Sat, 7th Feb, 2015 Bethune Park, Meadowbank Lake (Mt Field Nat Park walks)

Got up at 8am and we were surrounded in mist (17 degrees). Looked lovely.

By 9am the mist had lifted and it is now 23 degrees in the van.

Headed off to explore Mt Field National Park. The farmers used the poplars as paddock borders.

A crop of raspberries as we head into Westerway.

Stopped at the fruit shop to buy some raspberries. Checked out the picking machinery. Littau harvester which does raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Dan would be in heaven.

You would get a good thrashing if you walked through this – stiff little sticks knock the fruit off and then it is conveyed up the shoot and into the trays up top.

An old version.

There was a tour group in and they got to hop on the harvester as it travelled over the blackberries (thornless – not like the nasty ones on the side of the road!!) The sun is out and getting hot though it is still cool when you stand in the shade.

Up the road to Mt Field National Park. Great map info at the Info Centre.

I asked the lady about the walks and she suggested the combined waterfall circuit for 2 ½ hours. She said there were stairs (forgot to ask whether we go up or down them). Headed off to see Russell Falls first. Nice walk along the creek.

A cute potoroo getting a feed.

Easy walk to the bottom of the falls. Another couple were there and offered to take a photo of us. She got more of the boardwalk then the top of the falls.

Very nice falls. In 1885, Tasmania’s first reserve was created around Russell Falls and rail excursions from Hobart to the falls became popular. The reserve was extended with the formation of Mount Field National Park in 1916, which along with Freycinet, is the State’s oldest National Park.

 Top part of the falls.

Then we went up the hill – looking back down the rock stairs.

Then more timber stairs.

Till we reached the top of the Falls.

Further on we turn off to check out Horseshoe Falls. Cute.

Lots of tall trees.

Lots have fallen down too. This one was cut up and the bark peeled off like they did in the old days.

Another fallen tree with big root system and it goes along way.

Steve saw a Tiger snake slither off but I missed it.

Into the Tall Trees Walk area. Information about the tree measuring devise – Clinometer.

Wasn’t that easy to see the top but we went for 57 degrees so therefore 90.6 metres. Well we didn’t get it right.

Tree scar.

This tree has a huge opening. Goes a long way up and is still alive.

Found the possum tree – totally shredded.

Lovely trees.

Another one with four holes in the base and a twisted trunk.

Nice walk along the edge of a hill and then through tree ferns. Lovely and cool here.

Along the top of a ridge where it was a lot hotter and dryer till we reached Lady Barron Falls which cascaded down over two levels.

Spiders web.

Lovely walk through all the tall trees.

And by the cool creek which we crossed over.

Through a more open grassy area.

Then we saw the stairs – oops we have to go up. We started running up (there are 239 steps).

Luckily they put in comfortable seats to relax in and enjoy the view.

And some more.

While we rested I took a photo of our map.

Another big holey tree – big enough for Steve.

A lot drier and open scrub at the top of the hill.

More bracken ferns.

Back to the Info Centre, cute carving.

We went into the Centre to check out the displays. Lots about the Tassie Tiger (Thylacines). The last one was trapped in the Florentine Valley nearby in 1933 and was in the Hobart Zoo.

After lunch in the park we headed up Lake Dobson Road. This road climbs 1000m in 16km to Alpine Country. Narrow dirt road that was created to provide jobs in the Depression in 1934. Stopped at the lookout at 510m elevation to look over the valley.

Zoomed in.

Interesting information.

 The old fence posts.

Up to 900 m and the area is covered in rocks.

Red posts so you can see them above the snow line.

Up in the Alpine Country at 1050 metres. Cool but the sun is still warming.

Parked the truck and made a cuppa. Wandered down to Lake Dobson.

Got our sticks out again and headed off to walk to Lake Seal Lookout. First part was easy walk around the edge of the lake.

Lovely twisted colour of the snow gum.

Then we started uphill. Not bad, just rocky.

The walk around the lake is called Pandani Grove Nature Walk. There are heaps of Pandani along this area up the hill too.

Little red berry bush.

We came out onto the road that goes up to the huts on the snow fields. Nice and steep – like walking up to Mt Oberon at Wilson’s Prom again.

Steve spotted a cute little owl in the tree!!!

Beautiful flowers.

As we turned the corner we looked over Eagle Tarn.

Up the road again.

At the next corner stopped to admire the view!! And breath!!

We could look back over Lake Dobson and the car park.

Zoomed in on a couple relaxing by the lake.

Big house which are owned by Ski Clubs. 

Walked past them – people were up there and had driven up!!! Must have a key for the locked gate. Up the narrow track through the rocks.

Looking over Broad River Valley and Platypus Tarn.

Now for some rock climbing – something Steve is great at but I get wobbly legs.

But the views are spectacular. We thought we were at the Lake Seal Lookout as there were other people there and Lake Seal was below us.

Looking back over the road we travelled past Wombat Moor.

Up the hillside is another ski tow called Rodway Hut.

Steve the king of the mountain. Behind him is Mt Bridges (1208m).

On the other mountain was a huge crack.

My pose shot well away from the rocky edge. The wind has come up too and a few dark clouds are moving in.

Another shot of Lake Seal.

Zoomed in on the valley below at the National Park.

A little wombat pool as we tried to find the track down to the ski fields. Climbed over rocks then realised we weren’t on the track. Found it – certainly a better track then we were following!!

Found a board walk and it eventually came to an intersection of boardwalks and a sign “Lake Seal Lookout”!! We hadn’t even got to the correct lookout.

The boardwalk also goes around to Rodway’s Hut.

Now that’s the view I had seen in the Info Centre. How good is that!!

Zoomed in on the little lake high on the ridge which is called Tarn Shelf that runs around Mt Bridges.

Rodway Range.

Another shot of the crack in the mountainside.

Rocky top.

Found the ski slopes. This one is called University Tow.

 Going for a ski. Hard to imagine what it would be like covered in snow. Will have to come back and see. But won’t ski as I know all the rocks that are under it now!!

Next one is Beginners Tow – only a short one.

Last one is Mawsons Tow (the high mountain near here is Mt Mawson 1318m).

The white stuff isn’t fake snow, it is to help revegetate the area. Will be covered in snow again shortly!!

Headed back down the road – top view over Lake Dobson again.

 And the carpark.

This is Mount Mawson. Looks like trees have been cleared down the hill for the cross country skiers.

Walked back down the road and the track back to Lake Dobson. Great walk – so glad we went to the ski field area too.

Stopped at Lake Fenton which is the drinking water for the area.

Wound our way back down the road, lucky there isn’t too much traffic as there isn’t much room to pass. One area had a large landslide of glacier rocks which have scoured down the hillside.

Went into the campground to check it out. Nice enough but all in a row like a caravan park though some have a nice view of Tyenna River.

Back to the van and it is still very warm. 33 degrees in van at 7pm so no blankets needed tonight. The door and all the windows are open. Rang Rebecca and Clive for a chat.

Took a photo of the blueberries and raspberries. I had them with cream and Steve had rice cream. Yum.

At 10pm it was still 24 degrees with a light breeze. The moon looked beautiful shining over the water and it was so nice to be able to stand outside and not feel cold. Did some star gazing too. It is a long weekend in Hobart for the Regatta so we have a few locals enjoying themselves below us.