Day 48 Lake Burbury Monday 14th March 2011

Dusk at Lake Burbury


The intrepid fisherman


"Chillin"" and "watchin"

Hello!

This evening we are camped on the shores of Lake Burbury for the princely sum of $5. For your money you get toilets with paper but no lights, a shelter hut with no lights and broken BBQ's and a playground plus the opportunity to share a large paddock with about 20 other tightwads in luxury motor homes.

We arose this morning about 815 and after a slow start, during which I unsuccessfully advanced the case for staying longer at Cradle Mountain commenced packing at around 940. The sky was cloudless which was a blessing since the canvas was quite damp from dew on the outside and our exhalation on the inside and we had to wait for it to dry. We eventually left around 12 and popped into the visitor centre for refreshments and a snack and to decide which way we were going which is a good thing to do before you hit the highway. Susan would like to see some of the open gardens which are mostly clustered around Launceston. We decided to travel there in the opposite direction for reasons I can't quite remember. We drove SW through Roseberry and Queenstown where we paused to top up the fuel and visit the IGA. We left Queenstown about 330 intending to stop overnight at Lake StClair. However we came across this spot which did have a tick in the Camps 5 book and decided this would do for the night. The Lake is one for the hydro scheme and looks reasonably full. After tea and a set up of the swag we toodled down to the waters edge so I could pit my wits against the wily trout.

I tied on a 25 year old Celta (an ancient French lure)and after several casts to my shock hooked a trout which promptly jumped out of the water and threw the hook. The jumping indicated it was probably a rainbow pity it was half decent size. Speaking of which the legal length in this dam is a miniscule 200mm!

That was the only excitement of note apart from when I jagged Susan's finger with a hook when we were trying to untangle them in the lure box. Submerged branches claimed the Celta plus a Flopy (another l type of lure) so all in all the fish are well in front.

Today was a rare cloudless warm sunny day. We may yet be wearing turbans! It's a swag night tonight and I shall be hopping into the sarcophagus shortly. It's 945 and Susan is already in there taking the chill off.

The pictures for today will be added tomorrow. Susan's computer is flat so there will be a slight delay. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Cheers Simon

Day 47 Cradle Mountain Sunday 13th March 2011

Twin Peaks. The LHS one was where the climbers were spotted on top. We walked along the base of these and down through a cleft in the scarp at the left. You can just see a couple of tracks.



Rangers emergency hut



Fagus beech. Australias only native deciduous tree.


Link to Deciduous Beech information


Fireplace in the camp kitchen



General view in the kitchen


Hi all,

Big day for the old people today. We decided to do the Dove Lake upper circuit rated as medium, which for us is getting on towards hard.

The day started off unusually sunny a change in the usual pattern. We started the walk at around 1030. The first section was easy on the lower track. We then climbed up towards Lake Wilks an ascent of about 100 metres. After a short horizontal walk along the edge of the lake we had a fairly testing ascent of another 180 metres until we intersected with the face track, which is the main track along the Cradle Mountain plateau. We then descended around 150 metres as we walked around the rim to Mount Hanson.

The weather was becoming progressively more windy with heavier clouds crossing the sky. We stopped to examine the Rangers Hut which can be used for emergency shelter. We climbed again around 80 metres and reached Mount Hanson and enjoyed the views although we were actually lower than the high point of the walk. The descent began and we were hanging on to a chain for dear life. It was steep! but probably no more than 40 metres in length.

After the chain we were on the exposed ridge and the wind picked up to such a degree we were getting buffeted and in danger of being blown over. I estimated it was around 80km/h. We then had to do another ascent albeit a small one which was certainly testing in the conditions. However we battled on and were soon descending down towards the car park in warm sheltered sunny conditions.

We were passed by 2 walkers and I enquired if they were the people I had seen right at the top of Little Horn the craggy peak above the face track. Yes it was them they had done 3 peaks on the day. In summary it was an enjoyable and testing walk that certainly illustrated the changeability of conditions on the mountain. Total walk time 5.5 hours and distance 8km.

We adjourned to the visitor centre for a coffee and hot chocolate before returning to camp for tea. We have decided to move on tomorrow in the general direction of Mount Field near Hobart though the finer details are still being worked out.

The weather closed in a bit tonight and it is noticeably colder so a good time to move on.

cheers Simon


About half way up.

View from the face track. Ignore the narrator. We did not have to climb the rear peak it was actually the one just to the right.

Day 46 Cradle Mountain Saturday 12th March 2011

Lizard - one of hundreds on the track


The rapids on Pencil Pine Creek


Rickety track


Fungi


Wilderness Gallery


Hello readers,

Today we completed the Dove Canyon walk. This walk was easy in most parts except for a steep section which we completed in the downwards direction. The track is no longer maintained but still quite walkable with a lot of rotting boards. We did lose the track at one stage but found it again relatively easily. Reading the track notes in my 100 Walks in Tasmania book I see we missed a spur down to the junction of the Dove River and Pine Creek. It must have been indistinct because I was looking for it. However I may have only had a "Man's Look".

On the track we encountered an older couple from Germany travelling in the opposite direction who were wondering where the track finished. We advised them it was a loop and they were probably just over half way. However they did have to negotiate the steep section which in hindsite was the most difficult part. However all ended well as they completed the walk the same time as us.

After the walk we headed to the Wilderness Resort for lunch at 2:45 which was of good quality, quantity and reasonably priced. We then entered their gallery to view a fairly extensive collection of photographic images from various artists. The clock soon ticked towards 4:00 and it was time Susan's indulgence. A 1.5 hour hot rock massage which from all accounts was extremely relaxing.

While Susan was relaxing I spent a few minutes browsing their Tasmanian Tiger display. Most notable in the politically incorrect stakes was a quilt made around the turn of the century (1900) from 42 platypus pelts!

Returning to camp we pottered on things electronic. Susan resizing pictures and skyping and myself trying to work out the vagaries of uploading tracks to my GPS. Of course computers being the thieves of time the evening soon disappeared.

The weather is still holding good and we have paid for another night so will be here until at least Monday morning. This is a difficult place to leave.

Cheers Simon

Day 45 Cradle Mountain Friday 11th March 2011

Cradle Peak in clouds


The hiker at the Picnic Hut


Waldheim Chalet complete with wheelbarrow



Hi All,

Once again sitting outside the kitchen at the park typing. It is somewhat colder than last night. After breakfast today we headed down into the park to Ronnys Carpark where we strolled up to the Waldheim Chalet. Built originally in 1912 by Gustav and Kate Weindorfer it was used for accommodation until 1974 when it burnt down. It was rebuilt in replica in 1976. It is currently being renovated so we couldn't see inside. There are also separate cabins for accommodation.

The morning was quite cool, grey and overcast and I was thinking we wouldn't see 3 days of sunshine in a row. Susan chatted to the rangers working on site and was given an insight into an organisation called Wildcare who are an umbrella group supporting volunteers who work in parks. The idea for us would be to join up and volunteer in various parks hopefully with free accommodation. According to the ranger there is no shortage of work at Cradle Mountain. "We have a Thistle outbreak at the moment". We then strolled around the Weindorfer rain forest reserve which has stands of King Billy pines. Some of these slow growing trees are over a 1000 years old. In many other locations the trees have been lost through logging or fire.

We returned to the car and drove back to the ranger station stopping to do the "Enchanted Forest" walk. It was then back in the car and out of the park to the Wilderness Lodge where Susan booked her hot rock massage treatment for tomorrow afternoon.

After a quick snack lunch and a rest we headed back into the park to the Ranger Station to investigate the Dove Canyon walk. This track is no longer maintained but an hours worth of walking convinced us to do the whole loop tomorrow. We will start from the other end. Walking in the late afternoon was very pleasant as the cloud had burned off by 3pm and the afternoon finished in sunshine. I actually hauled the solar panel out in the hour we were back at camp. Being in an unpowered site I like to keep on top of the battery charging situation. As long as we charge the laptops in the kitchen it is all good.

I am now inside the kitchen building. Susan has ordered me to light the fire in the kitchen which I have done very easily. It is nice when they provide fire lighters and stacks of split dry wood. Mind you for the site fees they charge they should do too :-)

The weather looks like it will hold for tomorrow however Sunday is rain. I have found the forecasting here to be pretty good so it might be an opportunity to try out my wet weather gear!

There are still some walks to do so it is conceivable we may spend our entire break here.

Cheers Simon


Pencil Pine and Knyvet Falls



Dove Canyon walk

Day 44 Cradle Mountain Thursday 10th March 2011

Whip Snake


The Mountain viewed from Cradle Valley


Hello readers,

Greetings from Cradle Mountain one of the nicest places we have visited.

We were a little bit late to bed last night and subsequently a bit tardy this morning. The weather was cloudy to start with but soon broke up to a mostly sunny warm day prompting me to set up the solar panel as we are in an unpowered site.

After showers and breakfast we hopped into Julies van and drove into the park to the Ronny Creek car park. We took the Cradle Valley trail back towards the Ranger Station. The trail uses a boardwalk, the underneath of which carries electricity and sewerage in the appropriate conduits to and from Dove Lake.

At the start of the walk I spotted a small "whip" snake. This is classified as only slightly venomous in the bee sting type category, which prompted Susan to crouch over it and shoot pictures and video. The walk seemed quite easy however did involve some fairly good gradients. We enjoyed the various vistas of Cradle Mountain as we travelled away from it. I spent much of the time furiously flicking through "Significant Flora of Cradle Mountain" trying to identify various trees and shrubs. This can be quite hazardous when a step is inserted in the path and your head is in the book! Our intention was to walk to the interpretive centre and return. However time was against us, well against Julie who had to return to Nubeena so we caught the shuttle bus out of the park and back in again.

Returning to the visitor centre we had a light lunch before saying our goodbyes to Julie. We returned to the camp site. My right ankle had stiffened up while sitting an after effect of stepping in a bog hole yesterday when I ventured off the board walk to get a wombat close up.

Susan decided to stroll down the road to Cradle Mountain Chalet to check out the day spa and various treatments and spent time browsing their gift shop and sitting the atrium dozing(nanna naps). After downloading my GPS data from various walks and editing it I walked down to the gift shop at the visitor centre for a quick browse before it closed at 5.

It was then on to trying to repair the temperature probe for the fridge monitor. After much ado with testing for broken cables it appeared the sensor encapsulated in a plastic housing with silastic was the problem. I dug it out and after more fiddling it started working so I decided to encapsulate it for eternity in araldite!

We had sausages and veg for tea cooked on our stove. While I was sitting at the table pre dinner I noticed what I though was a lizard tail about to disappear from my trouser leg under my shirt. Of course it was a nice fat leech looking for tea. It was duly dispatched into the bushes and I contemplated the fact that I had randomly decided to wear long trousers for the last two days instead of my usual shorts. Probably saved me from being an unwitting blood donor.

After dinner we adjourned to the camp kitchen which has power outlets to perform some computing tasks. The points are limited so this is being typed outside on a table next to a bbq powerpoint. it is not overly cold and apart from the usual marauding possums is quite pleasant. Another great day at Cradle Mountain! We have booked in for at least 2 more nights.

Cheers Simon

Day 43 Cradle Mountain Wednesday 9th March 2011 & POSTSCRIPT

Wombat



The Three Walkers



Crater Lake



We arose early at 7 o’clock courtesy of the phone alarm. We didn’t have breakfast and packed up and left as a fog descended over the landscape.

We followed the signage towards Cradle Mountain generally ignoring the GPS which decided to chuck a wobbly and wanted us “make a U turn when possible”. We stopped at Deloraine for comfort and coffee.

We eventually lobbed at Cradle Mountain at around midday and dropped off the camper at Cosy Cabins (which we couldnt find initially as ut is now signposted "Discovery")in our allocated spot. The place hasn’t changed much since we were last here in 2007.

It was then off to the visitor centre to catch the shuttle bus up into the park. We alighted at the end of the road in the Dove Lake car park and took the walk up to the Marion Lookout. This is a reasonably constant climb with a steep section at the end. Susan in deference to her knees stopped at the start of the steep section while Julie and I ploughed on to the top. The view from the top was magnificent well worth the climb. On the way back down we bumped into Susan who had negotiated the steepest section after seeing that a couple of elderly ladies had managed that section. We headed down by a different track past a waterfall in a shady glen and back down to the Ronny Creek car park where we caught the shuttle bus back to camp.

It was then a full speed somewhat clumsy setup of the camper trailer before another snack tea washed down by red wine. After dark we were harassed by a very belligerent possum raiding our camp for food and I saw my first spotted quoll.

The blog is being typed from the camp kitchen where there are two open fires. The Telstra phone service has died so I am not quite sure when this will be published. Maybe they didn’t pay their bill!

This is a very nice place and if the weather holds good we will stay here several days. Speaking of the weather a very fine sunny day of around 25 degrees followed by a clear night where the dew was falling by 7 o’clock. A cold night ahead!
Cheers Simon


Marion Lookout




Wombat

......POSTSCRIPT


Arghhhhh

Simon neglected to mention the moth we encountered when we filled up for petrol at Mole Creek, those of you still reading would be well aware of my facination with moths (NOT). Woman at the petrol station nonchalantly said "we have lots of them around here". Thankfully this one was sleeping....

Day 42 Evandale Tuesday March 8th 2011

"Graham" and the mascot


Bikes!


Statue at Evandale

Hi All,

First of all the obligatory what I forgot yesterday item. This was your standard kookaburra descending from a tree and splashing into the dam to grab unidentified food from the surface. Never seen that before.

Moving on to today. The Harley Davidson motor bike crowd left this morning after the obligatory revving and laps of the car park.

I wrestled with mounting items on the tool pegboard before invoking the 3 hours I had owing so I could start packing for our trip. Susan was busy cleaning rooms until she joined me and we finished getting ready.

We left at 3:30pm and beat our way northwards with Julie another helpexer following behind in the resorts van. We finally settled at a “self contained vehicles only” free camp at Evandale. We didn’t qualify as a self contained vehicle but we didn’t really care. We arrived on/at dusk which was a signal for rain to start falling.
The three of us sat under the awning on the Pajero and ate a snack tea. After tea Susan and I pulled the already wet swag (dry inside) under the awning and settled down to sleep around 10:30pm. The rain pattered down all night. Tomorrow onto Cradle Mountain.

Cheers Simon