December 2024 - Echo Sugarloaf, Randalls Bay

To round off the year, Summa organised this pleasant walk over Echo Sugarloaf followed by a BBQ picnic at pretty Randalls Bay. There were seven walkers today: Summa, Kat, Maryanne, Janet, Di, David and Angie. Philip enjoyed a good book from a comfortable chair overlooking the bay. Caroline, Bob and Gary joined us for the after party - a picnic and BBQ at the picnic area on the beach.

The walkers set off along beautiful Randalls Bay beach on a perfect early summer's day.

Locals expecting airmail?

We passed some Parks & Wildlife staff rebuilding the steps at the beginning of the walk. Soon we were at the information shelter, where you can pick up an excellent leaflet about the Friends of Randalls Bay and the great work they are doing to look after this fairly new reserve.

Then we were heading up the hill, with plenty of stops to eat the plentiful native cherries (Exocarpos cuppressiformis) which weere in season and very abundant on this trip and also to look at the local wildlife and flowers.

There was time for a snack at the top, admiring the view.

We descended on the other side of the hill (clockwise is definitely the right direction to take for this walk).

Then it was back to the picnic shelter to meet our friends, enjoy the spread of goodies and cook a few sausages on the barbie. It was great to catch up with our mates, and share more thoughts about next year's walk plans. Thanks to Kat for these fab photos.

This walk took us 2.5 hours, probably due to the extensive talking that goes with the walking!

November 2024 - Strathblane, Duckhole Lake

This "away game" morphed from Maria Island (to the north) to Strathblane (to the south), and it turned out to be a good call by this month's organiser, Angie. Thirteen of us (Angie, Di, Kat, Philip, Gerwyn, Wayne, Maryanne, Michael, Gary, Bob, Fin, Summa, Dorothy) rolled down the Huon Highway on Thursday, several of us stopping along the way for lunch and other refreshments. Di and Angie visited Frank's in Franklin, and after lunch visited the historic church and cemetery behind it.

Maryanne and Michael tried out Communion Cafe in Geeveston and pronounced it had the best toasties they had ever had. Angie and Di visited Hastings Cave and did the 30 minute walk around the pool and the 3pm guided tour of the cave - excellent.

We all found our way to "Rivers Run" lodge at Strathblane and to our various booked cabins and campsites. The cabins seem recently refurbished and the ablutions block was quite stylish! Eventually we landed together in the large and comfortable common kitchen. It was good to see each other again, after a few months of bad weather getting in the way of our walks (!). There was time for some nibbles with a glass of something, then salads were prepared for the barbie. The barbies were well set up in a nearby shed, which also offered a fireplace opportunity for the enthusiastic firelighters amongst us.

Friday dawned and decisions were made about whether to walk or to stay in camp to rest and recuperate. In the end, three EVs (yay! a new record for our group) drove to the start of the Duckhole Lake walk. The route is reasonably well signposted, with tourist blue signage. This access road was okay, gravel and a few potholes but driveable by most vehicles. Sadly you drive through hectares of harvested regrowth forest. Note - The walk sign is hidden on the right hand side of the road, and it is easy to cross over the little bridge without noticing the carpark area on the left hand side.

The 2.3km path to the lake (4.6km total) is pretty and fairly level, winding alongside a clear tannin-rich creek. This is a very enjoyable walk, clearly well looked after as one of the 60 Great Short Walks of Tasmania. There is good quality duckboarding and bridges where required. We were on the lookout for leeches, but Kat was the only person who spotted one.

Duckhole Lake is pretty, with Adamsons Peak in the background (on the left).

We stopped for our snacks, and then set off back again.

Back at the carpark, three intrepid walkers decided to do the walk to Adamsons Falls:

Sadly we discovered the road onwards from there was in bad shape, with trees fallen across and bigger potholes. The last straw was a big tree across the road with only a muddy bog on the side to get around it, no thanks. So we turned around and enjoyed a Thelma and Louise moment as we drove back carefully through the forestry devastation.

Another group had gone on to Hastings Cave and enjoyed a swim in the thermal pool. Back at our Rivers Run base, the rest of us enjoyed a lazy afternoon in the beer garden.

Gary harvested some fresh oysters and several of the group tried them out.

Tonight's dinner was taken in the tavern, and then we wandered up to the inviting fire in the bbq hut for an evening of tall tales and even some planning for our walks in 2025! Saturday morning saw us take off at different times and in different directions. It had been a lovely break, with good friends.

October 2024 - Not Mt Field

I (Fin) write this as a co-organiser (with Di), and also as a member of one of the two (or perhaps three, in the end), subgroups that formed on the day.

I had suggested Mt Field for today’s walk because I hadn’t been there for a while… And Di then suggested Platypus Tarn. Di sensibly aso thought of a bad-weather alternative, a walk through New Norfolk she had created on the Ride with GPS app, which took in some of the Rivers Derwent and Lachlan, the former asylum, and a few town streets. Turned out the latter was prudent; the high-altitude option was looking rough, with a maximum forecast temperature of six degrees along with a fair whack of wind…

After regrettable apologies from Di (dental patient) and Philip (international traveller), six stalwarts met in New Norfolk, I am sure each eager to hear who (the bloody hell) wanted to persist with the mountains and high lakes, and who wanted to amble along the pretty riparian tracks or visit the antique shops. Over coffee (at the Arthouse cafe, which had opened by 10 am, just a bit little earlier than the previously agreed Cake Lady), Angie, Dorothy, Kat, Gary, Janet and Fin cast their ballots. Drink coffee, enjoy a croissant, do whatever. Collective sigh of relief that nobody elected to freeze, or worse, in the high country today.

Kat and Gary headed off to some shops of interest; Janet also had one in mind before heading home; and the (marginally more intrepid) trio of Angie, Dorothy and Fin took Di’s map, and set out around river and town, with the Bush Inn as their start and end point.

The town walk trio found some beautiful outlooks along the Derwent, noted some oddly written historical interpretations but plenty of public seating, enjoyed a visit to the extensive community garden on the Lachlan flats (each gratefully selecting a few packets of vege and flower seeds); skirted the former asylum including the (closed for a private event) restaurant the Agrarian Kitchen, we shared lots of the things you see when you slow it all down – and walk. The map was great, and the signage along the way was great, too.

The (not so intrepid) trio bought roadside eggs, seed potatoes and honey on the drive home through Collinsvale and Molesworth. The chooks (Isa Browns) were tempting at just $10 each.

September 2024 - Risdon Dam

Plans are meant to be changed, right? Our first plan was to walk to Fort Direction, always a pleasant walk. Our number was greatly dimished by many of us being unavailable due to work or travelling. And as the date approached, random injuries and illnesses picked more of us off one by one. Till on the day we were down to two - Di and Maryanne - and Di wasn't a hundred percent either. So we opted for a closer walk, hopefully with some protection from the September winds which were still harassing us! We drove to Risdon Dam, and had a pleasant walk around the dam.

Of course we had plenty to talk about, including reporting some wind damage to TasWater (as we're useful citizens). At the end we discovered a sweet new selfie installation - you can see that it's still windy!

We adjourned for an early lunch at Whisk in Lenah Valley. Short and sweet, and we're feeling good.

August 2024 - Bellerive Bluff

The weather was looking pretty bad for our planned walk on the Charles Darwin trail on the Eastern Shore, so most walkers decided that discretion was the better part of valour. Four walkers turned up, determined to get out of the house after days of bad weather: Lyn, Di, Caroline and Maryanne (with four legged friend Bronte).

We met at 9.30 in the carpark at the end of Cambridge Drive, Bellerive shopping centre. The weather seemed to be clearing, just in time, and we set off in good spirits. We agreed that the whole Charles Darwin Trail was off the agenda, but we could go anti-clockwise and enjoy some of the Clarence Foreshore Trail till the weather got the better of us.

There were quite a few walkers on the shared path, rugged up against the cold wind and the threatening showers. We even passed a group doing strength training on the path, creatively using the fence to test their muscles against.

It was a pleasant walk untili we reached Bellerive Bluff. Turning around, we could see the next set of black clouds rolling towards us, so we started briskly walking back again. The rain just caught us before we reached our coffee stop at the cafe at Bellerive Oval. But by the time we'd finished our coffee, and still chatting, the skies were blue again :) . We got back to Cambridge Rd within 2 hours of setting out.

It was good to get out and blow the cobwebs away. Thanks to Lyn for encouraging us do it!

July 2024 - Bivouac Bay

Ready for our July walk, Di, Janet, Wayne, Caroline, Warren and his brother Paul gathered in the Fortescue Bay carpark at 10.30am. Wayne had stayed overnight at the campground in his comfy motorhome. Di and Janet had stayed overnight in a chalet at nearby Taranna. Note, the road in was a bit treacherous. In addition to as the numerous potholes (which had been expected), the surface was pretty slimy in patches due to the recent rains.

We changed our original idea of doing the Cape Hauy trail when we considered the weather forecast, which was for high winds. The Bivouac Bay trail would be a lot more sheltered from the predicted northeasterlies. So we registered in the book and set off along the beautiful beach in good spirits.

The trail was very pleasant. Although it is not as manicured as the Cape Hauy track, the first half of the trail had recently enjoyed a little track maintenance. It was an easy stroll to Canoe Bay, taking about an hour. The shipwreck was adorned with cormorants, who were also enjoying the balmy day. There were fab views out to the Cape Hauy pillars on the other side of the bay.

It's true to report that we didn't really enjoy the hilly headland before our lunch destination at Bivouac Bay, but we made it. The campsite at Bivouac Bay now boasts three large tent platforms and a new toilet block. A clear creek provides fresh water, and the bay is very pretty.

On the way back we passed a cute young echidna enjoying digging for food on the edge of the trail. It was not nervous at all about the huge bipedal animals stopping to stare at it:

Back at the beach, we found the walk had taken us 4 hours and 40 minutes. Wayne stayed at Fortescue Bay to enjoy another peaceful night in the bush, and the rest of us headed back to look for an icecream at the Chocolate Foundry in Taranna (note - it closes at 4pm) and drinks and snacks at the Cannery at Dunalley.