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hiking, Travel

Tarkine Coast Walk

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I landed at Launceston on 10th March, then the rest of the people from our bushwalking group and I have been picked up from Launceston airport the next day & driven to the ‘edge of the world’. It was a 3.5 hour drive.  The walk started from Arthur River, it was much along the ocean with bits & pieces inland.

Tarkine Coast Walk Map

11 March 2017

The journey started from the end of the world, this end of the world:

End of the world

This section of the track was shared by 4WD, hikers, dogs, wallabies and from the footprints, horses.

There was a section at the beginning of the track where logs apparently swept up by the sea blocked part of the beach.

We camped next to a stream on the first night. The organizer of the trip was experienced and had planned the trip in such a way that we were camping near water sources most of the nights. Not only we were able to re-fill our water, there was also opportunity to take a quick dip.

Apparently there were also Aboriginal carvings near our campsite on the first night.

Tarkine Day 1

12 March 2017

We woke up in the rain, the weather was gloomy all the way until lunch. It’s the day we spotted the first sick penguin and we called WIRES from my phone, but there was nothing much else we could do.

There were a few smaller towns along the way and some houses had solar panels, I even spotted one with both solar panels and windmill. Nearly all of them had rain water tanks. I guess the drawback of living in such a beautiful place close to nature is the lacking of utility such as electricity and water so one has to live off the grid.

Lunch was at a scenic little lagoon. A few people dipped into water for a quick swim while I was busy drying the tent.

We came across a few beaches filled with seaweed. It smelt awful. I was uncertain whether it was from the rotting seaweed or the rotten seafood, I mean sea creature wrapped in those seaweed. Seagulls seemed to not mind the smell and happy to be next to it though.

Tarkine Day 2

13 March 2017

The first three days, we had to share the beach with 4 wheel drives and buggies. When automobiles go pass you every 30 minutes, it doesn’t feel too much like a wildness track. On the good side, we have been getting water from the friendly local drivers.

The weather has improved since the second day. By the third day, there was amazing blue sky. It’s marvellous to walk on the beach where there was endless ocean on one side, and perpetual sand dunes on the other.

We saw the second sick penguin on our journey, but this one was in much better condition than the last one. It turned itself around and prepared to go back to the sea.

Tarkine Day 3

14 March 2017

It’s the first day into the territory where no vehicles were allowed. We bush bashed a bit and was slight lost in the morning. But soon we found our orientation, and ended on the beach. It’s not terribly hard since it’s a coast walk, we aimed for the beach, any beach really. Then we headed south as usual.

By the afternoon, we ended on the endless beach again. Because the landscape was fairly exposed, the wind showed its power. There were forceful waves on our right side, we had to be careful dodging some persistent invading ones, and we could see sand has been blown off the sand dunes on our left.

Occasionally tide caught up with one of us and one ended up with wet boots.

Tarkine Day 4

15 March 2017

This morning, we walked into an area full of bush food. There were a few people in the group who were experienced in bushcrafts. So I had some fresh bush fruit. It was great experience.

We pitched our tent next to an open area next to the cliff. The wind picked up at night, I laid in my tent, worried about when my tent was going to give in and collapse on me. I even got out trying to tie down the line, but it did work – the gale was too strong. The around 4am, the wind changed direction and with it, brought the rain. This somewhat relieved pressure on my tent, so I was able to get some sleep finally.

Tarkine Day 5

16 March 2017

After a night of strong wind, I woke up in a half collapsed tent and only had 2-3 hours of sleep.

Because it rained during the previous night and in early morning, we had to go across a few swamp.

I jokely called the water we have been drink the pure ‘Tasmania tea’ because of slightly yellowish stain in the water. But it’s very safe to drink, because the water was mainly from creeks and there were very few farms and towns up the stream. Colour of the water was from leaves.

The journey ended on the bank of Pieman River. We took a ferry down to Corinna, and were picked up by a shuttle bus after lunch.

Tarkine Day 6

17 March -18 March 2017

Back in Launceston, rested a bit, food was good.

Launceston
me
hiking

Great Ocean Walk – Part 3

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Day 5, Thursday 10 March,  – (13km) Ryans Den to Devils Kitchen.

Bench at a lookout point

It drizzled a bit early in the day, but this didn’t stop scenery from being amazingly beautiful.

Trail 1 - Day 5
Trail 1 – Day 5
Trail 2 - Day 5
Trail 2 – Day 5
Scenery 1 - day 5
Scenery 1 – day 5

Most of the day’s track was, as you probably have guessed, on a well trodden trail next to the ocean. There was a small section of it in the forest near the end.

Scenery 2 - day 5
Scenery 2 – day 5
Scenery 3 - day 5
Scenery 3 – day 5

Because of the drizzle, the ocean and hills seemed to be misty, gave the landscape a different kind of hue.

Scenery 4 - day 5
Scenery 4 – day 5
Trail 3 - Day 5
Trail 3 – Day 5
Benches at lookout point
Benches at lookout point

There were a few benches like this strategically located at the lookouts along the way, providing the bushwalkers  convenient rest spots with stunning views.

Trail 4 - Day 5
Trail 4 – Day 5
Hygiene station
Hygiene station

Hygiene stations like this were present at all sections of  the walk, one must whip one’s shoes/boots on the brushes to clean them up before proceeding to the next section.  Those hygiene stations varied in apparences, with this being one of the most common types.

Scenery 5 - day 5
Scenery 5 – day 5
Trail 5 - Day 5
Trail 5 – Day 5

The trees in the forest looked a bit weird. Now looking at the pictures, it was probably because  the trunks of those trees were dancing left and right, unlike most other trees which are usually straight.

Trail 6 - Day 5
Trail 6 – Day 5
Trail 7 - Day 5
Trail 7 – Day 5
Mushroom 1
Mushroom 1

There was also a large variety of mushrooms along the walk.This for example, is not bread.

Mushroom 2
Mushroom 2
Trail 8 - Day 5
Trail 8 – Day 5

Devils kitchen campsite had the toilet with one of the best views. But the toilet, like those in the rest of the hike in camp sites were composting toilets. Which means, while enjoying the spectacular view from the window while sitting on the toilet, you also have to endure the almost unbearable stink emanated from beneath.

View from the hike in camp toilet
View from the hike in camp toilet

By the time we reached the campsite, it started pouring.
Because of the rain, there were a lot of mosquitos. We only walked 13km that day, I had the whole afternoon not having much to do. So I ended up reading a book on my phone, a little curious fairy wren came over to the opening of my tent to check me out, there were 4-5 mosquitoes circling outside the top of the inner layer of my tent at one stage.
I wonder whether fairy wren eat mozzies.

Day 6,  Friday, March 11  – (16km) Devils Kitchen to 12 Apostles.

day6-16

It was another day with early start because we need to catch the shuttle bus at 12:30pm and it was a 16 km hike.

Scenery 1 - day 6
Scenery 1 – day 6
Trail 1 - Day 6
Trail 1 – Day 6
Trail 2 - Day 6
Trail 2 – Day 6

It was cloudy in the morning, so it still looked misty in the distance.
Reception improved drastically as we walked closer to the civilization and there were a few places along the track that were accessible by cars. Occasionally, I could see roads and  farmlands in the distance.

Scenery 2 - day 6
Scenery 2 – day 6
Trail 3 - Day 6
Trail 3 – Day 6
Trail 4 - Day 6
Trail 4 – Day 6

Where the Great Ocean Road met the Old Coach Road near Gellibrand  river, we walked past a caravan park. This was a place where the narrow, rough hiking track suddenly turned into a flat, 4-5 metre dirt road cater for automobiles.

Trail 5 - Day 6
Trail 5 – Day 6
Snake warning sign
Snake warning sign

Despite the warning sign, we did not sight any snakes. Instead we spotted an echidna. Those creatures are relatively easy to spot because they cull into a ball when they sense danger.

Echidna
Echidna

The last few kilometres,  the trail changed  frequently – from dirt to rubber covering on the track to wood planks to stones steps and back. The sceneries, however, remained  similar: up and down the green hilly side close to the sea.

Trail 6 - Day 6
Trail 6 – Day 6
Trail 7 - Day 6
Trail 7 – Day 6
Scenery 3 - day 6
Scenery 3 – day 6
Trail 8 - Day 6
Trail 8 – Day 6
Trail 9 - Day 6
Trail 9 – Day 6
Trail 10 - Day 6
Trail 10 – Day 6

When we reached the 12 Apostles Visitor Centre – our final destination, there was no relief of finally finishing the walk or disappointment that there was nothing further to walk on. It’s probably because our thoughts during the last few hours were mainly on how to not miss the shuttle bus.
It was not until I started sorting some 1500+ pictures I had taken over the trip did it dawn on me that I had completed the whole track!

Aftermath
I mean misc thoughts after completed the track.
This track was one of the most clearly marked and well maintained track I have hiked, despite the fact that there weren’t whole lot of people on it when we walked. It is possible that number of spots at hike in camp sites limited the amount of people walking the track and there weren’t awfully lot of day walkers other than on the sections near touristy spots accessible by cars.

In retrospect, ideally I should probably finish it in 4 days – single section only takes a few hours to walk, leaving plenty of times in the afternoon to munch on the over supply of food that I routinely bring on those overnight/multiday bushwalks in the fear of starving. In the end I lost not a single kg through this 106km hike. My mum said ‘dear, it’s not that you did not lose any weight, you just drank too much water’.

Right.

Me
Me
hiking

Great Ocean Walk – Part 2

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Day 3, Tuesday, 8 March – (24km) to Johanna Beach. (bypass Aire River)

Scenery 1 – day 3

We started  around 7:40am because of the distance we had to cover that day. This section of trail was very close to the ocean most of the times.

GOW Day 3 – Part 1

We arrived at the Aire River campsite shortly after 10am and was greeted by a clan of swamphens at the the ‘reception area'(shelter).

This campsite was also the only one with multiple toilets. Cape Otway has a pair of toilet cubicles, but this one had four!

The Great Ocean Road converged with the Great Ocean Walk at Castle Cove, so we saw more people at this tourist attraction during our short stay than the total number of people we saw for the rest of the day.

GOW Day 3- Part 3

Johanna beach camp had some sites with awesome view, but hike to get there involved walking on the sand for nearly 2 kilometres with full pack on.

Trail 7 – day 3

As a reward, the campsites had, in my opinion, the best view of all hike in campsites. You can set your tent up very close to the cliff edge, over looking the ocean from the top of the hill.

View from the Johanna Beach campsite

Day 4,  Wednesday, 9 March  – (14km) Johanna Beach to Ryan’s Den.

Trail Mark – Day 4

After left the campsite with astonishing view, the track entered a hilly farmland area. This part reminded me of the six foot track. Kangaroos observed us from afar.

Great Ocean Walk Day 4 – Part 1

 

There were a couple of farms at the either side of the road, and road itself looked as if it was frequently driven on.

Great Ocean Walk Day 4 – Part 2

7-8 kilometres on, the track returned to it’s normal, hiking along the ocean theme – up and down the green hilly side, next to the ocean.

Great Ocean Walk Day 4 – Part 3

Then after crossing a dried creek at low tide, the tracked started going up. There were some dense blackberry bushes at the side of the track.

Great Ocean Walk Day 4 – Part 4

There were a couple of steep climbs in this section, but none of them were very long. The trail was well maintained.

Great Ocean Walk Day 4 – Part 5

We arrived the campsite fairly early, although the frequent ups and downs during the second half would raised this section’s difficulty to medium.

Shelter at Ryan’s Den campsite
hiking

Great Ocean Walk – Part 1

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I have hiked the Great Ocean Walk organised by a bushwalking group last month. The track is about 105km and we have completed it in 6 days.

Day 1, Sunday, 6 March – (22km) Apollo Bay to Blanket Bay (bypass Elliot Ridge Campground).

The walk started off as a street walk from the Apollo bay, on the foot path along the Great Ocean Road. Soon it turned into a path close to the ocean – sometimes across the grassland, sometimes a short stroll on the beach, other times walking on the rocks near the ocean. There were a few blackberry bushes along the path.

After lunch at Elliot Ridge Campground, the walk entered an ancient forest. I was told that the area might be the place for a crowded koala population. But high density does not make them easy to spot for they usually sit near the very top of those were very, very tall trees. It’s not uncommon to sight trees thicker than a round family dining table.

First I did not notice any koalas, it was not until I noticed poop in the middle of the track, did I look up. And there it was, two koalas sitting right above of me! It was then, we started paying attention to the top of the trees, and in a short period of time we spotted quite a few.
That night, a fox was sighted lurking around near the campsite. My first thought was: it would come over and steal my food when I fall asleep.
Surprisingly, it did not happen.
Day 2, Monday, 7 March – (11km) Walk Blanket Bay to Cape Otway

Blanket Bay campsite is very close to the ocean. I started the day with a short stroll on the beach and was greeted by a couple of sea birds.

GOW Day 2 – 1

It turned out to be a rather hot day with many snakes out on the track sun baking.

Once I had a baby snake literally between my feet, trying to get away. But judging by the speed of how they slithered away, they were more scared of me than I was of them.

GOW Day 2 – Trail

Unlike last day’s  route, the track on Monday was close to the ocean. Like the rest of the walk, the scenery changed from section to section, but mostly of stunning ocean, creeks and undulating hillsides.

GOW day 2 – 3

The hike in campsites on the Great Ocean Walk have more or less the standard shelters/kitchens and toilets, this is a natural composite toilet at Cape Otway.

Toilet at Cape Otway campsite