February 2009 - Walked the Port Davey track from Scotts Peak Dam to Melalauca, and then to the south coast, New Harbor and Hidden Bay.
I spent 12 days walking in South West Tasmania - from Scotts Peak Dam to melalueca, and then south to New Harbour and Hidden Bay or the South-West cape circuit and then returning to Melaleuca. (click on map for an enlarged map of my route)
Day 1: I arrived at Hobart Airport on a Saturday morning and caught an Evans Coaches bus from the Airport to Scotts Peak Dam about 140km from Hobart. We stopped at New Norfolk to get fuel supplies (shellite or white gas for my MSR stove) . We arrived at Scotts Peak Dam about 2pm in the afternoon. There were 11 other bushwalkers in the bus - some heading in different directions, for example the Western Arthurs traverse.
The initial few kilometres of the track was good. Boardwalks and a well graded track (although the weather was warm). However the track started to have more muddy patches that eventually became more and more common along the whole Port Davey track. More bushwalkers are found at Junction Creek camp, as the north end of the Port davey track is an access point to the Western Arthurs, and many other areas of South-West Tasmania.
Buttongrass plains a few kilometres south of Scotts Peak on the Port davey Track (click for enlarged picture)
Bushwakers ahead heading towards
Junction Creek camp on the Port davey track (click for larger picture)
Camped at Junction Creek.
Day 2: Junction Creek to Crossing River. This was a cloudly day to start with, but became sunnier as the day progressed. Gradually you climb out of Junction river towards the Western Arthurs, passing the turnoff to Alpha Moraine. I then crossed the muddy Crossing River plains, until wading across the Crossing River to the excellent campsite.
The track between Junction Creek and Crossing River (click for enlarged picture)
The Tannin stained waters of Crossing River. A great campsite and pebble beach to rest on - especially on a sunny day. If its warm enough its a great place for a swim. (click for larger picture)
Camped at Crossing River
Day 3: Crossing River to Watershed Camp. A Sunny day, with a a fair bit of mud while walking over the crossing river plains. Six of us arrived at Watershed camp, and we just managed to squeeze all the tents in.
The crossing river plains(click for enlarged picture)
The Port Davey track south of Crossing River on the way to Watershed Camp (click for larger picture)
Day 4: Watershed Camp to creek near Spring River. Another Sunny day, together with Robert and Christian, two Germans also walking the Port Davey track - we made it to a campsite about 1.5 kilometres north of the Spring River camp. It was a long day.
Stopped for Lunch on the Post Davey track.(from left) Robert, Graeme,Baydon and Christian (click for enlarged picture)
Our campsite 1.5km north of the Spring River campsite on the Port Davey track (click for larger picture)
Day 5: North of Spring River to camp 5km North of Farrell Point. I attempted to make it all the way to Farrell Point, but it was a warm day. At a very small campsite 5km north of Farrell point I stopped for the day. The track followed ridges up and down for most of the day, after leaving Spring River..
A view of Spring River from the Port Davey track (click for enlarged picture)
A view of Bathurst Narrows from the Port Davey track (click for larger picture)
Walking through the scrub near Spring River
Spring River - from Port Davey Track
Day 6: 5 km North of Farell Point to Horseshoe Inlet. I walked the 5km to Farrell Point, and then began the difficult task of the dingy crossing of the Bathurst Narrows by myself. The dingys are heavy, but certainly the most difficult one to lauch is the dingy at Joan Point at the southern end of the Bathrust Narrows. It must have taken 2 hours in total to do the crossing, and by early afternoon the wind had picked up in the Bathrust Narrows making the crossing more difficult. After doing the crossing I walked over the ridge to Horseshoe inlet to camp and have a rest day.
Boat launch at Joan Point southern side of Bathurst Narrows. It is a difficult launch by yourself. (click for enlarged picture)
A view of Horseshoe Inlet from the Port Davey track (click for larger picture)
Day 7: Rest day at Horshoe inlet. Good camping sites on the eastern side of the inlet. There is no direct track from the Posrt Davey track to Horseshoe Inlet.
Camped on Horseshoe Inlet (click for enlarged picture)
Horseshoe Inlet at sunset close to Port Davey track (click for larger picture)
Horseshoe Inlet Bathurst Narrows - Port Davey
Day 8: Horshoe inlet to Melaleuca. A cloudy sometimes rainy day. Most of the time I walked along the plain of Melaleuca creek.
Port Davey track from Horseshoe Inlet to Melaleuca (click for enlarged picture)
Button grass plains near Melaleuca on Port Davey track (click for larger picture)
Day 9 : Melaleuca to New Harbour - South West circuit.. A another cloudy day, but no rain. The track from Melaleuca is excellent with boardwalks cover most of the track. Once the track forks towards the South-West circuit, the track gets muddy again.
Melaleuca to Cox Bight track boardwalk (click for enlarged picture)
New Harbour on the South-West circut track (click for larger picture)
New Harbour from the track going towards Hidden Bay
Day 10 : New Harbour to Hidden Bay - South West circuit.. A nice sunny day. An excellent track that has been recently upgraded. Not a long walk 2-3 hours.
New Harbour to Hidden Bay - South West Circuit (click for enlarged picture)
Camped on the beach at Hidden Bay on the South-West circut track (click for larger picture)
Hidden Bay - South West Tasmania
Day 11 : Hidden Bay to New Harbour - South West circuit.. a storm came in in the early evening with lots of rain. The creeks and rivers increased in depth. I walked in the cold rain and wind back to New Harbour.
Hidden Bay after the overnight storm - South West Tasmania (click for enlarged picture)
Hidden Bay on the South-West circut track (click for larger picture)
Waterfall after the storm Hidden Bay South-West Tasmania
Day 12 : New Harbour to Melaleuca - Walked back to Melaleuca in occassional rain. I returned to Hobart the next morning with Par Avion
Charging my Pocket PC PDA (also GPS) with my solar panel (click for enlarged picture)
Melaleuca Airstrip South-West tasmania (click for larger picture)
