We did Tasmania’s famous Overland Track!

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During the first half last year my daughter asked if I would walk “THE OVERLAND TRACK” with her.The Overland Track is one of Australia’s most famous hiking tracks situated in the Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park. More than nine thousand walkers each year complete the track. Officially, the track runs for 65 kilometres from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. However, there are many side tracks. The track winds through terrain ranging from sheer mountains, temperate rainforest, wild rivers and alpine plains all in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area.The walk is listed by Lonely Planet as one of the best in the world.Walkers usually complete the track in five or six days. This is normally done from north to south, which is the mandatory direction between 1 October and 31 May.

History

Europeans first explored Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair in the 1820s, and prospectors and hunters continued to explore the area well into the twentieth century. It was not until 1931 that fur trapper Bert Nichols blazed the Overland Track and by 1935 it was consolidated and used by independent walking parties.

Natural features

The landscape was all carved by glaciers during the last ice age, and the prominent mountains are composed of dolerite columns. The climate is generally unstable, with temperatures ranging from hot (in excess of 35 °C (95 °F)) in summer to below 0 °C (32 °F) in winter. Snow can fall at any time and is common during the winter, especially on the Cradle Mountain Plateau and around Mount Ossa (Tasmania’s highest mountain). Rain is very common, sometimes torrential though often settling to days of drizzle.

The most common fauna are Tasmanian Pademelons, possums and small rodents most of which are native. Also present, but not necessarily seen, are quoll, echidnas, Tasmanian devils and wombats. There are also the famous Tasmanian leeches. The track traverses’ areas of many types of vegetation, including Myrtle Beech forest, Eucalypts forest, Button Grass plains (swamps), alpine herb fields and shrubs and mosses.

Walking

The track is mostly well defined and adequately marked. The track condition however varies greatly. There are long sections of duckboard (boardwalk) which consist of split logs embedded in the ground, held together with wire and nails. Where there is no duckboard, the conditions can sometimes be very muddy. In winter, the mud is frozen solid early in the morning, however offsetting this is the problem of slippery ice on the duckboard.

 

 

Preparation

Both Michel & I had previously walked the track some 15 -18 years ago, so we had a good knowledge of what was required. Michel lives & works in Melbourne, so I undertook the menu planning, transport & local accommodation issues whilst she organised our Hike Permits. Michel trained by taking her dog for long walks & I did some regular walking & changed my diet a little.

Michel flew into Launceston on Saturday, January 12^th & the next day we took a bus to Cradle Mountain. In the afternoon we collected our permits & finalised our gear before having our last meal of non – hiking food for the next six days.

Day 1 Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley

Distance: 30,364 steps 19.847 km Time: 6 hours

The first half hour of the journey on the Overland Track is on boardwalk, across the buttongrass moorland. The track soon rises and passes beside Crater Falls, then follows beside Crater Lake. Michel rested and replenished here before tackling Marion’s Lookout (1250m) – the steepest section of the Overland Track. I avoided Marion’s Lookout by going via the Horse Track which is longer but not as steep. Michel left her pack at Kitchen Hut and ascended and descended Cradle Mountain which took about two hours. Upon her return we had lunch at Kitchen Hut. For the next 5km we got to enjoy sweeping views across the glacial landscape as we walked beside the base of Cradle Mountain, before steadily descending into spectacular Waterfall Valley to the hut. Once there, we felt proud that we had just completed what many regard as the most difficult day – Day 1 of Overland Track.

 

Day 2 Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere

Distance: 24,091 steps 15.41km Time 4.5 hours

Compared with the previous day’s big climb up to Marion’s Lookout and across the highest part of the Overland Track, the walk to Lake Windermere is relatively flat and leisurely – but still above 1000 metres in elevation. In the first half hour you walk through heathland and alpine gums as you skirt the rim of the spectacular Waterfall Valley cirque. About an hour down the track we reached the junction to Lake Will. We ditched our packs and enjoyed this hour side trip. This is a lovely alpine lake, fringed with ancient pencil pines and a thin rind of quartzite sand, with Barn Bluff as a dramatic backdrop. On the way, we passed several mounds of gravel – these are the remains of 1890s coal mining by Joseph Wills. From Lake Will to Lake Windermere you do feel on top of the world as you travel high across the plateau. There are expansive views to the east and west of the tarn-studded alpine moors. Windermere Hut is just beyond the lake, at the edge of a myrtle forest.

Day 3 Lake Windermere to Pelion

Distance: 32,884 steps 21.33 km Time 7 hours

We began by walking across the heathland and moorland. About 4km in, we took the short side track to the Forth Valley Lookout to enjoy a snack and great views. Back on the main track, we passed through Pine Forest Moor and continued on through button grass moorlands before crossing Pelion Creek. We then entered a glorious myrtle-beech rainforest on the eastern flanks of Mt Pelion West. It’s a gradual descent all the way through rainforest to Frog Flats – the lowest section of the Overland Track (730m above sea level). At Frog Flats we crossed the Forth River. From Frog Flats it’s a gradual walk up through more rainforest before breaking out into the open eucalypt forest on the edge of Pelion Plains. The spacious Pelion Hut is set on the edge of picturesque button grass plains, with the spectacular dolerite spires of Mt Oakleigh framing the view to the north.

 

Day 4 Pelion to Kia Ora

Distance: 21,908 steps 13.75km Time   5 hours

Today was mountain day because you start the walk at the same altitude as you finish, with Pelion Hut and Kia Ora Hut both at 850m in elevation. In between, however, you climb almost 300m to Pelion Gap. We started by ascending steadily through rainforest, at first following beside Douglas Creek. It was wet and dark in the rainforest. After a few hours, we emerged from the forest onto Pelion Gap – the exposed alpine plateau between Mt Pelion East and Mt Ossa (Tasmania’s highest mountain -1617m) The gradual descent from Pelion Gap to Kia Ora Hut through beautiful Pinestone Valley with views to your left of Cathedral Mountain, is a great part of the track and we enjoyed walking on some new duckboard whilst on the plateau.

Day 5 Kia Ora to Windy Ridge

Distance: 20,978 steps 13.3km Time 4.5 hours

Today was rainforest day. Initially the track passes through button grass, but soon you are immersed in rainforest as you skirt the lower slopes of Castle Crag. Below you and unseen from the main track, the Mersey River crashes through chasms and plunges over cliffs. About an hour into the walk, you come to a small clearing and Du Cane Hut. The hut was built in 1910 by Paddy Hartnett, a snarer, miner and bushman. A little further on, you come to the track junction marking the first side trip down to see D’Alton and Fergusson Falls – the latter named after Ranger “Fergy” – the first ranger in the south end of the park. Hartnett Falls – the tallest of the three – is a little further on, off another track junction. Back on the main track we swing to the west and begin a gradual climb to Du Cane Gap – the saddle between the Traveller Range and the Du Cane Range. We cross over the gap and start a steep descent and enter the bowl-like cirque of the Du Cane Range, sculpted by glaciers thousands of years ago. Windy Ridge and Bert Nichols Hut are a stunning location almost totally encircled by the spectacular Du Cane Range. We found it a hard day but know tomorrow will be our last!

Day 6 Windy Ridge to Narcissus OUR LAST DAY!

Distance: 24,636 steps 16.08km Time 4 hours

Today was an easy and gradual decent to Narcissus through eucalypt forest and across button grass plains with no more uphill!

Aside from pockets of wet forest beside creeks, we were walking in an environment most Australians are more familiar with – amongst tall eucalypts and fragrant heath shrubs. As you near Narcissus River, the dolerite columns of Mount Olympus form a dramatic backdrop to the moorland. The comfortable duckboard track, which protects the boggy peat soils, is a nice change, allowing us to stroll along, savouring the view, instead of constantly watching your feet. Crossing the Narcissus River is exciting – it’s the only suspension bridge on the Overland Track. A little further on, we came to the small and rustic Narcissus Hut on the banks of the Narcissus River.

On arrival at Cynthia Bay, we met my brother, Adrian, and signed the log book to confirm we had finished the hike.

It was a three-hour trip back to home and a shower! The road trip home was an opportunity for me to reflect on our extraordinary journey on one of the world’s most famous long-distance walks in the heart of Tasmania’s magnificent world heritage area. It was fantastic to have done it with my daughter.