After some late withdrawals, due to
(thankfully minor) medical issues, this walk had three participants: Angie
McGowan, George Plumb and Angie’s young neighbour Kailash Walker. Thanks Angie for this excellent story and pictures!
We took with us The Wilderness Society’s
Self Drive Guide notes, downloaded from the TWS website: https://www.wilderness.org.au/upper-florentine-self-drive-guide.
The drive from Hobart to the Timbs Track is about 2 hours. The walk to the
Florentine River is a relaxed 2 hours one-way.
We met up at George’s place in Sandy Bay
and set off at about 9am. The start of the Timbs track is about 21 km past
Maydena, and the small car-park at the side of the road is clearly signposted.
After checking out the new interpretations sign we
started walking at around 11am. The first part of the track, through lovely mixed
forest, was slow-going with lots of fallen trees across the track. But after half
an hour of clambering and diversions we got to more open country, which was much
easier going, although there were a couple of very large puddles which we
skirted around. We discovered at least two species of tadpoles in the puddles!
About
an hour from the track head, there is a wooden platform look-out a short distance
to the right of the track. You can’t see the look-out from the track, but there
is a small painted sign showing the way. From there we had great views of the
surrounding mountains and across the forest to the Florentine.
About another half hour, mostly downhill,
the Timbs Track meets the Old Adamsfield Track. Here we took the left turn
westwards towards the Florentine River. The Adamsfield Track, which is wider
and still has some old cording in places, goes through some lovely forest down
to the River. A few metres before the River, there are two huts. The first, on
the right hand side of the track, is the newly reconstructed Ewes Inn hut –
which would be a very welcome shelter in inclement weather. The second hut, on
the left hand side of the track, is in a ruinous condition.
With a couple of brief stops for snacks and
to check out the wildlife (tadpoles and birds) and the views, we got to the
Florentine River about 1pm, where we had our picnic lunch and refilled water
bottles . We didn’t cross the River, but this would be possible by walking carefully
over some large fallen logs. The old bridge across the river has long gone.
The walk back to the car park took about
1.75 hours, with fewer stops for snacking etc. On the way back along the
Adamsfield Track we saw a tiger snake wriggling away from us. The forecast
showers didn’t eventuate. And we got back to Hobart about 5.30pm.
