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.