TASMANIA (TAS):
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It may be Australia’s smallest state but it has an abundance of scenic marvels and is one of the world’s most mountainous islands. The north-west region of the island is home to the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park and therefore also Australia’s best known long
distance walk, the Overland Track. The hike takes 7 days from Cradle Mountain to Lake St. Clair. There are also some fantastic shorter walks including the three hour circuit around Dove Lake in the north for views of the majestic Cradle Mountain from all angles. About halfway between Burnie and Devonport on the
north coast, sits the small seaside town of Penguin and this is where the Penguin Cradle Trail begins. The track Stretches for 76 kms and mainly follows the Leven Canyon, along the crest of the Black Bluff Range to Cradle Mountain. It can be combined with the Overland Track into an excellent two week adventure hike. The track is not well known with visitors and there are no regular signposts along the way, however
experienced walkers will have little trouble in following it. |
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Again, for the more experienced off-track walkers there are a variety of other trails providing some fine high level walks (the Windermere Plains, the Pelion Range, the Du Cane Range, Mt.Olympus, the Cheyne Range and the Eldon Range. The most popular off-track walks are routes that link to the Walls of
Jerusalem National Park, located to the east. There are no tracks on most of these routes. The Walls of Jersusalem is located on the western side of the Central Plateau almost in the centre of Tasmania. The plateau is covered in thousands of lakes and the Walls are a series of significant higher craggy hills on the western side. A good day
walk takes you around Lake Salome and for experienced walkers, there are multiple multi-day approaches across the Central Plateau to the Walls. To the north-east lies the Midlands region of undulating plains. The scenery in Ben Lomond National Park is magnificent with easy bushwalking and masses of seasonal wildflowers.
To the east, the Freycinet Peninsula located half way up Tasmania’s east coast about 120 kms from Hobart. |
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The entire peninsula has been reserved as a national park and provides excellent 2-3 day circuit walks which can be undertaken at any time of year due to the moderate climatic conditions. On rare occasions after long droughts, the rangers may close the tracks due to lack of water and risk of bush fires. The coastline of the south-east region fronting the Tasman Sea is a long, ragged and
stunningly beautiful strip of peninsulas, inlets, islands and channels. Located 80 kms west of the state’s capital, Hobart, is the Mount Field National Park, the state’s oldest. |
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This is a wilderness for the more casual bushwalkers and daytrippers winding through moorland and past lakes and offering stunning forest and mountain vistas. Moving across to the south-west of the state, finds the The Franklin - Gordon Wild Rivers National Park lying in the heart of the
Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. |
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It is a region of dramatic mountain peaks, beautiful rainforest, deep river valleys and spectacular gorges. The park is famous for the wild and pristine rivers that twist their way through the wilderness. The Franklin River itself has become synonymous with Australia's largest conservation
battle - the ‘battle to save the Franklin’a proposed hydro-electric power scheme which would have flooded the river. The 10 day, 83 km South Coast Track begins at Cockle Creek and finishes at Melaleuca following the wild southern coastline of Tasmania. It crosses two mountain ranges to avoid impassable coastline and also crosses long sections of open
plains behind the coastline. It only follows the coast itself where there are beaches. During the walk there are many streams to cross, usually requiring wading through. |
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The track crosses the southern edge of the largest temperate wilderness areas of the world and although extensively repaired in recent years, it can still be quite muddy and after rains, often over knee deep resulting from poor soils and high rainfall. |
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The track itself has no huts, shelters, roads or side tracks but there are many campsites along the way. Experience hikers consider this an easy track and often use it as an access to get into some untracked rugged areas north of the coast. Also in this region is the small mountain range of Mount Arturs just 15 kms in length but containing 22 major peaks and 30 lakes. The scenery is nothing short
of spectacular and the range is the best example of glaciated scenery in Tasmania and the mainland. There is an established walking route along the range following the serrated crest of the range from one end to the other, but the track is very rough and at time dangerous. It ascends and descends many steep gullies and there are no ladders, handrails or safety features as this is a true wilderness area and such improvements are seen as being contrary to the area.
A typical 4 km walk will take from 4-7 hours in this rugged region. Many experienced bushwalkers consider this to be Tasmania’s greatest walk. Though absolutely spectacular, it is definitely also dangerous with the weather playing a major role. Hikers can expect rain for 6 out of every 10 summer days with the range often shrouded in cloud. In short, the weather is highly variable and unpredictable. For those who found the Overland and South Coast Tracks easy, the
West Arthurs is the next logical step. |
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