LWC Events Program

This is a great chance to escape to the warmer north east coast and enjoy a walk in the Mt Cameron area before heading to Stumpys Bay.

We will climb Whale Rock and continue to the Southwest Peak. This will be a three or four hour walk which will include a scramble up a steep, rocky slope to the summit (hence the grading). Not everyone may want to do this part. Whale Rock is situated at the base of a metre granitoid slab heading towards Southwest Peak and is very impressive.

Once we have completed this walk we will drive to Stumpys Bay and set up camp. We can then enjoy a short beach walk and swim for those that want before settling in for a relaxing social evening. So bring along lots of treats and luxuries to enjoy. We will need to take all our water.

The following morning we have several options, a beach walk, climb Mt William and/or climb Cube Rock on the way back depending on the weather and group.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

The Dazzler Range is an area of low-land forest just west of Yorktown. Most of the ridges have fire trails which makes it good for a bush stroll and a chance to get out into the bush on a dreary winter's day. We will do a 10-12 km circuit following trails and at times will go cross-country between the ridges to get off the track and see what the vegetation is like down in the creeks. This will be a suitable walk for beginner walkers.

For those who would like to practice map reading, this is an excellent area for relating the map contours to the ground and setting a compass bearing for the cross-country phases of the walk. 

Lake Cethana is often overlooked as a kayak destination. We will put in at the Lorrina boat ramp/campground. It will be a leisurely 10-12 km explore.

We will ride from Coles Beach at Devonport and follow the shared pathway to Latrobe for lunch. It will be the Chocolate Winterfest so you may like to indulge in a chocolate treat. Some may like to venture further and ride to Warrawee to check out the impressive Wild Mersey bridge and a platypus. We will return to our start on the shared pathway. Please note that we will not have the Club bus.

The plan is for a winter excursion to Ben Lomond National Park for photos, snow and ice. It will take us about 0.75-1.0 hours up to a lunch/explore area. This adventure should suit those wanting to experience snow and spectacular scenery not far from civilization . There is some elevation but it is a good quality track. Please make sure you have plenty of warm and wet weather gear.

We'll begin this walk at Doctors Rocks and will walk along the coastline into the township of Wynyard. From there we'll follow the excellent track alongside the Inglis River, inland on the southern side as far as the Bass Highway and then back out again on the opposite side. We'll finish our walk at Fossil Bluff.

This trip is meant to be a casual stroll suitable for all members of the club and it gives us the opportunity to enjoy the excellent walking facilities offered in this area.

We will drop the Overland Track walkers at Ronny Creek, then do the circuit around Crater Falls, Crater Lake, Wombat Pool and back to the bus for lunch. Following that, we may walk the boardwalk back to the Ranger Station where our bus will pick us up. Be prepared for very cold conditions but the scenery will be fantastic.

Our group will be completing our original Overland Track walk from June which was cut short due to very inclement weather. This time we will commence our walk from the Cradle Valley end and finish our walk down the Arm River Track. We will stay at Waterfall Valley, Windermere and New Pelion Hut sites. Dress for all weather conditions and enjoy the August walk.

This Club event is a chance to try out a kayak, bike, overnight pack, tent, sleeping system, cooking stove etc in a relaxed park setting. There is a flat road nearby and the picturesque Meander River and Kooparoona Naira Cultural Walk shared path loop around the riverbank. There is a BBQ if you would like to lunch as well. There will be gear for sale, swap or barter or try out. Please contact the coordinator well before the event if you have gear needed, to sell, for display or to swap/barter. A price would also be handy. Please forward any questions well before the date. This will be a rather unique experience so please support this initiative.

This is a reliable, relatively easy, coastal winter walk that visits three bays: Tam O’Shanter, Fannys and Noland Bays and one river: Pipers River. The terrain consists of a variety of beaches, rocks, headlands and unformed tracks. The actual direction that we walk will be determined on the day, such that we have the wind at our backs. Total distance is around 12 km. This trip is well-suited to beginner walkers but you’ll need to carry sufficient drinking water for the day.

Four Springs Lake has a variety of bird life and is an ideal location for a leisurely paddle. Expect about 8-10 km. We will paddle for about an hour and have lunch. Then it will be another hour to ninety minutes to complete the circumnavigation of the waterway.

The Meander Valley near Westbury is known for its quiet and picturesque country lanes. We will do a 30-40km loop depending on the wind direction.

Konewongener / Mt Horror is a Poimena in Part B of the Poimenas by Bill Wilkinson. There is a steady four kilometre ascent, gaining about 100 m elevation each kilometre. There are picnic tables at the cleared summit. Hopefully it will be a clear day for extensive views of our North East. This adventure should suit most Club members. We will also visit Knockup on the way back.This is a very short adventure to the highest point on the Sideline.

Sleeping Systems - we all know that one person who sleeps on a chip packet! Maybe it's you? 

Members from our club brains trust will bring along their preferred choice of mattress and sleeping bags and discuss pros/cons of their equipment. 

Presenters will showcase different options - side sleeper vs back sleeper - quilt vs zipper - summer vs winter.

Great opportunity to try before you buy or upgrade. 

Where: Newstead College

Time: 7pm light supper and catchup 

Meeting starts at 7:30pm - Presentation starts at 8pm.

Meeting closes: 9pm

This circuit of around 16 kilometres is jam-packed with a surprising array of features, both natural and man-made. Initially we have some light scrub as we move through a tin mining area, then we walk beneath towering cliffs before a chasm ascent to our spectacular morning tea spot. We descend past granite features before climbing Lawson Hill with nice views. Descending further we cross the Buffalo Brook (dry feet maybe), then follow the track to our lunch spot at the Mt Rex mine. Hours can be spent here, unfortunately we will have only an extended lunch period to see as much as we can. After lunch we have a steep 50 metre climb up to the old aqueduct which we follow for 8 kilometres back to the bus. This is a beautiful walk through gorgeous forest marvelling at the workmanship performed 125 years ago. An amazing walk loaded with highlights.

This mid-winter kayak trip is a short middle of the day adventure. We will paddle around the reservoir in a clockwise direction. There are some spectacular cliffs. Expect about six kilometres, so this is an adventure that may suit someone wanting to try kayaking.

We will ride from Exeter to Beauty Point, but definitely not the direct way! Our route will be from Exeter to South Winkleigh and then branching off onto Nettlefolds Road. This will take us up Stewarts Hill - a bit of climbing involved - and then into the township of Holwell.

We won't be riding directly from Holwell into Beaconsfield either, as we'll turn off onto Hinds Road into the Anderson Creek Forest Reserve. During this section there will be some narrow gravel roads to contend with but if you have a mountain bike or hybrid, you'll be fine.

We will emerge from the bush not far from Beaconsfield, and we will make our way from there to Beauty Point, where we can finish with coffee!

The plan is to head to where there is some snow - Ben Lomond, Cradle Mountain, Central Plateau etc. There will be a chance to build a snow shelter using snow shovels as well as try out snow shoes.

We will explore the Swan River upstream from the boat ramp. Depending on conditions, we may head further down river and finish at Dolphin Sands.

We will start at the waterfront at Ulverstone and ride on the bike paths to finish at Latrobe. Lunch will be at the Bluff Beach at Devonport. Some may like a swim there. Expect about 40 km of mostly flat riding.

The plan is to visit our iconic mountain summit via the Pinnacle, Organ Pipes and Panorama Tracks and return via the Zig Zag and Pinnacle Tracks.

Join me for two short walks in the Notley Fern Gorge and Four Springs Lake circuit. Notley Fern Gorge is approximately a 1 hour walk in a mixture of ancient rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest. After this walk, we will travel to Four Springs Lake for a lovely 9km circuit walk around the lake. Please join me for these two lovely short walks.

We will explore the Rubicon Estuary either starting at Port Sorell or Hawley. Depending on the tide we will either head up river or explore into Bass Strait to the Carbuncle. Expect about 10-12 km of leisurely paddling.

Natunu / St Valentines Peak is a popular day walk. It is consistently up to the ridgeline for extensive views of North West Tasmania. There is a new bridge across the creek just after the start of the walk. A great destination for the end of winter.

John Ralph from Ascent Fitness has rejigged the Launceston Urban Fringe Trail (LUFT) to have eleven sections instead of ten. Section 10 of the LUFT usually starts at Rowspthorn Road and finishes at the Tailrace Park, all in the suburb of Riverside. As we did for section 11, I am intending to follow this route in reverse, from the Windsor Park Community Precinct and ending at the Rowspthorn Road intersection with Ecclestone Road. Our reverse route takes us along West Tamar Highway to Riverbank Place and Walcorm Court. We then walk across the West Tamar Highway onto Cormiston Road to New Ecclestone Road, onto Ecclestone Road and finishing at the Rowspthorn Road intersection. The walk is 7km in length with an ascent of 284 metres and a descent of 123 metres, meaning there are some uphill sections of the walk. I am hopeful we will have a bus driver and therefore we will meet at Newstead College and be dropped off at the start of our walk and then picked up at the conclusion of the walk. Bring along morning tea or early lunch to enjoy at the conclusion of the walk. Map: LUFT Section 10.

A new walk for the club to the much frequented Meander Forest Reserve area, renowned for the beauty of views and forests. This walk does not disappoint. We follow an old forestry road for 4 kilometres, logging here was 30 years ago and the road is now just a perfect walking track. Turning left and leaving the road we now climb steeply to reach a spectacular sandstone cliff-line. Traversing westerly, we will explore as we go the caves and mossy terraces, before an obvious gully leads up to the cliff tops. We can admire views of Quamby and the Meander Forest while we enjoy lunch. The return walk is off-track through open rainforest until we reunite with the morning's outward route along the road. Total distance 8 kilometres.

The plan is to explore Great Oyster Bay and Moulting Lagoon.We will base camp at River and Rocks Campground near Swanwick. Depending on the weather, there is also the possibility of base camping at Friendly Beaches and do shorter paddles from there. Expect about 10-12 km of paddling each day.

Quamby Bluff is the rocky hill that sits proud from the rest of the Great Western Tiers to the south of Deloraine. From the top there are wonderful views  of the forest and farmlands below, out to Bass Strait, and looking west to Mother Cummings Peak, Mt Ironstone and beyond.

The walk takes about 4 hours covering approximately 6km return with a height gain of 511m. It is a great introduction to the various terrains you might encounter on a mountain bushwalk in Tasmania, all packed into a short walk.

The trail starts from the Highland Lakes Road at the Fairly Glade and after crossing an area of cleared private land, heads into the forest.  It becomes progressively steeper and after a while there is an open 100m boulder field to go up before again entering the forest. A steep section of sub-alpine forest takes you to a saddle with partial views down to Huntsmans Lake and Mt Ironstone in the distance. A final scramble up rocks brings you to the alpine plateau on top, where you wander on peaty ground through shrubbery to the trig point on the northern end, overlooking Deloraine.

Please come prepared for all weathers, as the top is very exposed, and bring your drinks/water for the day as there are no streams (or cafes) to fill up at!

We head over the Tyndall Range and out to Mt Sedgewick. Will also be doing Sedgewick Bluff as a day walk from camp. Allowing more time than usual so hopefully we can enjoy the area and have shorter walking days. 

Come and enjoy a coastal stroll, starting at Badger Beach car park, and finishing at Greens Beach. Along the way, we will pass over West Head, and have lunch at or near Nudist Beach. It will be a mix of beach walking and trail walking, mostly level, so low hiker shoes are acceptable. We will ask our bus driver to drop us at the start and drive around to pick us up at the end. Coffee and ice-cream should be available at the Greens Beach store.

Syds Track

The fieldwork mostly involves the first 1.5km of the track ascent to the plateau edge (out and back), approximately 3-4 hours of work. This is a relatively steep track, overgrown, and rocky at times.

• Vegetation to be cut back hard to T4 standard, mostly myrtle and scrub.
• A number of small-medium trees in the first 500m.
• Directional arrows/markers to be installed where appropriate.
• Remove old flagging tape.
• Remove unnecessary cairns, where appropriate

Club Awards Night to be confirmed by Social Committee. 

Stage one of the LUFT's 5 Trigs was a wonderful day out, covering 17 km of urban walking and climbing 2 of the 5 trigs in St Leonards and Ravenswood. Part two will take place as my President's walk on Sunday !4th September, after the Annual Dinner on the Saturday evening. 

We will meet at Newstead College and our club bus will ferry us to the start of the walk at Vermont Road where we will walk into the city via Heritage Forest and Inveresk Park, and then around the Seaport to Riverside where the first of the last 3 trigs will be climbed. The trigs are in Riverside, Trevallyn and West Launceston. From here we’ll return to the start at the Door of Hope. Distance is again around 17 km so comfortable foot wear is essential. Please bring lunch and a thermos for a hot drink if you so desire. Also, because we are walking in an urban environment, it’s not a bad idea to wear "hi vis" to stand out. This will be another lovely day out.

As all positions are declared vacant, the Committee welcomes and encourages all our Members to participate in our club Annual General Meeting.

For our club to continue to be successful in providing club activities, safe transport, social events, a safe environmental footprint, IT support, historical legacy, encouraging and supporting new coordinators, we need you, a club Member, to become actively involved on the Committee and sub-committees. 

This AGM will require multiple nominations as several familiar faces who have volunteered for numerous years will be stepping aside to allow a new and fresh Committee to implement new ideas. 

With the support of your fellow Committee Members, can you volunteer your time for 12 months? 

Please contact any of our existing Committee to discuss what the role description entails in the role that you would like to be nominated.

We will escape the crowds and continue to drive past the Cradle turnoff for another 10km arriving at the High Point sign on Belvoir Rd (C132). 

An opportunity for those keen to hike an Abel, experience open alpine hiking with a high chance of hiking in snow. Let’s hope our sky is clear to enjoy a dramatic skyline with 360deg views. From this angle, you can actually see the cradle shape of Cradle Mtn! 

Following a well-used section of the Penguin Cradle Trail, you will encounter mud… then muddier sections! Gaiters are a must!

Having Cradle Mtn, Barn Bluff and all the other familiar Overland Peaks to your left, we will explore some spectacular shape sandstone formations. There are no sheer cliffs or exposed rock climbing required; 130m elevation in our last push to summit plateau. 

Following the same return track, we will take a side trip up Rocky Mtn (worth 1 x point) which will require pushing through knee high Heath to a rock cairn. This side trip is optional; however, I do encourage all to have a go. Easy exit back to our cars. 

This Grade 3 hike is suitable for those wanting to experience open track hiking at a medium pace with no boulder fields. If there are excessive amounts of snow, coordinator will contact you if we have not hiked previously together to discuss experience. 

Transport: Please indicate when registering if you are capable of driving/hiking/driving.

3 cars required 

Driver + 3 passengers. 

Please bring $40 cash for your driver. 

Gear: We will be open and exposed to the elements! All participants must have a full wet weather gear inclusive of a Gortex style jacket. Please refer to LWC Gear List on our club webpage if you do not have a hard copy. 

Toileting: There are no toilets on this track. I strongly recommend following Leave No Trace Principles and bring your POO Pot or suitable container to bring home your waste matter. 

Stats: Approx 12km, approx 500m in elevation, allowing 6hrs comfortable paced day.

Please call me if you have any additional questions 😊 

Karen 

Departing from Kimberleys Lookout car park, we will follow a number of tracks over the Badger Range to a small waterfall on Redwater Creek. From the falls we will contour along the range on an undulating track back to the car park. On a clear, fine day there will be good views out to Mt Roland and the countryside around Sheffield. This will be suitable walk for new members.

This is a base camp kayak trip staying at Fortescue Bay. The plan is to explore the bay and if conditions are favourable venture out around Cape Huay. Sunday will be an explore around Stewarts Bay near Port Arthur. This is not a beginners trip.

When this trip was programmed earlier this year a number of people missed out because the trip was so popular. So, for those who missed out last time, we're programming it again!

The walk to Mt Pillinger, which overlooks the Mersey Valley near Lees Paddocks, is an absolute classic walk that offers the best return for your efforts, probably in the whole state.

We'll climb up to the base of Mt Pillinger via the Maggs 17 Track which isn't as steep as the Arm River Track. After a bit of clambering during the last stages of the ascent, we'll be sitting on top of the mountain on the edge of a steep drop, with views towards Lees Paddocks, Mt Ossa, Pelion East, Pelion West and many other peaks.

If you haven't been to Mt Pillinger before, it's highly recommended that you get your name down quickly!

These are two circuit walks that will take us to the high points at either end of the Mt Stronach Range, both being mainly off-track and commencing from Jensens Road, NE of Scottsdale. The first, the East Face Circuit of Mt Stronach, involves a less frequently travelled approach to the summit (465m) than the standard route and will take about 4 hours. The second, the Lucky Strike Peak Circuit is also infrequently walked, taking us to its peak (398m) and back over about 2 hours. Any scrub should be fairly light in both cases. Come along for a day with a difference.

Both mountains are in the Dial Range, which offers great walks with outstanding views. Plan would be to drive to and then summit Mt Riana first. Then drive to the start of Mt Gnomon Track and climb this very scenic mountain. If time permits we could go out to Mt Dial and make a full day of this beautiful part of the state.

This will be another kayak base camp. We will set up camp and explore the northern end of the lake on Saturday. Sunday will be an explore down the lake and exit at the boat ramp. If you can't make the full weekend, you may like to join in for one of the days. If you need to borrow a kayak please contact the coordinator BEFORE you register.

East and West Tower are neighbours and collectively the two Abels are referred to as Tower Hill. East Tower is 1122m in height and is an easy climb of 30 minutes from a boom gate on Cabin Road, off Tower Hill Road near Mathinna. We will walk 1.2km along a road to an old carpark then summit to a rock pinnacle which is a 5 minute walk. The route to West Tower can then be viewed from here and contemplated as it is a hard walk compared to its neighbour. A logging road is followed before descending onto a ridge, across a sandstone saddle and then an overgrown section of olearia. According to the Abels book, the ridgeline of West Tower can be reached by negotiating scrub and fallen trees, or alternatively the road can be followed before curving to the west up a rock-strewn gully. A cairned taped route with large rocky outcrops and some dense vegetation is encountered as the track ascends and descends. Scree will be encountered as well as dolerite outcrops. The summit is cairned at 1110+ m, accompanied by needlebush and can be reached in about 1.75-2 hours from the road below East Tower. Hopefully great views of the north-east will be enjoyed. Confidence on scree and rocks is necessary. This should be a good day out for two Abels and I look forward to your company.

The Leeaberra Track, in the Douglas-Apsley National Park on the East Coast of Tasmania is a walk I have been keen to do for some time. This will be a 2-night, 3-day back pack through trip walk (approximately 28km). In early October the days will be lengthening and hopefully we will experience some nice spring weather. On day one we will travel to the East Coast and organise a car shuffle so we can do a through trip from the northern end to the southern end. Apparently the start of the walk is on a route that is a bit overgrown but eventually the route opens up and we drop down to a nice camp site on the Douglas River. Nearby are Heritage and Leeaberra Falls which we will visit if time permits. Next day we will walk over Lookout Hill and onto Nichols Cap and Needles (a side trip 500m high) for great views of the coast line. Later we descend back down to the river and potential second night camp near a feature called Tevelein Falls. Or if time permits we may walk further to the Denison Rivulet so we don’t have so far to walk on our last day out to the Apsley Gorge. Overall, it’s a beautiful walk through dry sclerophyll country on a pretty good track with some overgrown sections. Will limit numbers to 10 so get in quick for this one. More information will be provided closer to the trip.

We will approach Mt Lord, an Abel, from the Florentine valley side. The starting point will be a clearing on a minor forestry road off Westfield Road, which itself is off Florentine Road. The access road was in a reasonably good condition in 2024. From the car parking area, initially the climb is through pleasant forest but we will soon encounter bauera and also scoparia once we reach the saddle between Mt Lord and Lanes Peak. Please come prepared for scrub. There are good views of Mt Field West and the Florentine Valley from the summit.

Please note that the meeting point is the Mt Field Visitor Centre car park. This location provides flexibility to people if they want to do the walk in a very long day by driving to and from Launceston on the same day, or stay the night before or after the walk at a suitable location e.g. the Mt Field campsite. We may still be able to organise car-pooling from Launceston privately.

This will be an easy flat walk following a path all the way from Don to Mersey River foreshore, passing points of interest such as Don Heads, Coles Beach, Mersey Bluff, and Aiken Head Statue. We'll stop for lunch at Bluff Beach Playgrounds and finish up near the Novotel. Come along for a very pleasant coastal trip.

Cradle Mountain is an iconic mountain in Tasmania and would be one of the most famous. At a height of 1545m this Abel is an exciting long day walk. We will be needing to take the shuttle bus in and out of Dove Lake which incurs an extra $15 fee (unless you have paid your $45 annual fee). We will commence at Dove Lake and make our way up Marions Lookout, across to Kitchen Hut then ascend the mountain soon after. The hike is quite steep and rocky, encountering scree and boulders and passing large columns of rock. The summit will be reached in 3.5-4 hours. We may receive great weather in November but this is not a given, and the hike is quite exposed in places. Confidence on rock is recommended. Please come prepared for all weathers and bring your thermos. We will return to the Visitor Centre from Dove Lake via the shuttle bus as the plan is to be in time for the last bus! I look forward to your company.

On the Saturday the plan is to walk between Petal Point and Lyme Regis at Little Musselroe Bay around the north east tip of Tasmania. A vehicle shuffle will allow us to carry only day packs. This will provide an opportunity to explore the Luemerrernanner / Cape Portland area and all the various beaches and headlands on either side of it. We’ll establish camp at the Parks campground at Lyme Regis (we’ll need to bring our own water). On the Sunday we’ll return to Petal Point but this time head SW along Boobyalla Beach on Ringarooma Bay, with the aim of reaching Bowlers Lagoon with the aid of another vehicle shuffle. Expect up to 16km of walking each day on generally relatively easy terrain so this trip should be suitable for reasonably fit beginners. Members are welcome to join us for just one of the two days if they wish.

For this basecamp we start with an approximate 1.2km paddle to camp (not far to lug a few extra goodies). Once we have set up camp for the rest of the weekend we will explore the lake and climb Parangana Sugarloaf. 

Please refer to the November calendar event for competition details.

Karin Levet to confirm details of new club grant and Ranger to present indigenous knowledge to these areas. 

Where: Newstead College

Time: 7pm light supper and catchup 

Meeting starts at 7:30pm - Presentation starts at 8pm.

Meeting closes: 9pm

This is a beautiful circular walk of 13 kilometres starting in wet forest beside Lake St Clair before climbing steadily up through eucalypt woodland to areas of sub-alpine moorland and forest with buttongrass, sedges and snow gums. 

Shadow Lake is about half way and is a picturesque lake below Mt Hugel and Little Hugel, fringed by pencil pines. If the weather is fine there may be time for a quick swim or alternatively, if making good time, visit Forgotten Lake as a side trip of 40 minutes.    

The maximum height reached on the trail is around 1000m and because there are some exposed areas it is important that you bring some warm layers, beanie and gloves, as well as your rainwear, even if the weather is forecast to be good! If you would like more information about the walk or what to bring please give me a call.

We will be leaving early and probably not returning until around 7pm, so come prepared with pre- and post-walk drinks/snacks, especially as the Lake St Clair café cannot be relied upon!

This ride with a difference will commence at either at Miena or, depending on the inclination of the group, we may start at Liawenee and then ride to Miena. In either event, before we have ridden too far we will have a treat in the vicinity of Miena, where we will visit a wombat rescue centre. You will be able to check out some adorable baby wombats!

From Miena we'll travel east and eventually make our way to the Arthurs Lake Road. We will follow this road into Wilburville and then eventually to Morass Bay where we'll finish our ride at the shores of Arthurs Lake.

The distance of the ride is only about 32km (or 44km if we ride from Liawenee) and the surface we ride on will either be asphalt or good quality gravel roads. It should be a ride suitable for most club members who ride bicycles and love wombats! 

The maximum number of participants has been kept low so that we don't swamp the carers and wombats with too many people, so get your name down early!

The walk will start with an 8km paddle from Butlers Gorge. The rest of the day we will make our way onto the range. We will climb Slatters Peak, King William II and III over the next few days. I would like to camp at Owens Tarn to do King William III. Last day head home.

Mt Dromedary and Platform Peak overlook Bridgewater and New Norfolk and offer great views over the Derwent River and the Wellington Range for a comparatively short walk.

After an easy drive down the Midland Highway we will begin our walk near New Norfolk. Most of the early walking is on 4WD tracks, with just the last part of the climb to Mt Dromedary involving a rock scramble to the summit. On the way back to the bus, we will turn off and take a detour to Platform Peak, thus scoring us two peaks in the one day.

Starting from the Upper Liffey Falls carpark at the Big Tree, we will head up the track to Liffey Bluff. This track had a club working bee a few years ago but can be hard to follow in a few sections as it is not well-worn. It rises through different vegetation types, includes a short bit of scree and comes out on top of the escarpment. If the weather is good we can walk off-track across to the highpoint of Liffey Bluff, either way we will then retrace our way back down.

This will be a bus-supported bike ride starting with a descent of Spring Hill (optional only) then a ride west to east along Lovely Banks Road to the Mud Walls road junction. This road is gravel, so a mountain bike or hybrid with gravel tyres will be essential. There will be the option of continuing to Jericho for those who wish for extra. The countryside in the southern Midlands is delightful so expect an enjoyable ride. We can finish with a coffee in Oatlands.

We will walk 6km or so in a circuit and likely find a coffee place on the way home.

Come along for some mid-week exercise in nature.

Here is a link to the start point: https://www.google.com/maps/place/41%C2%B026'26.0%22S+147%C2%B004'43.3%22E/

Lake Trevallyn (turn right off Lake Trevallyn Road to the car park that is right on the lake near the two large sheds).

Map: Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area

From the Darwin Dam we will  walk along the remains of the Fincham Track for 3 km then turn south for 4 km off-track along the Wright River valley to a valley camp between Briggs Bluff and the Engineer Range. We will climb Briggs Bluff and Engineer Range, hopefully as a circuit, unless the scrub is too thick, in which case it will be two day trips. Two days in and two days for the day trips will give plenty of time for the walk out, which might be quicker on the bashed pad. Expect plenty of scrub, but some open valleys, open tops and a bit of reasonable rainforest. If we get clear weather on the tops there will be excellent views of Frenchmans Cap to the east and the West Coast Range to the west. If the going is easier than expected then Mt Fincham is an option.

The plan will be to climb to the top of the falls from the Minnow Falls car park on the usual route. After reaching the top we will then follow an old, unused pad to bisect the Mt Roland Track. From here we will turn left and follow this track to Gowrie Park.

This will be a walk for fit and strong walkers as we have many differing challenges along the way. 

We will drive to Fortescue Bay on Saturday morning for a three-day backpacking trip on the Tasman Peninsula. From Fortescue Bay we will be walking along the original Cape Pillar Track. From this track we will turn off and walk along the old Arthurs Peak Track in a south-westerly direction around Crescent Mountain, across some marshland and button grass and up onto Arthurs Peak. We will continue along the very well made Three Capes Track to our camp site for two nights at Bare Knoll. On Sunday we will day walk out to Cape Pillar, again on the well made Three Capes Track. At Cape Pillar we will have lovely views across to Tasman Island and Cape Raoul from both the Chasm Lookout and The Blade. Retracing our steps, we will return to our camp site at Bare Knoll. On Monday we will walk up to Mt Fortescue on the Three Capes Track back to Fortescue Bay, with a possible side trip to Cape Hauy. We will then return to Launceston. Please join me for the Northern Tasmania long weekend in this beautiful part of Tasmania.

Come and enjoy the spectacular Lake St Clair! Maybe we'll have a beautiful sunset over Mt Olympus after a late afternoon swim? Please note that paddlers need to be independent with transporting their kayak and gear to the lake, unless you have a friend who is able to help of course!

This is an intermediate trip for kayakers who wish to develop their kayak camping experiences with two nights away. I hope it will be a pretty relaxed trip, but the weather will determine the actual details. We'll travel to Lake St Clair in private cars, either on Friday afternoon/evening or early Saturday morning. That's your choice. I will be travelling on Friday afternoon and camping. For those driving in the morning we'll all meet at the boat ramp at 10am. Once unloaded, cars will be left at the main Parks and Wildlife visitors car park nearby. All vehicles must have a valid Parks Pass.

We will paddle to Echo Point for lunch and then further up the lake before crossing to Ida Bay. On Sunday, if fine weather, we'll make an attempt to climb Mt Ida. We'll follow the ridge up from the lake. The peak section involves a challenging climb up a gully and negotiating large summit boulders. Alternatively, people can have a relaxed day in camp. On Monday morning we'll return but might go via Narcissus River to experience more of the beautiful lake.

Participants must have appropriate camping gear and the required kayaking safety gear. Please check the kayaking guide and gear lists for details. Due to the proximity of the campsite to the lake shore and nearby creek, which we can use for water supply, it is essential that participants have a Poo Tube or similar suitable container for carrying out their human waste. I have made this trip "pending approval" simply because I don't personally know all current kayak members. Feel free to call with any enquiries.

In 2023 I participated in a working bee on the Mt Rufus Track. Frank, the ranger at Lake St Clair that led this activity, told me of a trip that he had recently completed: the Mt Rufus - Mt Hugel - Little Hugel circuit. He described it in glowing terms and thought that it had the potential to become one of Tasmania’s best day walks. So this is our opportunity to find out for ourselves. The plan is to head down to Cynthia Bay as early as we can get away on the Friday, and walk to Shadow Lake, possibly completing the final section under torchlight. We’ll set up camp there and prepare for an early start the next morning. Poo Tubes will be required here.

With light daypacks we’ll head up the now much-improved Mt Rufus Track to the summit of Mt Rufus. This will be followed by a little backtracking to just above the saddle that connects Rufus and Hugel where we’ll commence the off-track section. Expect some scrub and then some scree when we traverse the saddle and then ascend the ridge to the Mt Hugel massif which will lead us to the summit itself, hopefully by lunchtime. Following this we’ll continue northwards and descend to the plateau that will take us to Little Hugel. Now back on a marked track, we’ll continue to Forgotten Lake and then return to camp at Shadow Lake.

On the Sunday I thought that we might again get going early and, after returning to Cynthia Bay, drive around to the Rufus Canal Road where we can walk the Gingerbread Track and visit Joe Slater and Gingerbread Huts en-route to another ascent of Mt Rufus (it really is a favourite of mine!) before retracing our steps and then heading home.

If this trip sounds like your type of adventure please join me for an action-packed weekend.

St Pauls Dome, at 1028 metres, dominates the skyline as you drive along the road from Avoca to Fingal. From the bushline we will follow a 4WD track to the base of the feature. The ascent onto the dome will be through scrub to the high point. The track will be rocky in places and scrub gloves are recommended. Once on top we hope to find views out to the Tasman Sea. On returning to the base of the dome we will go off-track to visit a small knoll called Little Peter and either follow an untracked ridgeline or a fire trail back to our transport. 

This will be a circuit walk starting and finishing at the Meander Falls carpark. We'll go up the Split Rock/Cleft Rock Track past some waterfalls and up to the saddle between Meander Crag and Bastion Bluff. At this point there is a short, steep off-track scramble up and down Meander Crag. The circuit then continues down a long scree field where we'll have to cross the Meander River and then walk back out via the Meander Falls Track.

We'll begin and end this circuit ride at Beauty Point and we'll be visiting many of the towns on the western side of the Tamar River mouth. These include Beaconsfield, Clarence Point, Kelso, Greens Beach and Badger Head.

Although the ride is mainly on asphalt or good gravel roads, there will be a bit of riding on sandy roads and even a bit of low-tide beach riding, so a mountain bike or hybrid is strongly recommended.

We walk in on the Mt Jukes Road, which is an old 4WD track, till we get about 5km from Mt Sorell. The next day is all off-track walking to Mt Sorell. We will do Mt Darwin and South Darwin on the way out.

Mother Cummins Peak Track (via Westrope Road)

The fieldwork mostly involves the first 1.5km of the track ascent to the plateau edge (out and back), approximately 3-4hrs of work. This is a relatively steep track, overgrown, and rocky at times.

• Vegetation to be cut back hard to T4 standard, mostly myrtle and scrub.
• A number of small-medium trees in the first 500m.
• Directional arrows/markers to be installed where appropriate.
• Remove old flagging tape.
• Remove unnecessary cairns, where appropriate.

Join us in the Honeyeaters Haven, 900 hectares of land purchased to protect Tasmanian native forest and wildlife. We will depart in private cars from Newstead College at 8am to arrive at Kalangadoo (Lake Leake) at 9.45am. This is a 10km out and back walk along disused logging roads with about 200m of elevation overall. There are a couple of track options on this exploratory walk. We get to observe the environment where the eastern quoll flourishes along with many other threatened species of plant, animals and insects. The walk begins and ends near the Kalangadoo General shop where you will enjoy refreshments after the walk along with an eclectic collection of items to purchase should you wish. ETA back at Newstead College 4.30pm.

We will ride from The Sidling, through Myrtle Bank and Patersonia to finish at Nunamara. These are a mix of gravel and bitumen roads that pass through delightful rural countryside and are very quiet. A hybrid or mountain bike would be most suitable. Being bus-supported, lunch and spare clothes may be carried on the bus.

2025 George Perrin Photographic Competition

We all take plenty of photos of our adventures, but did you capture that "bang for buck", sharp, great composition and colours!

This is the competition for you!

Club members are encouraged to submit a single Tasmanian image taken in the past three years. 

• Photos must not have been entered in any previous club photographic competition.
• No watermarks/signatures.
• Only 2025 financial club members are eligible to enter.
• Maximum of three (3) entries per member.
• 2025 judge to be announced closer to the date. 
• 1st prize: $100.
• 2nd prize: $75
• 3rd prize: $50
• Entries close Friday 7th November.  USB stick can be dropped off at October club meeting or upload and email photos to 

Where: Newstead College

Time: 7pm light supper and catchup 

Meeting starts at 7:30pm - Presentation starts at 8pm.

Meeting closes: 9pm

A short walk in the vicinity of Pine Tier Lagoon. We'll share transport with Steve's overnight backpackers who will commence their walk at this location. This is a small open hill which provides great views of the area and also distant peaks. It rises above the junction of Little Pine and Pine Rivers which we can explore. Bring a packed lunch, sturdy boots plus warm gear and waterproofs, just in case.

The aim of this extended ramble is to trace the Pine River from Pine Tier Lagoon to its source very near to the summit of King Davids Peak at around 1400 m elevation. We will require a bus drop-off at Pine Tier Lagoon and a pick-up at the Walls of Jerusalem car park six days later. Total distance will be above 60 km and the terrain a mixed bag of old 4x4 roads, light scrub, open alpine meadows and some heavier scrub on the ascent of King Davids Peak. The coordinator has completed around 70% of the walk previously so we will not be flying "blind" completely. On the first two nights we can be spoilt having an open fire, camped beside the river. Note that day 6 is an emergency day only because it may be possible to complete the walk in five days. If you are interested and feel that you have the experience to participate in this event don't hesitate, get your name down and the coordinator will be in touch.

We will start our walk to Mensa Moor from Myrtle Vale. The starting point is approached by driving on a minor road off Fishers Tier Road. Most of the route is marked with ribbons and cairns. At many places a distinct pad has formed. Scrub is quite manageable and is mostly the waist-high, scratchy kind of variety that you brush past rather than through it. We will also encounter scree and boulders on this route. This route is much shorter than the approach from the ski village. 

The plan is to start at Ronny Creek and proceed to do a clockwise circuit of Crater Lake including visiting Crater Peak. After departing from Ronny Creek along the board walk to Crater Lake, the track proceeds up and over Marion's Lookout following the first section of day 1 of the Overland Track towards Kitchen Hut. Please note there is an elevation of approximately 300 m up to Marion's lookout, including climbing up a short steep rocky section assisted by chains. We then proceed towards Kitchen Hut and take the turnoff to complete the circuit by returning down the Horse Track to Ronny Creek after enjoying the view from Crater Peak along the way. 

There are some very exposed sections on this walk, and being in an alpine environment, please bring appropriate gear ie rain jacket, layers etc since the weather can be unpredictable and can change at short notice.

There are toilets at the Cradle visitor centre as well as an opportunity to fill or refill your water bottles/bladders.Please ensure that you carry sufficient water for the day( approximately 2 litres) since there are very limited opportunities to fill up on the track.   

The walk is likely to take approximately 5-6 hours including any breaks.Our driving time is expected to be approximately 5 hours return, so all going well we should be back in Launceston between 5 and 6 pm.

This is a practical "hands on" training event to teach the key aspects of land navigation using a map and compass. Subjects covered in training will be as follows:

• The differences between True North, Grid North and Magnetic North.
• Grid references, grid lines and map interpretation, including map scale and reading contours.
• Orientating a map to the ground with and without a compass.
• Taking a bearing from a map (grid bearing).
• Converting a grid bearing to a magnetic bearing.
• Estimating/measuring distance to an objective.
• Moving on a bearing to a selected objective, using the principle of "aiming off".
• Counting paces and estimating movement time in open country and close country.

The basic theory will be covered in the first hour at the Apex Hut. We will then spend 3-4 hours moving on a compass bearing from point to point, reading the ground and estimating distance. As members gain confidence with using a compass, they may wish to break into groups of two or individually and navigate on their own route back to a finish point.

Equipment: Bring a daypack, chair or stool, notebook and pencil and an adjustable dial compass (sometimes called a baseplate compass - examples include such brands as Silva and Suunto). Maps will be provided. A number of club compasses will be available to use if you do not have a compass for this training.

Transport: Own vehicle to Apex Hut, Lake Trevallyn Road, Trevallyn Nature Recreation Reserve.

This event would be useful for Prospective and New Members. All Members are welcome. At the end of this training, you will have the basic knowledge to continue developing your navigation skills by map reading (reading the ground) while participating on club walks. This event will finish at or about 3 pm.

Walk up Syds Track to the plateau, head west taking in some cliff edge views, then south to Whiteleys Hut and down Western Creek Track. Good tracks up and down, mostly open going with minimal rock scrambling across the plateau. Around 7 hours of walking.

The aim of this trip is to paddle the length of the lake from east to west. We will base camp and have two paddle days that will involve car shuttles. Both days will be 15+ km days on flat water. Please contact the coordinator to register your interest.

This will be a more casual backpacker trip in the Walls of Jerusalem National Park where we will camp near a lovely lake, leaving plenty of time to explore, fish, swim or relax. It will be slightly exploratory too, finding new routes and passing as many lakes as possible. The hardest part of the weekend will be the climb up the steep track to Trappers Hut, some 400m ascent, but mostly levelling after that. Bring plenty of good food, tent and warm/waterproof clothing just in case as the weather can still be cold or wet.