September 2025 - Two Islands Bay

We had an excellent turnout for this month's walk (probably because we had missed our monthly catchup last month due to nasty weather). Anyhow, Kat organised this outing to the Tasman Peninsula and eleven of us gathered at the end of White Beach Road, White Beach: Kat, Philip, Prem, Fin, Summa, Di, Angie, Maryanne, Janet, Gerwyn, Wayne.

It was about a two hours' drive from the city to get there, including a stop to pick up coffee. The weather was pretty changeable, with wind, sun and possible showers threatening, so we took a few layers of clothing to choose from.

The walking trail quickly took us away from the White Beach holiday shacks and we wandered along the shore line of the bay through pretty grasslands - dry bushland, groves of sheoak, and tussocky grasslands.

The views over the bay were spectacular, we could see kunanyi in the distance and what looked like Fort Direction in between.

The path became less defined, and we picked our way through the tussocks, but it would be hard to get lost here. The trail passes through some private property and so we had to negotiate a couple of gates - at one fence we had to just step over it. Kat had previously checked with the farmer landowner that it would be ok for us to walk through today, that it would not be a bad time for the farm or unduly disturb the sheep. We were pleased to discover that the land is protected by a series of conservation covenants, such a good thing because this area is definitely worth protecting.

We approached Wedge Island and at a rocky point near the island we stopped for first snack (or second breakfast). If you look closely you will see a neat rock fort that some locals have built for the kids!

We were egged onwards, over a small hill and around a small bay, to eventually look over the cliffs to Two Island Bay.

This is where we stopped for proper lunch.

Some of the more adventurous rockhopped down onto the beach to investigate it more closely.

There was a bit of weather approaching, so we soon headed back on much the same way we had come, but taking a couple of short cuts so the return felt a deal quicker than the trip out.

We said our goodbyes and headed off, feeling exercised and mellow. The walk had been over a distance of 10km and had taken us about 2.5 hours, including our two stops. There were some EV shenanigans on the way back. Both Kat and Di were planning to recharge a bit while enjoying coffee and snacks at The Cannery at Dunalley. Unfortunately a couple of tourists had just pulled in and needed a large charge for a trip to Launceston. Di, whose need was greater, continued on with her passengers to charge at Sorell - the afternoon tea options were not as attractive here, it must be said.

July 2025 - Knocksofty Track on Knocklofty

Fin organised this little jaunt on Knocklofty hill which is a familiar green presence for Hobart residents, providing a buffer between the city and kunanyi/Mt Wellington. Some new trails have recently been completed by the Council, connecting Knocklofty to kunanyi. We wanted to check out the new Knocksofty Track and also to make some sense of the maps that had been published. So on another lovely sunny but cool winter's day we gathered at the first picnic table near the carpark at the top of Forest Road. We were twelve: Fin, Lyn, Angie, Wayne, Gerwyn, Janet, Philip, Maryanne (and Bronte), Bob, Di, Peter and Catherine. For the first part of the walk we also enjoyed the company of new friend Annie who is an avid bird photographer.

We avoided the more challenging heights of Knocklofty summit by making a circle around the lower regions. First we meandered along the Sandy Spit track, and then moved up a little along the Mt Stuart Track which overlooks, you guessed it, the suburb of Mt Stuart, and which heads towards the Mt Stuart Lookout.

This is a very pleasant trail through open bushland, with occasional wallabies to be seen (Bronte got quite excited). Then we turned around the hill onto Woodman's Track. At the intersection with the North Slope Fire Trail we identified the connection to the new Knocksofty track. [We didn't find the signage very helpful].

Following our noses a bit, we found the junction of Knocksofty Track, designed as a gradual uphill climb for MTBs, and Yellow Hippo Track, designed as a fast downhill track for MTBs.

We took the Knocksofty Track on the left, and found it a long and steady (extreme zig zag) walk down the hill.

Bike riders were enjoying the tracks too, we passed quite a few rolling slowly up the zig zags or steaming along the downhills. Still following our noses through some intersections with fire trails, we found a large open area at Noah's Saddle, perfect for a lunch stop. This distance of about 5.5km had taken us about two hours.

Gerwyn, Fin and Angie came upon some industrial history, a sawpit, just near Noah's Saddle:

The new trail continues from here to complete the connection into Wellington Park, but we were happy to turn around and return along the same track. To shorten the trip back, we turned right at the Forest Road Fire Trail, which runs along the west flank of Knocklofty, skirting the McRobies Gully tip. This trail was another new experience for us and it was interesting to see the tip from a new perspective.

It was also quick, as we found it only took about an hour to get back to the top of Forest Road and the carpark. So this walk, including lunch and debates about directions, took us a total of about 3.5 hours.

June 2025 - Coningham Nature Recreation Area

We were favoured with excellent weather for our June walk - cool but sunny, with almost no wind. Nine of us gathered at David's house for a 10am start - David, Di, Kat, Philip, Lyn, Bob, Janet, Angie, David's neighbour John, and we also had David's dog Maya as our friendly companion for the morning.

We entered Coningham Nature Recreation Area at the top of Hopwood St, where David showed us our path for the day on the interpretation map.

After our favourite photo opp, the group shot (and thanks to Kat for most of these fab photos), we headed up into the reserve. The going was up and up, through dry scrubby bush which is well loved by walkers, dog walkers and mountain bikers. Some efforts have been made to minimise the encroach of Spanish Heath and there has been some hazard reduction burning around the fire trails.

The views were good, this from a spot about halfway up Sheppards' Hill.

The day was warming, and so were we. Layers were coming off as we proceeded upwards.

Near the top we found a couple of teepees made from branches, and a good log for resting on. Then it was onwards again and soon the track was levelling out.

We stopped for snacks where the track meets the extension of Coningham Rd (this is gated further back towards Coningham Beach). A few large rocks provided seating, and the chats continued over muesli bars, choc coated hazelnuts and drinks.Then we turned downhill to go to the end of the road where we entered the Snug Point Track. This pretty track skirts along the shore of North West Bay, with Bruny Island seemingly very close to the east and Tinderbox Hills (where we walked last month) just over the water to the northeast.

Legacy Beach feels like an isolated retreat, having no public access for vehicles.

We continued along the meandering clifftop path, loving the views.

Back at Coningham Beach we paused to capture a snapshot of the team.

Compare this to a similar scene on a previous occasion (July 2013):

Saying goodbye to John at the beach carpark, we returned to the clifftop trail for the very short leg back to David's place. We found that that this walk had taken us three hours. Now we enjoyed our picnic lunches and drinks in sunshine and comfortable chairs, before finally tearing ourselves away to return to our busy lives.

May 2025 - Tinderbox Hills

The last Friday in May was a cold but lovely sunny day for our walk in the Tinderbox Hills, organised by Angie. The walk passes through two privately managed reserves: The Thinking Frog Reserve and the Tasmanian Land Conservancy’s Tinderbox Hills Reserve.

The Tinderbox Hills track from Estuary Drive to Mt Louis Road is about 5 kilometres, plus the extra bit to the top of Mt Louis. There are several hills, with Mount Louis not actually being the highest!

We met up at the turning circle at the end of Estuary Drive, Blackmans Bay, ready to set off around 10am. The crew comprised Angie, Di, Angie’s friend Lee, Warren, Caroline, Bob, Wayne, Gerwyn, Janet, Di and Dorothy. The Tinderbox Hills track starts out as a narrow trail between private house blocks, but soon connects to an easy-going fire trail through land managed by Kingborough Council.

The yellow dotted line here is our route, with an extension at the end to climb Mount Louis:

Although the track itself is wide, there are quite a few steep sections so those of us with walking poles made good use of them.

After about 45 minutes we stopped just before the entrance to the Thinking Frog Reserve for snacks and to admire the view across the Derwent Estuary to South Arm, the Iron Pot, Betsey Island and beyond. We listened out for bird calls and tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to identify them. The Tinderbox Hills are best known as an important habitat for Forty Spotted Pardalotes and Swift Parrots.

Thinking Frog is a privately owned reserve which is protected by a Conservation Covenant under the Nature Conservation Act.

The track took us through this lovely little private reserve, including past a small pond. The water level was very low, and I wondered how the frogs were coping. A further 15 minutes walking brought us to the entrance to the TLC’s Tinderbox Hills Reserve.

There is another nice spot to stop and enjoy the peaceful bush at the top of the next hill, where a stone cairn has been built.

The track then follows the boundary with the adjacent Parks and Wildlife Service Tinderbox Hills Reserve and continues down to the Mt Louis Road entrance. Most folk stopped for lunch around 11.50am at the Mt Louis Road entrance, as there are some large logs to sit on there. Di and Dorothy continued along the Mt Louis Road and found the start of the short but very steep track to the top of Mt Louis. The rest of us caught them up after lunch.

On the top we explored the remains of the Mt Louis Signal Station. I’ve since found out it was built by convicts for Governor Sorell in the 1820s.

And then we retraced our steps along the track, some of us noticing features and other paths we hadn't noticed on the way through (too busy talking!).

We got back to the cars at Estuary Drive just before 3pm. The total distance we walked was 10.8km, taking about 5 hours with our stops for snacks, lunch and explorations. This is a lovely escape from the city, yet so close!