LWC Events Program

We will travel with the Overland Track group on the bus, utilising the spare 10 seats. We will dive to Waldhiem, explore that area, before walking the board walk back to Ranger Station. We will have lunch there then do the two short walks near Pencil Pine Creek, the Enchanted and Knyvet Falls. Come prepared for very cold winter conditions, i.e. warm gloves, beanie, thermals etc.

On this Overland Track winter experience, we will walk north to south, over six nights, seven days. After arriving at Cradle Mountain, we will catch the bus from the Visitors Centre to Ronny Creek ($15.00 each or $45.00 annual bus pass). Day one walk covers a distance of 10.7km via Crater Lake, Marions Lookout and across the alpine plains, with our first night at Waterfall Valley; a total of 4-6 hours walking. Day two we will walk the 7.8km to Windermere Hut, with the chance of a side trip to Lake Will and later a wander around Lake Windermere. The next day our walk takes us to New Pelion Hut covering a distance of 16.8km over 5-7 hours. Along the way we will walk across Pine Forest Moor, view the Forth Valley lookout, cross the Forth River (lowest point on the Overland Track at 730m above sea level), before arriving at New Pelion Hut. Day four sees us walking to Kia Ora Hut with a potential side trip to Mt Doris, Mt Ossa or Mt Pelion East. The walk without side trips is 8.6km and takes 3-4 hours. The following day we follow the track to Windy Ridge, overnighting at the Bert Nichols Hut, a distance of 9.6km, taking 3.5-4.5 hours without side trips. We will have the opportunity to visit D'Alton and Ferguson Falls and then Hartnett Falls further along the track. On day six our walk takes us to our overnight stay at Narcissus Hut, a distance of 9km over 3-4 hours. On day seven, our final day, we will walk around Lake St Clair, lunching at Echo Point, before reaching our final destination of Cynthia Bay, a distance of 17.5km over 5-6 hours. Alternatively, we can skip staying at Narcissus and camp at Echo Point Hut, making a shorter day out to Cynthia Bay. The ferry does not generally operate in June, hence the walk around the shores of Lake St Clair. I will register our trip with Parks, via the booking system, as soon as it opens. I am hoping we will have the LWC bus to transport us to Cradle Mountain on the Wednesday and to pick us up at Cynthia Bay, Lake St Clair the following Tuesday. Be prepared for cold and potentially wet or snowy weather and short days. Registrations open on 1st May. Join me for an adventure.

Mount Henry and Leipzig Bluff are located east of Royal George. We will be walking mostly off-track as we complete this walk. Interesting peaks and well worth the climb and a good workout.

The Asbestos Range is the most northerly feature in the Briggs Regional Reserve. Departing from a start point on Bowens Road we will follow a fire trail then cross country through a mixture of scrub and open forest onto the southern end of the range before heading north along the ridge to the highest point. From this location we will follow fire trails back to our start point. There will not be many views, but it should be a good bushwalk on a winter's day. The distance will be roughly 12 km and will take roughly six hours.

We will paddle from the Forth River Bridge at Cethana to Kentish Park at Lake Barrington on flat water. Expect about 12km of leisurely paddling with the first couple of kilometres having a down river flow assist. Just before our finishing point we will visit Forth Falls.

This is a classic ride. We will start at the Cressy Bakery and finish at the Ross Bakeries. It is mostly sealed road with a gravel section a few kilometres before Ross. Expect about 55-60 kilometres of leisurely riding through mostly scenic farmland.

Join me on this walk to enjoy stunning scenery, excellent waterfalls, magnificent cliff overhangs and small caves all in the rainforest. We will use the Stone Hut Track as well as exploring off-track so expect some steep climbs and scrambles.

Bastion Cascades is a series of waterfalls and cascades that flow along Bastion Creek in the Meander State Forest Reserve. The creek flows between magnificent cliffs providing spectacular views throughout the walk. There is a fair bit of uphill on marked tracks to get to the falls, but it is well worth the effort.

This trip will be an adventure into Bass Strait either starting at Penguin and finishing at Ulverstone or the opposite depending on the wind. It will be a leisurely paddle exploring the coastline of Three Sisters and Goat Islands. We will have a couple of beach stops on the way. Expect about 12-15 km distance.

Andersons Creek, at the western side of Beaconsfield, is a part of Tasmanian history. A place of the first discovery of iron ore and asbestos in Australia as well as being the first place in Tasmania where dynamite was used. It was also an area where yellow ochre was found (An Iron Will by Simon Burch).

We will start from a point on Tattersalls Road and follow various tracks as well as a little cross country movement to see an ochre pit, walk over the Ironstone Hills and finish at an old mine site near Mount Vulcan. A good walk through mostly open low-land forest and along fire trails. Total distance 10-12 km and suitable for new members.

The plan is to start in Oatlands and ride the shared pathway to Parattah. Then we will head to Tunnack on sealed road. We will probably have lunch there. The final part of the ride is on a good gravel road, passing through Brandy Bottom to finish at Colebrook. Expect about 35 kilometres of leisurely riding. A shorter ride than usual because of the shorter and colder days. Depending on time and the group there is the option of a 5 kilometre downhill descent into Lovely Banks on a quaint country gravel road.

Join me for a walk in the fantastic Cataract Gorge, right on the doorstep of central Launceston. Meet at the Alexandra Suspension Bridge on the pool side of the First Basin for a 9:30am start. Be prepared for steps and some uneven ground. Bring a drink and check the weather forecast prior to the walk. We will have morning tea at the First Basin Cafe at the conclusion of the walk.

Map: Getting Around the Gorge

This is a moderately easy walk, following a track through coastal heathlands from Badger Head to Copper Cove where we will have lunch on the beach before returning the same way. There are great views out over Bass Strait most of the way and the weather is usually mild here in mid-winter.

Shorter winter Working Bee with Parks. Clearing the Upper Liffey Track from the Big Tree to the river. There are some reported trees down requiring a chain saw.

We are returning to the Great Western Tiers area to clean up tree falls and making sure markers are in place. We have now completed most of the tracks and now it should mean maintenance only for some of the tracks but not all, especially after winter.

We will be provided with more information near the time.

Located on the edge of the Walls of Jerusalem National Park, Nescient Peak lies close enough to the Lake Myrtle Track to make for an interesting day walk during the shorter winter days. The Abels book describes it as a "moderately adventurous target for walkers", though the walk to the summit and back is quite straight-forward. From the car park off Mersey Forest Road, the well-marked Lake Myrtle Track initially climbs steeply through eucalypt forest before emerging onto Blizzard Plain. From there, cairns will lead us to the summit. If we are lucky, there may be some snow cover on the higher elevations of this walk. The walk is graded as 4 mainly due to expected winter conditions, otherwise it is a grade 3 walk in summer. The walk involves round 550m of elevation gain (and descent) and most of the walking is either on good steepish track or pads in open bush. 

We will base camp at Lime Bay. It will be an early start from Newstead College at 6:30 am on the Saturday. The plan for Saturday is to climb Mt Brown and visit Crescent Beach. Sunday will be a return walk to Cape Raoul. Monday morning we will explore the Lime Bay area before the afternoon return to Launceston. Depending on the wind direction, there are some options of kayak adventures. Ideally, a Club coordinator is needed for each walk and each kayak adventure. Some may only like to walk or only kayak and others may do some walking and some kayaking. Bring some luxuries.

This is a circuit walk featuring Sajbens Cave, the Lookout and Buffalo Brook Canyon. There is some easy rock scrambling involved and the crossing of the Buffalo Brook could well involve WET feet. A new walk for the club with many highlights in delightful surroundings. 

Bus out of action for detailing and roof work.

‘How things have changed’

We have evidence of where people walked in the Tasmanian bush over the last 30,000 years. Today’s iconic bushwalking places have not always looked the same as they appear. From the far Southwest, across the Central Plateau to the far Northeast, everywhere was part of someone’s estate. This talk will ramble across those landscapes to illustrate the true depth of people’s involvement with the island.

Supper served at 7pm 

Meeting starts: 7:30pm

This trip to a beautiful part of the East Coast will be 4 days of exploring Maria Island with an emphasis on walking in the southern part of the island. Travelling by ferry to the Darlington township in the north, our group will walk or bike ride to Chinamans Bay camp on the southern end of the northern peninsular and climb some nearby hills, Big and Middle Hills, riding and swimming if the weather is fine. More details will be provided as we get closer to the event. We may book our last night in the penitentiary accommodation back in Darlington if there is interest in this. It should be a very pleasant mid-winter trip in any case. Remember along with the trip levy there will be a cost for the ferry to the Island and a small fee for accommodation for one night at the old penitentiary. 

The Quoin is a distinctive square feature roughly 30 km east of Ross and is set in the catchment of the Macquarie River. The feature is surrounded on all sides by slopes 200-300 m high. At the southeastern corner of the feature the Quoin Cliffs dominate the surrounding area. We will leave our transport on the side of Honeysuckle Road and venture onto this conservation property now controlled by the Wedgetail Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the preservation of Tasmanian flora and fauna. On climbing the slopes, we will arrive on a plateau of grassy woodland with a forest of mainly white and black peppermints. We will complete a 10 km circuit walk of the feature, stopping at the Quoin Cliffs along the way. This will be a walk of roughly 4-5 hours and would be suitable for beginner walkers.

Coles Bay is a great place to explore by kayak. Expect about 12-15 km of leisurely paddling. Some may choose to vehicle base camp at River and Rocks Road on Saturday night for the bike ride on the Sunday. Please contact me before registering if you need to borrow a kayak.

Mt Arthur is a nice short local mountain, also an Abel with a height of 1187m. We'll start from the Mountain Road side which starts lower through forest. There is a fairly good track up, but it is steep and it can be slippery on the rocks in cold, winter conditions. There is also a bit of overgrown vegetation on the track up top which can be wet and a short "off-track" section to the actual big summit cairn. So please bring gear for exposed winter conditions even if this is a nearby destination. We can race up and down in 3 hours or take it more leisurely: up to 6 hours depending on who's interested in coming along and the mood of the group.

The purpose of this adventure is to explore some of the fire trails in the Freycinet National Park. This trip will suit mountain or hybrid bikes. We will ride to Friendly Beaches and explore some old mine workings and may even venture to Bluestone Bay, White Water Wall and Cape Tourville. Expect about 25-30 km of gravel riding. Please note that this is NOT a bus-supported trip.

This is a two-day base camp, staying overnight at our shack at Swansea. The idea is to visit up to six Central East Poimenas over the two days.
The Poimenas are a collection of day walks to amenable hills and knolls throughout Tasmania as described and published by Bill Wilkinson. The Central East Poimenas are contained in The Poimenas Part A Groups 1 to 5. 
On the way to Swansea, we will have the chance to walk up Hobgoblin at a height of 769m, a walking distance of 6.6km return and an ascent of 170 metres. Our next destination will be Snow Hill at a height of 971m, a walking distance of 700m return and an ascent of 40 m. Our third Poimena for the day, depending on how long it takes to walk the previous two Poimenas and travel time, will be Bald Ridge at 651m, a walking distance of 1.86km return and an ascent of 90m.
At Swansea we have two spare bedrooms and plenty of grassed area and a garage for tents.
The remaining three Poimenas are Roundhead at a height of 560m, a walking distance of 2.8km return and an ascent of 160m, Moaners Tier at 742m, a walking distance of 2.8km return and an ascent of 140m, and Breasted Sugarloaf at 640m, a walking distance of 520m return and an ascent of 60m.
I have not explored any of these Poimenas and am keen to share the exploration with club members. There is a distinct possibility of exploring only some of the six Poimenas.
Bring along something for the barbecue and a salad or sweet to share. I look forward to your company.

The plan is to meet at the Meander Hall. We will ride in a westerly direction to Western Creek and complete a clockwise circuit of 26-28km on flat mostly sealed road. 

Club bus service.

This is an interesting combination walk. We start from the Mersey River at East Devonport and follow the 3 km Heritage Walking Track around Frederick Head to Pardoe Beach. Here we pick up the 3 km John Palmer Track around the perimeter of the Devonport Airport to Pardoe Point. Now we’re back on the Heritage Walking Track for a further 2.5 km along Moorland Beach to Moorland Point. Finally we’re on our own – following the 7.5 km long Northdown Beach to Eagles Lookout and then onto Point Sorell. Some rock-hopping will take us around the point with views to the Carbuncle rock and then to Hawley Beach. With a total distance of 22 km this walk should help to keep you warm on a winter’s day.

Low tide on 25/07/2026: Northdown Beach & Point Sorell - 2.00 pm. 😀

Note: This trip is on the same day as the Christmas Dinner in July (which was programmed after this trip). Given the distance to be travelled by bus, the length of the required vehicle shuffle and the distance of the walk, I cannot guarantee that we'll be back in Launceston in time for people to make the start of the dinner. Therefore, if you've registered for the dinner you should probably not register for this trip. 🙁

Our Prospective Members / New Members Day is a great opportunity to learn more about the LWC. Held at Newstead College the day will run from 9am-4pm. Topics covered include clothing to wear, packing techniques, map reading, compass use, navigation, how the LWC operates, dealing with challenging situations and an opportunity to review the day. Run by experienced LWC members the day will be enjoyable and educational and help to enrich your experience as an LWC member. Please wear robust shoes, pack your lunch, snacks, a drink, raincoat, pen and paper and enthusiasm. More detailed information will be sent out close to the event.

This will be a  leisurely exploring of Lake Trevallyn.It should suit most Club members.Expect about 8 km or a couple of hours paddling. We will explore for 45-60 minutes and have lunch and then explore back to our start.

If you need to borrow a kayak please contact the coordinator before registering.

If you are a Prospective Member and haven't met me, please contact me before registering and tell me some details about your experience and/ or motivation to participate in this adventure.

Join us for a sumptuous festive feast in the heat of winter at our social event at the Clarendon Arms in Evandale.

There will be a Tropical Christmas-themed dress-up with prizes for the best outfits.

Aaaand Christmas-themed songs by the man hims(elf) - Malcolm Pryor, with carol-singing!

There will be a traditional 3 course Xmas dinner (see sample menu below) including a glass of mulled wine... all this for $80.

The venue has confirmed gluten-free: Entrée of salmon pate can be served with GF toast and the main course is GF and the plum pudding is GF also. Please contact me EARLY if you have vegetarian or dairy-free requirements and wish to come.

To secure your place, please EFT payment to Launceston Walking Club:

Bendigo Bank - BSB 633-000

Account number 146518931

Reference: list Xmas, your surname(s) and initial.

Your registration will be approved following payment.

The venue is still fine tuning the final menu…

The SAMPLE menu:

Glass of mulled wine 

Entrée: Tasmanian smoked salmon pate (sourced from 41 South, Montana Road, not large salmon farms) with dill pickles and melba toast.

Main: Traditional fare – Turkey, ham, roast vegetables (more veg and less meat than last year).

Dessert: Plum pudding or chocolate hazelnut tart.

Ever heard of Wuthering Heights and the influence of the red dress and Kate Bush’s song? Sarah and I are looking to recreate the red dress phenomenon. A visit to the op-shop to prepare could be useful. We will leave Launceston at 9am (as there is a social event the night before) and head to the Liffey Falls lower carpark. Dressed in our red ‘dresses’ and red/brown wigs we will conduct our Wuthering Heights routine/performance (training will be provided). In red dress and wigs (likely a thermal underlay) we will walk up to Liffey Falls and the upper carpark and return - a 8-9km walk on a good track. A reprise of the routine will occur upon return and we will enjoy a campfire and lunch. The walk is optional and participation in the routine is most encouraged! Check out the Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights (red dress) video for some pre-trip preparation. Please feel free to talk to Sarah or me for extra detail! 

The plan is to ride from Gould's Country to the Gardens on mostly gravel roads with an easy single track section of the Blue Tier to Blue Seas Adventure. The final ten kilometres is sealed road.

Bus booked in for upholstery repairs.

The plan is to walk from Carr Villa to the Plains of Heaven and find some snow to try out snowshoes, use a snow shovel and build a snow shelter. There may even be enough snow to try some XC skiing.

LWC 2026 AGM

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.

This has been rescheduled from March and will now be a 3 day walk to allow us to have a whole day on the plateau.

We will take the 9 am ferry from Lake St Clair to Narcissus (please note the current fare is $55 each way). From there the plan is to head north on the Overland Track for a short way to the Bowling Green (this is permitted as we are not going past a second node) where we will head up onto the Traveller Range. We will find somewhere nice to camp near Orion Lakes for 2 nights. From here we will explore the nearby lakes and climb The Gatepost.  Depending on the group and the weather we will have several options for our time on the plateau.

We will have Monday morning to explore before we pack up and descend back down to The Overland Track and back to Narcissus where we will catch the 3.30 ferry back to Lake St Clair.

This should be a lovely relaxing weekend with plenty of opportunities to enjoy a dip.