Dubious weather forecasts often indicated that somewhere eastwards might be best for s dry-ish walk. Another walk was taken to Cape Hauy, which always has those spectacular cliffs. The forest has been continually changing as spring flowers give way to early summer flowers. These are the Broadleaf Triggerplant, Stylidium armeria.
The Monument was first climbed by a Climbers' Club of Tasmania group in 1970. As I have noted before, Peter McHugh (where in the world is Mr McHugh these days?) and Mendelt Tillema were involved. I found the notes here. Quoting from that page:
This large sea-stack is just off to the south of Cape Hauy (clearly visible from the track) was first climbed in 1970 by a Climbers' Club of Tasmania group. This sea-stack is much less popular than the others in the area, perhaps due to the fact that it is not as dramatic looking and is only about 50m high. However, since it is about 100m off shore, it is not any less of an mission to reach the top. Indeed, the tale of the first ascent is yet another grand CCT epic spread over a few attempts.
Prior to the successful attempt, Mendelt Tillema had already swam out to the stack, though his companion (Peter McHugh), who planned to follow in a rubber dingy was not able to make it out to the stack due to the swell. Mendelt swam back to shore and the attempt was aborted. The next time, Mendelt again swam (trailing a rope) to the prominent ledge on the NE corner of the stack. Mike Emery and Ray Lassman tied in the middle of the rope and followed, while Col Hocking held the other end and waited on the mainland should things get messy. McHugh contributed to proceedings by tumbling down the cliff as the start of the day, leaving blood stained rocks as markers for the path to the sea.
From the ledge, the team took the prominent chimney in the corner. This was an 80ft (or 25m) pitch at a grade of "VDiff" (now considered about grade 12-ish), and then a scramble to the top. Upon erecting a cairn they donated some green tights for a flag, though it appears these have long since blown away.
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