Mount Manfred, Waratah flowers
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Horizontal, Manfred, Cuvier & Goulds – Part One

Dolerite cliffs of Mount Manfred with waratahs flowering below Five days off in January - what a treat! While Kylie was focused on her Overland Track with side trips speed mission (There’s a story for another day!), I set my sights on some Abel adventuring. Over the past year I’ve had the opportunity to skipper the little ferry (Ida…
Lake,Mountain,Lookout
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Cradle and Barn – January 2020

If there was an origin for my bushwalking, it's the Cradle Mountain area.  The first walk I can remember was the old Dove Lake circuit before the lake level track made it the tourist-friendly doddle it is today.  I was four years old.  Amazingly mum and dad were also hauling my two younger siblings on the epic journey through…
Mt Victoria Cross from Mt Wylly
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Southern Ranges – Third Time Lucky – February 2020

If at first you don't succeed... We were super keen to test our theory that we could complete the Southern Ranges traverse, New River Lagoon wade and South Coast Track (SCT) to Cockle Creek in four days.  Our next opportunity arose when a few days off lined up at the start of February - potentially the most stable part…
kooparoona niara / Great Western Tiers
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Tassie’s World Heritage Listed Potential Production Forest

Final day of submissions on this issue.  Here's what I've sent: Dear Natural Heritage Policy Team, Thank you for the opportunity to make submissions regarding the reservation of Future Potential Production Forest Land (FPPFL) within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA). In March 2016 Minister Groom said, “The Tasmanian Government welcomes the report of the World Heritage monitoring…
Mount Victoria Cross
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Southern Ranges – Take Two – December 2019

Mount Victoria Cross I have a confession.  Before the 2011 trip to Southern Ranges I blogged about recently I thought I could have a crack at Precipitous Bluff (PB) that long weekend.  On the Friday night I left work later than expected, took longer to get ready than expected but still hit the road late in the evening with…
Crossing Winterbrook
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PCT and Reynolds Falls

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hAhTzgQIDnM Tasmania's Overland Track (OT) has a little-known, younger sibling, the Penguin to Cradle Trail or PCT for short.  While the OT was conceived in 1931 by rangers at opposite ends of a park, the PCT was imagined and built into existence by members of the North-West Walking Club in 1972, the year I was born!  As a child…
Southern Ranges – November 2011
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Southern Ranges – November 2011

Mount La Perouse summit cairn with Pindars Peak in the distance Pindars Peak, Prion Beach and the Maatsuyker Group Day One Pre-dawn mist near Hunterston in Tasmania's central highlands. The Southern Ranges and their holy grail, Precipitous Bluff, have loomed large in my consciousness since habitually poring over John Chapman's first edition of South West Tasmania when I was…
Tarkine Falls – May & June 2008
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Tarkine Falls – May & June 2008

A couple of 10-year old posts from my old blog... Tarkine Falls May 2008 Recently I had the opportunity to complete part of the Tarkine Rainforest Track south of the Arthur River in the state's north-west.  The Tarkine is an area which many people still find hard to define.  It is a vast area of rainforest, remote mountains and…
Western and Eastern Arthurs Traverse – Part 6
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Western and Eastern Arthurs Traverse – Part 6

A 12-day traverse of the Western and Eastern Arthur Ranges in Southwest Tasmania by Kylie and Clinton Garratt.  Part Six takes us home over the familiar route descending Moss Ridge before crossing Crest Range and the South Picton Saddle. Day 11 - Bechervaise Plateau to South Cracroft River In theory our timing could have still allowed a sniff at…
Western and Eastern Arthurs Traverse – Part 5
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Western and Eastern Arthurs Traverse – Part 5

A 12-day traverse of the Western and Eastern Arthur Ranges in Southwest Tasmania by Kylie and Clinton Garratt.  Part Five features challenging conditions and an eventful traverse of the Eastern Arthurs including a rarely traveled route. Luckmans Lead Day 9 - Pass Creek to Goon Moor Our departure from Pass Creek campsite coincided with a brief pause in the…