BushwalkBushwalk
In July 2015 three friends and I set off on the renowned Overland Track, a stunning 83 kilometres winding its way from Cradle Mountain in the north to Lake St Clair in the south.
Cradle Mountain from Marions LookoutShoshannah O’Connor
Overland Track - WinterShoshannah O’Connor
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On the Bibbulmun TrackCredit to Edith Thomas
“You know it will be cold” we heard all too often. The looks of shocks and voices of concern were a constant in the months building up to our walk. Sure, the idea of heading to a Tassie winter where the weather is notoriously unstable doesn’t appeal to everyone – but it really appealed to us.
After spending the night at Waldheim Cabins ($100 for a four bed cabin), we set off early the next morning to what can only be described as a perfect day. We had hit the weather jackpot. The slow and steady climb up Marions Lookout onto the Cradle Mountain Plateau went by without a hitch as we revelled in our beautiful surroundings. Pockets of snow were scattered around the plateau but we didn’t encounter any on the actual track (thankfully).
Due to the extra weight and after reviewing the weather beforehand we opted to not carry snow shoes. The snow was patchy, we were set to have at least a couple of days of good weather and luckily for us our sturdy boots did the job fine.
By lunch we had reached Kitchen Hut and were ready to whip out the snack packs. The banana chips were a real hit. Our minds drifted to how cold and unpleasant it would be seeking refuge in the hut. But it’s nice to know it’s there.
It would have been ludicrous not to attempt Cradle Mountain summit; after all we had planned this trip knowing that there was a high chance the weather would be unfavourable for the majority of the time. Luckily for us the day was still perfect. While the summit track is not that long, maybe only 1.5-2 kilometres, it’s quite steep and rocky terrain, and on this day, snowy. There are a couple of false summits, and some deep pockets of snow and ice. It was a lot of fun making our way to the top and we were rewarded with remarkable views of the surroundings peaks and valleys. But if the weather isn’t on your side it’s probably wise to give this one a miss.
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Climbing down Cradle MountainShoshannah O’Connor
“You know it will be cold
“It was a lot of fun making our way to the top ...
BWA December 2015 | 43
Credit to Edith Thomas
We left the Cradle turnoff to go to Waterfall Valley Hut at about 4 pm. As we began the remainder of the day’s walk the sun was setting, highlighting Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff in all their glory. We couldn’t stop to enjoy the sunset though as we realised we still had a while to go and it was getting dark quick. An icy, pitch black, descent down to a very crowded Waterfall Valley Hut took us a couple of hours. The hut was packed full of walkers, and in hindsight, camping would have been a much more peaceful option. But alas, it was definitely cosy, and after a big first day, sleep was welcome.
The rest of the track continued to be as exceptional as the first day. Compared to the first day, the trip to Lake Windemere is relatively easy, and we made the quick trip out to Lake Will. We don’t often see frozen lakes so we spent a good while on this beach breaking through the ice, with the picturesque Barn Bluff in the background.
Lou, Pat and Sheamus bravely went for a swim in Lake Windermere (also capped in ice), which was highly entertaining and the source of many laughs – and shrinkages.
Day three saw us walk from Windemere to New Pelion Hut and will forever be known as the muddy day. Spirits were high to begin with and after quickly reaching Pine Forest Moor and some beautifully enchanting forests we were making good time. But our map reading skills got a little ambitious, in fact we thought we were a lot closer to New Pelion Hut than we actually were. It was a hard slog through some deep mud down to Frogs Flats with the weather closing in and the temperature dropping, hovering around 0˚C all day. Thankfully, snacks were plentiful and the sugar hit provided the energy to power us through the final stretch up to New Pelion Hut. We had a great afternoon at the hut sitting back and enjoying the views of Mt Oakleigh and Barn Bluff.
After three days we were getting increasingly efficient at packing up in the morning. On the first morning we left well after 9am. By day four we were essentially seasoned hikers, packing away sleeping bags, cooking gear and clothes into our packs like tetris masters. All before 7.30! The fourth day was a short one, making it to Kia Ora Hut just after lunch. The weather was closing in and we even got a bit of snow as we headed up Mt Doris.
The spectacular views from Cradle Mountain. From left Patrick Cooley, Shoshannah O’Connor, Sheamus O’Connor and Louise Purcell.Shoshannah O’Connor
“... our map reading skills got a little ambitious ...
“By day four we were essentially seasoned hikers ...
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Shoshannah is a Brisbane geologist and part-time masters geology student. Growing up in a family that appreciated the outdoors and camping has spurred her on to pursue it as an adult. Nothing beats the serenity of the wilderness and she has recently started a blog to document her hiking adventures. Have a read here maketrails.wordpress.com
Unfortunately we couldn’t give Mt Ossa a crack.
Day five was to be a big day. We planned on stopping at Bert Nichols Hut (Windy Ridge) for a quick lunch and continue on before heading north-west off the main track about halfway along between Bert Nichols and Narcissus to Pine Valley Hut. There are some beautiful side trips to be seen on this day, and they are worth the short detours.
A nice hot lunch of mi goreng (the lunch of champions) at Bert Nichols lifted our spirits for the final push to Pine Valley of about 10 kilometres. By this late stage the rain had started to bucket down and we made pretty decent time through the moss covered forests. Pine Valley Hut was like something out of a murder film. At Pine Valley there were three solo walkers. They were quite odd characters and if we hadn’t been a group of four we probably would have felt a bit uncomfortable. In all honesty though, the hut is well worth the detour. It has a coal heater and is nestled into a forest on the edge of The Acropolis. The views were spectacular and are worth the 10 kilometres round trip.
The next day we ventured off early aiming to reach Echo Point Hut. We had already planned to walk around Lake St Clair as we
had heard that you haven’t truly walked the Overland Track unless you walk around the lake. The day was another long one, filled with some beautiful views of the lake. The sight of Echo Point was a welcome relief though. A tiny four person hut, right on the edge of the lake, with a jetty. There was only one option. We had to get the coal fireplace burning as hot as possible and go for a swim.
We woke early on the last morning and there were mixed feelings about setting off for the final time. We were eager to get to the real food awaiting us at the Lake St Clair Lodge, but also a bit sad for the beauty and simplicity of walking the Overland Track was coming to an end. The weather held and the final 10.5 kilometres was a peaceful walk through boggy rainforest that opens up into much drier woodlands. It’s a beautiful walk and we even came across a flock of yellow-tailed black cockatoos screeching in the treetops.
The Overland Track offers some of Australia’s best scenery. It’s a remote wilderness and thankfully looked after incredibly well by the Parks and Wildlife Service. Don’t let winter put you off either – we had fantastic weather most of the time, give or take a bit of rain.
Last morning at Echo Point Hut
“... the rain had started to bucket down ...
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