Cape Hauy - 2nd June 2012

I intended to walk up Mount Fortescue, but when I arrived at Fortescue Bay it was persisting down. Momentarily thought of going to a cafe instead, but donning raincoat I headed up the hill. The rain eased, and on top of the hill it was just drizzling occasionally. With the low cloud, I decided I'd prefer to do Mount Fortescue a different day, and would fill in the time with Cape Hauy.

This was instructive anyway, as they have now all but completed the track works. These remain quite impressive in an engineering sense, with steps pretty much all the way up and down all the steeper bits of hill. They're very well done, but complete overkill. No proper wilderness experience here, although I'm not sure it has been for some time. Whatever the previous situation, the recent works have ensured visitors will get a safe and controlled environment. At least they haven't fenced the cliffs....yet.

I did sidetrack out to the Monument Lookout, where the view is stupendous as ever. This is well worth the sidetrip, especially if you're only ever going to go here the once. The lookout is 200m pretty much vertically above Munro Bight, looking south to Cape Pillar. It is very airy, and extreme care must be taken if approaching the rolled edges of the boulders - for example passing the bush to go out onto the most obvious sitting area. Don't let the kids get out of sight here, or in fact on the Cape Hauy track.

Cliffs and seascape, Cape Hauy Track - 2nd June 2012

Impressive stone steps around the "rest rocks" on the large hill above Cape Hauy - 2nd June 2012

Southerly view from Monument Lookout - 2nd June 2012

Munro Bight and Cape Pillar, showing the airy aspect from Monument Lookout - 2nd June 2012

Cape Pillar through the "weather" - 2nd June 2012

Cape Pillar from Monument Lookout
Tasman Island lighthouse, Cape, Chasm and  Cathedral Rock all visible - 2nd June 2012