Last updated: 10th March 2006
Gallery of the Overland Track
At the end of Feb 2006, we finally completed the Overland Track from Cradle Mountain to Lake Sinclair in Tasmania. I've only been talking about it for five years, so it was a little overdue!
Ignore what everyone says about it being the busiest walk in Australia and that this is no wilderness. This is an absolute stunner. It frequently appears on the list of top walks of the world and for good reason. I was expecting groomed trails - yes, there is a lot of duck boarding to protect the fragile environment - and to see people on the trail all the time. It's just not like that. The variety of scenery and flora that you walk through every day is incredible. Add to that, the social interaction every night in the huts before retiring to your tent and it all makes for a fantastic experience. We were very fortunate with the weather, which only delivered us a day of rain over the seven days we were on the trail.
From here the track eased as he headed across the Cradle Mountain plateau to Kitchen Hut (home to a family of quolls!). As the weather was still fine and the hour early, we dropped our heavy packs and headed up the path to the summit of Cradle Mountain. The path soon disintegrates into a boulder hopping exercise which because a boulder climbing exercise near the summit. It is a slow going and but the views from the summit across to Barn Bluff and the path ahead were our reward.
We quickly descended to our packs for a little lunch before heading across the open plateau towards Barn Bluff. At the edge of the Cradle Cirque, the path splits, one descending to Waterfall Valley and the other to the summit of Barn Bluff. The vista south across to Mount Pelion West and beyond are very special. How lucky were we with the weather? We headed down towards the Waterfall Valley Huts. We were both feeling strong and it was still only mid afternoon so we decided to push on to Windemere Hut. This two hour section cuts across spectacular high moorland. It mercifully differs in two ways from the Alpine High Country in Victoria. One, there is plenty of water, even late in the summer, and, two, there are hardly any flies!
Windemere Hut is spectacularly set close to Lake Windemere. where some brave souls were deciding to have a refreshing dip. Tent platforms are provided to protect the environment. The hut itself is very recent. It was in the hut that we were to meet many of the characters with whom we would share many of the following nights.
Having a nice dry hut to pack in is a real luxury on days like this. The rain was only light but we were engulfed in swirling cold mist, cutting off any views of the surrounds. One of our fellow campers was in training for a marathon the following month and had been out for a run on the trail before breakfast. What do they say about mad dogs and Englishmen in the midday sun? Ben and Scott, two young lads from Melbourne Uni (soon to be known as the Brokeback Boys) were busy preparing for the day by wrapping themselves in bin liners with plastic bags for gaitors! Who needs Gortex anyway?
We headed off across the moorland, the mist swirling atmospherically around us. Considering this was to be the only rain of our trip, it really wasn't that bad. It really gave you an appreciation of the duckboarding. It was obvious that this would have been a slow and muddy slog before it was constructed. Soon we were climbing and descending through beautiful forest and heading down to Frog Flats. Here the started to experience the tree roots and rocky paths that we were used to. If you believe some people, the Overland Track is a groomed, wheel chair friendly experience. Although it has many sections of duckboarding (to protect the environment and not to make it easier for us!), it is still at times rough.
In our traditional manner, we stopped for lunch in the rain, only to find the perfect spot five minutes further along the trail once we started walking again! From Frog Flats, the trail ascends gradually to the Pelion Plains, home to old and new Pelion Hut, our home for the second night. New Pelion Hut is the largest hut on the trail, probably due to nearby access from the Arm River track. It it stunning set in the edge of the forest looking north to Mt Oakleigh, not that we could see it when we arrived. We decided to stay in the hut for the night as it was still raining. Soft, I know, but when the huts are there, why not use them?
The Brokeback boys arrived cold and wet. In fact, the wettest part of them was the areas covered by the plastic bags. You see, Goretex does work, after all! I leant Ben some of my dry and warm clothes and some hot soup soon sorted them out. By early evening, the rain had stopped and the skies were clearing. Mt Oakleigh appears out of the cloud. We're we to be blessed with good weather for Mt Ossa the next day?
Track notes - under construction!
Day 1
Ronny Creek to Windemere Hut (side trip to Cradle Mtn)
Day 2
Windemere Hut to New Pelion Hut
Day 3
New Pelion Hut to Kia Ora Hut (side trip to Mt Ossa)
Day 4
Kia Ora Hut to Pine Valley Hut (side trip to Harnett Falls)
Day 5
Rest day exploring the Labyrinth
Day 7
Pine Valley Hut to Echo Point Hut
Day 7
Echo Point Hut to Cynthia Bay
Day 1 - Ronny Creek to Windemere Hut
A little before nine in the morning, we were dropped off at Ronny Creek by the shuttle bus. A cool wind was blowing across the button grass but the sky was a cloudless blue and it was shaping up to be a beautiful day. The trail starts easy enough from here, heading across the plains, following a creek through the forest. It wasn't long before we arrived at the old boat house on Crater Lake. After a brief pause we were up on the ridge separating Crater from Dove Lake. Ahead of us was the steep climb to Marion's Lookout, a short section that involves hauling on chains! The reward was out first view of Cradle Mountain, looming proud over Dove Lake.
Day 2 - Windemere Hut to New Pelion Hut
We awoke to light, misty rain. It has been raining most of our night not that it had bothered us. We had been too busy fending of possums who had already raided dried fruit from someone's pack. The fat little things seemed completely unfraid of us or our attempts to chase them away!
Day 3 - New Pelion Hut to Kia Ora Hut