December 2025 - Platypus Tarn, Mt Field NP

Once again, Bob got the guernsey to organise this month's walk. A visit to Platypus Tarn had been planned a couple of times in the past and postponed due to weather conditions, now was our big chance. We expected it would be a pleasant stroll, with excellent views of a pretty mountain tarn, hopefully with a platypus sighting thrown in, and then a congenial nosh up at the cafe at the Visitors Centre.

A large group of thirteen convened up at the Lake Dobson carpark by 10.30am. We were: Bob, Summa, Gary, Philip, Kat, Janet, Wayne, Fin, Catherine, Peter, Di, David, Brenda. It was about an hour and 45 minutes drive from the city, and the drop in temperature up there was very noticeable as we poured ourselves out of the cars and quickly into additional layers! Some slight showers seemed to be imminent despite the weather forecast, which had just mentioned "haziness". Now we realised that the haziness was due to clouds - we were in them.

We set off a little after the appointed time of 10.30am. Thanks to Kat for this and many other memorable photos.

First we took the trail around the left side of Lake Dobson, the Pandani Grove Nature Walk. This is a beautiful and popular little walk, one of Tassie's "60 Great Short Walks". It is packed with pencil pines and the eponymous towering Richea pandanifolia. Also the more humble Richea scoparia.

Spring flowers were plentiful, and we could focus well on them as the more distant views of the Lake were obscured by a romantic mist.

Emerging from the Pandani Grove trail, we turned left onto a fire trail which skirted around the right hand side of Eagle Tarn. Then we turned right onto the trail signposted for Lake Webster and Twilight Tarn. Finally we found a signpost to the left for Platypus Tarn.

The track now descended fairly steeply into the mist, requiring a fair bit of concentration to navigate the rocks and tree roots.

The track was damp and slippery, and kept going down. Most of us were taken by surprise, realising we had not paid much attention to the topographical lines on the map!

We finally reached the tarn, which was swathed in thick mist, at 11.30am.

It was time for snacks, and peering around for a platypus sighting.

The clouds shifted now and then, offering glimpses of the lake.

No platypus sightings today, sadly. Twenty minutes later we set off back up the hill.

Half the group took the quicker route back directly along the fire trail, rriving back at about 12.50pm. The other half revisited the Pandani Grove trail, and took a bit longer to get back. Then we rolled back down the Lake Dobson Rd to the Visitors Centre, where we settled in for a late lunch. Our chatting continued non-stop of course, and the day made a very pleasant end to our year of walking and talking.

November 2025 - Crescent Beach

Thankyou Bob for this walk story and fab photos. Our planned walk for this month had to be postponed so an old favourite was substituted: Crescent Beach on the Tasman Peninsula. This is a shortish, about 7.5km, return walk that is relatively flat with coastal views, a blowhole and ending at the always stunning Crescent Beach. An added bonus today was that it was wildflower season. Only 4 could make it this time: Gaz, Gerwyn, Wayne and Bob.

The walk starts at the carpark for Remarkable Cave at the end of Safety Cove Road. It’s about 1hr 30mins drive from Hobart. We headed off a little after 10am and the abundance of wildflowers was immediately evident. About 10 minutes in we stopped at a lookout over Maingon Bay to soak in the peaceful atmosphere.

We then carried on along the well graded gravel path through consistent fields of wildflowers until we came to the Maingon Blowhole. A bridge over the blowhole was erected a few years ago and provides an excellent view straight down into the hole.

The walk continues with coastal views and wildflowers until turning to cross over the ridgeline to Crescent Bay, there is an excellent view of the Beach from its high point. There’s a 30mins side track to Mt Brown but none of us took up that option.

We arrived at Crescent Beach a little before 12:00 for lunch and a brief exploration around the waterline and the rocks.

The return trip was taken a little more slowly to stop and photograph the wildflowers and we arrived back at our cars around 3:00. We then headed to the Blue Seal Seafood Shack at Eaglehawk Neck for coffee before heading home.