Cradled in Tasmania

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Cradled in Tasmania Hazel Roberts We expected it to be hot, and it was. Everybody crowded into the cool oft the Parks and Wildlife. Service (PWS) visitor centre where the rangers warned us about potential hazards, both wildlife and weather, and gave reassuring advice about snakes. ay Walker and I were setting off on Tasmania's - Great Walk: the 85 km Overland Track at Cradle Mountain/Lake St. Clair. The tramp passes through a variety of terrain, from: snowy, wind-blasted alpine territory to verdant beech forest, and is far more interesting than we expected. Day 1's tramping started with a lunch stop. We set off from Waldheim Chalet, the original starting point for the Overland Track. An arid scrubby bit of ground, home to lots of wallabies, soon led to the shelter of a pocket of rainforest with a lovely waterfall. How unexpected and how pretty! We made our acquaintance with the local birdlife a large black bird, the currawong, eyed us with interest and croaked with laughter at our efforts (as did other currawongs throughout the Park). Wei ignored him and set off into the open scrub again. Waterfall Valley is a lovely location, entered via a long downhill slope at the edge of the dark and impressive Waterfall Cirque which falls sheer for 100m. We pitched camp by a stream fringed by trees, chased away the wallabies, and went to bed early. The route out follows the edge of a cirque and short trips can be taken to view the many waterfalls in the area. Alas, therel hadl been no rain for a couple of weeks so the waterfalls were not much in evidence. We saw our first and only snake, a tiny little thing about 20 cm long, in a great hurry to get away from us. There are many small lakes in the area, set like exquis- Lake Will and Barn Bluff Hazel Roberts ite jewels in the landscape. We visited Lake Will which snuggles beneath Barn Bluff, an impressive feature of the plateau. Lake Will's waters looked coolly refreshing. Off We were uncertain where to camp that night. Our procame the clothes and in we plunged - as far as the jected site had been closed to allow the area to regenknees! This lake is inhabited by a curious species of fish, erate. We considered camping further on at Frog Flat, the galaxia, whose habits apparently include taking whose claim to fame is not of frogs but of the size of the strolls overland. leeches. Our slow descent from Pine Forest Moor took us through pleasant beech forest to a damp-looking area Lake Windermere, and our second night's camp.. Again, which we later learned was Frog Flat. We pressed on to the hut was almost empty, and the camping area, rather more pleasant territory. crowded. The lake is dark from the tannin in the soil and absorbs the warmth of the sun, so a lovely swim was to Our arrival at Old Pelion Hut was again at a location only be enjoyed. Local wildlife here includes pademelons, a a few minutes off the beaten track. A grassy knoll supsort of shy half-size wallaby. plied a perfect camping spot; a small river provided a deep pool, safe for swimming. As other trampers arrived, Day 3 began early and we moved quickly. It was over- we noticed that swimming gear was definitely optional. cast, becoming cold and unpleasant at times; the Pine Forest Moor was a less than welcoming place to linger. The terrain was now distinctly different from the plateau The lakes were all dried up and the wind was cutting. of Cradle Mountain. We had entered plains country, a Tramping and Mountaineering 1997 wide shallow valley with tall beech trees on one side. The path sidles between the trees and into a small clearing to the New Pelion Hut. A short contemplation of the interior of the dunny was called for rudely interrupted by an unexpected visitor. This visitor was found creeping up my calf, waving around (to its friends?) - a leech! Horrible! A rapid exit from the dunny and introduction to the salt jar soon persuaded the visitor its presence was not welcome. Today was the day for the top. It's a steepish 300m ascent through beautiful Lake St. Clair Walker bush to Pelion Gap, the Ray junction for the side trip to Mt. Ossa, thel highest point in Tasmania at 1,617m. Mt. The next day was an excursion to The Labyrinth. This Ossa's twin peaks look like a gateway. At the "gateway", involves a steep climb up through the bush to a we boggy were only halfway up! More climbing up through plateau. There was nothing exciting about this place. snow, but it wasn't quite So steep now. A big patch of Why was it So recommended in all the hut books? And snow accented the summit ridge, a 200m dolomite wall then, suddenly the other edge of the plateau and a topped by a jumbled heap of huge cubes, precariously view down into a secret valley, a hidden bowl, intrigubalanced against each other. We ventured on, aware that ing in its strange pillow-like rock formations; little lakes, a slip could mean getting wedged in between some of and vivid splashes of colour. It looked worth the effort these giant dice with no handholds to assist escape. of scrambling down to explore. Indeed it was. The rock is clearly very old and has deep scours in all directions, An awesome thunderstorm started on the surrounding where ice scraped across it millennia before. Beautiful hills 20 km away. Lightning ripped at the purple, bruised clear lakes fringed with tiny pencil pines and scarlet sky to the north. Long rolls of thunder reverberated waratahs filled the area. So very different from anything round thel horizon. Vulnerable on this exposed ridge, we else on the trip, this place belonged to another time. had little choice but to watch and enjoy; there was no Mistily in the background, The Wall cut it off from the quick escape route. rest of the world. Pressed in by the cloud, even the air felt different. Brooded over by The Acropolis, this secret Day 5 started with a meander through gum forest to Du place was guarded at all points. Cane Hut, an historic monument. After Du Cane Hut, we were into rainforest. We found a perfect camping spot Day 7 we arrived at Narcissus Hut at Lake St. Clair. A at Hartnett Falls but regrettably it was too earlyi in the day family of platypus live here, but we didn't see them. Ray to set up camp. Up through the bush to Du Cane Gap, wasn't feeling well and radioed for space on the ferry and then down steeply at the side of a bushclad cirque boat. Waiting for the boat in brilliant sunshine, it seemed to Windy Ridge Hut. Windy it certainly was, and cold. unreal that we had just spent the last week in such var- A conveniently sited bare rock offered a suitable seat. ied country and climate. Ray waved back cheerily as the Bare was definitely the flavour of the day: a vicious boat zoomed away, leaving me to complete the track and chomp on the exposed part on my buttock reminded us walk out the next day. that the wildlife was more than the ubiquitous wallabies. Some wildlife was only 3 cm long - - fire ant variety. It was 3 hours' walk along the lakeside to Echo Point Hut. Down the lake, the gloom and rain now hid the end Still feeling reasonably fresh, we voted with our feet for ofthej journey. Outside the wind raged and waves threw as side trip up Pine Valley. Two or three hours up thel hill, themselves at the jetty. The platypus family here chose and not feeling quite so fresh, we disturbed a wombat, not to visit tonight. A rat did visit though and ate a hole the only one we saw on the whole trip, which encour- in my new pack, munched out the last of my chocolate, aged us to keep moving in the hope of seeing others. We and meticulously shredded the scroggin bag. found an idyllic camping spot a little beyond the hut beside the delightful Cephissus Falls, a miniature cirque Ray, fully recovered, sauntered along the track to meet with a beautiful pool at its foot. me the next day, bearing a gift of a chocolate bar. Tramping and Mountaineering 1997