After experiencing the Overland track I really wanted to do some harder walks in Tasmania. After some research and help from cousin Mark we decided to do the South Coast track. It’s an 85km walk between Melaleuca in the west to Cockle Creek in the east. To get to Melaleuca we have the option of boat, walking or flying. We chartered a light plane and flew in on a tiny single engine Cessna 172. It managed to get in a few good photos from the air, including Hobart and the Ironbound ranges we were going to have to cross on day 3
Day 1
The flight was at 11.30am but kept getting delayed due to wind. We eventually got up at about 5pm and got to Melaleuca at 6pm. Howling wind and a bit of sideways rain we walked the 3 ½ hours through buttongrass plains to our campspot along the beach. Bits of fishing rope, buoys and whale bones it was a scene out of Gilligan’s Island.
Day 2
A good walk with a lot of mud and a few rivers to cross. Wet boots from now on! We were extremely lucky to spot a Tasmanian tree frog, which is endemic to Tasmania.
Day 3
Today we had to get over the Ironbound ranges. It took all day. Very steep – 900m ascent over 6km, then back down again in very muddy conditions. So not many photos. It was Christmas day. We were so tired. There were a few other walkers at this spot. I managed to fall head first into the creek.
Day 4
It was to be pancakes for breakfast being Christmas and all, but it just didn’t work on the little Trangia cooker. No butter, no cast iron frying pan and no spatula. So I had pancake mixture instead. Today was a short easy day walk. There was mud. Prion Beach is 4kms long with huge ribbons of leather kelp washed up to shore along with bottles, ropes, fishing stuff and random rubbish. We saw a big rubber thing with a light in it. I later found out it was a piece of deep sea equipment used to measure seismic activity. We also saw a dead seal washed up and half eaten. Teeth like a dog. At the end of Prion beach we crossed the lagoon with the provided boats. It took about an hour and the whole time it was hailing and raining on us. The photo with Anthea in the boat has Precipitous bluff in the background. I hope to come back for it another time. We set up in the rain and we were completely soaked. We had to cook in the tent.
Day 5
This day was an extremely long day (about 4 hours walking) and we were feeling pretty lazy and wet by then. We decided to camp at Surprise Bay which is probably the best spot on the track. In the distance are little islands, I think Flat Top and Round Top islands. . I managed to capture one beautiful sunset. The light and colours are amazing. It’s not always like this, often being overcast or spitting.
Day 6
We had a huge day ahead of us. We walked to Granite Beach about 2 ½ hours. Then it was off to Cape Rivulet. It ended up being a 10 hour day all up, which included about 4-5 hours of mud. Serious above the knee depth mud. We got to Cape Rivulet and a man we had chatted with (then known as the poet) was having a naked swim in the beach. We had to cross the rivulet near the beach because it was the shallowest section. But he was getting out of the surf and we were worried he might want to chat with us without putting his clothes back on. We waded through the rivulet up to the waist and Anthea nearly got swept away. So much for being shallow! The poet did put his clothes on and had a chat with us. The campsites were busy and a few surfers were around. We looked around for a flat spot but came across a big black snake so we decided to get out of the place. We ended up having to walk for over an hour to the next campsite called Lion Rock.
Day 7
The last day. About 3 hours walk. We set up the SPOT PLB (personal locator beacon) so we could send a msg to Mark & Esther saying we were on our way out. We passed a lot of walkers on their way in for a day walk and heard about QLD floods & Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
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