The Ugly Ducklings

I've been following this family of swans since mid-December, when I found them finding weed for the cygnets in the shallows near the Wooden Boat School at Franklin. They have six cygnets, which seemed like a large family to me. Having watched duck families whittled down by predators and roads, I wondered how many of these would survive. However, they were much larger than a duckling, nearly as big as the biggest ducks nearby. Could they all grow to be graceful swans like their parents?

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Hartz Peak - 11th January 2010

Early start today, and some nice early light for photos. This gave way to increasing heat. Today has reached 37 degrees at Grove, 29 degrees at Keoghs Pimple (at Hartz). The P&WS were busily putting out the Fire Ban signs this morning. I note that they have removed the water tank from the Waratah barbecue shelter - better take your own water if you're heading there to cook and picnic. The Mountain Rocket (Bellendena montana) and other flowers are providing some summer colour right now.

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Hartz Peak - 3 October 2009

Some shots from an ascent in light snow late last year.

Maria Island - 23rd to 27th September 2009

Full set of Photos at Picasa. Or try out the new slideshow feature.



Getting to Maria Island

The ferry currently leaves from near the visitor centre at the Triabunna wharf. Check their website for sailing times. The trips I had recently were fairly rough, although neither was as visually worrying as one the family had a few years ago in a very strong westerly. The boat looks large at the wharf, but does seem smaller amongst the swells. Nonetheless, the blokes running it are very good, and the boat actually handles the sea very well. On days when you can see clearly, there are often dolphins to be seen. On arrival on the island, the rangers will be in attendance at the old Commissariat Store on the seafront to take your money for camping or national park passes. Before heading over right now, it might be worth checking whether your intended activity is possible. Very heavy rain has damaged bridges and roads, and quite massively flooded the campground. There was mention in the press that there would be difficulties with the drinking water supply over summer.

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Day 1 - Darlington to Encampment Cove

The walk south from Darlington is relatively straightforward. The 4WD track heads up and over the headland to the south, then down to Hopground Beach, where the Painted Cliffs are located. On my trip the creek there was in flood and pouring across 50 metres of road, with a large mat of brush and timber damming it. The latest heavy rain has apparently washed the bridge away, so a short wade may be required. This creek is not normally very large, so it shouldn’t be a problem. From here the track climbs and falls, in and out around the coast. You should see wombats grazing, and there are good views in many places. Frenchs Farm is perhaps two to three hours, depending on what you stop to look at. Camping is possible at Frenchs Farm, and when it isn’t busy, you can probably get away with staying inside the farmhouse. This is not preferred by the rangers, so be prepared to get turfed out. The camping there is good, and there is a toilet. You can also cycle most of these tracks, as two blokes I met at Frenchs Farm had done.

Encampment Cove is another half hour (or less) beyond Frenchs, and the track is clearly signed near the farm. Here you will find a small hut, with “bunks” for about four, and a good bench along the wall for cooking on. On my trip I had this to myself for the three nights I was there. There is also apparently good camping here, however the campground was largely under water during my stay, so I can’t vouch for it completely.

The location is delightful, with camping within a few steps of the gentle waters of Chinamans Bay. There is a pit toilet here. The shore is mainly rocky, and apparently you can catch fish here – I didn’t, despite a lot of attempts. The sunrise is worth getting up for on clear mornings. There is also the remains of a stone convict-built jetty to add historical interest.

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Day 2 - Haunted Bay

Haunted Bay lies on the southern coast of South Maria. Walking from Encampment Cove it took me about two hours. From Frenchs Farm you take the track south, first walking along the isthmus between Reidle Bay and Shoal Bay. Both bays can be visited easily along several tracks or by picking your way through the scrub. Reidle Bay in particular is worth a visit, and is a good wild ocean beach. The waves here were quite impressive, and on the days I visited were sweeping right up to and even across the low dunes behind the beach. It was interesting to watch the huge mass of water, having swept up and along the dunes, and clearly coloured by the sand it had picked up, smash its way back out to sea through the following waves. There was no doubt that walking along this beach could result in being picked up along with the sand and swept out into the bay.

From the south end of the isthmus, the Haunted Bay Track forks left, and heads quite gently uphill and across the south island, before descending very steeply. Haunted Bay is a rugged granite cove, and would be very impressive in rough weather. The waves were quite gentle while I was there. At the end, the track emerges on the rocks, and you can pick your way down sloping granite to the water’s edge. The resident sea eagle checked me out at some length as I arrived, and my attempts to photograph him reminded me why bird photographers spend so much on big expensive lenses. A seal came to visit while I was fishing here (catch: nil), and unfortunately I had left the camera safely out of the way about ten metres higher up. This was a good place to sit and eat lunch, and I’d like to return in wilder weather sometime. I considered returning by walking along the shore of Shoal Bay, however the sand was very soggy, and I used the track instead.

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Day 3 - Point Lesueur and Robeys Farm

Just north of Encampment Cove, and accessible by a direct track from the campground, is Point Leseuer. This was a secondary convict station in earlier times, and the convict cells remain standing on the windswept hill. There are a variety of interesting features to be seen and explored. It was very windy when I was there, and the rain was coming horizontally. I’ll have to return when the weather is more conducive to ambling about and exploring. I retreated to the more sheltered Encampment Cove to set off for Robeys Farm.

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Robeys Farm was farmed until 1965, and lies on the western side of South Maria. Walking south across the isthmus, the track forks right. After crossing the delightfully named Stinking Creek, the track climbs a little and then descends to Robeys Shore. After a short walk uphill the track emerges in a clearing with a tidy and solid weatherboard farmhouse, domestic flowers blooming with somewhat unkempt abandon, and agricultural equipment and machinery scattered about. The farmhouse has had quite a lot of restoration work undertaken in cooperation between the Hobart Walking Club and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, although it is not clear that this is continuing now. Inside the stove and some furniture remains. On the verandah are arranged displays of items obviously left behind, and on the wall inside is the story of Robey. A sign tells you not to camp there, but I think a small group could stay inside if they were careful to leave the place as they found it.

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Day 4 - Mount Maria

I returned to Darlington on Day 4, via the Inland Track and Mount Maria. This track heads inland about 1.5 km north of Frenchs Farm. It undulates and winds over and around the southwestern foothills of Mount Maria. The climbs and falls are much more significant than on the coast, however the highest point is only about 150m, and it makes for a different return trip. It was very wet underfoot when I was there, but I assume it is normally quite dry and dusty. The side track to Mount Maria is reached where the track climbs up from Hpground Beach. This heads south east up a long ridge, gradually becoming steeper. There is a boulder field to cross and climb, and then the last bit is quite steep with some easy boulder scrambling. The view from the 711m summit is worth the climb, and provides a grandstand view of the various walking areas on Maria Island.

East Coast Deluge - 22-23 Sep 2009

I went to Maria Island in September, between the two East Coast deluges on 22nd/23rd and 26th/27th of the month. These are photos on the morning after the first. I'm not sure I've ever noticed the creek at Buckland before, but on this day it was enormous. At the dam on the Prosser River, the locals were all out looking at the flow of water. They were stunned. The rocks in the bottom of the dam had been visible just a day or so earlier. The young bloke helping on the ferry had been fishing off the rocks below the dam the weekend before.

Mt Wellington - 21st September 2009

Had a good climb up Mount Wellington in good weather on Monday 21 Sep. A sunny day with cool breezes made for good climbing weather. There were patches of snow here and there, but the punters were having to walk a fair distance to find them.

Freycinet Panoramas

Three stitched panoramas from Freycinet. (One is a repeat form the Mt Amos post, but I thought I'd put them up together.)

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