BushwalkBushwalkWell done, you have planned and booked your walk and are ready to go. We have two quick checklists here just to make sure everything is in order. One to check before leaving home and one for when you're ready to start the walk.
It is worth spending a few minutes to just make sure you have everything. The first time I did the Overland Track I managed to loose my cooking pot between leaving home and starting the walk. I only realised once we got to our first camp - we managed, but it would have been easier if I realised earlier.
Ready to leave home?
A well prepared bushwalker can deal with a wide range of conditions but no one is invincible. Sometimes tracks are closed or re-routed. There maybe fires already burning in the area or elevated fire danger ratings. Weather forecasts may predict extreme conditions for bushwalkers.
It is said that there is 'no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing'; this is a lovely sentiment and half true. Good clothing will allow you to enjoy much more extreme conditions (and you really should have a good rain jacket and other clothing) but there are limits to what clothes can do. No clothing will protect you from lighting, flash flooding, or a bushfire on a extreme fire danger day. Please do not push on regardless; check the conditions, heed the advice of Parks staff and other experienced bushwalkers.
Do you have all your food sorted and packed well?
I recommend you to put your food into a few dry bags to help protect from rodents and birds on track.
There are probably a few last-minute fresh bits of food to get before you start walking, like fruit, vegies or bakery products. Make sure you make a list so you know what to get (and don't weigh your pack down with food you do not need).
Check all your gear, waterproof it and pack it all well. Check your pack is filled well, nothing sharp or pointy rubbing on the inside. Make sure everything is inside your pack (avoid having your tent, sleeping pad or other items hanging on the outside).
Check and adjust your harness, walk around the block and make sure it fits well.
You will probably also want an overnight bag for before and after your walk. A fresh change of clothes, comfortable shoes and clean socks (you will really love them). Extra toiletries and anything else that would be nice but not needed on track. If you have a car you can leave it there or possibly with your accommodation or transport company.
Make sure you pack all your booking details/tickets for the track, accommodation, transport and insurance. Also carry your passport, drivers licence or other ID you will need for your travels.
A really important thing you can do to improve your safety on track, is to let someone responsible know what your plans are and what to do if you are late returning. This is a good thing to do for any bush walk, especially longer and multi-day walks like this.
Give them details about your walking plans, gear list, accommodation and transport plans. Also give them the names, contact details and medical issues of people in your group. Importantly let them know when you expect to finish the walk and when they should call the police if you do not let them know you are safely out.
If you get lost, it is important that someone notices you are delayed and calls for your rescue as your backup plan. Although most of the year there other people on the track who will lend a hand if you need it, it is still possible to loose the track or not see other people.
As you walk, fill in logbooks at each track head and at each hut. Search and Rescue teams will use these to help refine their search.
Tasmania is a unique place with very vulnerable ecosystems. It is easy to accidentally import weeds and diseases that can devastate entire landscapes, such a phytophthora.
Tasmanian Biosecurity Checks
On entry to Tasmania (at the airport and ferry), a team is working to avoid the import of pests, weeds and diseases to the island. Check their requirements and work with them, feel free to ask questions and please do not cut corners.
Overland Track Biosecurity
There are no formal checks at the start of the Overland Track to reduce the risk of spreading disease and seeds. Here are a few things you can do now and be prepared to do at the start to protect this important place.
* No pets are allowed. If you have a guide or other assistance animal please speak with Parks staff about managing bio security and other issues on track.
* Check socks, boots, boot laces, clothes for any seeds and remove them.
* Wash all water bottles well with detergent and hot water before getting to the park.
* Clean all traces of dirt from all your equipment (tent footprint, boots, packs, etc)
* Sterilise all hardwear that comes in touch with dirt (tent pegs, tent poles, toilet trowel, boots, hiking poles, etc). Use a 70% solution of methylated spirits in a spray bottle.
* Use boot cleaning stations where they are available.
Ready to start walking?
The day before and the morning of your walk.
Use your shopping list to get last minute items. This will primarily be fresh food & fuel for your stove. There are basic provisions at the information centre at the start of the walk, but better to buy from the major centres when you arrive in Tasmania where you have more options.
Last check to make sure you have all you need including food. Check your pack is well fitted and everything is secure.
PRO TIP: Help protect your back from twisting when lifting your heavy pack. Lift your friend's pack so they can put the harness on without twisting. If there is a table nearby, stand your pack on the table to help put it on.
Otherwise lift you pack to your knee first and take care to minimise twisting or bending.
Drop in to the Visitor Centre at the start of the walk to check in with the staff there. You will be able to pick up your Overland Track Pass (on the morning of the walk or the afternoon before) and purchase a Parks entry pass if you don't have one (this is in addition to your Track Pass).
The staff with give you an introduction to the Overland Track and any current information on relevant park closures, bushfires risks, and weather forecasts. Please feel comfortable to ask the questions and be prepared to learn something new no matter how experienced you are.
Parks Tasmania has a planning page for the Overland Track that is worth checking out.
Attach your walking pass to your pack.
Even outside the permit season, please drop in and see the staff at the start of the walk and let them know your plans and hear their advice.
Stop for a minute. I know it is exciting but it is worth making sure you and your walking buddies are all feeling fit and well. Check-in with each other and address any concerns people may have after the briefing - and address them now. If you are not sure, chat with Parks staff.
Make sure your water bottles are filled and you are well hydrated. Now is a good time to use a flushing toilet one last last time for the week.
Message your responsible person to let them know you are starting. Tell them any changes or anything else they should know.
The official start of the Overland Track is from Ronny Creek, about 7km south from the Visitors Centre (towards Dove Lake).
Most of the year (mid September to mid May) you can take the free shuttle bus from the Visitors Centre to Ronny Creek. These leave about every 20 minutes depending on demand between 8am and 5pm.
Alternatively, a friend can drive you to Ronny Creek (but the boom gates may be closed when the park is too busy). They will need the National Parks Pass for their car as well. There is no long term parking at Ronny Creek, so best to leave your car in the area behind the visitors centre (or better still at the Lake St Clair end of the walk). The shuttle bus is there to minimise traffic on the road, so I recommend the bus over driving.
At the Ronny Creek car park and shuttle bus stop is a small timber shelter with a trip intentions log book. Please sign the log book before you start off.
If you are staying at Waldheim Cabins the night before, you don't need to come back here. There is a log book there where you start walking from, at the top of the cabins area.
From Ronny Creek car park, cross the road. Grab some starting photos at the trackhead sign and start walking along the signposted Overland Track, following the timber boardwalk gently up the Ronny Creek valley.
You will spend a bit of time playing with your pack and looking out for wombats through this valley. After crossing the timber bridge, you will start your first and biggest climb on the main spine of the Overland Track. Don't rush; enjoy the views, waterfalls and settling into your big adventure.
Happy Walking.
